Chapter 30
ORNELLA
Iavoided Nicholas as best as I could up until two days before our wedding.
Morg laid rather oddly on my bed. Her head hanging off the side as she swished her hair back and forth. I watched her
face turn a strawberry colour as the blood rushed to her brain. It did not seem to bother her as I continued to stare from my
vanity table, pulling out flowers she’d placed in my curls while we bathed in the sunshine this afternoon.
“What are you doing?” Vanessa’s commanding and questioning voice entered the room. She leaned against the door frame,
staring at Morgana.
Both her and Morg were dressed beautifully in silk and cotton dresses that flowed exquisitely as they walked through the
gardens earlier. Each with a colour that complimented their skin. I assumed April would be wearing something similar. I had
hoped to see her. To ask her questions about Nicholas’s confessions, but she continued to hide away from me while she helped
her brother plan.
“You should try it, Nessie, it gives you such a rush!”
Lifting herself up, Morgana twirled herself around on the bed and hopped off with a little bounce, before stumbling as she
became dizzy.
“You really are the strangest one.” Vanessa rolled her eyes and strolled into the room before she began to gently pull out the
flowers I had not reached yet from the back of my hair.
“Your dress has arrived, Ornella.”
She began to brush my hair slowly then with a comb I was sure was made from bone. Morgana again bounced up and down
with excitement, clapping her hands with glee. They both seemed rather pleased with this news. Whereas I sat here feeling a
sense of dread.
Since he gave me back my memories, many more have returned. I felt guilty for shouting at him and not trusting him. He had
done it to protect me. I had just been overwhelmed at the moment. Then later, I didn't know what to say to him, and he did as I
had asked. He kept away from me.
The memories of many more assaults from my uncle kept me from sleeping. I would wake up screaming and drenched in a
cold sweat, begging for help, desperately wanting anyone to come and rescue me. No wonder he heard my calls to be saved.
Only the memories of Nicholas and I wandering through the woods, sitting with the horses in the stables, or the day we found a
lush green field, have kept me from going a little insane. He’d been my saviour all along, and yet, he felt the need to keep our
history a secret and I didn’t fully understand why.
“What colour did April pick?” I asked, trying to seem interested.