Timothy smiled, caught a stray strand of hair and brushed it back. “Ben Stevens, too. Now that he’s outed as Fae to you, there’s no need for him to camouflage his presence. Apparently the Queen has designated him our keeper.”
I nodded. Can he alert us to any Fae presence?
Another smile. Clever girl. He will do so if it is does not interfere with his obeisance to Queen Maragana. He, as all her court, will follow her dictates first.
Terry and Bob left, and other people drifted over to congratulate us. All humans, I think. It seemed that the party was simmering down. No signal given. No end of the party announcement. But the hour had come for its final dissolution. I stood up when Cara returned to the table to remind me that I had one last duty.
The three of us, Timothy, Cara, and myself, moved back to the entryway, and the remaining guests all gathered around. Only, I had no idea where my bridal bouquet had ended up. I glanced about, a little worried that I wouldn’t be able to perform the last act of a wedding ceremony. But, no worries. Simone came striding over, my bouquet in her hands.
She handed it to me. My eyes looked about for which direction to send my toss. I could clearly see that Sammy, Cara, Simone, and Judy were in the front row, but Judy, of course, was not eligible since she was already married. But then my eyes widened. The Queen had suddenly returned, looking smug and yet, hopeful? She had moved to stand in between my friends. What was she doing here?
I couldn’t let my mind process that. No time. I turned around, closed my eyes, and tossed. When I twisted back to see which female had caught the lucky bouquet, I was somehow not surprised to see it in the arms of Moragana. Cara and Sammy were looking dumbfounded, both having hoped to be the winner. Simone was laughing. Judy looked puzzled. But Moragana appeared radiant.
“Which one of you men want to make this lucky catch prove true?” the Queen shouted out cheerfully.
Although there was no doubt that Moragana was the most beautiful of women, all the males backed away as if the Queen had suddenly turned into a rattlesnake. Some of the males returned to the bar outside. Others slipped out the entry door on their way home, wherever that might be.
The Queen only laughed in full throttle, a chilling sound, as assuredly loud as Cara and Lillea.
“Merry be,” the Queen called out, then strode across the entry floor, heading back into the living room. We didn’t see her again after that. Presumably, she took the wedding bouquet of crimson roses back to Faerie. I hoped it would serve her well, although I wondered why a beauteous Queen would need such a charm to earn herself a mate.