A Fifth Daughter [Book 1: The Dragon Rider]

Chapter ~ 16

~ Chapter 16: I'm the Maid of Honor ~

Breathe in. Breathe out. In. Out.

Okay, you can do this. Just one foot in front of other and you'll be there in no time. Ignore everyone around you, but remember to smile – just like Mom said. I force a smile and can feel its fakeness. I shake my head sadly, this is the worst.

But it doesn't matter how much advice I give myself, my heart is beating way too fast; to the point I'm afraid it might pound from my chest and hop away, and I'm shaking from head to toe like a dying leaf trying to hang onto its stem for dear life.

Gah... I'm never getting married. This is the worst. Besides, I already have to walk down one aisle, why should I ever have to do it again?

"Scared?" Alice asks, almost sneering. Her red hair looks a lot like mine; put up in an intricate bun, while her blue eyes show a distant knowledge. The pink dress looks right on her, but she doesn't seem to be enjoying it.

"No, I'm..." I trail off, not sure if I should provoke her to give one of her wicked grins.

"Nervous." She says, that sneer still dulling her feminine voice.

I nod slowly, but a few curls still fall from the bun weighing down my head. I don't fix them; I'd probably only make it worse.

She chuckles dryly and faces the doors. "Well, there isn't any reason to be, just ignore everyone and remember to smile."

Mom must have given her the same advice as she gave me. But Alice will blend in with the other bridesmaids, she'll look like she belongs. I'm a shadow in a world of pure light. I wish I could be happy right now; at least for Carma, but all I feel like doing is curling into a small little ball and hoping Mom forgets about me.

"I could walk down the aisle with you." Cai's voice is laced in humor as he easily enters my head.

"That'd have been a sight."

"Yes, and then you'd be laughing at everyone's shocked faces instead of staring straight ahead and ignoring them."

"Can you even fit into the throne room?"

"Well, I'd probably put a big hole in the wall, but after that I'd fit."

"So, you're fat."

"Oh, go dig your grave, Green."

"No, you'd dig it for me and then you'd help bury me, and then you'd regret the whole thing and save me. You're predictable."

"I'll have you know that I am not lazy, fat, predictable, or any other insulting term you can think of."

"No, you're loving, kind, and my best friend."

"Well, okay, I won't bury you now. I also won't tell Eaton, Mandy, or Filly that I'm first before them."

"I'm pretty sure all of their dragons are before me too, so we're good."

Cai chuckles, the sound rolling through me and calming my frayed nerves. "Get ready, Smoke. And remember, I'll be with you all the way down."

"Thanks."

"We're ready." Tempest says somewhere behind me.

I glance back and stare as Carma comes into the foyer. She looks absolutely magnificent in Mom's remodeled wedding gown. Where I'm all black, she's my polar opposite and is a pearly white. The dress hugs her body with a high neck and flowing train. Gems spiral around in intricate designs and shine off the torches and glistening sunlight.