Chapter 18

18

At Killian’s announcement, dead silence fell.

I waited for that switch to turn off and turn the potentials back into themselves.

A few visibly shook themselves and began pushing their way to the exit. But too many, far too many, remained, and the loud one in front chose to escalate things.

“If that’s true, then marry her. Right here. Right now,” Royal Blue demanded.

My jaw dropped. Married? That had never been part of the plan.

Luckily, Killian had a smooth reply. “Such a special occasion deserves proper planning.”

“You can always have a second ceremony later,” Royal Blue insisted. “If she’s your true love, then you’ll marry her right now.”

I glanced at Levi, who frowned.

Killian attempted to defuse with another excuse. “I’m afraid that’s impossible. We have no one to officiate.”

“I can perform the ceremony.” The same woman with her satin blue gown stepped forward, her chin tilted stubbornly. “I’m an ordained minister. I can hear your vows.”

“But my mother?—”

“Can watch the replay,” snarled the woman offering her services. “Because I don’t believe you. I think you’re lying because you don’t think we’re good enough for you.” Her claim brought an ugly murmur from those standing at her back.

“Nonsense, you’re all lovely. But to get married here and now? That would be?—”

“Romantic,” someone shouted, to which many added their agreement.

“Or are you lying?” challenged the woman in the front row. “It ain’t nice to lie.”

I’m sure all the Knights noticed as some shoes came off and got held in one hand, ready to be fired.

I half expected Levi to hustle me off the stage, but a quick peek showed him standing still as a statue.

Hannah muttered, “Just do it. We can have it annulled later.”

True. It wouldn’t be a real marriage, just something to appease the rabid crowd of wannabe princesses. Still, it didn’t feel right.

Didn’t feel right to stand facing Killian, while the woman began reciting, “Dearly beloved…”

I glanced at Levi, standing rigid, stony-faced. Holding in his emotions. Not speaking up because he didn’t want to escalate the situation, even if it killed him inside. Marrying Killian, even if a sham, would hurt him. Hurt the person I loved most. Yet if I didn’t, the mob of potentials might tear me limb from limb.

His pain or mine, which mattered more?

I took a step back from the prince and shook my head. “I’m sorry. I can’t do this. It’s not right.”

At my words, once more, silence fell.

Killian cocked his head and murmured, “I understand.”

He did, but I wanted Levi to realize what I did and why.

I walked across the dais to him. Levi bristled with confusion. “What are you doing?” he murmured.

“The right thing,” I said. “I told you before I will only marry for love, and since you’re the man who holds my heart…”

“Princess.” He hissed my name as I grabbed his hand.

“You lost something.” I slid the ring he’d dropped onto his finger, a perfect fit that should have never fallen in the first place. I looked him in the eye before asking loudly and proudly, “Will you marry me?”

Levi’s cheeks turned a ruddy color, and I heard Gerome snicker, but to my pleasure—and relief—Levi nodded. “It would be my greatest honor to marry you.”

A chorus of “Aahs,” followed, and I beamed at my fiancé.

I’d done it. My love had made me brave enough to do the unthinkable.

“Guess we’re starting over,” complained Royal Blue, the volunteer minister.

“Er, what?” I whirled to ask with confusion.

“If you love him, then you shouldn’t have a problem marrying him right now,” Royal Blue taunted.

“But Levi’s mother isn’t here,” I protested.

“Nicola hates gatherings,” Levi murmured as he led me across the stage to stand in front of the self-appointed minister.

“Are you sure?” I asked him.

“More than anything in this world,” he replied.

Royal Blue, looking smug, cleared her throat and said, “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today in search of our prince but now bear witness to one of our Ash sisters finding love…”

Royal Blue spoke, and yet I barely heard a word as I stared into Levi’s eyes. A man I’d fallen head over heels for.

He held my gaze, steady and handsome, even slightly smiling because of me. I hoped to keep him smiling for the rest of our lives.

“And you may now kiss your bride.” The ceremony finished.

As my lips pressed to Levi’s—now my lawfully wedded husband—the mood in the room shifted, and once more, the tension became palpable. The brief moment of peace when I’d rejected Killian in favor of Levi dissipated, making the prince once more the main focus.

“Uh-oh,” Killian muttered as hundreds of wannabe brides eyed him with unnatural hunger.

Even worse, they surged for the dais, the few that grappled with the Knights leaving openings for others to try and rush the stage. It led my new husband tucking me behind his back and drawing his gun.

“You can’t shoot them,” I pleaded.

“I will if they try to hurt you,” he promised. I couldn’t fault him for wanting to protect me.

The Knights and agents retreated to form a ring between us and the curse-maddened women. Levi left my side and joined them, a wall between us and the violence trying to erupt as women held their shoes aloft, screaming, “Pick me!”

All might have been lost if not for the sudden and shrill scream of the woman in emerald green taffeta peeking between Gerome’s legs. “No! What are you doing? You can’t pick her.”

Wait, pick who? What happened?

The chaos subsided, and a sudden silence fell as all eyes suddenly went to Prince Killian, who knelt in front of Belle as he picked up the book she’d dropped. He handed it to her with a murmured, “I think this is yours.”

“Thank you, dear prince.” Belle offered a beaming smile and only because I knew her did I recognize the fakeness of it.

“It is I who must thank you.” Killian rose and clasped Belle’s hands. “It would appear I was mistaken in my affection, confused because of how often you were in close proximity, but you, and only you, dear and fair Belle, are my one true love.”

“Oh, Killian.” Belle batted her lashes so fast they almost took off.

Levi retreated to my side to murmur, “What’s happening?”

I whispered back, “She’s saving the prince.”

Killian whipped out a ring box and popped it open. He held it out so that the diamond within glinted. “Please tell me you’ll marry me and make me the happiest prince alive.”

I saw Belle struggle to not roll her eyes as she held out her hand and crooned, “It would be my pleasure, oh sweet prince.”

A moan of disappointment arose as the ring went on her finger. Dozens began to turn and leave, only to pause as someone shouted, “If she’s really your Cinderella, then marry her, now!”

Belle’s eyes widened, and Killian stiffened before he tried once more to delay. “We can’t have two marriages in one day.”

Not according to the crowd.

“Marry him. Marry him.” The chant grew in volume as the women who’d been jilted insisted on him going through with the farce.

Levi uttered a soft warning to the Knights and agents. “Everyone get ready to evacuate the prince on my count.”

Once more, Belle rose to the occasion. She lifted her head and shouted, “Very well. You want to see me marry the prince, then so be it. If the lady who married Cinder and her Knight would do us the honor?”

For the second time that night, Royal Blue conducted a ceremony this time featuring a shell-shocked prince and a stony-faced bureau agent. I commended Belle for taking the drastic step, even as I mentally made notes on what I’d have to do to get it annulled.

When it ended with “You may kiss the bride,” their lips touched, and was it me, or did I see a spark?

Whatever the case, a visible tremor went through the room as the curse suddenly lifted from all those women. Some of them began to sob. Others stomped angrily away. Angry because they’d not gotten the prince or because the Grimm Effect had duped them?

Didn’t matter. In moments, the ballroom emptied of Cinderellas.

The ball was over.