What the Bride Became

From the time I was six until I was sixteen, I thought about escaping my bond of servitude every single day.

So when Celeste told me to marry in her place, it didn't sink in at first.

Crash.

The teacup shattered beside my knees, and scalding tea splashed over my leg.

I didn't dodge.

If I dodged, the next slap would land across my face.

"You wretched girl, are you deaf?"

Celeste sat up from her couch, her nails painted a bright red, and pointed at my face as she cursed.

"The royal physicians all say Lord Blackwell won't live past seven days! And you want me to marry over there and be buried at his side?"

I lowered my head and stared at the broken shards on the floor.

Lord Blackwell.

Rowan Blackwell, the regent.

He'd gone to war at fifteen and been made regent at twenty.

This time he'd been ambushed and struck by a poisoned arrow.

By the time he was carried home, there was only one breath left in him. Even the physicians shook their heads after examining him.

I reminded her quietly, "My lady, the betrothal was arranged by the late king..."

"Which is exactly why I'm sending you."

I looked up.

My mistress smiled, the kind of smile you'd give while tossing scraps to a dog.

"What they need right now is someone to marry him for luck. It doesn't have to be me."

I lowered my eyes. "What if... what if he lives?"

Celeste scoffed. "Lives? As long as he's the regent, he can't possibly live."

I heard something else buried in those words, but I didn't dare think too hard about it.

Celeste went on, "Besides, you're nothing but a lowborn maid. Being allowed to marry the regent is the luck of a lifetime. What right do you have to refuse?"

My lips parted.

Suddenly a line of golden words drifted across my vision.

[Celeste is such an idiot. Lord Blackwell has the male lead's plot armor! There's no way he dies!]

[Baby girl, say yes! Forget just escaping your bond—when the time comes, you'll be able to have anything you want!]

The glowing words flashed past, and my heart started to race.

Celeste nudged my shoulder with the toe of her shoe.

"I'm asking you a question!"

I came back to myself and quickly bowed my head.

"I'm willing, my lady. I'm willing."

Celeste was satisfied. She tossed me an old wedding gown.

"Good. The wedding is tomorrow morning.

"And don't say I made you go. Say you admire the regent and offered to marry in my place."

"Yes."

I gathered up the old gown and backed out of the room.

When I reached the courtyard, I turned and looked once more at Celeste's window.

She was laughing inside, laughing loudly.

Laughing because she'd slipped free of disaster.

And laughing because I was a fool.

But she didn't know.

I had seen it.

I had seen the golden words.

From the age of ten, those glittering words had often appeared before my eyes.

At first I didn't understand what they were saying.

But I soon discovered that the choices they nudged me toward were always right.