“Why, your wedding day to the prince, of course!”
No.
No.
No.
It couldn’t be. I couldn’t be back here. Not after everything that I had gone through.
Seemingly ignorant of the absolute turmoil rushing through me, the servant placed the tray on the nightstand. She patted my hand as I stared blankly at her.
“Eat up, my lady. I will be back in a quarter of an hour to help you dress. We mustn’t delay. Everyone is waiting for you.”
Everyone.
“No,” I gasped, drawing the covers up around myself as my gaze darted around frantically. My heartbeat was echoing in my ears as panic threatened to overtake me. “I can’t.” Shaking my head, I raised pleading eyes to hers. “I won’t.”
She nodded, her eyes soft as she reached over and enveloped my hand in hers. “Of course you can, my dear. Everyone is nervous on their wedding day, but I promise you, it will be okay. Just do what he tells you tonight, and I promise it will get better after the first time.”
“The first time,” I echoed.
The servant smiled. “Who knows? Perhaps you might find you enjoy married life.”
Married life.
To Remington.
Oh my gods.
My lungs tightened in my chest as tremors overtook me.
“Eat,” the servant ordered. She patted my hand, tittering as she walked to the door and knocked. I heard a lock click before the door swung inwards. She curtsied in my direction. “I’ll be back soon, my lady.”
Then she was gone. And I was alone.
Reaching behind me, I grabbed a pillow and brought it to my face. Pressing my nose against it, I screamed.
I screamed and screamed and screamed until my throat was raw. I screamed until I had nothing left, and then I screamed some more.
This could not be. How could this happen?
The whole thing… had it been a dream? If so, it had been the worst kind of dream. The kind that dangled freedom before my very eyes, before yanking it away.
My screams gave way to sobs. Deep, heart-wrenching sobs ripped through me as I broke. Defeat and despair filled me, shoving everything else out. I had nothing left.
Wrapping my arms around my legs, I pressed my eyes into my knees.
And I wept.
I didn’t move until the lock clicked, giving me a moment’s warning before multiple footsteps heralded the arrival of many people.
“You didn’t eat anything.” The same servant as before stood in front of me, her hands on her hips as she tutted. “Well, it’s too late now. It’s time to get ready.”
“No.” I shook my head, pushing myself against the headboard. “I won’t go. I don’t want to marry him.”
The servant shook her head, pity lining her eyes.
And then the scent of my worst nightmares reached my nose. A whimper ripped through me involuntarily and my back locked up as my heart seized in my chest.