A Beast's Tale

Chapter 66

The next month was the longest and most agonizing month of my life. The night before the wedding was longer still. Morning found me wide awake, my sheets and blankets disarrayed from hours of tossing and turning. There was no point trying to sleep in. I couldn't even sleep. I got dressed and went to the stables, where a stable boy was returning Blade to his stall after light exercise.

"You're up early," Licht commented across the way, grooming his bay stallion.

I didn't respond as I curried the sweat from Blade's coat. The rhythmic motion gave only marginal release to the tension in my muscles. Less than eight hours until the wedding. Then the reception, the dancing, the carriage ride, and the chateau. One week there without any servants. She was more than capable of handling the cooking, and she was looking forward to it.

I was looking forward to something else entirely.

"Nokto told her," Licht said.

I glanced over at him, his eyes fixed on his horse, his face as blank as always. The only people with that knowledge were Nokto, Ivetta, and me. I hadn't talked to Licht about it, and if Ivetta had, she hadn't told me. I should be pleased that Licht and Nokto had finally talked about it. But right now, I couldn't care less.

"I know."

He was silent again as I rubbed Blade down with a dry cloth. A morning ride may be just what I needed to distract myself. The ceremony was in the early afternoon. I would have plenty of time to clean up and change into my suit. That was the extent of my preparation.

She would take all morning to prepare. I found myself wondering what she was doing right now.

"She doesn't treat me differently," Licht said hesitantly.

"Why should she?" I asked, swinging the saddle over Blade's back.

"You know what I did."

"It needed to be done," I replied, cinching the straps snugly. "Although she should have been stopped well before that point."

I opened the stall door and led Blade out into the aisle.

"You can leave after the ceremony," I threw back over my shoulder.

He was a groomsman, as were the rest of my brothers, with Leon as the best man. There was no need for him to attend the reception and be miserable in front of Ivetta. Nothing was ruining this day for me.

The countryside was blossoming with all the signs of early spring, I'm sure. I didn't notice any of it. This was just a distraction, something to keep me from pacing in my room until it was time. But it didn't distract me at all. Less than seven hours until the wedding. Less than six.

When the countdown reached two hours, I handed Blade over to a stable boy and went back to my room to bathe and change. A white tuxedo, silver shirt, gold tie, and I was ready. With less than an hour to go, I met Leon on the way to the church.

"Here," I said shortly, handing him the rings. His ex-slave jeweler had performed excellent work. The two wedding bands were made of gold, mine dotted with small garnets on one side, hers encrusted with them in the formation of a rose surrounding a diamond dove.

"Loosen up, Chevalier. You're getting married, not going to a funeral," he teased, pocketing the rings.

I didn't reply. My stomach was twisting into knots.

"Wow," Yves greeted us when we stepped into the foyer. "Just...wow."

Leon laughed. "I take it she's looking good."

Yves grinned. "Good isn't the word for it."

Less than an hour.

The rest of my brothers arrived, dressed in white tuxedos, as did the bridal party. Belle was the maid of honor in a gown of gold with silver accents; the bridesmaids were six noblewomen chosen by Sariel, wearing silver with gold accents; and the youngest daughter of John Stotts, Ivetta's neighbor in the village, was the flower girl dressed in gold.