23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

I woke with a jolt, feeling oddly overwhelmed by my memory. When I went to sit up, I remembered where I was. I wasn’t with Cassius. He wasn’t kissing me or telling me things I wanted to hear. I was tied to the bedpost and bleeding from my punishment at the hands of Jesper. My body ached so badly from lying on the hard wooden floor.

I turned towards the door and waited for what felt like hours for him to come through it. When he finally did, he paused at the doorway and waited for my eyes to look at him.

“Today is our rehearsal; our wedding is tomorrow. It’s customary for all royal families to attend tonight. Although I assume Crimson will not want to. You will behave yourself, or I will kill Sybil’s husband and children tonight. You’re lucky I didn’t kill them for your last stupid mistake.”

He came over and untied me roughly. His hand grabbed mine and led me upstairs to the large bathtub he had brought me to last time. Once again, Jesper stared at me the entire time I soaked. He had carved his name into my thigh and forearm. I didn’t say anything about it, though. I wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction. So, I stayed silent the entire time I sat in the tub. Flashes of Cassius and I took up all thoughts in my mind.

“You’re awfully quiet today.”

No response from me. I took my time scrubbing the sweat, dirt, and blood from my skin. His blue eyes watched me curiously, like he thought I would attack him at any moment.

“Your wedding dress has been altered. You will now have sleeves to hide your wound,” he said, speaking as if I were pleased by this. My face was still riddled with cuts and scrapes. I also didn’t care because I knew that this wedding was a joke. The whole thing was a twisted display of power. I knew that following along would let both Jesper and my father think that I was going to obey.

I would do my best to do so, to lull them into a false sense of security. Then, I would cut both their heads off when they least expected it. That was my plan. Maybe I would kill them as they slept tonight.

“Say something for fuck’s sake,” he growled.

“No.” My black eyes narrowed on him. “Is that better?”

He sighed heavily but didn’t get angry. When I got out of the tub, he led me back to my room. Blood and water still coated the floor. I turned when I heard Jesper behind me. I backed away when he planted a kiss on my lips. Disgust was probably plain as day on my face.

“Don’t do that tomorrow or tonight,” his voice strained.

“If you think I’m going to pretend that I like you today or even on our wedding day, you are more stupid than you look.”

His nostrils flared as his hands fisted by his sides. I widened my stance, readying myself for the strike I was sure was coming.

“Did you ever think that you could have learned to love me? You didn’t need to make all of this so difficult.”

“Did you ever think that you could have married someone who actually liked you? I will never harbor any feelings for you other than hate and disgust. You are a weak man.”

He backhanded me, and I fell into the wall, but instead of showing him the agony I felt, I laughed.

“Point proven. You are a coward.”

Jesper stared at me like he wanted to strangle me, but he turned and left instead. Worry clawed at my insides. I didn’t want him to think he could just touch me whenever he pleased after tomorrow. I might have to kill him sooner than I originally thought. Thinking about it made me smile.

A flicker of relief ran through my arm, and I looked down at the contrasting feeling. My eyes stared at the blood bond that Cassius gave me. It no longer had a crack in it. He fixed it.

The relief disappeared after a moment. I stared at the bond, feeling unsure. Why did he fix it? I focused on the blood bond for hours, but nothing ever came through it. Finally, I lay down, pretending like I wasn’t about to go to a rehearsal for my own wedding tomorrow.

★★?★★

I scanned the beautiful dress I was wearing. The fit across my chest was perfect and if this were any other occasion I would admire it more. The sleeves that were added were odd and the lace fabric irritated my wounds. I grabbed the hem of them and ripped them off. My hair had been pinned back, and my make-up was overdone. It was as if they thought they could get rid of the bruises and cuts. They didn’t. I sighed heavily as I looked at myself and unpinned my hair, letting it cascade down my back.

“I look stupid,” I scoffed. Then I laughed because I didn’t want to feel pretty. I hoped I looked like a troll walking down the aisle. My eyes had been green earlier, but I focused on the mirror long enough that they shaded over red. My swirled tattoos were faded, but if I could make them glow, I would. Anything I could do to be rebellious tonight without doing it outright, I would try.

I had even replaced the nude lipstick with dark red that reminded me of Crimson. My heart squeezed briefly. Would he show up today? He said he would see me tomorrow.

