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Her newly discovered biological mother leaned down and kissed her on the cheek. A few rules had gone out the window after Raena’s shocking death. Adele and Elara had shown her more affection and love during the rushed wedding plans than they had her entire life. It made Adelina happy, but it was bittersweet.
Adele seemed resolute not to waste precious time with her remaining children. She’d even made a point to watch Asher train his warriors, visit William in the barracks, and check on Ian in his labs. Their mother had always been so busy, but as the Queen Mother her obligations were far less. She would guide Giselle, but that was all that was required of her.
Adelina ate to ease her mothers’ concerns. “The dress?” she asked.
“Nadyah has been working with the seamstress non-stop to alter the dress to perfection,” Elara told her.
It was the only item Adelina refused to take from her sister. Using her sister’s wedding plans was horrible enough and the original dress had been burned with Raena regardless. Adelina’s design couldn’t be more different and she’d done that intentionally.
Then Nadyah and Gwendoline swept into the royal study with endless fabric in their arms. “Are you ready to try on the gown?” Nadyah asked with a sad smile.
They hadn’t been able to continue the camerraleto since—everything had happened. Adelina hated it, but there were other things they had to focus on. Soon she would be able to continue and complete the training while they travelled.
Adelina finished her tea and set it on the table, smiling at her mothers. Grief hung over them all, but life never waited for one to come to terms with the new typical. It flew right on by, dragging everyone along with it whether they wanted to or not.
Nadyah pulled the privacy screen into place and Gwendoline pushed Adelina gently behind it. “It was made to your specifications, Princess,” the older woman reassured. “Mistress Nadyah did have a few suggestions I took into consideration.”
Adelina nodded and peeled off the dress she currently wore. Then she stepped into the wedding gown. The soft spidersilk felt like a dream against her skin, but Adelina couldn’t help feeling sad and wistful. This was something both Raena and Giselle should have been a part of.
Nadyah arranged the trailing skirts and lace and silk while Gwendoline tightened the corset bodice. It pushed up her breasts and held them nicely. The beautiful off-the-shoulder sleeves completed the picture, but they were useless when it came to holding up the dress. No, the corset and boning held the dress up and framed her small waist. Adelina hadn’t looked in a mirror yet because she wanted to see her mothers’ reactions first, and then decide for herself.
Tears lined Nadyah’s eyes and her courtesan kissed her cheek. “You look absolutely stunning,” she whispered in Adelina’s ear. “Amora, the goddess of love, could not hold a candle to you.”
Adelina blushed. A pleasant warmth filled her all the way to her toes and fingers. Then she took a deep breath and stepped out.
Both Adele and Elara cried instantly, jumping to their feet so they could hug her, touch the gown, kiss her cheek…and then they both froze.
“When did you get that done?” Adele demanded, her eyes glued to the golden mark between Adelina’s breasts, obvious thanks to the deep cut down the front that she’d requested.
“The Master Sealer did it for me,” Adelina told her. “As well as the piece on my back that I designed based on Asher’s.”
When she turned to face the mirror and inspect the dress, Adelina watched her mothers share a look. They didn’t say anything though, as Elara must have sensed Adelina had no interest in discussing her decision.
“It’s a new time, and a new future is before us that we didn’t plan,” Adelina murmured, adjusting her breasts in the corset while Nadyah tightened the laces just a bit more. “This is who I am and I want them all to know.”
Elara nodded and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. “The pieces are stunning. The Master Sealer’s best work I believe.”
Adele was too drenched in tradition and protocol. She gritted her teeth but nodded. “It suits you, sweetheart. And the varying shades of pink in the gown make your skin glow. It is almost red in places.” Adele adjusted a bit of the skirt and smiled ruefully. “It’s a brilliant design.”
She let them fuss and talk and adjust the dress. Adelina didn’t have anything to say or to add. The dress was absolute perfection. As she stared in the mirror she studied the females in her life and couldn’t help but notice the grief that drenched Adele.
“Mother?” Adelina asked, watching her through the mirror.
It was as though her voice and unspoken question shattered the illusion. Tears ran like rivers down her mother’s cheeks and her smile was apologetic. “I can’t help but think how your father should be here to walk you down the aisle.”
Another tradition that was as broken as her family. Adelina squared her shoulders and ignored the urge to weep. She couldn’t afford to think about her father missing out on this of all things. He used to speak of it as though it would be the best moment of his life. Adelina only hoped the Three-Faced Goddess would allow his soul to witness the event.
It wasn’t just her father either, it was Raena as well. The tragedy of their early deaths cast a shadow over the happy event, and it made Adelina feel ashamed. Ashamed and guilty that she was happy when her sister was the one who should be in her place, marrying Alock. Adelina was chagrined that her sister had been sent to the goddess long before she was due and still she found such love and happiness with Varan.
Then there was the war. Was a wedding really appropriate after such events? It wasn’t like it had been with the coming-of-age party and the Games and the Choosing Ball that would never happen. War had been a far off concern, a blip on the radar. Now they’d been betrayed by Treon and their alliance with the Neprijat and then those monsters had slaughtered so many on Seprilles.
A formal declaration of love and a public union seemed crass after so much death.
But the royal line had to continue. The very real possibility of more royal deaths required the next generation to start as quickly as possible, though Adelina had no intention to start a family just yet. Not when there was so much that was still unknown.
There was a traitor among them, she knew it.
Adelina watched her mothers regain their composure and she wondered if there was a way she could help Adele, even if she was unable to do anything for anyone else at the moment. The possible Drakesthai alliance was little more than smoke and ash and desperate hope.
