“I heard of a tradition,” said Thorne, “where the guests are supposed to make a bunch of raucous noise outside of the bridal chambers on the wedding night, until you give us candy and send us away.”
Scarlet glared at him. “Yeah, please don’t do that.”
“How many people will be there?” asked Kai.
Another groan from Scarlet. “The whole blasted town, from what I can tell. I’m not sure how that happened—I certainly didn’t invite everybody. Small and intimate, I kept saying. Only close friends, I told them. But in a small town, I guess everyone just assumes that they fit under that umbrella. If it was up to me, it would just be the people in this room.” She paused. “Well, and émilie. Because, again, she’s bringing the dessert.”
Wolf stood up and began gathering everyone’s empty plates to be returned to the kitchen. After he had gone, Iko leaned forward and clapped her hands. “I know! Why don’t you show us your dress? I’m dying to see it.”
Scarlet cocked her head. “You can’t wait two more days?”
“Absolutely not. Please?”
With a careless shrug, Scarlet pulled herself to her feet. “Come on, it’s upstairs.” She left the room, with Iko close on her heels. Cinder made to follow, but hesitated, glancing around at the guys.
“You can handle this?” she asked.
Thorne saluted her. “No problem. Just distract her for as long as you can.”
Wolf reappeared from his trip to the kitchen and settled an enormous hand on Cinder’s shoulder, so heavy it made her jump in surprise.
“Don’t let her come down here without the Something Old,” he whispered.
“Something Old?”
He nodded. “She’ll explain. She didn’t mention it before, but I know it’s one of the traditions that is important to her.”
“Better hurry up,” said Jacin, nudging Winter, Cinder, and Cress toward the staircase. “You’re in our way, and evidently we have decorating to do.”
He didn’t try to hide his disgust at the idea, and Cinder snorted at the mental image of Jacin decorating anything.
She turned and hurried up to the second floor, but paused halfway up the staircase. Cress crashed into her, nearly knocking Cinder to her knees, but she grabbed the rail and steadied herself.
“What is it?” asked Cress.
“Nothing,” said Cinder, trying to shake off the wave of memories that was accosting her. She had climbed these stairs once before, when she and Thorne had come to the farm searching for Michelle Benoit. When they’d come searching for answers to Cinder’s past. “It’s just weird being here again,” she said, as much to herself as to Cress and Winter. “Being here, and not feeling hunted or afraid.” She glanced back and shrugged. “It’s a big difference from the last time I was here.”
With a smile she hoped looked cavalier, she vaulted up the rest of the steps.
The second floor held a small corridor and three doors—two of which were shut. The open door revealed a bedroom with blankets in disarray, sun-bleached curtains, and a large tuxedo hanging from a hook on one wall. Iko was sitting on the mussed bed with her knees drawn up to her chest, watching as Scarlet wrestled with a garment bag. No sooner had Cinder and the others filed in than Scarlet spun toward them with a pronounced “Voilà!” and held up the dress for them to see.
A mutual gasp arose from Iko, Cress, and Winter, followed by a round of giddy oohs. Cinder couldn’t help chuckling at the drama of it all.
The dress was beautiful, though, and uniquely Scarlet. A simple white cotton dress, with a sweetheart neckline accented with sheer fabric that continued to her neck and was finished with white piping. A full skirt that would hang just below Scarlet’s knees. A bright red sash around the waist was tied in a simple bow, matching the red vest and bow tie of the tuxedo.
“It’s perfect!” said Iko, scrambling off the bed to touch the dress. She ran her fingers adoringly over the sash and down the full gathering of the skirt. “Simple and lovely—just like you, Scarlet.” She sighed dreamily. “You have to try it on for us.”
Scarlet waved away the suggestion. “You’ll see it on me in a couple of days.”
“Oh, please,” gushed Cress, tucking her clasped hands under her chin. She was joined by pleading doe eyes from Iko, but Scarlet just shook her head and made to put the dress back into the garment bag.
“I don’t want to risk spilling something on it,” she said.
“It’s good luck!” Winter said suddenly, her eyes bright with mischief.
Scarlet paused. “What’s good luck?”
“On Luna,” said Winter, folding her hands as if she were reciting from a wedding etiquette guide, “it’s considered good luck for the bride to don her dress for at least an hour for each of the three days leading up to the wedding. It symbolizes her commitment to the marriage. And as your groom is Lunar, I think we should follow some of his traditions, don’t you?”
“An hour?” said Scarlet. “That’s really pushing it, don’t you think?”