Blooms of Consequence (Dusk Gate Chronicles - Book Four) Read online

  “I think he’s good for me, too.”

  “Yeah, you two are made for each other and all of that mushy stuff.”

  Quinn reached for Linnea’s hand. “You’re going to find yours, too, Nay.”

  “I know, I know. Not like you’re any help. You could have at least given me enough notice to find a date for your wedding.”

  “It’s a small ceremony and a lunch in the dining room. It’s not exactly a date-worthy occasion.”

  “Well, then I’m going to start hunting now for someone to take to your coronation.”

  “Let’s take it one step at a time.”

  Linnea sighed. “Close your eyes so I can do your eye shadow. I’m going to miss having William bring me back this kind.”

  “I’m sure we can figure something out … so, what is William nervous about?”

  Linnea gave her a meaningful look. Quinn frowned, but then blushed as she understood. “He did not tell you he’s nervous about that.”

  “He didn’t have to.”

  This time Quinn’s swipe wasn’t half-hearted.

  “What? You can’t tell me you’re not nervous, too.”

  “That is none of your business, Nay.”

  “Oh, come on. You’re my sister now. And this quite definitely falls into sister territory.”

  “Speaking of sisters, when is Rebecca bringing my mom in here?”

  “And she almost sinks the diversion into the ten-point goal, but the goalkeeper manages to bump it back with just the tips of her fingers.”

  “Seriously, Linnea.”

  “All right. I’m sorry; I shouldn’t joke. I mostly just wanted to make sure you’re okay, and that you know you can always talk to me. I’ll be a nervous wreck the morning of my wedding, I think.”

  Quinn cocked her head to the side, trying to organize her response, though she earned an exasperated sigh from Linnea, who was shading her eyebrows with an eyebrow pencil. “I don’t know. It’s not like that, really. I mean, yeah, I’m sort of nervous … and I’m sure it will probably be worse later – if we ever actually get time alone tonight – but … it’s William. Maybe if I was marrying someone I didn’t really know, or I didn’t trust the way I trust him, it would be different. But I’m not. I’m marrying him. It will all work out.”

  “All right. Now I’m jealous. Why did you let me bring this up again?”

  “Um, because I couldn’t stop you?”

  Linnea set the last of the make-up brushes back on the counter just as there was a knock on the bedroom door. “Can we come in?” Rebecca called, though she was already inside.

  Quinn stepped out of the bathroom as they entered – Rebecca leading Megan, and both of them followed by Mia, who had a long, white dress folded over her arm.

  The dress had been a special project for Charlotte’s personal seamstress and a couple of assistants over the last two days. White wedding dresses weren’t a custom here in Eirentheos. She had tried insisting to Charlotte that it wasn’t necessary – that she would be happy with something simple in the style of this world, but the queen was adamant about making this as special for Quinn as she could in the limited time she had to put it together.

  And she had to admit it was a beautiful dress, exactly what she would have wanted, if she’d had any idea what that would be. It was simple, a perfectly fitted short-sleeved bodice with a delicately scooped neckline that skimmed just under her pendant. The back and sleeves were overlaid with lace, in a way that was pretty, but not over the top, and it had a long, flowing skirt that flared out a little, but wasn’t too “poofy”.

  When they slipped it over her head, and she saw herself in the mirror, she gasped and shivered – she actually looked like a bride.

  Megan was dressed already – Rebecca had been taking care of her all morning. “You look beautiful, Mom.”

  “You do, Megan,” Linnea said. “You don’t look nearly old enough to be the mother of the bride.”

  Quinn shot her a look – it didn’t seem like a good idea to be bringing up the age thing right now, but Megan, for once, didn’t take issue with it. She just smiled. “Thank you, Linnea. Are you going to change so I can see the Maid of Honor dress?”

  “Absolutely. It’s the only time I’m ever going to get to be one. I plan on enjoying it for as long as possible.” Wedding attendants weren’t part of the tradition here, either, but Linnea and Thomas had jumped at the chance to participate. Linnea, who didn’t often get emotional about anything, had actually cried when Quinn explained the role to her.

