Lucky Charm (Reverse Fairytales Book 2)(44)

Elise


“Start the music again,” Luca barked to the sound technician at the edge of the stage. Another melody came on, different from the last, but equally as slow. Luca took me in his arms and began to twirl me around the stage.

“What are you doing?” I hissed into his ear as quietly as I could so as not to pick it up on my microphone.

“I’m dancing. What does it look like?”

I wanted to tell him that it looked like he was desperate and jealous, but I didn’t want to anger him further, so we danced. Luca was a good dancer. Years of lessons with the leading dance teachers meant that he was much better than I was, but because of that, he was able to lead me well. I closed my eyes and tried to enjoy it. After all, I was dancing with the man I would soon be marrying. What was not to enjoy? And yet we both knew this was a charade. We were doing it because he was jealous and the people of the kingdom expected it. Because of that, my old fear of dancing in public was rearing its head again, and I became concerned that I was going to trip over and fall flat on my face.

To my relief, the music finally stopped. The ordeal was over. We’d satisfied the crowds and Marybelle, and any damage I’d caused between Luca and I could be fixed. However much I hated having to play out our romance through the media, and with it, the jealousy that this new chapter was bringing, I knew that Luca was a good guy who deserved better. In his position, wouldn’t I have acted out of jealousy too? Of course, I would. I thought back to the ball at his parent’s castle when he’d been dancing with that girl. I’d been jealous then. What if the media had put them together the way they had Cynder and me? I would have hated it.

I quickly sat down in my seat, glad that the nightmare was over.

The noise from the crowd was unbearable as they chanted the names of Cynder and Luca, each side trying to outdo the other.

“Wow,” said Marybelle, facing Luca. “You sure love your bride to be!”

“I really do,” he shouted back, trying to be heard over the noise of the crowd. They quietened down slightly as he spoke, eager to hear what he had to say. “I’ve never hidden my feelings with regards to Charmaine. I loved her from the first moment I saw her. When she picked me as one of the men to sit with at the ball, I honestly couldn’t believe my luck, and when one by one, the other men left, I tried not to get my hopes up. Yet as the days went by and I fell in love with her more and more, I thought I began to see a spark in her. I hoped she was beginning to fall in love with me. Did you know that of all the men, it was I she kissed first?”

“No,” replied Marybelle, sitting forward in her chair. “Tell us about it.”

“We were in the garden, and a paparazzo scaled the outer wall and took a photo of us. Her Majesty was so worried as she’d not officially picked me yet. I guess she couldn’t resist.”

I thought back to the day he was talking about. He’d kissed me, taking me by surprise. I’d not expected it, and yet, I’d fallen right into it. He was a great kisser. Afterwards, I’d been terrified that it would be on the front page of every newspaper until Jenny managed to keep it quiet. No one knew about it until now.

Marybelle nodded and turned to me. “Was this at the same time you were dancing with Cynder in the kitchen?”

“No. I didn’t see Cynder from the day of the ball to the day he rescued me from Luca’s castle when I was being shot at.”

I lied because I had to. I had seen Cynder on a number of occasions between those times. We’d even slept next to each other in his parent’s old apartment. Oh, how times had changed. Even then, I’d known it wasn’t innocent, although we did nothing beyond kissing. I’d wanted to, though, and if Cynder’s neighbor hadn’t come up to warn us that the police were looking for us, who knows where it might have led? I looked over at Cynder who was staring down at his feet. Luca wasn’t the only one that this was hard on. It had gone beyond pleasing the people and was now a real contest between the two men. A contest neither of them deserved to be in.

I stood up and walked to the front of the stage. I had to do something drastic to salvage this. I’d spoken to the people earlier, and, by some miracle, it had worked. As far as I could see, there had been no violence. Both sides had come together over a common, if opposing, goal. The Magi wanted me to pick Cynder, the non-Magi, Luca. Either way, both sides needed me to pick.

“Behind me are two men,” I began. “Two wonderful men who have put themselves before you at the people’s request. They’ve done it for the same reason I stand before you. To bring our land together, so that the Magi and non-Magi can be able to be together as you are today without the fear of getting hurt or being persecuted. Look at the people standing beside you. I see people in purple and people not wearing purple, but beyond the color of your clothing, it’s people I see. To me, you are all the same. No matter who I pick between Luca and Cynder, my love for you all and for everyone else in my kingdom will not change. I will pick the man I love the most, and my decision will rest solely on that. His magical ability or lack of it will not have any effect on my decision. Only love will.”

A roar went up in the crowd as they listened to my words. I felt someone take my left hand and then seconds later someone else took my right. Luca and Cynder stood on each side of me, supporting me equally. If it was difficult for me to be up there, I could only imagine how hard it was for both of them. I lifted my arms, taking theirs with me and the crowd went wild. Between us, we’d done it. We looked united. It was the best I could hope for. I knew I’d have to mend bridges with both of them later, but for now, we were a team, and we’d achieved everything we’d set out to do. I walked off stage, still hand in hand with both men, without giving Marybelle the chance to stop us. The people had been given enough of us today. They’d have to wait until next week after my first official date with Cynder to find out more. This week, my private life was going to be kept behind closed doors.