I dressed in tan slacks and a white button up cap sleeved blouse, because anything more interesting that I had clashed with my dark red hair. I repacked my things because I intended on learning about their culture or whatever, in record time.
I found Isabeau scrubbing the ballroom floor with a toothbrush. “You look like Cinderella.”
She laughed, “I feel like Cinderella.” She continued scrubbing. “You add a little laxative to a drink and douse a toilet seat in super glue and this is what happens.”
“You did that to Duncan?” I covered my smiling mouth. “Why?”
“I dunno.” She giggled, “It’s how Isabeau spells love. We’re arranged and I figured since he is so uptight I should loosen him up before we’re married.” She scooted a couple feet, bringing the big bowl of soapy water with her.
I tried to sound happy. “When’s the big day?”
“Not until I’m eighteen, unless I postpone it to twenty. Twenty is the cutoff for arranged marriages. I’m sixteen now.” She groaned and lay on her stomach and continued to scrub. “If you meant what you said about helping to bare the burdens of the clan, I’d love some help.”
I knelt down. “Okay. Do you have another toothbrush?” She pulled one out of the bowl.
“I tried to get Duncan to help me but he said his butt hurt too much.” I started scrubbing and wondered which would be the best way to ask her about that witch, Zorrin. The woman might be her mother or something. “I haven’t met too many members of the clan.”
“I could introduce you if you’d like.” Duncan brought another bucket of soapy water but Isabeau ignored him. “Who have you met so far?”
“I met Zorrin.”
Isabeau stopped scrubbing. “And?”
“And… she… looks a lot like me.” I hoped she’d comment one way or another about how she felt about Zorrin.
“She does look a lot like you.” She looked at me as if surprised. “But you have fuller lips. Do you get injections?” I touched my lips and then spit when I remembered I’d been touching the floor. “How come you lived with that Sidney woman instead of the parents your mom picked?”
“I’m closer to my Grandma Sidney. Are you close to Zorrin?” I leaned forward further.
“Why?”
“Just answer the question.”
Isabeau sucked in her breath with a loud gasp. “You hate her don’t you?”
I considered lying but Zorrin had been clear about disliking me, so I went with the truth. “I don’t like her.” She splashed me with some soapy water from the bowl. “What?”
“You are so full of it! You hate her. I could see that the first time you uttered her name.”
I splashed her back. “Then why did you ask?” This started a splashing bowl dumping fight that ended with us both soaking wet and laughing deliriously on our backs on the ballroom floor.
“What are you doing?” Duncan asked, toting another bucket of soapy water. He shielded his eyes when he looked at me, and I remembered I was in a white shirt. Isabeau dumped the bucket of water on him, and he chased her down and was tickling her when someone put a blanket around me. It was Toryn.
“Thanks.”
“Looks like they’d probably like some alone time.” He nodded toward Isabeau, and I looked to find them kissing. Toryn took my hand and led me out onto a very large terrace. He was looking at my mouth when he closed the glass door.
“So I think I heard about that regret of yours.” This brought his eyes up to meet mine. “You kissed your best friends fiancée?”
“I did. It cost me everything.” The look on his face was one I thought only someone on death row could carry. “I’ve been prepared since I was six years old to be your husband, and I knew I was lucky. I knew it and couldn’t wait to meet you.” He closed his eyes, sighing, a very frustrated sound. “That was supposed to be over a year ago.”
He started walking so I walked with him. “I was to only love you, and I’ve held true to that vow.” Toryn looked into my eyes, and I blushed not knowing how to respond. “Brynn has offered herself to me continuously and I never wanted her. It was just that….” He looked at me out of the corner of his eye. “I heard you were dating and I was scared that I wouldn’t kiss you the right way.”
I stopped walking. “What?”
The color in his tan face changed to red. “I’d never kissed a girl before. I didn’t want to disappoint you.” I wasn’t sure what to think of that.
“Why did you decide to kiss Brynn?”
“I don’t know.” He gripped his head with both of his hands. “She kept asking and I was stupid.” He growled low in his chest. “Do you hate me?”
“Me?” I almost dropped the blanket. “No, I didn’t even know you existed but I can see why Nicholas hates you.” I felt like the rope in a game of tug of war between two angry boys. “Did you tell Nicholas that Brynn was after you?”
“No, I didn’t want to hurt him and figured she’d get over her infatuation.”
I nodded. “Who told him about the kiss?”
“I did.”
My eyes opened big. “You did?”
That was honorable wasn’t it?
“I lost alpha.” He rocked in his shoes. “I want it back. I want you back.”
I shrugged and felt my wet hair with my right hand. “I don’t intend to honor a prearranged marriage, Toryn.”
He smiled down at me. “We’ll see about that in time.” Toryn hugged me and released me leaving one arm still around me. “You don’t know how much I’ve wanted to just hold you.”
“Uh, Toryn-”
“Don’t worry, that’s all I was going to say.” He still had his arm around me. “Did Isabeau tell you about the kiss?”
“No, it was Zorrin.”
“Zorrin?” He hugged me closer. “Stay away from her, Piper.” He looked around and then back at me. “She’s no friend of yours. Trust me.”
“Yeah, I figured that out.” I scratched my chin. “Is she my mother?” I was already cringing inside.