  While Rebecca assisted Linnea with getting her dress on, Megan and Mia turned to Quinn. When Mia started fastening the buttons on the back, Quinn felt warmth flow into her cheeks at the memory of the other night.

  “Are you getting excited?” Megan asked. “Or nervous?”

  “Both. Even though the ceremony isn’t really going to be anything big.”

  “It really doesn’t matter if there are five people or five hundred, sweetheart. The ceremony is never the part that’s big.”

  “I know.”

  “Your father and I had a very small wedding, you know.”

  Quinn shook her head. She’d never asked about her parents’ wedding. She’d been at her mother’s second wedding, been the flower girl, actually. While it hadn’t been the kind of huge affair that Simon’s wedding here had been, it had been a big party, with lots of friends, and lots of Jeff’s family.

  “It was only your father and I, and Nathaniel and Maggie. We had it outside in a little park. We’d asked a friend of Maggie’s father, who was a pastor, to perform the ceremony. But he never showed up. Instead, this strange old man came – it startled the heck out of Samuel, who seemed to know him. But he was nice.”

  “Alvin,” Quinn whispered. She didn’t know whether to be awed or horrified.

  “Yes, that was his name. How did you know that?”

  “You’ll see him again downstairs. He’s marrying me and William.”

  Megan was silent for several seconds, and then she shook her head. “At this point, I almost feel like I should have seen that coming.”

  * * *

  Quinn was calm right up until she found herself alone with Nathaniel in a little room to the side of the ballroom. Then, her palms turned damp, and she could feel her heartbeat in her throat.

  For the last two days, Charlotte, Rebecca, and Linnea had been ceaseless in their questions about wedding traditions in Quinn’s world. Now, it appeared that they’d taken everything Quinn and Megan had told them, and replicated it as best they could in the ballroom. Although the door was closed to keep the scene a surprise for Quinn, when it had swung open for a few seconds to let her mom and Linnea out, she had caught a glimpse of chairs gathered on two sides of a carpeted aisle, leading up to a white, flower-covered arch, and she could hear the soft music coming from a small radio William had once brought back as a present for his brother Daniel.

  “They’re an unstoppable force,” Nathaniel said, following her gaze.

  “It feels like it’s too much.”

  “Which is exactly the opposite of the truth, you know. You’re going to be a queen.”

  She shook her head. “But I’m not yet. Besides, you don’t know what’s going to happen when I get to Philotheum.”

  A dark shadow crossed Nathaniel’s face. This was the part they weren’t talking about – the fact that this could all still go horribly wrong. After everything he’d told them, after they’d based their entire plan on his words, Jonathan had disappeared. Stephen had gone to speak with him the morning after the dinner party, and found his room empty, nothing left behind, as if he’d never been there.

  Now, they didn’t know what to believe, or what he would do. After hours of discussions and arguments, though, they’d decided that the course of action should be the same – Quinn must travel to Philotheum. If they waited, the fighting was only going to escalate. Tensions in the castle were high as it was – Linnea had been under constant guard ever since Jonatha
n had disappeared. Ben shadowed her every step if she was outside of the family’s private quarters.

  Even this wedding ceremony was as far under wraps as they could keep it, with only close family invited, and a few trusted servants assisting with the preparations and work. She knew Charlotte was still hoping they’d be able to have a “proper” ceremony sometime later.

  “Well, future queen or not, you are my niece, and this is your wedding, and as such, it could never be as much as you deserve.” He blinked hard several times, enough to make her wonder if he was tearing up a little.

  “And I know I said this when you asked, Quinn . . . but being asked to give you away is the greatest honor I’ve had in my life. This tradition alone is almost enough to make me feel grateful that you grew up in Bristlecone.”

  Hot moisture pricked at the corners of her eyes, and she swallowed hard, unable to speak right away.

  “Of course, I wish that Samuel were here to do it instead, and I know you’re probably wishing Jeff was here. . . ”

  She shook her head, reaching for his hand, trying to keep her voice steady. “I love you, Uncle Nathaniel.”

