Reign (An Unfortunate Fairy Tale Book 4) (16 page)

Mina did just that. Her toes felt weird
sliding across the cool mirrored glass, and she was terrified that they would
shatter if she put her whole weight on them. But they held. And she didn’t go
flying across the floor when she walked in them either.

Another knock sounded on the door.

This time it was Brody. He smiled, showcasing
his dimple. In his black form-fitted tux, which only made his blond hair look
even more sun-kissed, handsome wasn’t quite the word. Mina thought she heard
her own mother sigh.

Mina’s mom showed them the camera and they
posed for picture after picture, but no matter what Mina did, she couldn’t
regain her joy about this evening. She knew her smile must looked forced. Every
time she took a step, those darn shoes tinkled against the wood floor. Taunting
her about her duty—her journey that could start any minute.

They were about to leave when Mei ran
back up to Mina and gave her a quick hug, pressing something cold and round
into her hands—the seam ripper. Mina ran back to her bathroom tucked it
in the dress. She took one last look at her reflection in the mirror and tried
to smile.

The smile froze on her lips when her
reflection began to flicker in and out.

Chapter 18

The conversation on the way to the ball
was a bit stilted and one-sided. She knew she was being a terrible date by not
responding with more than one word answers. Brody even asked her multiple times
if she was okay. She could see by the way he gripped the steering wheel that he
was getting frustrated.

“It’s the curse, isn’t it?” he choked out
as he pulled the car up to valet parking.

“Yes,” she admitted.

He breathed a sigh of relief. “Good,
because for a minute there, I thought you didn’t like me anymore. But don’t
worry. I’m here. We’ll finish this tale together.” He reached out to touch a
lock of her hair. “I never got a chance to apologize.”

“Apologize for what? I’m the one who
should be apologizing. I’m making this into a horr—”

Brody’s finger touched her lips,
silencing her words midsentence. And making her accidentally kiss his fingers.
“I’m apologizing because I never got to say how beautiful you look tonight.
When your brother answered the door and I saw you standing there, I was at a
loss for words.”

Mina was afraid to move, her cheeks
burning in embarrassment. He leaned forward to kiss her when the driver-side
door swung open.

The valet attendant stood there
awkwardly. “Oh, excuse me. I’m s-sorry.”

Brody didn’t pull back but changed
direction and ended with a slight peck on her cheek instead. She was slightly disappointed,
but they had an audience.

Brody hurried to make it around the car
before the attendant, to open her door for her. She took his hand and let him
lead her toward the steps of the country club.

The club was built to mimic old
plantation homes but on a much grander scale. Large columns lined the front of
the building and its long wraparound balconies. A light shone in each window
giving the place a warm and inviting feel. For once, the weather was
cooperating and the evening was warm.

She saw a fire truck pull up the driveway
and circle around to the back of the club.

“What’s going on?”

Brody answered. “There’ll be a fireworks
show at midnight tonight.”

“Oh, cool,” she replied, trying to not
sound stressed. He took her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. She was sure
it was probably cold and clammy, but she tried not to think about it as he led
her up the steps to the front doors.

His mother was one of the greeters, and
she looked regal in a gown of gold, her hair secured in a coif with gold
colored pearls.

“You made it, and you’re on time,” Melody
teased her son.

He gave his mother his most dashing smile
then leaned in and gave her a kiss on each cheek.

Melody held her mask in her hand and
turned to greet Mina warmly. “Welcome, Mina. I hope you have a magical night.”

“I’m sure it will be one to remember.”
Mina returned her smile.

Melody pointed to the mask Mina was
twirling in her fingers. “Don’t forget. You can’t enter without wearing your
mask. Brody, where’s yours?”

“I forgot it…at home.” He didn’t seem the
least bit sorry.

“Well, that’s no problem. We are prepared
for just this scenario.” His mom turned to a stand next to her and handed Brody
a plain silver mask from the small tray.

