Chapter 3

At Valorhold Manor, I sat in an outer chamber during the poetry gathering.

The maids assigned to serve me were pretending to work hard, but they deliberately styled my hair into a loose, aging mess and dressed me in the dullest, most lifeless gown they could find.

Meanwhile, over in the waterside pavilion, Vivian was being fussed over by the best hairdressers and maids in the house. She was decked out in pearls and emeralds, looking absolutely radiant.

Edward was circling around Vivian, his voice bright and clear. "Vivian, you look prettier than the fairies in the paintings today!"

Then…