3

Seeing that I wouldn't budge, Chris fell silent for a few seconds.

Then he looked at Lucy, still crouched on the ground.

"Lucy, how about you put away the beads you've found, we go up and complete the ceremony, and I'll help you find the rest afterward?"

Lucy bit her lip, tears falling without a sound.

The air froze.

Only six minutes remained before the blessing window closed. Then my phone rang.

It was my mother, Ella.

"Sheila, is the ceremony over? The bonfire feast is all set. We're just waiting for you two."

Before I could speak, Vivian, right behind me, snatched the phone, her voice sharp with fury.

"Ella, the ceremony hasn't even started!"

"Lucy scattered her bracelet in front of the altar, and Chris refuses to go in until every last bead is found!"

The other end went quiet for two seconds. Then my father, Daniel, came on the line.

"Is Chris there?"

I glanced at Chris.

He had just risen from the ground, the moonstone beads he'd recovered clutched in his hand.

He looked at me, a fresh trace of reproach in his eyes, but answered anyway.

"I'm here."

My father was clearly fighting down his temper.

"Chris, you and Sheila have missed seven ceremonies. Every single one because of Lucy."

"Today is the eighth. Can't you just go in and finish the ceremony first? What could possibly matter more than receiving the blessing?"

At some point Lucy had edged a step closer. Her voice trembled on the verge of tears.

"It's my fault. I shouldn't have worn this bracelet today."

"But a scattered bracelet is truly a bad omen. If it isn't restrung, what if their life together goes wrong someday?"

My mother's voice rose too, tight with urgency.

"Things are going wrong enough right now!"

"Lucy, I am begging you. This is Sheila's eighth application. She has no more chances to receive the Moon Goddess's blessing!"

Lucy cried even more pitifully.

"Why does everyone keep blaming me? I'm doing this for Sheila and Chris!"

"Why is everything I do wrong in your eyes?!"

Chris's brow furrowed at once.

"Ella, Lucy means well."

"She wore that blessed bracelet today because she wanted our ceremony to go smoothly."

My father was so angry his voice changed.

"How very kind of her. So kind that my daughter is about to miss her eighth and final chance at the blessing."

Lucy clutched the bracelet cord, her eyes rimmed red.

"Chris, why don't you two go in first? I'll be fine."

"Otherwise, if you miss the ceremony again, I'll be the one everyone blames."

She lowered her head, her shoulders trembling faintly.

Chris's expression shifted.

"Don't talk nonsense. I'll wait for you."

At those words, everyone's expression changed.

Vivian swore under her breath. "Dumbass!"

I sighed and took the phone back.

"Don't worry. Today, I am going through with the ceremony."

I said it to my parents on the other end.

And to myself.

When I hung up, Chris was staring at me, his brow deeply furrowed.

"Sheila, are you trying to force my hand with all this?"

I looked up at him, perfectly calm inside.

"Force you? So holding a mating ceremony with me counts as forcing you?"

Chris was silent for a few seconds.

"That's not what I said."

"But you're acting really off today."

"You never used to be like this. You were kind, considerate. You understood how hard things are for Lucy."

"When did you get so aggressive?"

I smiled.

"Chris, do you know why I used to be so kind and considerate?"

He frowned.

I answered my own question.

"Because I believed that if I was good enough, understanding enough, you would cherish me."

"But it's been three years."

"The kinder I was, the more you took me for granted."

"The more considerate I was, the more shameless you became."

Chris's expression shifted again and again.

"I never..."

"You did."

The silence was terrifying.

Everyone was watching Chris.

In the moonlight, Chris looked deeply conflicted.

In the end, he softened his tone.

"Sheila, give me one more minute. Lucy's almost done restringing the bracelet."

I ignored him.

My phone buzzed. Another message from that number:

[Almost there.]

I relaxed slightly and stopped paying attention to Chris.

I turned and walked toward the altar.

Behind me, Chris shot to his feet.

"Sheila, what are you doing?"

I glanced back at him.

"I told you. This time, I am going through with the ceremony. So I'm going inside."