Life's Blood (The Cordelia Chronicles) (22 page)

***

As Chaseyn had instructed, at exactly ten on the nose, we made our way into the square just outside the hotel. Within seconds, a tall, thin man with dark hair and fair skin approached us.

“I am Andrei,” he said in a baritone so deep I was surprised by the sound. “I show you Sighisoara.”

“Okay,” I said. “You go right ahead.”

And we all followed his lead.

Andrei took long, quick strides. At a solid six feet tall, Eli had little trouble keeping up, but Addie and I were falling behind fast. Still, Andrei seemed like he’d rather not be disturbed by such trivial details, so we chose to jog every other step in an effort to quicken our pace.

We’d barely walked more than a block when we arrived at our first stop--the Clock Tower. At first, we stood outside listening to Andrei talk about the history of the town. He told us how it was built nearly one thousand years ago atop an intricate network of catacombs and tunnels.

“You know Pied Piper?” Andrei suddenly asked.

“Who?” Addie and Eli asked in unison.

“If you mean that guy who played a magic flute to lead all of the rats out of town, then we know who you mean,” I clarified. Addie and Eli nodded their agreement.

“Yes, him. When he not get paid for services, he lead children out of town too,” Andrei said, his accent thick. “He lead them to Sighisoara.”

“Cool,” Eli said, nodding and smiling enthusiastically.

Andrei told us all about the Clock Tower-- how it was one of fourteen towers that had been erected around the town between the fourteenth and sixteenth centuries to protect against Turkish raids. Only nine of the towers remained intact, and each bore the name of the guild that constructed it.

When he was done talking, Andrei motioned to the door that led to the Weapon Museum. I wasn’t particularly fond of learning more about the instruments of torture housed inside--I’d had my fill at Peles--but I knew Eli had been looking forward to it, so I held my peace. Eli grabbed hold of the handle and pulled hard, but the door didn’t budge.

“Huh. I try,” Andrei said, positioning himself beside Eli, and though he pulled and pushed with all his might, he, too, could not open the door. “Maybe it closed. Odd--it never close, except for Monday. Today is not Monday. Let me look for sign.”

I wasn’t sure if he meant a sign from the universe or a sign with the opening hours, but we waited patiently while he walked around the building. Just then, the clock struck eleven, and the wooden figurines adorning the clock moved about in time to the chime. Andrei returned, a sad look upon his face.

“I forget. Today is special day for man who work here. Museum closed,” he said, shrugging his shoulders. “We go now.”

Andrei resumed his fast-paced stride down the street, and we scrambled to catch up. Once we were back at his side, he began telling us about each building as we passed by. There was such a rich history, it was enthralling to listen to all this town had experienced throughout the centuries. We stopped at each of the nine remaining towers to hear about the guild that had constructed it and what it was used for today.

We wandered past ancient buildings that were being used as modern-day residences. Some had even opened their doors to sell handcrafted wooden trinkets or knitted scarves and sweaters. Addie and I picked up a few odds and ends in support of the local community.

Two hours later, our tour was over. Addie tipped Andrei generously before he left us at the door to our hotel. I was about to make my way back inside when Addie grabbed my arm and began dragging me down the street.

“Eli, help,” I shouted.

“Nothing I can do, Lia. She’s got big plans for the rest of the afternoon,” he hollered back.

Big plans? What could she possibly have cooked up? We’d been together all morning…all morning, except for the time she spent changing in her room after the coffee incident during breakfast, I suddenly remembered. I thought she’d taken a little longer than she should--even by Addie’s standards.

“Where are we going?” I asked, knowing full well she would never reveal her plan until she was ready.

“You’ll see,” she giggled.

***

Addie had managed to find a bridal shop that was willing to do on-demand dress alterations so I could wear a traditional white gown on my wedding day. The shop was located just a few blocks from our hotel, and we got there just past twelve.

Addie had given them my rough measurements, and they had laid out a selection of styles for me to try on. I slipped in and out of gown after gown--mermaid, ballroom, mini, midi. I felt like a Barbie doll as they dressed me in layers of tulle, silk, lace, chiffon, and taffeta. Finally, we found
the one
, and I stood patiently while they pinned and cut, pinched and stitched. It took about two hours total to find the dress and fit it to my frame, so they only had about another two hours to make the final adjustments. It would be close, the seamstress advised, but not impossible. They said they would drop it at the hotel at four.

The next stop was a tiny little salon at the end of the street. Addie had also arranged for a full spa treatment, hair, and makeup. Two different women tended to each of us, and I knew Addie had spared no expense. Not only had they closed the salon to other clients, they’d also called in two staff members on their day off to be sure they could give us both manicures, pedicures, and updos before the clock struck four.

I knew I should be feeling nervous or panicked, but I didn’t. All I felt was calm resolve. Despite the circumstances of our marriage--the hasty plans and Chaseyn’s illness--I knew this…
he
…was what I wanted. Forever.

“Oooh, Lia, you look amazing,” Addie beamed, and I knew she genuinely meant it.

But it was hard to believe I could top the way Addie looked with her hair swept up into a loose chignon and a bronze glow highlighting her sculpted cheekbones. She’d looked great before she had professional help. Now she looked like a living breathing Vogue cover model.

“Just a littl… what’s it called…right here,” Addie said, pretending to dust something across my exposed neck and shoulders. “Glitter…you know. Across her decolletage.”

“My what?” I asked. “Never mind…no glitter. Anywhere.”

“Don’t listen to her,” Addie instructed, urging the makeup artist to continue with the task. “She doesn’t know what she wants.”

