Who Will Become His Bride

Riccar

ows up, s

esn't, sh

eith

scre

nig

he estate like a forgotten promise-h

as in this wing were disabled ye

need to kno

ly not a

frame, arms crossed, watching

ar

auti

b

tsteps. Sof

she's entering a battlefield. All b

o

ome dressed

ame,"

posture straight, voice s

sure you'd

a terrible ha

tru

sharp smile.

er the stained-

where you'r

n old chapel. Abandone

a place of vows

d n

for things no one wa

of si

't bring me here to talk

ht you here because I d

te

o

d. "Your background doesn't check.

n. "So you thi

I haven't decided if I want t

move, but th

at you want from me

t the

ms. "And if I don'

ind it

you pretend to be," s

," I

angry. But n

on't k

day. The one who tripped. You

to smash her fa

y. You

se instinct

teps

n't

she asks. "This circ

"It doesn't mat

t does. You'

eans I foll

me as someone who

be surp

ds between u

brea

men, fifty days, power plays and cameras? You're

't about

n wh

ol. Fo

r fa

ty. Watching to see who br

at abou

abou

being tes

ok a

cond, I don'

es

ales. J

u think I am,"

kno

ot here to

y are yo

ens he

se

now, whatever her r

than th

r tha

ak in the wo

to at

t...gun alread

free

it?" she

er, eyes scan

reak. The

t-past the pulpit, past th

pt

methin

s wrong. Like

get d

nd too

as a bullet punches through the old

ops. I

dr

two shots into

is gone before

I ask, kneeli

head. "No. Ju

up. "We need

once, then

watching the chapel?"

ing," I say grimly.

under hedges, weaving through sha

alarm, punch the ke

re

. Fo

it be

turn

ught thi

"You think I calle

to hurt me. Doesn't mean

t have

someone just tri

me dead

sa

were trying