The Devil's Ditty (The Spellsinger #14) - Amy Sumida
Chapter One
I stood staring at myself in a full-length, tri-fold mirror with an elaborate gold frame. The dress I wore had a deep V, its shape held by the employment of hidden wires, and my modesty preserved by a skin-colored panel that hid everything but the top of my cleavage. The gown was made entirely of lace—the expensive, handmade kind—and clung to my body from chest to mid-thigh, where it fanned out gracefully and fell back into a small train. The sleeves weren't exactly sleeves; they draped from my shoulders, belling around my arms, and attached to the deeper V of the back, creating wings. I've always wanted wings.
“Absolutely perfect!” crooned Yuri, my seamstress. Her five fox tails fluffed up behind her and stood at attention like a furry peacock. “You look like an angel.”
“God, I hope not,” I joked, and she lost her smile. “I'm teasing, Yuri. I'm friends with the God of the Angels.”
“Oh!” She laughed in relief. “Well, he will wish you were his angelic bride when he sees you in this dress.”
“Oh, he doesn't need the dress for that,” I muttered.
“What's that?”
“Nothing.” I grinned at her.
“Now, for your veil—”
“No veil,” I said firmly.
“But, Elaria, just let me try a few on you and you'll see—”
“Yuri, I've gotten married four times already.” I held up my hand to show off the thin, multicolored wedding bands on my ring finger. “I think the veil thing is kinda silly at this point. Hell, wearing white is kinda silly.”
“But it's tradition, as is the veil,” she insisted. “And it's cream, not white. It implies that you're not a virgin.”
“I had no idea that a shade could say so much,” I said dryly.
“Oh, it can,” she assured me. “The shade of your cheeks is telling me that you're about done with this conversation.”
I laughed. “Well spotted, Yuri.”
“But I'm stubborn and I insist.”
“Yuri, I don't want a veil.”
“A veil will cover your bare back and make you look more demure for the ceremony,” Yuri spoke in a rush. “Then, for the party, you take off the veil and voila, you are a sexy married woman.”
I frowned and angled myself to look at my back. It was a bit much to walk down the aisle with deep Vs at both back and front. Granted, the front was only an illusion, but I knew firsthand how much of an effect illusions could have. One of my five husbands was a master at them.
“All right, put it on me.”
Yuri gleefully set the length of silk on my head, affixing it with a comb. It was sleek, not puffy, and embroidered at the hem with a design to match the lace of my dress. Yuri pulled one layer over my face and the world softened. Seen through the filter of my veil, it became something magical and misty. I was magical as well, so that worked for me.
My contact charm chimed, and I lifted the cone-shaped pendant from its place over my heart and slipped it into my ear. “Hello?”
“Elaria, I'm waiting,” Verin's deep voice made me shiver.
There I was, trying on a gown that I was going to marry Slate in and three words from the Blue Dragon had me quivering.
“What are you waiting for?” I asked.
“Who. And that would be you. You were supposed to be here five minutes ago.”
“I got held up. Give me fifteen.”
“I will not,” Verin said in affront. “If my time with you is to be limited, I insist that you not waste a second of it.”
My guys had worked out a schedule to include Verin, my newest lover. He would be on a type of probation for another six months, but so far, things were going great. I had seven men now, so that gave me one for each day of the week with the option for them to share days and get double the time with me. But Verin never shared. I think it's a dragon thing. Also, he wasn't a part of the Rooster Spell anymore, so he didn't have that brotherly, companionable affection for the other men that the RS provided.
“Well, then prepare to greet me in my wedding gown.”
“What?”
“I got held up at the bridal shop,” I explained. “Hold on one sec.” I pulled off the veil and handed it to Yuri. “I'll take the veil too.”
Yuri squealed and ran off to wrap it up.
“Sorry, honey,” I said to Verin. “I just need to get changed and I'll be on my way. I'll stay twenty minutes