Awry

71

It was Scarlet’s wedding day.

Her servants—because she was now the countess and had servants—helped squeeze her into the dress Gabriel had bought her for the occasion. The skirt was made of layers upon layers of sheer white, sticking out at various angles to make the skirt full and heavy. The top piece was pure lace, with beautiful straps that fell over her shoulders and crossed in the back, and the final adornment was a black corset top.

Scarlet hadn’t worn a corset since she was a young girl, so standing still while she was tied into the corset was difficult. And painful.

Which reminded her whyshe hadn’t worn a corset in so long.

When she was dressed and ready to be presented, Scarlet looked at herself in her bedroom mirror.

She did not see the girl from the woods. She did not see Ana’s young daughter or a dedicated hunter.

She saw a new woman. A countess.

Which made her proud. And sad.

She shoved the sadness aside and allowed her servants to lead her out to the main hall for the ceremony.

She did not have a whole soul, but she had love.

She thought of Gabriel and smiled. Gabriel was her strength. And today he would be her husband.

By the time Tristan reached his home village, he was exhausted. He had made the long journey from the monastery by foot and seldom stopped for rest or food.

He was weak, he was dirty, and he was tired.

But the village bustled with news of a wedding that was taking place in the late morning and energy shot through him.

Scarlet and Gabriel were to be married in less than an hour.

He hurried to the castle. Not to stop the wedding. Not to beg Gabriel to give Scarlet back to him. But to see her.

Just to see her.

After the wedding, he would have to go into hiding; he surely could not stay in a town where he was thought to be dead and live peacefully. His father would have his head and the guards would never allow him back into the castle.

But weddings were public occasions and Tristan knew he could sneak inside the main hall and see Scarlet’s sweet face one last time.

Church bells rang in the distance, signaling the end of the morning and Tristan began to run.