“Okay, enough. All this estrogen is getting to me, turning me into a simpering fool.” The sharp, whip like edge had returned to Elizabeth's voice. Her eyes were once again focused, calculating as she spun around, taking us in. She barked out a few orders to those standing around, frozen, watching the scene.
They all snapped to life, like she really licked them with the lash of a whip. Then she turned her attention back to me. “So.” She took a deep breath. “What makes a shifter wedding so special, huh? Well, first the bride does nothing, leaving all preparations to her pack family. We have three days to get this set up and make it magical. So, no more talking, only working. Mila will teach you to weave crowns for the female attendees.” She gave me a little shove and I looked over my shoulder at her. “Chop chop,” Elizabeth said before sweeping off, no doubt to continue directing the odd assembly of characters set to the task of creating a ‘magical’ wedding.
Mila, the young girl with the crown of flowers, took my hand and led me to a circle of women. They all looked up as we claimed two unoccupied spots. Mila dropped to floor in a single fluid, graceful movement. I wondered if every shifter moved with the grace of a ballerina. I certainly didn’t, that much was clear as I attempted to copy her and flopped to the floor, bumping both my elbow and me knee in the single action.
Mila giggle and thrust a flat of flowers and some material into my lap. “Casey, these are some of your pack sisters.” She went around the circle naming names. I nodded and waved to each one. Directly to my right was Helena, a beautiful creature with wide brown, doe eyes and dark curly hair. Her fingers never stopped weaving even as she looked at me. Following her was, Audra and older woman with soft eyes and softer, slightly sagging skin. There was also Moira, Telene, Christianne and Ally, who were all real and true sisters, not just the pack kind.
Moira and Telene were identical twins and the fact that there were two of them was just plain unfair. Another of fates jabs to my ego. I envied their golden, cascading locks and to say golden was exactly right. It was like someone had done just that, spun strands of gold into the shiny, sunshine colored hair. Every shifter woman seemed stunning, but these two could make you weep just to look at them.
Ugliness rose up in my throat at the thought of Mathias living so close to the pair. I looked down at my hands and tried to focus on Mila’s instruction. I almost laughed out loud realizing what a sense of humor fate must have, placing these beauties within arms reach of perfection such as Mathias and then promising him to the likes of me.
I couldn’t help the grin that spread across my lips as I glanced up at the girls again.
“What’s so funny?” Moira asked, smiling with a warmth that made me blush and wish I could take back my shameful thoughts.
“Nothing.” I shook my head. “I’m just so bad at this.” I held up proof. Mila scooted closer and took my hands, guiding them in the careful art. She was a master and under her touch my wreath began to take life, slowly transforming the materials, both themselves things of beauty, into something new and awe inspiring. A marriage of two things, that together are better than they ever were separate.
My eyes watered thinking of Ellie and David and their own pending transformation. I hoped for the sake of my two best friends that fate was a master weaver with strong, nimble hands like Mila rather than fumblesome ones like mine. Maybe my hope that fate knew what she was doing wasn’t for my friends sake, alone.
“When will we be having the pleasure of preparing for your wedding, Dear?” Audra asked, gaining my immediate attention. Her question nearly took my breath away, as it was I had to suck in several short gasps trying to get enough air. I shook my head but the other girls all nodded theirs.
“Yes, when?” Ally asked, her almond eyes sparkling with excitement. “It will be such a beautiful ceremony.” She winked. “We have something special planned for you.”
“Really it won’t take much at all. We’ve been planning for it since your birth,” Audra said, and her eyes shone with the same enthusiasm as Ally’s had.
“There will be no wedding,” I said, pressing my lips together, trying to keep my face from showing my roiling emotions.
“Of course there will be a wedding, Child.” Audra’s certainty cracked the little control I had. I squeezed my eyes closed, shutting out the anticipation I could see in all of their eyes.
“Castan has forbid it.”
“He loves you both more than you can imagine. He wants your happiness and so he’ll change his mind. We’ll be celebrating your union before the year is out. Of that I am certain.” It was Audra again with her steady voice and her surety. I wicked gleam sparkled in her eye.
“What about the prophecy? Will Fate also change her mind?” I shook my head but still met Audra’s unflinching gaze.
“No, I don’t believe she will,” Audra said.
“No, I didn’t think so. Mathias and I cannot be so selfish as to put ourselves above everyone else. We can never be, no matter how desperately we might wish it.”
Helena, who had been silent since I sat, placed her hand over mine. Her other hand rubbed her swollen belly lovingly. “Audra is right and you won’t be able to deny it for long. You may try to fight it, Cassielle, but fate has already placed Mathias’ mark on you.”
YOU ARE READING
A Tail of Stars
FantasyThere is nothing average or ordinary about Casey Miller's life. She has no illusions about that. She's been having visions since she was six. At seventeen these waking dreams have become so intense and overpowering they have put her in danger, lu...
