Page 65 of The Last Wish of Bristol Keats
Willow shook her head, her expression changing. Her tone went from tearful to angry. “You’re wrong. If I can’t find him, he isn’t here. He’s nowhere.Nowhere.”
Bristol hesitated, afraid to ask. “Are you saying you think he’s dead?”
“No one dies here in Elphame. They just change.”
And that was what Willow began to do. Change. The edges around her softened, dissolving like they had the last time she made a quick departure.
“No!” Bristol said. She still had questions, and reached out to stop her, wrapping her hand around Willow’s bony wrist. A bright light flashed from Willow’s arm, and Bristol flew back through the air, slamming to the floor and sliding down the hallway, catching a brief glimpse of Willow before she vanished again.
Bristol lay there, stunned, her shoulder aching, but as soon as her head cleared, she had one thought: Reuben. He would be at the wedding. This conversation wasn’t over.
Before she could get to her feet, footsteps pounded in the hallway, and hands slipped beneath her arms, lifting her. “What happened?”
It was Cael.
“What are you doing here?” she asked as she got her footing.
“I came to escort you to the wedding.”
“Like that?” she said, noting he wasn’t in disguise.
“I shed my glamour when I ran to you. Are you all right?” he asked, one hand rubbing her shoulder like she was injured.
She nudged him away. “I’m fine. Just a little tumble. You can go on to the wedding without me. I still need to change.”
He grabbed her hand, stroking it with his thumb. “I could help you?” he said. “If you’d like help, that is.” He glanced at her chamber door. “I could come inside with you and—”
She yanked her hand away. “Are you hitting on me?”
“Hitting? No, of course not!” he said with offense. “I would never raise a hand to you! I’m just trying to prove to you I am not the demanding pain in the ass that you once called me. I’m trying to show you I can be helpful too. I can be pleasant, if you give me the chance.”
She eyed him carefully, wondering if she had overreacted again. Was he as clueless as he appeared, or was it an act? If it was an act, he was nailing it.
“My mistake,” she finally said. “I will see you at the wedding, Cael. Goodbye.” She went into her room to change, and bolted the door behind her.
CHAPTER 48
When Melizan arrived in her chamber, she found it filled with merkind—at least a dozen of Cosette’s relatives from the river. Puddles shimmered on the marble floor.
They fluttered and fussed around Cosette, who sat on the chaise as they rubbed scented balms into her skin, slipped bracelets made of shells and pearls onto her wrists, and laced delicate pink flowers through her emerald hair. Their laughter and chatter stopped when they spotted Melizan.
Cosette looked up at her with worried eyes. “I hope it’s all right. They all wanted to come.”
Merkind at the wedding. A lot of them. What would Tyghan think?
But Cosette was so beautiful, so happy—
“Of course it’s all right. Your family should be here.”
She hoped. This whole thing was twisting her stomach tighter by the minute, but then Cosette smiled like Melizan had just given her the greatest wedding gift of all. Her aunts and mother turned toward her, smiling too, and looked like they were about to pounce on Melizan with a merciless hug. “I have to go now,” she said quickly, feeling strangely breathless. “I’m going to go change, and I’ll meet you at Sun Court.”
“I hope these flowers aren’t too much?” Cosette said, motioning to her hair.
Gods, no.
“They’re perfect, my love. Trust me.”
She hurried to her bath chamber, eager to get out of there as fast as possible.
