Flight of Frost and Aurora

Chapter 58

Lute had to be the ugliest bride Alastor had ever seen. Despite her beautiful, lavish wedding garments, expertly applied makeup, and a lush, stylish wig, he saw no trace of beauty in her—only the ugly, mean-spirited wench she had always been. The thought of waking up next to her each morning made him feel ill. He needed to escape—now—before the ceremony began. But with all these men watching him like a flock of vultures, how could he?

"Aren't I beautiful?" Lute asked, admiring herself in the mirror.

"Like a queen," her mother replied.

"More like Baba Yaga," Alastor muttered under his breath.

Lute turned and glared at her unwilling bridegroom. "Would it kill you to smile? It's our wedding day."

"Cover your face, and then I'll smile," he shot back.

Lute seethed, wanting nothing more than to beat him into the ground until his heart stopped. But Eisheth, grabbed her arm and whispered urgently, "Not yet. Wait until you two are married and we have his riches. Don't throw away a fortune over your stupid temper."

She stamped her foot but reluctantly complied. "I'm going to try out the horse!" she declared.

The horse in question was meant to pull the carriage for the newlyweds. Traditionally, it was the bridegroom who tested the horse, but no one trusted Alastor not to use it as an opportunity to flee the altar. As Lute climbed onto the nag, an idea struck Alastor. Just as she settled into the saddle, he used her mirror to reflect sunlight into the horse's eye. Startled, the horse bucked wildly, galloping off in a panic.

"Stop! Stop, you worthless beast!"

The horse threw her off, and everyone rushed to her aid—everyone except Alastor, who seized the opportunity to escape. At the perfect moment, he leaped from the balcony and landed on the saddle as the horse galloped past.

"So long!" he shouted, grinning from ear to ear as he rode the horse out the gate. "I'll be back for my wedding, but with Charlotte as my bride!"

"After him!" Lucifer commanded.

The judge and his men immediately pursued Alastor, determined to catch him. But Heinrich quickly toppled a stack of barrels onto them. By the time each man regained his footing, Alastor was long gone. Heinrich then hurried to follow Alastor's trail before anyone realized he had aided the escape. The path led into the woods.

"Oh man!" he panted. "I've really let myself go over the years... I should run more... or at least not chase a man on horseback when I'm over forty."

He paused to catch his breath.

"Now, where did he go?"

Just as he was about to search for the trail, he heard a faint voice calling for help. As he followed the sound, it grew stronger and clearer—clear enough for him to recognize.

"Charlotte?"

"Help! Someone, please help me!"

He sprinted toward the well in the fairy ring.

"Charlotte! Is that you down there?" he called.

"Heinrich! Oh, thank God!" she replied.

"What are you doing down there?"

"It's a long story! But I'm trapped! Someone closed the door, and it's too heavy for me to lift!"

"Hold on! I'll get you out!"

"There's no time! Listen! Vagatha and Anthony are in big trouble! They're trapped in a ravine, about to be eaten by a giant serpent! They have two special medallions that can turn Vagatha and Alastor back into spirits. They can save each other and Anthony! There's a crack in this door I can squeeze my hand through. I'll give you the medallions—find Vagatha and Alastor and give them to them!"