Witch Land (The Cindy Chronicles #2) (4 page)

Dinner Party

Someone knocked on the door and I opened it. Leo stood there looking handsome in a blue and silver jacket and black pants, the ends tucked into shiny black boots. His sandy-colored hair had been combed out of his eyes, but one lock kept falling over his right eye. He whipped it out of his face, then brushed his hair back with his fingers. Perfect lips curved upward in a smile as I watched his eyes slides from my face down my body and back up again.

“
You look very beautiful, Cinderella. I hope you don’t mind if I escort you to dinner.”

I smiled. In spite of everything Snow had said, and the fact that he looked like he belonged on the top of a wedding cake, I was happy to see him.

“Thank you,” I responded. “I would like that very much.” Especially since I had no way of knowing where the party was being held.

Leo stuck out his arm at the elbow and I took it. When the door was closed we walked side by side down the hall, past several closed doors, through a large sitting area, and into a grand ballroom.

Music played in the background and several elegantly dressed couples danced in perfect unison around the dance floor. There was a large display of food and a fountain of pink liquid. Round tables covered in thick linens took up one half of the floor while the dancers and the musicians shared the other side.

When Leo and I entered
the ballroom several heads turned toward us. Leo pressed his hand over mine. Tendrils of warmth shot through my fingers. I sucked in a breath and looked up at him. “Be strong. Don’t let them see you’re nervous.”

I wanted to tell him I wasn
’t nervous, that I felt fan-freaking-tastic, that I didn’t care what these people, my people thought of me. But all of it would’ve been a lie.

“
Okay,” I said softly.

Leo turned.
“Care to dance?”

He gave me a look, one I couldn
’t comprehend, and bowed, just exactly as the Prince in the Cinderella movie did right before they danced. It was like déjà vu and an episode of Supernatural combined.

“
Um, I have no idea how to dance the way they are dancing,” I said, indicating the couples moving on the floor. They seemed to move like liquid, each step and sway concise and flowing into the next. It was breathtaking, but way out of my league.

Leo
’s bottom lip brushed against my earlobe and I shuddered. “It’s magic,” he whispered.

I turned into him so I could see his eyes.
“What is?”

“
The dance.” He took my hands in his. This time I was prepared for the warm jolt his touch would bring, but it still surprised me, filled me with fluttery butterflies. “Exhailith. Duatith,” he said, his eyes focused on mine. An ache of magic shot into my fingers, up my arms, and through my body. Leo winked. “Think you can handle it now?”

“
Yeah, actually. I do.”

I allowed him to lead me onto the floor. People stopped and watched as we progressed to the middle. Then Leo stopped and spun me into his arms.
“Here we go,” he said, and our bodies began to move just like the others. Those who’d been dancing stopped to watch, but only for a moment. Soon they began dancing with us.

It was exhilarating
: being in control of my body, but at the same time not. Leo was a great dance partner, and I realized I was laughing. Like, out loud.

When the song ended Leo and I stopped dancing. I
realized everyone else had already stopped dancing. Some stared at Leo and me. Others were looking around the room. I followed the gazes of those not looking at us.

Leo must
’ve done the same because I heard him take a deep breath.

“
What’s the matter? Did something happen? Merde, did I do something I shouldn’t have?” I asked, afraid to hear the answer.

“
No,” he said, his voice filled with awe. “Look at the trees.”

I did. Before this moment I hadn
’t really paid attention to the potted trees; they just seemed to blend into the walls before. Now they were covered in bloomed flowers, all shapes, sizes and colors. “The flowers on the trees bloomed. They look beautiful,” I said, stepping closer to Leo. “Is that something new?”

Leo lifted my chin.
“You did this.” He seemed genuinely surprised. “It’s just as Polly said. You will save this world.” He spoke as though he was just realizing something he hadn’t believed had now been proved true. Had he not believed Polly when she said I would be the one to help save this world? If that was so, why would he make such an effort to bring me here?

“
Is that bad?” I finally asked.

“
No, it’s good.” A huge smile broke out across his face. “Very, very good.”

“
Dinner is served,” a man in a fuchsia suit said in a booming voice.

Dinner Custom  

Leo led me over to a table that already had his father and two other people sitting at it. He held the chair for me and I sat while he pushed the chair under the table. I couldn’t help but be impressed by his good manners. Most of the boys back home seemed to be under the impression that good manners were a bad idea. I hadn’t noticed it until Leo was suddenly so kind.

Once he was seated, food appeared in front of us. It looked like a vegetable soup. It smelled delicious and I realized I was hungry
, but I didn’t eat because I didn’t want to do something I shouldn’t. So I took a quick peek at the King. He seemed to be waiting for something. I noticed one of the other women had picked up her spoon and was taking a sip.

Leo leaned over.
“It’s custom for the ladies to take the first bite, and then the men can follow.”