He shook his head at me. “I can’t tell you that.” But his headshake was really exaggerated, and I smiled up at him. “You should tell Seraph that Zorrin came to see you. Zorrin is suspended from the gypsy way of life and from the clan.”
“Why is she here?”
“Her daughter is to have the gypsy culture in her upbringing. So Seraph allows her to remain.”
“Enjoying your walk?” Brea asked from beside one of the glass doors. “Toryn, you are not to be alone with Kellan. Alpha’s orders.” Toryn glared at Brea. “Piper, Seraph wants to see you.”
My shirt was still wet. “I’ll go change and then-”
“When your queen calls, you answer.”
“Sweetheart, your body is beautiful. You shouldn’t be too afraid to show it off.”
“Pervert.” I held tight to the blanket through his tugging on it. Brea gave me a no nonsense look I would not have guessed she was capable of.
“Scoot,” she said and Toryn kissed my cheek surprising me and Brea from the look on her face. She grabbed my hand and led me back into the ballroom where Isabeau was back to scrubbing.
“What are you doing alone with Toryn?”
“Walking and talking.” I stopped walking. “Are you my mother? Because if you aren’t this is none of your business.”
She yanked me along after her. “I’m your sponsor, which makes this my business regardless.” Brea was strong and fast too. She ripped off the blanket and shoved me through a pair of double doors before I could protest. “Don’t disappoint me. Any failure of yours will be counted against me as well.”
Brea dropped the blanket in the hallway and we approached Seraph together. I inclined my head as Brea did. The quick peek I got at my shirt was enough to know it was close to dry, thank goodness.
“I am happy you’ve returned so quickly,” Seraph said. “You have a lot to learn.”
“About the Siths?”
“About many things.” Her eyes sparkled at me, and it was impossible not to catch onto the excitement in the air. “To begin your gypsy life you will be studying with Benzea. He is the most skilled to teach you the ways of the earth.”
The ways of the earth? How was this going to help me protect myself and my family from my father? He probably is even scarier looking than the black Siths I’ve seen.
“Your free time should be spent with your intended.” Her tone was somewhat scolding and I wondered how she knew I’d been talking with Toryn.
Gypsy magic?
“In a few days’ time you might be allowed to change your apprenticeship to another teacher if Benzea says you’re ready.” She was looking at my hair, and I had to hold onto the legs of my pants to keep from touching it.
“It is very possible that your father has found you. If he has he will be waiting for you to leave our protection. Therefore, you may not leave until you can protect yourself from him.”
My mouth was completely dry. “How long will that take, exactly?”
“That all depends on you, Kellan.” She looked past me and Brea and I both turned to see Brynn and two other young women entering. My body tensed immediately. “Good luck to you, Kellan.”
“Thank you.” I wanted to tell her about Zorrin, but I couldn’t with Brynn in the room. Brea tugged on my elbow, so I followed her lead. Brynn was shooting daggers at me with her cruel eyes.
She leaned toward me as we began to pass her. “When he’s kissing you he’s picturing me,” she whispered. My blood was instantly boiling. I prayed I managed to keep all this from showing on my face.
I forced myself to shrug. “But he’s kissing me.” Brynn’s face glowed red and Brea pulled me along. When we were back in the hallway Nicholas was standing there, which meant he had just been standing there with Brynn. Zorrin’s jab about Brynn’s seconds surfaced in my mind and I glared at him.
One month ago he was engaged to Brynn. He had been angry enough about losing her to attack his best friend. Brynn was probably right. He probably was still thinking of her. I was merely a means for his revenge.
I looked to Brea. “How do I find this earth teacher?”
She nodded toward Nicholas. “You won’t have much free time, Piper. I think you should have your intended show you to Benzea.” I scowled at her and then raised my eyebrows at Nicholas.
“Let’s go.” His expression was not any lighter than mine. He grasped my hand and began to lead me through the long hallways. The pace he was using had me jogging behind. Nicholas took me out a back door that was like a jaw bridge. “You are trying my patience, Piper.”
I met his gaze, and my lips puckered as I raised one shoulder and both eyebrows. “Was I not supposed to mention to Brynn that you’ve kissed me?”
“You smell like Toryn.” He was facing me looking down at me. “You just ran off to be with him the second I left your room?”
“I’m not Brynn.” His eyes grew darker. “I know it must be really hard to remember that since you’ve only just broken off your engagement with her.” I went around him marching toward the houses I had not been able to see from the front of the house. There was an entire community back there. Where was I supposed to be going?
“If I was engaged to her today, I would have challenged Toryn for you.”
“That’s convenient.”
“Yes, it is because now I don’t have to. You are already promised to me.”
I faced him to ask, “Then why are you still so angry with Toryn?”
A really round man on tiny legs with a bald head came out of his house that we were arguing in front of. “Shut up, you dumb kids.” He shook his huge fist at us. His eyes were so tiny I couldn’t tell if he was glaring at us or trying to focus on seeing us.
“Our apologies, Benzea.”
“This is Benzea?” Nicholas nodded.
“I’ll be back to pick you up. Try not to jump to any conclusions about Brynn and me. Just know that everything that I’ve said to you has been the truth.” His shoulders fell when my expression didn’t change. I felt disgusted and furious and from the looks of Benzea, so did he.