“Nope. That’s not true. I know exactly what I want, and that is for you to please stop,” I insisted. “Addie, I love you to death, and I can’t believe everything you’ve managed to pull together for me today. It’s truly great, but I have let these people poke, prod, primp, and pull every part of my hair, face, and body in all sorts of obscure and amazing ways. And I’ve done it all because I know it makes you happy, but I’m asking you to do just one thing for me…no glitter.”

“But it’s
all
for you,” Addie said, sadness in her voice.

“No, hon, this is all for
you
,” I said. “We both know it. And it’s not that I haven’t had a lovely time, and I appreciate it more than you know, but you need to let me have this.”

“Of course,” she said, wrapping her arms around my shoulders. I was still sitting in the makeup chair. “I didn’t mean to ruin your special day. I only wanted to make it better.”

“You did. Oh, Addie, you made it the most special it could be, but it would be absolutely perfect if it was glitter-free.”

We both broke out laughing then. We laughed so hard, our eyes started to water, and the woman who had slaved over our makeup looked like she was going to have a coronary. She began dabbing at the corners of our eyes and begging us--we could only assume--to control ourselves before we completely destroyed her hard work.

When we’d finally regained our composure, the woman held up a full, soft brush she had dipped in a sparkly powder. She shrugged and started walking toward us.

“No,” we said in unison, each of us taking a step backward and holding up our hands to signal the woman to stop. “No glitter.”

“Oh, sweetheart, you look stunning.”

I turned to find Mina standing in the doorway, gazing at me with such love and warmth. I’d been staring at my reflection in the mirror, and her arrival took me by surprise. I was so happy to have her here I nearly started to cry. Instead, I crossed the short distance between us and crushed her to my chest.

“You made it,” I whispered.

“Of course we did, Lia. I wouldn’t miss this for anything,” she replied.

Mina told me she and Balthazar had arrived less than an hour earlier. They’d received a call from Chaseyn early this morning, and they immediately drove from the little, traditional village of Sibiu, where they had been staying with a friend.

“Have you found him yet?” I asked anxiously. I knew this wasn’t the time or place to be asking about whether or not she had located Vlad or some other of Chaseyn’s ancestors, but I couldn’t help myself.

“Let’s talk about that later,” she said. “For just this short while, let’s focus on you and your special day.”

I nodded my agreement, and I tried hard to keep my mind on my wedding. My wedding to the man of my dreams. My love. My life. But no matter how hard I tried, my thoughts kept floating back to the hardships we faced in the not-so-distant future.

“Chin up, sweetheart,” she said. “I promise you--everything will work out the way it’s supposed to.”

I only hoped the way it was supposed to be was with Chaseyn happy and healthy at my side for many, many years ahead. Positive thoughts. I would think positively. Aside, from me, there was no one on the planet who wanted that more than Mina, Chaseyn’s mother. I had to believe she knew what she was talking about.

“Are you ready?” she asked.

“Almost. There’s just one more thing…Can I ask you something?”

“Anything,” Mina replied.

“Will you walk me down the aisle?”

I was overcome with emotion then. Like any other little girl, I’d always thought my father would walk me down the aisle. Of course, that dream was shattered when he died. I hadn’t thought much about my wedding day since then, but when I did, I assumed my mother would fill his shoes. But now, nothing about this day was as I had pictured.

“Oh, sweetheart, I would be honored,” she said, and a blood-red tear trickled down her cheek. “Goodness, keep that white dress away from me while I get myself together.”

Addie returned then. She’d been in her own room putting on the dress she’d selected earlier from the smattering of bridesmaids dresses at the shop where we’d bought my dress. We’d selected a blush-colored tea-length dress that had cap sleeves and was flared at the waist. A crinoline made from one layer of tulle gave the dress just the slightest puff--enough to make Addie feel extra feminine but not so much as to make me feel nauseous. Very vintage. Very Jackie O.

My dress was also vintage. Literally. I couldn’t envision walking down the aisle in anything too froufrou, especially for a modest sunset ceremony. The figure-flattering ivory gown hugged my curves like it was custom made for my body. With three-quarter sleeves and a slight fish-tail flare at the very bottom edge, I knew the lace dress was everything I wanted the moment I laid eyes on it. And there was very little they had to adjust for it to fit my frame. I took that as a sign. I wore my hair in loose waves like you would see on someone like Rita Hayworth--or any other 1940s Hollywood vixen. We’d pinned one of those birdcage veils slightly off center at the front of my long, red locks.

“Ready?” Addie asked as she handed me a beautiful bouquet of white roses.

“As I’ll ever be,” I said once again, looping my arm through Mina’s. “Where’s your bouquet?”

Addie held up her wrist to show me a corsage made from mini white roses that matched my much larger, fuller arrangement. Then, she turned behind her to grab what appeared to be a large white stick adorned with even more flowers.

“What’s that?” I asked.

“It’s a wedding candle,” she said, and her tone suggested I was asking a ridiculous question. “It’s a Romanian tradition.”

Mina explained that it was customary for the maid of honor and best man to follow the bride and groom to the altar. According to tradition, they must walk from their home--or in this case, the hotel--to the wedding site, carrying the candles. Each of the candles stood about six feet tall and had a wooden rod in the center to keep it from toppling during the walk. Flowers covered the top part of the wax candle in an artistic display.

“That’s why I have a wrist corsage--to keep my hands free,” Addie explained. “We’re going to mix western tradition with Romanian.”

Normally, the groom would walk to the bride’s house with his best man following close behind. But because it was considered bad luck in North America for the groom to see the bride before the wedding, Eli and Chaseyn would walk to the site of the service first, and when they were in place, we would begin our walk from the hotel to the garden just outside the Church on the Hill.

Just then, Mina’s phone chimed. She touched the screen lightly to read the text message, and then smiled broadly at me.