Page 146 of Summer of Sacrifice

All of them arguing.

Per the usual.

“But the left is my best side,” Sorscha was saying. “I want to be on Aggie’s left so my left side is visible.”

“Nobody cares about your face, Sorscha!” Winnie snipped. “This is not your day.”

“Now, now.” Seleste lifted her hands placatingly. “There is no reason to argue. We should simply be in reverse order of age.”

“But that puts Winnie on the end!”

“Enough squabbling, you whores!” Agatha broke in, laughing tearfully. “No one is painting this wedding. Who cares who is where?” She fanned her face so tears wouldn’t disrupt the charcoal around her eyes. “Just enjoy this night. Come the morning, we begin a trek into the unknown.”

Sorscha visibly shook off her self-absorption, coming over to look at Agatha in the mirror. “You look stunning.” She ran her hand down Agatha’s hip. “I’ve never seen Tindle do simple, but gods, did he deliver. This thing hugs everything in all the right places. Oh!” She gave a little hop. “I have the perfect lip stain!”

As Sorscha ran off to retrieve it, Seleste came up behind Agatha, weaving her arms around her middle and resting her chin on Agatha’s shoulder. “You do look beautiful. I’m so happy we could be here this time.” With one little squeeze, she released her Sister and set to doing her hair. She left the curls free, only plaiting one small braid around the crown of her head.

Sorscha bustled back in with a lip stain in a shade of plum Agatha had never seen her Sister Spring wear in any way, shape, or form. When Agatha raised a brow at her, commenting that very thing, Sorscha shrugged. “I tried it once. I hate it. But it’ll be perfection on you. Something borrowed.”

As Sorscha and Seleste worked on beautification, Winnie smoothed Agatha’s dress at least four times too many, presumably hoping no one would notice she’d been sniffling the entire time. “I’ll be right back.”

Seleste completed the braid and smiled at Agatha in the mirror. A tickle came at Agatha’s thigh and she yelped. Seleste laughed as Agatha roughly pulled up her dress to find a garter in a deep, midnight blue lace had appeared there. In its centre was a beautiful cameo of a bat. “Your something blue,” Sister Summer said, and Sorscha cackled.

Winnie materialised next to them. “Arm please.”

Agatha did as she was commanded and held out her arm. Winnie clasped a delicate, dainty chain of gold, interspersed with gems of onyx, amber, ruby, and moonstone that glittered in the candlelight. “Your something new.”

And, just as on that day in Autumn, she wore the colours of the Sisters Solstice.

“You’re all going to make me cry again,” Agatha squeaked, fanning her face rapidly.

Anne rushed into Agatha’s room then, all smiles and all business. She paused only long enough to gasp and gush over Agatha before she said, “Ring, please,” and held out her hand, palm up.

“What ring?”

“You’re kidding, right?” When Agatha only blinked, Anne rolled her eyes and grabbed Agatha’s hand, yanking off her ring. Holding it up she said, “The wedding ring.”

As Sorscha and Seleste giggled, Anne turned on her heel and plopped the ring in Winnie’s hand. “Don’t lose this.” She turned back to Agatha. “Tindle will be in in a moment and it’s go time.” Another spin and she was headed for the door, a woman on a mission. “Witches, let’s go!”

Squealing and laughing, Seleste, Sorscha, and Winnie gave their various, excitement-riddled last words to Agatha and scuttled out.

GRIMM

“Why am I blindfolded?” Grimm growled for the hundredth time. And, for the hundredth time, he received no answer.

“Watch your step.”

Grimm tripped over something, stumbling. “Little late there,” he hissed at Gaius, who only chuckled.

He felt him fiddle with his hand until his ring slid free. “I’m handing you off to Laurent while I finish some things. Don’t you dare fucking remove that blindfold.”

When Gaius’ footsteps were fading away, Grimm reached up to lift his blindfold, only to have a huge hand clasp around his wrist.

“Nope.”

“Ah, Asa,” Grimm drawled, “surely a man such as yourself can recognise how little I wish to be blindfolded.”

Asa grunted. “Sorscha worked too hard for you to fuck it up.”

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