Page 4 of Voices in the Stars (The Lost Witch #1)

A ghost of a smile tugged at the corners of my lips as I watched Adrian jerk away from me. Shock filled his features before it was replaced with a cold glare. Clearing his throat, he smoothed down the front of his clothes before running his hands over his slicked back, brown hair.

“I don’t recall asking,” he said, snatching one of the glasses.

His face screwed up as he sipped from the glass. I smirked, enjoying that he had to choke down his own pick. Adrian glared at me as he quickly downed the contents. After setting the cup back on the tray, despite the server’s protests, he walked away.

“Thank you.” I nodded at the server before following my fiancé.

He glanced back at me, rolling his eyes as he tried to disappear.

I wasn’t sure if that was for my following him or the quick nicety I offered.

Either way, I would’ve loved nothing more than to just let him disappear, but I could feel the hot pricks of my mother’s stare.

I slipped around the other people until we were walking next to each other.

My hands wrung together in front of me as the silence thickened between us until it felt like I could choke on it.

My skin started to itch as everyone started looking at us.

Their faces twisted in judgement and pity.

“The weather is nice today.” I looked over at him.

He was focused on the path ahead of us. No sign that he had heard me. I wish I could play the silent game with him right now, but I knew this wasn’t going to be good enough.

“Plus, the teas and food are all wonderful,” I tried again, the skin on the back of my neck prickling as I was sure my mother was staring daggers at me.

This time he glanced over at me. His head quickly straightened when he caught my eye.

He had no interest in giving up this game of his.

A soft voice flittered through the air as we walked past a singer.

She stood in front of a grand piano. The keys were soft as they were played to match her voice.

Couples held each other as they swayed with her voice.

One of the men ran a hand along the back of his lady’s hair while they looked at each other.

My heart squeezed as I took it in. We barely wanted to be near each other.

There would never be moments like these.

Ones where the rest of the world faded away until we were the only ones left standing.

I blinked back the tears that threatened to fall.

“I hope we have music like this.” My voice was soft as I whispered it to myself.

At our wedding . I couldn’t force myself to say that part out loud.

Adrian grabbed my wrist without looking at me, pulling me away from the crowds.

I fought the curses that threatened to fall as I stumbled after him while he led us back toward the hedges.

My cheeks burned as he dragged me away like a disobedient child.

With a huff, I tried to pull my arm back, only for his nails to dig deeper into my wrist. This was exactly what I got for trying to show him any semblance of kindness.

I was led down a narrow path in one section of the hedges.

I had seen the groundkeepers take paths like this a few times when they trimmed the hedges.

I wasn’t sure where in the maze it would spit us out.

The dirt trail was barely big enough for one of us to walk down it, so Adrian pushed me in front of him.

His hands dug into my shoulders as I was shoved through.

We walked like this for several minutes until he forced me through an opening.

I caught myself just before I could go crashing to the ground.

Before I had time to think, Adrian was pushing against the heels of my shoes until I started crawling through the tiny tunnel.

If it would help anything, I would’ve rammed my foot into his face instead.

Unlike him, I kept my limbs to myself, focusing on reaching the light at the end.

The clearing it opened into felt familiar. I looked around, trying to avoid staring at the man who dragged me here. It was a small clearing, big enough that we could stand a few feet away from each other. It hit me when I spotted a small rock tower we had built years ago.

This was how Adrian used to sneak over. He would cut through the maze and hide until it was clear. I never saw what path he took from his house, but this clearing was a halfway point we used to hide in. Something about standing in this old safe haven caused anger to start thrumming in my chest.

“What’s your problem?” I yelled, rubbing the soreness on my shoulder.

He dug his hands into his greasy hair, causing it to stand up in all sorts of directions, before throwing his hands up to the sky. I grimaced at the way his greased hands shone in the light.

“You!” he yelled back.

His hands were balled into fists at his sides as he stepped toward me. They shook with each step he took. Fear gripped my stomach as I tried to step back. Before, I never would’ve been afraid of him, but there was something in his eyes that scared me now.

“I was made certain promises when I was younger,” he continued. “I was guaranteed someone with respect. Class. Not one who spends all her time with the servants.”

The way he spit out servants angered me more than anything else.

I didn’t care what he thought of me. Clenching my hands, I stepped up to him, trying to ignore the way his hands twitched.

We grew up the same. There were little differences in our families until his mother’s new role.

My teeth ground together as I listened to the way he acted now.

All of this proved to me that my Adrian was long gone.

“You think I wanted this?” I hissed, my voice coming out steadily compared to the trembling throughout my body.

My insides churned at the quick turn in our conversation.

How quickly would the other guests notice if I used his face as a target for my anger?

He would deserve every second of it. It might’ve been enough to knock him off that high horse he placed himself on.

I clenched my fists as he crossed his arms over his chest and let out a snort of a laugh.

“Obviously. Anything would’ve been an improvement from the pig you would’ve married, farm girl.” His face screwed into a smirk.

“An actual pig would be better than some asshole who thinks everyone is below him,” I seethed, my words coming out as a hiss between clenched teeth.

I let my own smirk spread as I watched his smug demeanor drop with his arms. My heart pounded in time with his steps toward me. I tried to step back. Sharp branches poked through the back of my dress. I winced as he got close enough the stench of the tea he drank wafted over to me.

“You little?—”

“Everything okay here?”

My shoulders sagged with my breath of relief. Adrian stopped in his tracks. His eyes were frozen glaciers as they pierced me. Anger pulsed off of him in heated waves.

“Yeah, Josi, everything’s fine,” I answered.

Our stares stayed locked in a challenge to see who would back down first. I knew he would never risk ruining that perfect reputation his mother helped him craft.

