KISSED BY SONGS OF LILIES (ENEMIES EVER AFTER) BY E.V. EVEREST EPUB & PDF – eBook Details Online
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- Authors: E.V. EVEREST
- Language: English
- Genre: fantasy romance
- Format: PDF / EPUB
- Size: 7.6 MB
- Price: Free
The Stolen Bride
I woke to rain lashing my window panes. Outside, the sky was red on the
horizon–a bad omen.
Still, it wouldn’t stop the festivities tonight. Another blighted ball.
I turned over in my bed and groaned into my pillow. Another day
wasted with preparations. Another evening ruined by mindless pleasantries
and idle gossip.
The summer social season lasted four long months, and my father, the
ruler of our seaside kingdom, wouldn’t rest until I’d attended every single
event.
To be more concise, he wouldn’t rest until I’d made an advantageous
marriage. I shook the unwelcome thought from my mind and stared out at
the familiar rain-soaked landscape.
I was no stranger to storms. I knew the sea’s lullaby–heavy, rolling
waves and fierce winds. I’d heard lightning crack, felt thunder shake the
ground, and watched ancient trees ripped from the earth.
When I was little, the storms frightened me. I would sit up in bed and
cry while my fearless older sister jumped on our feather bed, telling me to
hush.
Nonetheless, momma always came. She would bring a candle, gather us
in her arms, and tell us stories of long ago. Stories of the fae who brought
storms and stole brides.
I never thought I would become one of those stories.
That night, the air was filled with laughter and conversation. Men and
women from all over our seaside kingdom gathered to dance and make
meaningful connections—romantic and political.
The sound of their merriment traveled out of the crowded, stuffy
ballroom, through the French doors, across the patio and the tower of
champagne, and into the ancient grove of trees beyond.
I longed to follow it.
I longed for freedom.
It was a wicked thought. My mother was dead. My father, my sister, my
kingdom–they all depended on me and my prospective marriage. I couldn’t
let them down.
So, my younger sister, Magnolia, and I stood dutifully at the entrance of
the ballroom, greeting our guests. The arrivals were becoming more spaced
now.
Magnolia wiped a trickle of sweat from the back of her neck. “Do you
think anyone would miss us if we went to the refreshment table?”
I looked up at the grand clock, its golden hands ticking in quiet
synchronization. “It’s scarcely past seven. We should wait a few more
minutes.”
Magnolia’s lip poked out in a subtle pout that reminded me of when she
was younger. “All of these people are late. Why should they receive a
formal greeting?” she grumbled.
“Maggie,” I admonished.
She gave me her best puppy dog eyes. “Georgia,” she whined. “I know
you don’t want to stand here any more than I do. It’s so humid I could float
to the refreshment table.”
I couldn’t help but smile. “You’re right. It’s dreadful, isn’t it?”
As we moved to abandon our post, a familiar voice drawled, “Why,
Georgia, Magnolia!”
I turned and spotted Lady Catherine at the ballroom entry. Her gown’s
hoop skirt protruded at least a foot on each side, and its silver brocade
accented her graying hair. She waved merrily at my sister and I.
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