The jaws of the people dropped at the revelation. Only the city mayor was quick enough to recover. “Wait, wait, are you saying that… Roma was going to be the mother—? Why was that foretold? I thought the names of the brides would only be given through an invocation. How did the last priestess know about this? Why did she hide it?”
At that question, the priestess only stared at the city mayor. Then she answered after a few seconds, “She didn’t say. All she wrote down was that the Great Lasair spoke to her in a strange dream, nights after that incident. It might be a sign of his displeasure, especially when Viola Campbell poisoned herself during the wedding. He must have wanted the next bride to be ready.”
The councilmen all pursed their lips. It was a truth that only a few knew about. On the night of the wedding thirty-one years ago, the bride managed to sneak in a vial of poison inside her clothes. She then killed herself while the sedan was headed to the shrine. They only found out when they were about to deliver her inside the cave.
Martin felt strange. He was now so sure why these people were so adamant about Esperanza’s case. The last bride didn’t reach the deity. They weren’t even letting her suicidal thoughts stop her from being the bride. It’s just that… there was a difference between Esperanza and Viola Campbell.
Esperanza would never kill herself; she was too scared.
“…you never said anything about it to us… to Mom…” Corbin was shocked. He heard his mother’s older sister was chosen as the bride for their generation. Everyone treated it as an honor to be selected by the great Lasair, but Viola secretly cried herself to sleep.
“It wasn’t something we wanted people to know.” The city mayor cleared his throat. “Officer Campbell, I know this is going to be one of the worst decisions you can ever make, but… I need you to bring Florence Sheppard to the Sacred Hut tomorrow night. We will have to pursue the wedding now.”
“What?” Corbin sucked in cold air. He glanced at the businessman, who managed to get what he wanted. “You want ME to take Florence to stand as the bride? Didn’t you know what her mother did to her face? Lasair only likes beautiful—no, Mayor. I can’t do that.”
The councilmen grew displeased. They knew that letting Esperanza off would begin a series of people declining to have their family members become the bride.
It’s just that the priestess eyed him again, her hidden gaze freezing Corbin’s blood. “Don’t forget, the great Lasair has chosen her when she was still in her mother’s womb. If the Cliffords did not interrupt the village, she would have been the bride for this generation. Are you, a puny mortal, denying the great Lasair of his true choice?”
“Milan will never stand for this!” Corbin had to remind them about Milan. “He came here to take Florence back to his home. There’s no way he will let her be stuck here and married to some fictitious god—as he sees things!”
“Since Lasair allows switches and you refuse to give up Florence Sheppard, then… whose daughter would you nominate to stand as the bride?” Martin huffed, angry at how Corbin kept on glancing at him. “You… do have an unmarried sister—”
“Don’t you fucking drag Corey into this!” Corbin snapped.
The priestess made her way toward Corbin, the police officer retreating a few steps away. She stood where he would have been if he didn’t move. “Corbin, convince Florence to come to my hut before sunset tomorrow. If you don’t, you will certainly know how the village will react. You are not Martin Clifford whose favor is needed; neither are you born outside the great Lasair’s land.”
She lifted a hand as if it could calm him down. “Don’t forget how your own sister value Florence. If she could save Florence from being the bride… and you from the ire of the people, she will step into those shoes herself. Speak to Milan about this. We will be waiting for your decision.”
“…placing all of this on my shoulders?” Corbin dropped his stance and turned away in frustration. “Promise me that we have until sunset tomorrow…”
“One who dares break the promise will die…”—the priestess, however, turned to face Martin when she spoke—“…be it from the grace of the great Lasair or the strength of one’s hands.”
Corbin ran out in haste, abandoning his duties. He needed to speak to Milan as soon as possible before he lost his mind thinking about the consequences.
Martin would say something, but the priestess walked closer to him. He looked at her, and she reached out a hand to rub his cheek. Her thumb pressed on the man’s lips. She then spoke in a monotone.
“You will know no treachery against the great Lasair until the wedding has come to pass.”
Martin smirked and used a hand to remove her hand from his face gently. He would make a good speech about how bad trusting Corbin at this point would be, but he suddenly froze upon staring deeper into the priestess’ eyes. It was as if he was looking into the eyes of a real lion to eat him then and there instead.
The priestess only stared back without saying anything. Then she walked away as her duties called her somewhere else.
At this display of power, the councilmen almost fainted. It was as if Lasair was indeed furious now that Martin won her daughter’s life back. As for Boris, he felt very afraid. This kind of hexing…
“Why are we all still here?” The city mayor cleared his throat. “Let’s prepare for the wedding.”
…
Corbin rode his car home, catching Corey and Florence preparing the food. He was still catching his breath when Corey came to attend to him.
“Corbin? What happened? You’re so pale!” She combed her fingers through her brother’s hair. She didn’t even know when Corbin pulled her into a tight hug. “C-Corbin?”
“Shhh, I won’t let them take you away. I won’t let them take you away…” Corbin whispered before eyeing Florence, who only stayed by the door frame. His lips pursed for a few seconds before he spoke, “Florence, pack up dinner. We’re meeting Milan.”