I shook my head to disagree. How could that be right? Sure, my mother was never one to consider another’s choices; yet, she wasn’t forcing me to do what she wanted most. But why would she be scared of my power? I controlled the weather, and I saw those who have passed on. That wasn’t a lethal combination. Furthermore, my father was not a warlock. That should make me less powerful than my mother or sisters.

“You’re still as naïve now as you were when we were kids,” Duely said with a smile then walked toward the woods. I let him go find a place to hide and asked him nothing else. This wasn’t the first time he’d called me naïve. I just never put much stock in Duely’s opinion of things. He saw the world in a different way than most. I was the one who had lived with my mother and endured her disdain for me. Persephone was not, in any way, scared of me.

SEVEN: THE WEDDING

Seven

The Wedding

I stayed in my room until Margo texted that they were on their way. I checked my hair in the mirror to make sure Mother would have no reason to complain. I had left the natural curl and pulled it up in a side bun. I touched the sparkly headband I’d added to the look and smiled. I was sure Geneva would bitch about that. She was wearing a tiara instead of a veil, and this was a slight detail I added just to annoy her.

The only order I had obeyed was to wear the black dress she chose. I had no issue with wearing black. However, I made a few alterations to the dress she’d left for me before putting it on. Nothing that I thought she’d notice. With one last adjustment, I added red lipstick to complete my look.

The arrival of guests was in full swing as I descended the staircase. The banisters were also covered in purple passion flowers, and if I’d needed to hold onto it to balance in my heels, I would have been in trouble. Nothing had been cast to keep guests away from the stairs, and although there were several protective spells upstairs to keep others away, I didn’t think letting guests climb these stairs in heels was wise.

Keeping my smile in place, I whispered the incantation to dissuade anyone who may get close to the stairwell from going any further. My mother’s head turned from the guests she was welcoming, and her eyes locked on mine. She’d heard my almost silent whisper.