Jesper had told me it was custom for the royal families to be present for the rehearsal dinner and then attend a feast in our honor. I wondered if any of the families would show after my father and Jesper had been complete assholes at the meeting of the kingdoms.

My father came to the doorway then, dressed in his finery and ready to impress his guests.

“Ready?” My father asked.

“Sure.”

He turned and walked out. I told him he could walk me down the aisle the day my corpse was in the ground. He didn’t argue. I grabbed the ugly blue flowers the wedding planner had picked out. They were Cerithia blue, but I didn’t care much for them. They looked like flowers you would give to a sick friend, not for a wedding or rehearsal.

They were perfect.

The most awful music was playing. It was beautiful and romantic, which was the complete opposite of how I felt on the inside. I was tempted to just run down the aisle and get this rehearsal over with, but I had a different approach. I walked unbearably slow, just like I would tomorrow. I didn’t bother holding the flowers up; they dangled in my left hand. My eyes scanned everyone in attendance. The kings of the other kingdoms were all here, except Crimson.

Disappointment coursed through me. I didn’t want him to witness this, but I had also just hoped for a glimpse at his handsome face. I could see the disgust on their faces as I walked down the aisle. I looked like I had been beaten to a pulp, which technically I had been.

The air outside was hot but not unbearable, and the sun shined brightly on the large blue and white flowers that lined the aisle. The decorations were pretty, but nothing to my taste. I preferred dark colors, like black and crimson red. My heart pounded sadly in my chest. Not that long ago, I thought maybe Cassius would be the one I walked down the aisle toward, but now when I looked, all I saw was a monster disguised with blonde hair and pretty blue eyes.

Jesper smiled at me, like he was truly happy to see me. I wanted to glare, but I didn’t. My mind flashed to Cassius. I would have married him in a heartbeat, but he hadn’t asked to marry me. Dread filled the sadness. I didn’t want to belong to Jesper.

I didn’t want to live with him, kiss him, sleep with him, or bear his children. One of us would end up dead soon enough because I couldn’t live like that. I needed to save the families of those from Exile before I killed Jesper.

King Sybrien stared intensely at me as I walked slowly. His dark eyes looked as if he were trying to communicate something to me. The chairs reserved for Crimson were empty next to him.

Cassius said he would never let me belong to another man. So where the hell was he? He had once told me he was feral with the thought that he was the only man to know what I felt like; did that cross his mind anymore? Had he forgotten how good we were together?

I glanced around and silently pleaded for anyone to ruin this rehearsal.

The band restarted the song as I took my leisurely time getting down the aisle. My eyes looked over everyone present. I didn’t have a single friend here. No one. Jesper held out his hand for me when I was close enough. I hesitated for only a moment before I slipped my hand into his. His skin was soft and warm as he held tightly to me. We faced each other, but my eyes looked anywhere but at him.

The priestess started the rehearsal, telling us how it would go and what we were to say in response. I couldn’t even focus on her words. My mind called out to me, asking why I wasn’t running. Leave him, it seemed to say; we do not belong to him. My darkness swarmed inside of me, trying desperately to escape. Jesper squeezed my hands in his softly and brought my attention to him. He gave me a breathtaking smile, but I knew the monster that lurked under it.

I didn’t give him any sort of response. I kept my face passive and indifferent through whatever spiel the priestess was saying.

“I, Jesper Alcove, take Thea Alzara to be my wedded wife…” I blocked out his voice. My heart pounded in my chest. Would I be able to recite those words out loud? I didn’t care who interrupted this rehearsal, but I wished someone would. I didn’t want to do this. I would rather die than be tied to this prick.

“Thea?” Jesper barked softly. “It’s your turn,” he said gently, but there was a warning in it.

“I, Thea Alzara, take...” I couldn’t spit out the words, even though this was only a practice. My eyes focused over Jesper’s shoulder and widened in surprise to see Della standing close by. Her dark skin was peppered with faded freckles over her nose, and her star-colored eyes shined brightly as usual. Her black hair was styled perfectly. She was breathtaking.

This time, I realized she wore a small, dainty black and silver crown on her head. I realized she was wearing a crimson red dress instead of her usual signature black.

