“No!” Luci began, voice too high. “I mean, he did, but not really. It’s his fault, of course, but I don’t think his intention-”
“Intent does not supersede impact,” Brielle said.
Chin held high despite her waning tears and lips pulled tight; she was more commanding than Luci had ever seen her. All in defense of an injustice she believed Luci had endured. Maybe it was warranted, but for some reason, Luci couldn’t muster up the energy to hold a prince accountable that she would never see again.
“You would have loved it, Bri. The gowns, the decor, the glamour.” Luci said.
“You don’t have to tell me if you aren’t ready to talk about it, but you also don’t have to pretend everything is okay when it isn’t, Luci.”
There was a hurt in the words that she tried to hide, but there was nothing Brielle could have hidden. She was simply too good for deception. One of the things that made her irrevocably beautiful.
“He didn’t hurt me like that.” Luci swallowed, “He took me to the room of mirrors.”
Brielle gasped, hand rising to her mouth. “Luci…”
Words seemed to fail her as she stared with wide eyes. Yesterday, Luci would have rolled her eyes at the anticipation the thought of magic produced, but after last night, everything had changed. There was no explanation for the images she saw and the way she felt. Magic existed, but it was also terrifying.
“I saw-.” Luci swallowed. “Things. I don’t know how to put them into words, but when it was over, the glass broke, which is how I got these.”
Holding her hands out before them, Brielle reached out and lowered them. Gentleness and kindness radiated from her despite the worry that shone in the creases around her eyes and the slight frown she wore.
“I believe you. If you say that’s what happened, then that’s the end of it, but Luci, if it all exploded, how is it only your hands and arms that were hurt?”
Fair enough.
“The prince covered me with his body,” Luci said.
Luci could practically see Brielle rewriting the narrative in her mind, and as her lips grew into a wide smile and her cheeks flushed, Luci saw the fairytale she had concocted. This time, she really did roll her eyes because, of course, Brielle would see a romance where there was none. An annoying voice in the back of her mind whispered it wasn’t nothing, but that was all the time spent reading books. The reality was that he had locked her in that room, and like Brielle said, impact superseded intent.
“That’s very romantic.” Brielle half whispered, half squealed. “Lady Margaret told me that all anyone could talk about was how the prince had been captivated by you and swept you away. She said Lady Annabeth was practically fuming with smoke from her head. It all sounded wonderful until she told me how she had found you and how he had asked for discretion. Of course, we thought the worst, but this- Luci, you have to tell me everythingyou saw. Do not skip a single detail,” she wagged a finger at her, narrowing her eyes. “I’ll know if you do.”
There was no arguing with Brielle when she got like this, so Luci huffed out a long sigh and threw herself back on her pillow and recited every detail, breath, and moment of the night before. Part of her wanted to conceal the moments that had stolen her breath. The almost kiss, the pull she felt to him, the charm that oozed from him in droves. But it was Brielle, and Luci was not in the habit of lying to the only person who had ever mattered.
When she was through, and her throat ached for water, she closed her eyes and let darkness consume her while Brielle sat open-mouthed next to her. At least a minute back before she made any noise, which came out as a half-groan, half-chirp of delight. Despite her attempt at stoicism, Luci felt her mouth tug up and humor drip into her blood.
“Lucinda.Blackthorn.”Brielle said.
Luci groaned at the oncoming onslaught and dragged a pillow over her face, which was quickly stolen from her.
“You are blushing!” Brielle accused.
Light above. She was not. All she had to do was keep her mouth shut, but she hadn’t. These were the consequences of her actions. Luci rolled over until her face was flat against the pillow, nearly suffocating, which was fine.
Seeing an opportunity, Brielle squealed and thrashed around until she landed with her head on Luci’s back, lying sideways on the bed.
“You are in love.” Brielle sighed wistfully.
Choking on the lack of air, Luci pushed herself up, gently heaving the crazed woman beside her.
“I spent an hour or so with him, you see.Andhe locked me in a room where I sustained grievous injuries,” she said, holding out her hands as evidence.
Brielle shook her head, face beaming as if she hadn’t been on death’s door less than twenty-four hours ago. That was the thing about Brielle. Life was always too precarious and too unpromised not to live every moment.
“Lucinda Vencia, Queen of Meridia,” she said, sitting up straighter.
“I abhor you,” Luci said, dryly.
That sent Brielle into a fit of giggles, and Luci would have been lying if her chest didn’t feel lighter hearing them. She would allow declarations of love and daydreaming if it elicited those sounds from her best friend.