The Wizard's Queen

Chapter 38

Riley didn't even get the chance to process the events from the previous night. She awoke to chaos the following morning as members of her wedding party began to arrive to prepare for the wedding. Stryker had left sometime in the middle of the night after Declan's little tantrum leaving a clingy nine year old following Riley around.

Leona had come in and was trying desperately to make amends with Wren who refused to get back together with her. They had spent much of the morning arguing with each other before Luke unleashed a flaming goat to chase Leona down the hallway. With Michael away, he could get away with the harmless prank. Bethany was too tired to care and Stryker was nowhere around.

On top of Leona being a bridesmaid, Kenzie Keaton, a classmate of Riley's and Bethany's younger cousin was also joining them. She still was rude to Riley and hadn't uttered a single word to her since her arrival at the mansion. Besides that, Riley's two other bridesmaids were Sophia Blight, and Adele Magus. Sophia was currently a senior at Marblehead Academy and her father was one of the top task force members and a loyal friend to Michael Noble. Adele was a sophomore at Flamel's School of Sorcery in France and her father was the French council head and a member of the international council. Her older brother, Aaron, who was a senior at Flamel's, would be one of Luke's groomsmen along with Wren and both Isaak and Ivan Ivanovich III, the sons of Ivan Ivanovich II, a member of the International Council and the Russian council head. Declan was tasked with being the ring bearer and Kenzie's younger sister, Mirla, the flower girl.

Besides Leona and Wren's constant bickering, Luke and Aaron both had it out for each other. Apparently, they were longtime rivals. The mansion had become a madhouse full of bickering teens with Bethany left in charge while Michael had gone away. He had decided that with Luke's unexpected announcement of the change of date, the wedding party would stay at the mansion the next four days to ensure all had their attire ready for the big day.

Her bridesmaids were the first to decide on a dress. Riley really didn't care about how they looked or what color they were. She'd put them in black garbage bags if Bethany would let her. Bethany was having more fun planning the wedding since Michael just took her to the courthouse to sign the documents declaring he wasn't wasting his time on a third wedding for himself.

"Riley, which dress?" Bethany asked for the millionth time.

Riley glanced up from her thoughts studying her bridesmaids in front of her in an assortment of dresses. Sophia was in a dark navy one shoulder strap dress that was simple and floor length. Riley really didn't care for the navy color and neither did Bethany. Bethany was pushing for a bunch of silver and blues for the color scheme. Her cousin, Kenzie, was wearing a strapless sky blue aline with some silver beading around the waist and top of one breast. It was the most expensive of the dresses and Bethany's favorite. Riley liked it, but she wasn't going to let Bethany win so easily. Leona looked almost depressing in her choice of silver strapless gown that flowed down to the floor. They were still missing one bridesmaid.

"Adele, hurry up! Show us what you're wearing!" Bethany screamed.

Adele poked her head out from the bathroom, blushing as she hid behind the door. Stray strands of her chestnut colored hair threatened to come loose from her twisted bun.

"Um, I don't think you will like this one, it was Luke's choice."

"Luke picked out a dress?" Riley asked perking up.

"Yes, Sorceress," Adele gulped. "He said the other one was something the mother of the bride should wear. Well, his words were more insulting."

"Then why did you try it on? Go back and put on the other one," Bethany snapped.