  “I love you too.”

  Just as he kissed the top of her head, the music changed.

  The rest of the preparations for the ceremony were as traditional and simple as they were beautiful. Nathaniel led Quinn behind the guests and toward the short aisle; the chairs were occupied mostly by William’s family and the very few members of hers. Despite his ongoing uncertainty about her, Charles and his family sat on the “bride’s” side of the aisle, in the row behind Ellen, Henry, Andrew, and Natalie. Quinn could see his daughter, Gianna, the other potential heir, sitting quietly next to her mother, Thea.

  She had met the young girl two days ago, and liked her immediately. Gianna had been playing happily with William’s sisters and Annie; unaffected by the serious atmosphere that hung over the adults. Whatever hopes or plans Charles may have pinned on his daughter, he hadn’t burdened the child with them, and realizing that fact had given Quinn more respect for him.

  She didn’t have much time to focus on the guests, though. As soon as she reached the entrance of the aisle, she looked up. William was standing beneath the arch wearing a black tuxedo, and the biggest grin she had ever seen. Thomas stood just behind William’s shoulder, in traditional Eirenthean formalwear, and Linnea, looking beautiful in her flowing purple dress, was on the other side, leaving a second space in the middle for when Quinn reached the altar.

  Behind the arch was Alvin, dressed in a floor-length white robe, his blue eyes sparkling with his smile.

  A row of tiny flower girls knelt on purple rugs on either side of the arch – they’d showered the aisle with so many flowers that Quinn’s dress stirred up a small storm of white and red rose petals as she walked, causing the sweet fragrance to rise up and waft over everything. Charlotte had originally objected to her youngest daughters participating, saying that Annie should have the honor by herself, but it had been Annie who wouldn’t hear of it – she wasn’t going to do anything her new friends couldn’t do, too.

  Annie did stand right at the edge of the arch on Quinn’s side, her lacy white dress a perfect contrast to Owen’s black tux next to her. For a fraction of a second, as she saw them standing there, she nearly forgot her promise to herself that she wasn’t going to think about saying good-bye to them. She was only going to cherish the fact of them being here, celebrating this day with her.

  As she and Nathaniel reached the end of the aisle, she looked back up at William. There was elation in his eyes, triumph, even, but also something more. A flicker of sadness, of deep understanding, of not just having seen Quinn’s mixed emotions a moment ago, but of being right there with her, his heart right in step with hers. And, oh how she loved him right then.

  Alvin stepped forward and asked a question of Nathaniel that she didn’t hear. She turned and was kissed by her mother, and then by Nathaniel, and then she turned to face William again.

  As soon as William took her hands in his, she knew – knew in a deeper way than she’d realized, even when she’d said yes, even as they’d planned this event. It was going to be hard to say good-bye to the family and the world she knew. But this was right. This was her home now. William was her family.

  She’d heard the wedding vows a hundred times before, but was surprised to discover how much it meant to say them to William, to hear them from him. There were even two rings on Owen’s little pillow. William carefully untied the white satin strings and whispered a thank you to the ring bearer before taking Quinn’s hand and slipping the band up next to the first one, while Owen beamed up at them proudly. Then she took the second ring, a band of silver inlaid with a gold stripe, and pushed it onto his ring finger.

  William’s smile took her breath away.

  “You may kiss the bride.”

  There was a low chuckle in the audience at the unfamiliar line, but Quinn didn’t care. For a moment, everything disappeared except William, who pulled her into his arms and kissed her – softly, but with an edge of something more, a promise to be fulfilled later.

  “Beloved family and friends, may I present to you the eminent couple, Princess Quinn and Prince William Rose.” William pulled her hand to his lips as they waved at their families, who were standing now, clapping and cheering.

  Thomas and Linnea headed down the aisle first, and then Quinn and William followed, though they didn’t make it far before they were swallowed in a sea of hugs, kisses, well-wishes, and even a few tears.

  * * *

  Quinn was dancing with Owen when she felt a tap on her shoulder. “The two of you look like you’re having a grand time. Might I join you?”

