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For all I know, they’ve made me look like Frankenstein’s bride. They shake their heads.
“Dress first, so you get the full effect.”
I slip out of my robe. It’s the softest, lightest silk I’ve ever felt. It weighs practically nothing. And all of this is for me. Compared to my uniform of heavy denim and sturdy boots, it feels like I’m walking around naked.
Carefully we get the dress on. The third stylist, the one for clothing, helps. She picked the dress. I stand still while they lace up the back.
“Okay. Now you can look.”
They turn me around, and I gasp. I look like… a princess. Minus the tiara. The cut of the dress and the off-white color complement my dark skin perfectly.
“The diamonds from the royal collection are stunning,” the makeup artist says. “They bring out your hazel eyes somehow.”
“And that necklace, with the rubies and sapphires,” one of the hairstylists says. “It’s beautiful.”
“A gift from my wonderful fiancé.” My cheeks hurt from the size of my smile.
“There’s no doubt. You are smitten. If you’re happy now, I can’t imagine how happy you’ll be at the wedding. You’ll be such a beautiful bride.”
‘Wedding.’ The word is like a punch in the stomach. I smile through the pain.
“Where’s Alex? I’d love to see him.”
“You’ll see him when you’re announced. You’re so in love, it hurts to be without him, huh?”
My smile fades. It’s true. That’s the problem.
I follow the stylists down the hall to the banquet. The palace is massive, but I recognize the top of the grand staircase. As we get closer, the lights go out.
Where is Alex?I think frantically. If he were holding my hand, I could navigate the stairs. I’m sure of it.
There’s a loud click and suddenly a huge halo of light in front of me.
“Go.”
I don’t know who says it, but someone adds a little shove. I step into the light and then see him on the other side. We are obviously meant to meet halfway down, like the two sides of the staircase do, and then descend together.
“Introducing Prince Alexander and his fiancée. Lady Isabella Sanchez.”
Across the way, Alex smiles at me. He looks every bit the prince, in a sharp dress uniform embellished with gold braid and medals glinting on his chest.
Our eyes lock. My confidence rises. With him by my side, I can do anything.
He takes my hand, and we turn to face the crowd, which stuns me with its sheer size. I let out a little squeak when I see several hundred faces looking up at us. Alex squeezes my hand. I feel the now-familiar electricity shoot through me.
“You look beautiful,” he says. I angle myself to him automatically. “Eyes to the front.”
Right. This is the business part of the arrangement. I sure hope Lily is finding closure, or peace, or whatever it is she needs. Because this is one hell of an extravagance for a mere diversion.
I sneak a look at him. A loving glance from the prince’s fiancée surely helps the charade.Look, she can’t take her eyes off him. You can tell this truly is love.
Alex brings us to a stop halfway down the stairs. We stand there, everyone admiring us as about a thousand flashbulbs going off. As soon as my eyes open back up, there is another flash of light.
Alex turns me to face him.
I could do this for him,I think. I’d walk through fire for him. I would marry him. A few royal annoyances seem like nothing. He’s worth all of it and more.
“Please clear a path into the ballroom. It’s the couple’s first dance.”
