4. Anna

Anna

I wake up in the bedroom from my dream, leaping out of it and fist-bumping the air. "James! We did it!"

A chambermaid comes barrelling in as if someone is on fire. "Miss Anna, is everything quite all right?"

"Yes," I reply slowly. It's Kathryn from the first dream, and my luck is looking up if she remembers me. "Where is Prince James?"

"Oh, Miss Anna, so full of humour when you wake," she laughs.

I ask again more forcefully, "Where is the Prince?"

Her eyes narrow, and with a gruff tone, she replies, "You have precisely forty minutes to prepare for His Majesty's wedding—time is of the essence."

"Wedding?"

With a deep sigh, she placates me, "Yes, the wedding! The one you've been looking forward to all season." She then mutters under her breath, "If you don't hurry, the book may change reality."

My world comes to a stop, and all of the air leaves my lungs. "What do you mean the book may change reality?"

"I didn't say that," she insists, idling folding linens beside my bed, then rushes out of the room faster than I can catch her.

"What do you mean it may change reality?" I shout after her, but she doesn't stop. Unfortunately, I'm prevented from exiting my room by a rather tall woman I've never seen before. "Excuse me, I need to?—"

"Get changed for the wedding?" she finishes. "Yes, miss, you do. Now, please return to your chamber until you're properly dressed."

As I glance down at my frilly nightie, it hits me: everything's fixed. James is getting married, not to me; he must be marrying Eliza. Why would Kathryn say the book could change reality? She shouldn't know she's in a book… Could she? Did James tell her?

Reluctantly, I move further into my room to get dressed, though I should be excited everything is as it should be. With her help, we take our time to ensure each piece is perfect, slipping on the shift, corset, petticoat, stockings, and hunter green dress. She prepares my hair in beautiful ringlets, and in less than an hour, I'm presentable for the wedding of the season.

The dress is stunning, and she did an incredible job with my hair, but my heart bunches at the thought of James marrying someone else—even if all of this is a dream.

It's what I wanted: to fix the author's story. So, why am I upset that everything is going to plan? And what about any of this could alter my reality?

"It's time to leave, miss."

"Of course," I grumble. I search for my phone for a moment, forgetting where I am and that it's not here. Since there's nothing I could possibly need to bring with me, I leave my room and make my way into one of the small parlours. My book-mother is sipping tea, seemingly in no hurry, considering we should be on our way to the wedding soon.

"Shall we go?" I ask curiously.

"You were supposed to marry him," she retorts with a clipped tone.

"Me? No," I reply with even more force. "Prince James is to marry Miss Eliza. Everything is as it should be."

Setting down her tea forcefully, she insists, "How dare you speak her name in this house? You were all but married when she stole him from you. You can pretend you are thrilled about their engagement, Anna, but I know you still have feelings for the prince."

None of this is in the book—either edition. Eliza stole him from me? How long has he been in the dream without me? Maybe Kathryn is right, and I should stop all of this and leave the second edition as is?

"Come. We must make haste," I command and begin to leave.

"I refuse to attend," she groans and I'm quickly growing tired of her theatrics.

"Do you want to stop this wedding or not?"

She perks up. "That's the most sensible thing you've said to me in days."