“
Oh.” I picked up my spoon and dipped it into the soup, lifted it to my lips, and tasted. It was delicious. Leo and the others followed and soon, thank goodness, everyone was eating.

Glasses filled with something dark red. I went to pick up
a glass, but paused. “Is there a custom for drinking I should know about?”

He smiled and seemed pleased
I wanted to learn to do things right. “Yes; the men usually drink first to make sure the wine is suitable for the ladies.”

I swallowed a snort
. It was obvious the King would prefer to see me choke on an onion rather than do something for me out of the kindness of his heart. “Aren’t you all so chivalrous?” I tried not to sound condescending, but I don’t think I pulled it off.

When the soup was gone, th
e bowls and wine glasses disappeared. In their places appeared plates filled salad greens, along with chunks of pear and cranberry and celery, cucumber and slivered carrots. Another wine glass appeared at the top of my plate. It held a clear, bubbling liquid. I took a bite of the salad, enjoying the textures and flavors, then another bite as I waited for a man to take a sip of wine.

When no one did, I leaned over to Leo.
“I’m thirsty. Care to take a drink so I can?”

He smiled.
“Of course.” He picked up his glass. I watched his expression as he gulped down a large swallow. He was focused on his father, as though they were having a conversation that only they could hear. Finally Leo set his glass down. “I—” but he wasn’t allowed to finish before the King stood. He raised his glass and everyone else in the room followed suit.

“
To Cinderella. We welcome you to our humble land of Polonias. May you live forever in harmony, and may you and your seed prosper in the land forever.” The King lifted his glass. Everyone followed: a sea of hands, each holding their own glass of champagne, followed the King.

They repeated,
“To Cinderella.” They cheered and toasted in what seemed like a happy manner, then the moment was gone. Everyone went back to what they were doing: eating, playing an instrument in the orchestra, chatting with their friends. And that was the worst part. Feeling like I didn’t have any friends here.

But maybe Leo and
I could be friends. I thought I’d like that. Thinking of him, I raised my face. He was in the process of taking a bite of salad.

“
What?” he asked around the food.

I picked at a piece of pear and popped it in my mouth.
“Nothing.” I picked at another pear.

The lights flickered once
, and then again, and then went out.

“
Having a party without me? How typical.” The voice was low and scratchy, like the growl of a prowling cat.

A red orb of light appeared
in the center of the giant room. The face of a woman materialized, and as the light grew brighter I could make out more of her. Black hair streaked with gray and green hung in a braid down to her hips over one shoulder. Her black dress was thin and barely covered the girly parts. A slit went up to the middle of her thigh. She wore some type of ankle boots; in the glowing red light they seemed to writhe and hiss around her ankles and feet. 

“
So where is she? Where is the girl who’s destined to save this world?” She raised her voice to ask the questions.

Muttering drifted along the air
, things like:

“
She’ll kill us.”

“
Why has she come?”

“
Tell the sorceress where Cinderella is.”

And more.

I could just make out the outline of the King. His fork was midway between his mouth and his plate. He looked frozen. Leo was on the edge of his seat. The gleam of a knife shone in his hand. He seemed ready to stand and fight.

“
Show yourself, girl, or I’ll start killing the guests.” A red light shot from her fingers and scorched a table near her.

I stood quickly, before I could talk myself out of it.
“My name is Cinderella. I’ve come to… do what I can to help Polonias. I don’t know if it’s my destiny, but I get the feeling everyone in this room believes you’re looking for me.” As I spoke I lifted my chin, something my mother taught me.

Leo placed his hand in mine and rose beside me. I could feel the tension in his body and sensed he was upset, but I didn
’t have time to figure out why. His voice boomed so loud it startled me. “Mizrabel, leave this castle at once. You are not welcome here.”

The lights came back on. The woman sauntered over to us. I couldn
’t help but study her, and realized she had probably been quite beautiful once. Her eyes were black as coal, and even her lips were dark; I wondered if she’d used black lipstick. As she got closer I could see the veins through her paper white skin. Black blood seemed to pump through them.

Mizrabel
seemed to study me with the same intensity as I studied her. Not for the first time I tried to picture myself as she would see me. Curly hair. Perfect makeup. Lips glossed. A sweet blue dress and sparkling silver shoes.

I was nothing but a child. To think I would be able to go up against her seemed impossible.

Fear snaked through my belly and ate all of the butterflies.

All my life I
’d believed I was brave. Staring at the woman before me, I realized I’d never understood what fear was. Until now. Until her and this very moment.

She reached out a hand and I noticed her long black nails.
I wanted to shrink away but I had manners, so I took her hand in mine.

“
It’s nice to meet you,” I said, and felt immediately stupid.

Her eyebrows lifted.
She stared at our hands clasped together. A myriad of emotions travelled across her features: Sadness. Happiness. Anger. And others I couldn’t figure out. Finally her gaze met mine.

“
It’s nice to see you again, daughter.”