Her Wicked Secret {Sequel to His Mortal Bride}

♱ Chapter 14 ♱

Piper

I hadn't been to Evander's cottage since the night he sent me the rose. It had been eleven days and yet the rose still rested perfectly in the vase. No petals had withered, nothing. There was no sign of deterioration or death. It was as if it was fake.

Yet, every day when I entered my chambers, the welcoming floral scent hit me as a reminder of his kind gesture. The rose was alive and well, just as it had been the day before, and the day before that.

I needed to see him soon. The past eleven nights had been hectic, to say the least. I was of course put in charge of planning the arrangements and music for the debutante ball. Sounds simple enough, but come to find out, picking flowers to go with the table cloths and choosing just the right music to set the mood for the night was tedious.

I hated every second of it.

I had spent the past few days going into the late evening hours getting questioned on what I would like.

"Princess, do you think these flowers go with the crimson of the table cloths?"

"Princess, don't you think the harp is the right fit for the evening? I find it pleasantly lulling."

"Princess, have you had your dresses picked yet? We must make sure that they match the theme of the night. Your mother says you are to get the utmost attention."

What I would like is the retched ball to be canceled. The constant nagging and emphasis on such futile things were causing me to go mad.

When I told them that the floral arrangements were horrendous, they had asked me what I wanted instead. Without a second thought, I chose red roses.

Tonight was the ball, and as I got put into my first evening gown, I focused on the untouched red rose on my dresser. I wished my close confidant could be at the ball tonight. Maybe then I would feel more comfortable. Instead, I had no one but myself, a family who was forcing me into this, and a crowd of onlookers and incompetent men vying for my attention.

I imagined what it would be like if Evander were to be at the ball tonight, what it would be like to dance with him. It felt intimate, even as just a simple thought. But quickly my thoughts went to what I now knew. A Warlock in a crowd full of Vampires. It wouldn't take much for him to be thrown out and then who knows what they would do to him.

Mrs. Cazacu fastened the matching cloak to my dress. I turned to face the mirror and admired how I looked. If one good thing could come of this night, it would be this dress. Just like any other royal woman, I enjoyed dressing to impress. This dress definitely was made to fit my mother's wishes to make me the center of attention.

The dress was made of a thick pearly white satin material. It was tight-fitting around the waist and bodice but flowed out from my hips loosely. Golden ornamentation covered my breasts up to my neck and shoulders where they met the sleeves of the dress. The sleeves were made of soft, sheer chiffon that was fitted up until my mid-forearm, then billowed out, draping over most of my hand. Gold detailing covered parts of the white chiffon sleeves, stemming from the mass of intricate gold detailing that covered my chest and shoulders. From my shoulders came the same pearly satin, forming a long cloak that trailed behind me.

The only problem? I knew that it was not-so-subtly making me look like a future bride. It was presenting me as what I was soon to be to possibly one of these men.

I didn't think too much about it as I thanked Mrs. Cazacu and complimented her work. She left me and once she was gone, I placed a golden band around my head. The dress was so stunning that I didn't want too ostentatious of a crown. Maybe if I kept to a simple crown, the men wouldn't lust for it as much. I doubt it.