Turning Familiar Pages

Chapter 2

A searing light. A twisted feeling. An almost-kiss. Bit by bit, Miri pieced back together the final moments before...what, exactly? Miri felt normal. As far as she knew, she looked normal. All she could tell were that her clothes had changed.

Miri scrambled back, breathing in air that cleared her foggy mind. She was in a castle gardens, with an arch through the fog in front of her. She saw Eddie, unconscious. He was wearing odd clothes. A fancy tunic and doublet instead of a shirt, and almost royal pants. Eddie looked like he was on his way to a ball rather than church.

But it's not like Miri's clothes were any less peculiar. She wore a floor-length ballgown, made of millions of mirror shards and glitter creating her corseted bodice and skirt. Her hair was in an elaborate, braided updo, and she wore slippers on her feet.

Eddie groaned as Miri rushed to help him up. When he opened his eyes, Eddie gasped, taking in Miri. Her gown must have been more intricate than she thought. He breathed, "You-you look beautiful."

Miriam pulled the boy to his feet and pointed to the arch. "Let's go in. Maybe there's someone who can help us in there. A lone guard ignored the duo, and Miri had the strange urge to avoid his eyes.

In the garden party, Miriam saw nobles and a prince posing for a portrait on a balcony above, as well as a blue-haired lord standing over a pink-haired girl in a compromising position. That's when it clicked. Everything looked familiar for a reason. An impossible reason, but it was the truth.

Miriam grabbed Eddie's wrist and pulled him into a tight, dark corner. "I know where we are," she grinned breathlessly. "We're inside a book I read. It's the only explanation. Once Upon A Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber, one of my favourite authors. It's a sequel trilogy to the Caraval trilogy."

Only then did Miri realise how close they were standing and how much her dress showed. In the dim candlelight, she saw the flush of Eddie's cheeks and felt her own go pink. Heart pounding, she slipped away to find someone that could help her.

...

Miri considered Evangeline, Jacks, and Chaos, before settling on LaLa, the Unwed Bride. She was knowledgeable, out of the royal picture, and was a side character, so Miri wouldn't mess the story up entirely.

Miriam made her way to a girl now standing alone. She was dazzling, and seemed to be made of pure energy. "Hello," Miri vocalised. "I'm Miriam, or simply Miri. I'm visiting from the Isle of Trisda, of the Meridian Empire." Miri chose a place she knew existed, but was so out-of-the-way from this series.

"Nice to meet you, Miri. You can call me LaLa." LaLa's words seemed to sparkle like her gorgeous gown. "But you don't have a Meridian accent, or even one from the Isle of Trisda. So, tell me who you really are, and where you got that spectacle of a gown."

"My name really is Miri, but I'm from another world. One where I read a lot of books, and heard of you. But you're not just LaLa. You're the Unwed Bride, a Fate from the Deck of Destiny."

"Alright, you have my attention." LaLa looked around nervously. "But speak quietly. The story curse won't stop people from repeating things they've heard."

"Of course, I know all about the story curse. I even know how the Archer and the Fox ended. I know all about-" Miri couldn't get the words out of her mouth. "How is the story curse affecting me? I've been in this realm for less than five minutes."

"Curses are odd like that. I suppose you want to get back home?" LaLa looked intrigued.

"Yes, but I need your help. Can you take me to the Immortal Library?"

LaLa froze. "You don't want to go there. Everything comes with a price."

"And I know it'll take my voice for the entire time I'm there. I told you, I've read about this. All I want is to get home. How do I get there?"

LaLa smirked. "To get there, you need to have been there before, or have a special map. I haven't been there before, and I don't have the map. I know someone who's got both, though."

"No, no, no. I will not be helped by the Prince of Hearts," Miri whisper-yelled. "Everything he does comes with a price that comes up at the wrong time. I know all about his deal with Evangeline and the three kisses."

"It's the only way there, unless you want to go to Valenda and look for the Empress and her sister. I doubt they'd be as eager to help you as I am."

"Fine," Miriam whispered, already regretting her decision.

...

"How'd it go?" Eddie asked, handing Miri a sharp shard that came off the bodice of her gown.

Frowning, Miri popped it back into place and noticed that it came off with a press. "It must be a hidden weapon," Miri thought aloud. "And it went well. LaLa agreed to help us...but we have to get help from someone else. Someone dangerous, so let me do the talking. You don't know this world like I do."

"I can't just let you do that. We're in this together. I don't know how, but we are. I'm not letting you do this alone, so we'll share the cost, or find another way."

LaLa interrupted them, saying, "Jacks wants to talk to you. He's waiting for you just beyond the arch, in the garden with Chaos. I suppose you know who that is?"

Miri nodded. "I do, but there's something I need to do first." Spinning back toward Eddie, she punched his temple, spinning his head as he collapsed in her arms. "Can you make sure he's okay and that I didn't do any permanent damage?"

LaLa told Miri, "I'll take care of him. He won't die under my watch. Why did you do that, though?"

"I can't let him share the cost of bargaining with the Prince of Hearts," Miriam blurted. "And when I leave, you can have my dress."

...

Shoutout to all my fans of Caraval and Once Upon A Broken Heart! If you haven't read the second series, I recommend reading them. One of the greatest series ever. And, for all those curious, here is an AI-generated image of Miri's dress:

She may be a giant disco ball, but she's fabulous.