Even Josi seeing this side of him was enough to risk that.

We both knew it. He straightened his shoulders, smoothing out the fly away hairs until they were tucked back against the grease in his hair.

He flashed my sister a blinding smile as he walked out of the clearing.

I leaned my head back. Branches were tugging at my carefully styled hair, but I couldn’t move at the moment. My body trembled as I stared up at the bright sky. It could’ve been such a nice day.

“I’m fine,” I reassured her as she rushed to my side.

I glanced at her in time to see her relief turn into a disappointed scowl. I held my breath. Depending on how much she heard, a lecture was certainly coming next.

“Did you really tell him you’d rather marry a pig?” she asked, confirming my thoughts.

“Sort of,” I admitted with a shrug before she grabbed my arm. “Though I’d settle for Prince Charming if you know where he is.”

My response had its intended effect as she laughed instead of continuing her sentence.

“Mom’s gonna kill you,” she warned instead as we started walking back to the party.

I grimaced, dread resettling as a pit in my stomach with a quick glance at Josi.

Something twisted in my stomach as her ring glittered in the sun.

She met Ben a few years ago. He courted her, she quickly fell in love, and now they were going to be married.

Even with the choice of picking a fiancé ripped away from her, she was happy.

If only it could’ve been like that for both of us .

As we broke through the hedges, noise from the party flooded my ears. I didn’t realize how quiet it had been until we were thrown back into the crowd. Unease filled me as I looked around the garden party. No one gave me any weird stares, just the normal, judgement-filled ones.

My gaze snagged on my mother. She was standing off toward those who were sitting.

From the distance, her age was more apparent as wrinkles danced around the corners of her lips while she talked.

The gray in her hair sparkled as the sun hit it.

She waved at anyone who looked at her. Her face screamed warm and welcoming, everything her eyes lacked.

This was the new her. The one who flourished in this new lifestyle she created.

One filled with parties and servants. It was a drastic change for the rest of us that she embraced every moment of.

Her own gaze scanned over the party. It stopped once we made eye contact. Hers narrowed to a disappointed squint as she looked between me and Josi. Her face pulled tight into a scowl as she stalked toward me. The lack of Adrian by my side caught her attention quicker than I had hoped.

“Better run while you can,” I whispered to my sister, not letting the smile drop from my face.

Josi squeezed my shoulder before walking away. Taking a deep breath, I squared my shoulders, standing at my full height before moving to meet my fate head on. There was no use trying to delay the inevitable. At least the crowd would be a barrier between me and the full force of her anger.

I only took a few steps before another hand on my shoulder stopped me. My breath huffed out of me. Part in irritation, but mostly in gratefulness at another wall between me and my mother.

“Josi.” I turned with a sigh; I appreciated the concern, but she should’ve known better than anyone that this anger would only get worse if she stayed by my side.

“Not quite.” My dad smiled at me.

I stiffened as I looked up at his smiling face.

My heart clenched as I was thrown back into the argument he had with my mother this morning.

I tried to keep my breathing even. He fought for me; there was nothing to be scared of right now.

He had the same black hair as everyone else in the family that was such a stark contrast to my blonde hair.

His was now combed over to one side. I scrunched my nose against the laugh that threatened to spill out.

“Don’t give me that look,” he grumbled.

“I can’t help it.” I let out a small chuckle. “You look ridiculous.”

“Don’t remind me.”

Biting my cheek, I fought down the rest of my laughter.

He didn’t deserve any more humiliation. It seemed like I wasn’t the only one who got forced into the horrible world of dress-up today.

He was wearing a bright yellow suit that I guessed was supposed to match my mother’s pale yellow dress.

Where my mother’s made her shine, his suit drowned out the color of his hair and reflected a light that made him look sick.

My chin trembled as I looked over him. He tried his hardest to be there for me. When my mother and I fought, he always tried to calm us down. To keep us from screaming at each other. He was always on her side, though. Telling me to just go along with what she said to make everyone’s life easier.

My back straightened as a well-manicured hand appeared on his shoulder. Her glare darted between the two of us.

“What,” she began as her nails tapped against his shoulder, “exactly are you two doing?” Her voice was like ice.

He patted her hand, gently incasing it with his own.

“We’re simply enjoying the party you worked so hard on, my love.” He kissed her hand, smiling down at her.

He looked at her like he couldn’t feel the tension radiating off of her.

While she tensed, he seemed to be filled with as much love as they both had years ago.

Love filled everything, even as they tried to stop the two of us from destroying the house in earlier years.

There was never so much as a harsh word between the two of them.

Now, she could barely be in the same room as him. They didn’t even sleep in the same bedroom anymore. Anger replaced the love she felt when she realized she was the only one who could easily forget our old lives for this one of luxury. All he wanted was to go back to the fields.

The entire thing made my chest hurt. I couldn’t let myself get trapped somewhere I was miserable.

At least with Adrian, there was no expectation that I needed to care for him.

To fall in love with him. Just the thought had me fighting back a gag.

I would never let myself fall into a place where my emotions would let me turn my back to someone’s cruelty.

“Come on, dear,” he whispered.

I tried to ignore her flinch as he kissed her cheek.

He started pulling her away from me, but her stare was still locked onto me.

A fire melted her glacial eyes. Her mouth hung open with the angry words I was sure she wanted to shout at that moment.

The peace he created by dragging her away was going to be short lived.

Tonight would probably be another good night to avoid dinner.

Or any place inside the house after everyone left.

All of that could wait until tonight. For now, I would allow myself to relax, drinking another glass of champagne as I made my way over to the singing, finally ready to enjoy the party.