Cindy and Ella (The Fairy Tale Twins)

Chapter 13: Cindy

I reach the house in a foul mood. Until yesterday, I was excited about the ball. After all, it's a party and parties are fun. I haven't danced in ages. Then Kellan had to put me on the spot like that and abandon me for wanting to help my family. I spent the whole night crying about it, but not today. Today I'm angry.

"Cindy, is that you?" Merle calls from the sitting room.

"What do you want?" I stop in the doorway and find Jeremy on the couch beside Merle. Good-he's home. We need him here so Ella and I can attend the ball together. I'm already furious with him for skipping out of work early, claiming he needed to 'see about something' and leaving me alone to close up. It's now a quarter past five and I meant to be home so much earlier.

Merle surprises me by looking happy. "Jeremy has very good news." Her blue eyes shine, but that doesn't reassure me at all. Good news for Merle is rarely that for us.

"Where's Ella?" I look down the hall to the kitchen but don't see her.

"Upstairs, getting ready. I curled her hair," Merle says.

"That was nice. So what's the news?"

Jeremy grins. "The captain of the king's guard stopped by The Sentry. That's what Percy wanted to tell me last night-that he'd been looking for me. He offered me a post for this evening: to be an extra guard on duty during the prince's ball."

I feel my stomach turn cold.

"Isn't it wonderful?" Merle asks. "His father would be so proud."

"If he likes me, I'll get more posts in the future," Jeremy says. "This could lead to a permanent position at the palace."

Which is what he's always wanted. But that's not the problem.

"Jeremy," I say carefully. "That's really great. But you were supposed to stay with Merle tonight so Ella and I could attend the ball. You said you would stay."

Jeremy shrugs. "Can't do it. Either you or Ella will have to stay home. What? I'm supposed to pass up a real assignment at the palace just so you two can take your hopeless shots at the prince? Neither one of you ever had a chance. We all know that. Enough daydreaming. One of you has to stay."

I hear Ella behind me, coming down the stairs. She must have heard this last portion and understood what it means-that she has to miss the ball.

"Jeremy is going out?" I hear Ella say. As if confirming to herself.

"Working as a guard tonight." Jeremy still has the nerve to sound pleased. "From what I heard, the king wants to bolster up security, considering the expected crowds. Several of my buddies from The Sentry were chosen. And we're getting paid! Handsomely."

Which explains why Merle is so supportive. Besides the fact that, when all is said and done, Jeremy is her child. She will always give him preference over me and Ella.

"Well, we can't stop you," I say with bitterness. "Your selfishness comes as no surprise to me. We should've expected this." I heave a sigh and look at my sister. "I'm so sorry, Ella."

Then I see what she's wearing.

"Ella! Where did you get that?" Skies above! She's wearing the ruby dress! The exact one-is it?-yes, it is! The exact one that was in Godmother's window. How? How? I can do nothing but stare, open-mouthed.

"Someone sent it to me. It was quite a surprise," Ella says. Her look turns quizzical. "Cindy... what did you mean by 'I'm so sorry, Ella?'"

I'm having too many thoughts to respond. Someone sent her a gown only royalty could afford? Who? I know Percy is very fond of her, but an apprentice could not have afforded this. I can't imagine who else would have bought it for her.