Brody shrugged his shoulders. “It was
worth a shot.” He picked up the mask and placed the black elastic band over his
head. Mina followed suit, although hers was attached with thin silver ribbon.

“Here, let me.” Melody reached out and
helped Mina. “You look lovely, dear.”

“Thank you.”

With masks properly secured, they entered
the country club hand in hand. It seemed the doors to the ballroom hadn’t been
opened yet and everyone was mingling in the foyer. Tuxes, ruffled dresses, and perfume
filled the air, and the impending quest made Mina feel nauseated.

They were there barely a minute before
Lara, wearing a skin-tight green formal dress and Daphne in short purple mini-dress
descended on them from a spiral staircase in the middle of the room. They must
have been lying in wait for Brody. Both girls wore matching masks, covering
just their eyes and noses. The way they smiled in Mina’s direction filled her
with unease.

Their smiles were too confident, too
pasty white, too fake.

“Oh, Brody sweetie, you’re here,” Lara
drawled. She came up and planted a kiss on each of his cheeks. Daphne sidled up
close and followed suit, but her pecks on each cheek were drawn out much longer
than was appropriate.

Brody pulled back in surprise at Daphne’s
advances and almost tripped over another attendee.

Daphne laughed and pulled him closer to
her. “Careful, I’m not usually the one doing the saving.”

Lara looked irate, but she quickly calmed
herself and turned to offer Mina a small booklet with a ribbon. “Here you are.”

“What is this?” Mina asked, looking it
over. She opened it up and saw each of the songs laid out in order. Next to
each song was an unfamiliar name.

“It’s your dance card, silly.” She opened
up her own book and explained. “It’s the song list that we worked on, and next
to each is your dance partner for that song. Since you’re new to this event,
and we didn’t feel it was right for yours not to be filled, we took the liberty
of filling it out for you.”

Mina scanned the list and her heart fell.
Brody’s name was only on there twice, right after a Simon Rochester. She looked
over at Lara’s dance card and raised her eyebrow.

“Honey, it’s not considered proper to
dance with the same person too much, and Brody said you were just a friend. We
thought it pertinent to fill it with other eligible men.” She smiled, and Mina
wanted to shove her fist through those pearly whites.

Brody, confused, picked up Mina’s dance
card and scanned it himself. Then he pulled Daphne’s from her wrist, much to
her own surprise. “I’m on your card three times.”

She pouted beautifully. “That’s because
I’m not just a friend from school.” Daphne ran her hand around the back of his
neck and he yanked away from her.

He looked ready to explode. “Who approved
this?”

“Why, your own mother, Brody. Weeks ago. It
was her idea. That’s why she wanted the music picked out ahead of time,” Daphne
said. “Then at the end of the night your cousin’s band the Dead Prince Society
will perform. But until eleven o’clock we follow these.” She held up her own
card.

“We posted the available dance cards
online, and they were mostly filled within hours,” Lara added. “We sent you the
link, Brody. The ones who didn’t sign up got distributed among the dance cards.
Did you not check your email? You can talk to your mother if you want, but it’s
all been approved. Don’t create a scandal for your family.”

Brody ran his hands through his hair.
Clearly, he was torn. Of course he didn’t want to cause a scene and embarrass
his parents.

Daphne smiled like the cat who ate the
mouse. “I’m surprised you didn’t know. I’m almost certain I heard your mother
mention it to you.”

He looked defeated and turned to Mina.
“I’ll fix this…I’ll—” The ballroom doors opened and everyone began to
press forward into the room. Mina was caught in the hustle and bustle of
activity and became separated from Brody. She found herself off in a corner
near one of the verandas and desperately scanned the crowd for him.

But with every male wearing a tux and a
similar mask, it was impossible to pick him out.

