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“So you are Check…”
“Because I keep others in check. Grieve, because his soul sang of grief to the seer when he was young. And so forth. Those who are not Will-Begots are named whatever their parents choose to name them.” He opened the door and escorted me out, with Teral behind us.
The blast of winter startled me, but only for a moment. The sled awaited and I settled myself in, allowing Check to spread a thick fur blanket over me as we headed to the twin hollies. I had a dozen more questions, but I decided a few at a time were enough.
Are you with me, Ulean?
As you need me, always.
Then let’s go.
As we approached the portal, I wondered how the town would look now. And if Rhia and I could be just cousins, out shopping, ever again.
Rhiannon was waiting for me just outside the portal by the Twin Oaks. She was wearing a pretty dress, but it looked a lot like the ones in her closet—a sage green sheath dress, and she’d added a golden belt. Her boots were brown and knee-high, and she wore a brown velvet coat over the top of her dress. A golden circlet with a yellow topaz centered in it mirrored my own silver crown. Two guards stood watch beside her, and Check and Teral joined them.
“Where are Peyton and Luna?”
“They’re waiting up at the house for us. I made sure they took guards with them. Rex has promised to act as our chauffeur for the afternoon.” She stretched, and the crown around her head gleamed.
“It seems odd.” I glanced around at the woodland. “For the past few weeks, their lives have been integrally connected with our own and now…now it feels like we’re splitting off into different directions. I feel kind of isolated.”
“I know what you mean. In a way, I think you’ve got it easier. Tabera has been dead for some time. You don’t have to follow directly in the footsteps of someone who was beloved by her people. I feel like I’m going to be compared every time I turn around. Lainule did it this way…Lainule said that…Lainule would have made a different decision. Chatter says that I’m overthinking the matter, but…”
“But it’s true.” I reached out, took her hand. “You’re right, it is going to be harder for you. But you’ll do fine. I’ll do fine. We have to believe that.”
“We’d better go—they’ll be expecting us soon.” Rhia turned to the guards. “We’re ready.” And so, with two in front of us and two to the rear, we took off, running at top speed until we spotted the edge of the Golden Wood.
As we slowly exited the forest, slowing to a normal pace, the Veil House was lit up and looked warm and cozy from the outside. Luna was standing on the back porch, and she waved to us and said something over her shoulder.
“Are they safe? What if the day-runners come back?”
“Chatter and I ordered a dozen guards to keep watch. They’re hidden around the property. Luna and Peyton should be safe. Kaylin can’t join them yet; it’s going to take him a while to recuperate.” Rhia waved to Luna, then stopped, turning to me. She moved me off to the side, out of the way of the guards. “I miss this. I miss hanging out with the others, even though we were fighting Myst. I even miss the warehouse. I don’t know how to be a Queen, Cicely. I’m scared.”
I took her hands in mine. She had lost the regal look and now just was my cousin, afraid and looking too tired. “I know, I feel the same, but there’s no going back. Our heartstones belong to the realms. We’re due to marry soon. We’ll adjust, somehow. I just wish Lainule and Wrath hadn’t had to go.”
I took a deep breath and leaned over to kiss her cheek. She hugged me and then, after a moment, we turned, hand in hand, and ran up to the porch, where Luna and Peyton were waiting.
By two thirty, we were walking down the streets of New Forest, like four normal young women on a shopping spree. The guards walked discreetly in back of us, with Rex by their side. The shoppers who passed us whispered, and I had the feeling we were known entities.
Ulean swept against me. If you don’t need me right now, I would like to explore the area, see if I can find any sign of Shadow Hunters.
Go. We’re just going to be shopping. Everything will be fine.
The streets were coated with ice, and the cars that went by drove slowly, cautiously as they navigated through the ever-building snow. The sidewalks were dangerous and slippery, and twice Luna almost fell. Rhiannon wasn’t doing so bad—apparently our transformation had helped her on the snow and ice, the same way Grieve and Chatter and the other Cambyra managed it. Peyton wore thick-soled hiking boots, and they gripped the ice with a surety that I’d never felt. But I—I could practically dance across it now, and I did a couple of delighted spins around the others, giggling as I glided over the thick chunky ice.
At first, Peyton and Luna seemed a little awkward, but after I’d skated around them on my tiptoes, they began to laugh and we were off and chatting again, like nothing had changed. Behind us, the guards whispered softly among themselves, and I decided not to listen in on their conversation.
We arrived at our first destination—a bridal shop. Since our weddings were coming up so quickly, we’d convinced Lainule, before she left, that we could buy our gowns and not worry the seamstresses with making them. She reluctantly had agreed.
Desiree’s Bridal specialized in unique wedding gowns. It stood across the street from the old Abby Theater. Like most of downtown New Forest, the building was redbrick and had a vintage, Old World feel to it. The Abby Theater had been built more than sixty years earlier, and I wasn’t even sure it was still in business—there was no placard out front announcing any show, and the marquee at the top of the box office was dark.
A three-story clock tower—also brick—ran up one side, housing an ornate clock face. I’d read somewhere that the clock had never once lost time. The same person—a man who was now in his early eighties—had been given the job of making sure that it ran consistently and evenly. Every hour, on the hour, chimes rang out, echoing through the streets.
“After the coronation dresses, I’m grateful we’re picking out our own wedding dresses,” I said. “I’ve never worn anything so beautiful yet so cumbersome. It will be a relief to have something elegant and yet easy to move around in.”
“You know we won’t get away with simple, but we can push it as far as possible.” Rhia turned to Luna. “You will be my maid of honor?”
Luna sputtered. “I…I…up there in front of everyone?”