  “Uh, sure,” Quinn said, opening their little circle to admit Alvin.

  “I’ve noticed people often use that word, ‘sure’, when they’re anything but. Are you unsure about me, Princess Quinn?”

  She didn’t know how to begin answering that question, but he didn’t wait for an answer, anyway. Instead, he turned his bright gaze on Owen. “What about you, Sir Owen? Are you having a good time at your sister’s wedding?”

  Owen was staring up at Alvin with the widest eyes she had ever seen, like he was looking at a ghost. After several long seconds, he finally blinked. “I didn’t think you were real,” he said.

  A cold, creeping sensation crawled down Quinn’s spine.

  Alvin smiled indulgently. “Of course I’m real. I’ve always been real.”

  “You were in my dreams.”

  As the first wave of the creeping cold settled at the base of Quinn’s back, a second one began at her neck. She stared up at Alvin.

  “Close your mouth, Princess. You’ll have half the people in this room intruding on our conversation if you keep looking at me like Owen said I’d tried to eat him in his sleep, rather than merely visiting him, the way I have with you. Surely you didn’t think you were the only one.”

  “But Owen is not even from this world!”

  “Neither are you.”

  “You know what I mean.”

  “I understand your words, yes, but I don’t see what it has to do with anything. You must have realized by now that I am not tied to one world or the other.”

  “I don’t even know what to say to that.”

  “It’s not necessary for you to say anything, dear one. I was merely stating a fact I assumed you already knew. But perhaps you didn’t. I have been wrong before.”

  Quinn wasn’t so sure he had. There was a part of her, in the back of her mind, that knew he was right – she had realized that. She had just never thought he would have communicated with Owen in his dreams as well. Or maybe she had . . . this was too much to think about right now.

  “Well, then, since you seem to know so much about traveling between the worlds, perhaps you can tell me if my family will be able to cross back over tonight. Or did Jonathan really manage to destroy the bridge with his fire?” Her tone wasn’t exactly polite, but she didn�
�t care.

  The issue of whether her Mom and Owen and Annie would even be able to return home had been haunting all of them, though they’d avoided speaking about it. Stephen had said there was no sense worrying about it until they went to see it and try it for themselves. The gate was scheduled to open again at sunset.

  There was a small part of Quinn that knew she hadn’t allowed herself to think about it because she was hoping the gate wouldn’t be open, or that they would still be unable to access it because of the fire. She wasn’t ready for her family to leave tonight.

  Megan hadn’t been sure she wanted to try the bridge on this opening, but with the heightened danger, and the fact that Quinn and William would be leaving for Philotheum, anyway, they’d all agreed that if her family could get home today, then they should.

  “The bridge still stands, Princess. As the guards King Stephen has sent to check on it will tell you later this afternoon. In any case, the operation of the gate is not terribly dependent on whether the bridge is intact, as the gate in your world would tend to indicate.”

  “What is it dependent on, then?”

  “Magnetism, mostly.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “Magnets. Now, I know you’ve heard of those.”

  “I don’t know what they have to do with the gate.”

  “Did you think the gate was magic?”

  She opened her mouth and closed it again. Truthfully, she sort of had thought that.

  “Well, it isn’t magic. Simple science, really. At certain times, these two worlds are lined up in just such a way that two powerful magnets, one on each side, can weaken the magnetic field between them, and allow someone to pass through.”

  “And someone just figured that out?” William had come to stand with them. He put his arm around Quinn’s waist, and then his other hand on Owen’s shoulder.

  Quinn looked around the room. Everyone else was engaged in conversations. Nobody looked the least bit interested in their little group – or if they were, they were politely ignoring them.

  “Yes, of course someone ‘just figured it out’. The difficulty level is somewhere below using magnets in electrical currents. Finding a location where it would work was another story. The first passage had to be in a place where there was both a place where the fields aligned and there was already a naturally occurring magnet on the other side. Humans are inventive, though. They managed it. Some by accident, even.” Alvin chuckled, his eyes lighting up.