After many months of getting beta reads and advice from my group, I think I have achieved a final version of this book. It starts and ends much differently than the first draft I posted on here. It is the second book in a series so you might want to...
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Giselle
A large mirror burned on the wall. Giselle marveled at how firelight and the wedding gown were clearly reflected in the glass, but she was not. It was as if she did not exist, yet she clearly did, for as she sewed, the fabric of the gown moved up and down and around as if on strings. How strange it was that, in the world of mirrors, dead objects like chairs and gowns cast their images in the glass, but she, who was at least half alive, was merely a well of darkness in their midst.
Still, if she was nothing, why did she feel and think and sew?
Immortality had its costs.
The door opened with a slash of light. Analise appeared in the mirror, coming into the room. Giselle suppressed a twinge of jealousy. She must stay in control, for silly Analise was sleepwalking right into her enemy's lair.
Smile, I must smile, Giselle told herself, and did her best.
"Oh, no, my lady," Giselle said, dropping a deep curtsey. "You mustn't come in now. It's bad luck for the bride to see her gown before the wedding. Who knows what mishap will befall?"
"Mishap?"
Analise had the wild, distracted look of a mad woman. Giselle laughed to herself. Just before dawn, Giselle had brought her a sleeping drug. The dose had been strong enough to knock a horse out, so it wasn't possible that Analise could be awake so soon. Vlad had given Giselle strict orders that his bride must not, under any circumstances, leave the castle. Well, dreaming or hallucinating, here she was, wandering around as if she was looking for the way out.
Giselle stared at her with deliberately wide eyes.
"What are you doing here, my lady? It's not safe to be out of your room."
"I....I..." Analise seemed confused. She spun around to look back at the door.
"It is unfortunate, my lady, that the atmosphere of Castle Drag isn't suited to you. It weighs heavily on the spirits of sensitive people, and gives birth to all kinds of nightmares." Giselle lowered her eyelids and whispered. "Even madness."
Dread filled Analise's eyes. She stepped into the circle of light and fell to her knees where the wedding gown hung in tatters. "It's black."
"What else would it be?"
Analise sighed. "Why should I care about a wedding gown I shall never wear? I'm already married to Stefan Pelles," she whispered in her semi-sleep. "My wedding gown was many shades of white embroidered with orange blossom. My crown was orange blossom and my veil pure lace." She pushed the gown away. The dummy tottered. "This is hideous!"
Giselle smiled to herself. "The better to suit you."
Analise stared at Giselle as if she'd been struck in the face. "Oh, Stefan!" she cried.
Giselle raised one eyebrow. What a whiner Analise was.
Giselle purred and walked a circle around Analise and the wedding gown. "You talk about Stefan all the time. Tell me about him. What does he look like?"
"Lovely! His hair is thick and brown, his eyes large and kind, his smile endearing. He is fairly tall and well built. Mostly, he is very warm and loving." Weeping, Analise covered her eyes. Was she shedding tears? Giselle envied tears. "He is brave. He will come for me."
"Braver and stronger than the Count? I doubt that."
Analise dropped her hands. Her eyes were dry and her face pale. She was changing. Though Giselle felt alarmed by what this could change could bring, she set her mouth in a grim smile.
"My husband is clever. He will come for me. God will protect him."
"As He protected you?" Giselle smirked.
Analise swallowed hard. "I think I'll go now." She paused to look over the wedding gown, grimacing at the gashes and tears that Giselle had inflicted upon it. "You might as well throw it away. I'll not touch it."
"Whatever you say, my lady."
Giselle followed Analise to the door, and watched her fade into the dark until she was gone.
This book is having a final round of improvements. Its so much better now that I am going to stop posting here. It will be out on Amazon as an ebook soon, and ready from promotion. If you like it, I will have a few free days and will let you know. Thank you for follwowng this story!
