Page 76 of A Clash of Stars

And dammit, I wanted as much control over the narrative as possible.

After we were married, all of this curse would be over. I would go back to Madok. I didn’t care if I betrayed Evander, I had to get back to Madok. I needed to make sure he was okay.

As they were getting me dressed for my fitting, I thought back to the paper that Amari gave me. I was anxious for them to leave so I could read it as soon as theywere gone.

Finally, I was able to go and crawl into the bed, unwrinkling the soft yellowed paper with black ink etched into every section.

The Lies.

What a surprise. People lie. Gods and Goddesses lie. Enythius, the creators, but why? You see, the child born of light and dark was not a forced child, but a love child. The Angel and The Vampyre were very much in love. Their love was stripped by one who felt out of control.

The Lies.

The Seer, The Witch, and The Vampyre created the biggest surprise of all. A way to defeat the one who lies. Who is the Liar? It’s simple. The one who controls the sky.

What must you do? you ask yourself.

It depends on who is guiding you. Yes, you. The Chosen Child. The one who bears all the power. The one who will marry the darkest soul of all. You are the truth. There is a part of you that is pulled in different directions, but there is one that you know is true. The tug on your heart is honest and pure. It may not make sense now, but one day it will. I’m sure you’ve heard this line before, and that is because others are aware. Amusingly, The Great Angel and The King of the Vampyres do not wish for their curses to end, because then it will be inevitable—Their demise is inevitable. Everyone will know the truth, and neither wants that. The Lies are better than that, but it’s up to you. Hand in hand with the onyx of night, the fight will begin.

The paper fell to the side of my body as I lay on my back staring at the ceiling. If what I read is the truth, this curse we are under is withholding our primary forms. Who is Enythius? There must be different species that I only imagined were a part of the fantasy, untrue, only told for entertainment. If I am the chosen child, then I must marry the onyx of night. The Prince of Vampyres, Eros, but where is he?

Amari felt confident that marrying Evander was the first step, but it feels more like a power move than anything else. Tomorrow, I will put all of my royal training to good use. No one would see me stressed, no one would see me sad, they would only see a calm and collected princess.

I slept peacefully that night, not dreaming one thing. I woke the next morning knowing I would be forever tied to Evander, the Crown Prince of Aster. The nausea in my stomach started to build as I began the dressing process. The team ensured every portion of me was ready for the ceremony.

Within one month my whole life had changed. I was no longer Clara Morgan, Crown Princess of Artesia. I would be the princess of both Artesia and Aster and over the entire land of Carondelet. I didn’t know how this would affect my family since I was the only royal blood left after my parents if the King did hold me accountable and try to take my firstborn. I just simply wouldn’t have any children.

My parents had sacrificed so much for me to win the competition, to put this prophecy in motion, and I was also frustrated they couldn’t be here. Apparently, the King did give them short notice, as his guards told me. Plus, they weren’t coming for a particular reason. I just didn’t know the exact one.

My wedding dress was simple yet stunning. A tight white satin bodice wrapped around my chest and waist, fitting my curvy hips and straightened near my legs. The sleeves of the dress hung softly off my shoulders, with the back of the dress draped down to the tail of my spine. The train of the dress was long, and I immediately wished my parents could be here to see me.

The ladies placed my crown on my head and weaved my wavy hair, placing white and blush-colored flowers in between. The veil covered my face and flowed down my back along the train’s length.

I took a deep breath.

I was a bride.

I was Evander’s bride.

Shit.

Instead of letting panic set in, I stood tall, holding my head high, and walked out of the room, leaving Clara of Artesia behind, forever.

Chapter 21

Outside of the ballroom were flowing white roses that draped over the frames so elegant and poised. Then there I was, alone with my thoughts, white as a ghost from the fear of passing out.

I noticed movement to my right when Amari approached me outside of the door wearing a beautiful rose gold gown, in honor of me I’m sure. I couldn’t help but feel my smile widen as she approached me. Her kindness could be felt by just looking at her, I want that. I want to make others feel that way when they see me. Making others feel comfortable and important. One day, maybe.

“Wow! Clara, you look absolutely breathtaking. I am so lucky to call you my daughter. Evander is going to lose his mind when he sees you.” I sighed, thinking I’d like to see my parents’ reactions too, but they weren’t there. Then, I also thought about how I had to marry the big flirt who was full of shit, all while feeling the urge to throw up.

She smiled comfortingly, sensing somehow that I was saddened by that very thought that I was marrying someone not out of love and that my parents weren’t here.

“I know this is a big day… There is a lot on your mind, but I have something for you to keep close to yourheart.”

She handed me a necklace, rose gold with a small onyx star that dangled from it.

“I want you to have this. There are times in life that don’t make much sense, but we must take each day one step at a time. Every day it will become clearer to you as you learn about yourself, and grow as a woman and a ruler. I know you don’t trust many, but please understand me when I say that you are on the right path. What you are doing is exactly what needs to be done,” she declared.

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