Waiting and Awaited

Chapter 14 - Betrothed

Cai stood in the middle of her room in the Penthouse guest suite that was temporarily at the Bells' disposal. She fought the urge to fidget and fuss with her dress. Mrs. Castille had given her a hard look after she chose the grey chiffon and lace knee length dress. After subtly trying to convince her to try the others the tailor brought up, only to have Cai clutch her choice tighter, she gave up with a shrug. The others were pretty but far too conspicuous. Tonight they would announce their engagement and Mrs. Castille had insisted she forego her usual grey ensemble for a more dressy one.

When Mrs. Bell saw her dress, she had taken it into her own hands to make up for her poor choice of outfit. She brushed and curled and pinned her hair up into a shiny mass of auburn waves rolling down her back. By the time Cai stepped into the grey velvet pumps, her neck ached and her hands shook as she placed the short chain with the vial around her neck. The tube fell just below her neck, where her collarbones met.

Now both women had left her to her own musings and she paced in front of her bed, unsure of what to do next. She did not know how wedding announcements went. Did she have to say something to the crowd? Would they do as the Duke and Elion did years ago - stand and wordlessly break her vial? And if Rone was wrong and the prototype proved to be unbreakable? Will the rebels seize the chance? If they did, Rone will definitely drag her back up here before returning to a crowd in unrest, a fact that rankled on her nerves as she thought about it.

Her feet stopped their assault on the carpet when she heard the knock on her door. In her agitation, she pulled it open with more force than necessary and looked up with bright eyes at her intended's brother.

Rivas raised an eyebrow at her flushed face and grinned. "Good evening Ms. Bell. My brother wanted to escort you himself, I can see why. But, Mother was entirely against it. She wanted you to have the proper introduction. In other words, she wanted to be dramatic. So," he held out his arm to her. "let's go give you that entrance befitting a duchess."

There was no such word of course. It was the Duke and his wife and family. But Rivas said it with a cheeky flourish that coaxed a smile from Cai.

"But only say the word, and I know passageways that can lead us out of here without my brother or anyone else knowing," he said, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

From anybody else, Cai would have been offended but she saw his grin and appreciated his effort to calm her nerves. The renowned Casanova probably didn't know any other way.

"I will keep that in mind, Sir. But I would rather not risk your brother's wrath should he be found wanting of a bride for a second time." Smiling and more relaxed, she placed her hand in the crook of his arm and let him lead her down to the ball floor.

"I would think my brother's wrath would be due to something more complex than mere disappointment of the crowd Cai," he replied with a grin that she couldn't quite read. "Though judging from how both of you are handling things, this would not be the time to provoke him or enlighten you. Not you, me or my brother would want me to be there when that happens."

Cai only stared at him, confused.

He chuckled. "This will be very interesting, indeed."

Cai decided to ignore his mutterings since he didn't seem to need any response. She was too busy listening to the blood rushing in her ears to think of any. The vial weighed heavily on the chain around her neck. She felt her breaths coming in shorter as the lift descended to the ball floor. If this went on, she was going to faint before they reached the dais.

As the door slid open, she heard the crowd's noise slowly fade to complete silence and felt everyone's eyes on her. She desperately tried to look for a familiar face in the thick crowd that parted in the middle to reveal a black carpet that led to the dais. Failing, she took a deep breath and decided to look straight ahead instead and her eyes fell on the Duke. She was too far to see his green ones, but she felt his gaze on hers. Somehow she found the will to put one foot in front of the other. Slowly at first, and then faster, as she grew more eager to end her walk with Rivas.