Mr. Carmichael stepped up on a small
stage near the seated orchestra and pleasantly welcomed the guests. He held out
his hand and Melody joined him on the dais. Brody walked up the steps next to
her. Mr. Carmichael continued, “We’re so thankful for your support of our theme
this year. I have to give a warm round of applause to the wonderful gem who put
this together—my lovely wife Melody.”

Melody smiled, tossing her head to the
side, and waved to the room. Applause followed, dying down when her husband
started to talk again. “I also have to say that I’m extremely proud of our son,
Brody, who has become quite the eligible young man.”

The room filled with feminine cat calls
and Brody shoved his hands into his tux jacket, staring at his feet. His face
reddened and his dad playfully punched his shoulder. Brody gazed across the
crowds, and Mina knew he was searching for her.

“We’d like to begin the evening with the
first dance. So ladies, look to your cards—and gents, find your
partners.” Brody moved to step off of the stage, but Melody grasped his hand.
“Brody, wait.”

He turned expectantly.

His father said, “You can’t skip out on
the first dance with your mother.”

Brody’s smile was genuine. “Oh, I hadn’t
realized. It would be my pleasure.” He extended his elbow and led his mother
onto the floor. Soon more couples joined them.

Mr. Carmichael cued the conductor and the
music began. It sounded like a slow waltz. Mina looked to her card and saw a
name she didn’t recognize. The good thing about wearing a mask was that her
partner might not find her.

A slight tap on her shoulder crushed all
her hopes. “Are you Miss Grimes?” the portly man asked. A graying mustache
poked out from beneath his silver mask. An aroma of old musk surrounded him,
and Mina guessed he must be in his mid-fifties.

She sighed and turned to give him her
most polite smile. “Yes, that’s me.”

“The two lovely young ladies over there
directed me to you.” He pointed to Lara and Daphne. “I believe this dance is
mine.”

She inwardly cringed but put her hand
over his and let him guide her to an open area on the floor. It was worse than
she imagined. Within the first few measures, she had already stepped on his
toes twice. Her partner was very patient as she struggled to find the rhythm.

“Easy now. The waltz is the backbone of
all dances. It’s three-quarter time. If you can learn this, you’ll be very well
off,” he said gently.

“Okay,” she mumbled, feeling better that
Brody wasn’t the one to watch her fail.

“Right foot forward, to the side, and
feet together.” Her partner continued to give her tips. “Now left foot back,
move to the side, feet together. Imagine an invisible box and your feet can
only move along the outline of this box. Do you see it? Now listen to the
orchestra. Do you hear it? Can you feel it?”

After a few more measures of counting and
listening, she finally heard it. When they made two full rotations of the waltz
and she didn’t step on his toes once, she beamed up at him. She did have to
count 1-2-3 in her head the rest of the dance, but she laughed and did a little
fist pump when the song was over. “Yes!”

“You did wonderfully.”

“Thank you so much. You have no idea how
much this means to me. You’re an excellent teacher.”

“That is only because you were a quick
study.” The music started to transition to another number, and her partner
bowed low, excusing himself to find his next pupil. Mina almost laughed when he
moved on and tapped his chubby finger on Lara’s shoulder.

She gave him a horrified stare. Her face
curled up into an ugly snarl, but she followed him onto the floor.

Mina couldn’t hold back a chuckle. She
actually felt sorry for her previous partner. If all of the others on her dance
card were like this, then maybe she could make it through the night. And as
long as Prince Charming danced with her and fell in love with her, then this
quest would be over. Was it too much to assume that she was Cinderella in this
tale? It sure felt that way. Lara Steppes and Daphne Ziester were obviously the
stepsisters.

An annoying giggle came from a pair
already on the floor. Mina had to bite her tongue as she watched Daphne claim
Brody for the next dance. This piece was slower, and she watched as Daphne
wrapped her hands around his neck, forcing him to dance closer than he wanted
to. An angry burning jealousy bubbled within the pit of her stomach, and Mina
had to turn away and count to ten to calm herself.