She frowned at me as I stared at her dress. My head pounded when a memory of Cassius escaped.

“You and me, viper, we’re what the stars and gods created the realm for. Happiness, belonging, and love.” Cassius smiled at me. He wore beautiful black and crimson robes that were far fancier than I had ever seen him in. “I belong to you, and if anyone thinks they can take you from me, then they sealed their own death for thinking such foolish things.”

The noise that ricocheted through the crowd stopped my memory immediately. Jesper had been grasping my hand to the point of pain, but I hadn’t noticed because of Della. King Sybrien had accidentally knocked over a flower vase, shattering it.

“Oops.” He frowned up at Jesper. My heart plummeted because, for a split second, I thought Cassius had shown up. My eyes flickered at King Sybrien when he gave me a small, friendly smile and made a gesture I couldn’t quite understand. Was he warning me of something? My eyes flickered around the crowd, but I didn’t see anything unusual.

“Try again, Thea,” Jesper demanded.

“I…” I swallowed hard. “Thea…”

Jesper’s eyes were wild with impatience as I stumbled with my words, but it wasn’t intentional. Something odd soaked into my thoughts, and it was like I couldn’t think of anything for myself. I stared at Jesper as my mind went completely blank. Then my eyes flicked to Della as she moved closer to us.

I will find a way to stop this. Just stall a moment longer; her voice spoke into my mind. He is late, she sighed, but I didn’t understand her. I watched as she moved down the aisle. No one else turned to watch her.

“What the fuck are you staring at? If you think I won’t punish you tonight because our wedding is tomorrow, you are mistaken,” Jesper whispered harshly.

I ignored him.

Della smiled at me when she turned my way. Her hands lifted slightly, and the sun started to disappear. Everyone stared into the darkening sky. I could hear mutters from guests wondering what was happening. She lifted her hands up more and focused on Jesper and I.

Don’t move, Thea, she spoke into my mind.

I went deathly still. Then a bolt of lightning struck at the base of the arch that Jesper and I stood in front of, immediately setting it ablaze.

Our guests gasped.

“How’d you do that?” My father questioned me.

“I didn’t do anything,” I snapped back.

Tell him the gods and stars must not be happy about this union, her voice spoke to my mind .

I snapped my eyes back to her.

“It appears the gods and stars do not condone this union,” I called out to my father with a genuine smile. His face paled at my words.

“Well, that ruined the whole rehearsal,” Jesper growled, but his eyes darted around like he was looking for the goddess who had ruined our rehearsal. Jesper was terrified, I realized. He looked at me oddly.

“Where were we?” he spoke. What a persistent fuck.

The priestess fumbled her words as Jesper squeezed the bridge of his nose. When he glanced up at me, I could tell he was about to lose his shit.

“Forget it!” He threw his hands up, defeated. “We all know how a wedding works. I’m sure it will go better tomorrow. Let’s just go inside and eat.” His eyes darted around us again, looking for a reason for the sudden change in the weather.

Thank the stars. The guests practically ran inside the castle and into a smaller ballroom that was transformed overnight into a beautiful space for a celebration. Tables filled the room with stunning flower centerpieces, golden tablecloths, and food that could feed the whole city. Jesper held my hand in a death grip and led me to the front table.

“Don’t think I didn’t notice how happy you were that we were interrupted. You will not get so lucky tomorrow,” Jesper whispered. “And if you walk that slowly down the aisle again, I’ll snap your legs and give you a reason to be slow.”

“Don’t worry. I'll be on my best behavior,” I scoffed. His hand gripped mine so tightly that I cried out. “How did you do it? Your magic is barbed inside you.”

I just smiled at him. I wanted him to think I was still able to get some magic out. He stared at me, terrified.

Another crashing noise made him drop my hand. King Sybrien had knocked over another flower vase, shattering it.

“For fuck’s sake, can you not break something for five minutes?” Jesper snapped. The king didn’t acknowledge him. No, he was staring right at me with a big smile on his face. Why was he so fucking happy? The lights of the ballroom began to flicker violently. Instinctively, I glanced around for Della, but she was missing.

Darkness enveloped the room for a brief moment before the lights flicked back on, revealing Cassius and several other men, who now stood in the center of the ballroom.