The Book of Forbidden Wisdom Read Free Page B

door.
    â€œIt’s the Bard,” she said.
    â€œDrunk?” asked Silky, concerned.
    â€œHe wants to check whether you want the traditional music,” said Violet, “or something different.”
    â€œTraditional,” said Silky. “What else?”
    â€œDon’t I get a say?” I said.
    â€œ No, ” said Silky. “You’re just the bride, Angel. Traditional.”
    â€œI’ll have the servant tell him,” said Violet. She was too old, three months older than I was, for direct contact with a lower-­caste man. That meant she had to communicate with the Bard through intermediaries.
    Violet returned shortly and stood behind me, ready to lift the train of the dress. Silky and I would enter together, the two scions of the House of Montrose.
    â€œReady?” asked Silky after giving me one more critical examination. I must have passed. She looked radiant. I wished I could look that radiant. I prepared for the traditional music.
    A minute later the preliminary music began, and it was something very un traditional, something haunting, in a minor key, but before Silky could run out and throttle the Bard, he launched into the wedding theme.
    For the first time, my stomach fluttered. And at that moment, I really wanted Trey, to whom I could talk and who would make me calm. It would have been nice, I thought, to have had an un-­chaperoned, informal parting with Trey. Because everyone knew friendships changed after marriage. For one thing, the married were much higher in status than those who were uncontracted.
    But there was no precedent for a farewell to a male friend. We had been awkward in our snatched good-­byes. We had only had a moment before the chaperone descended upon me, and she had been livid, and while I hadn’t cared, I knew that was the end of it.
    I couldn’t tell if Trey liked Leth. I rather thought not.
    The music began to swell.
    â€œAre you ready, Silky?” As if I had to ask.
    â€œOf course, ” she said. Her body decorations were exquisite. Dark red flowers glowed in her golden hair.
    The music had almost reached the moment when I would begin my walk, Silky behind me, toward Leth. And soon the legalities of the land transaction would be over, and Leth and I would be married.
    It would be a nice life. And I was sure that, after a few initial questions, he would leave alone the issue of whether or not I had knowledge of The Book of Forbidden Wisdom or the Spiral City. He had never once mentioned The Book , but I knew he thought about it. All of Arcadia did. The St. Clares, my mother’s line, had passed forward knowledge of The Book all the way to my mother, who had died young.
    All Arcadia knew that, too.
    Silky took my arm for a moment and then kissed me before taking her place again.
    Then I set my foot on the narrow walk, and the servants pulled open the flaps of the tent. I smiled, but it felt forced, and the considerable weight of the dress seemed to hold me back. They were all there: Father, the Nessons, my aunts and uncles and cousins, Gurd—­the head of the village—­the minor nobility, each with distinct and colorful liveries. It seemed everyone except Father, who had dressed as always in his endless mourning, had chosen to wear something vivid. The tent was a riot of color, and a profusion of flowers lined the path. There was a shower of rose petals as I entered.
    It might not have been the happiest day of my life, but I wasn’t unhappy. I thought that perhaps one day I would be able to make amends to Trey.
    The sky was blue. The bard was in voice. Silky was with me, and I was going to take her away from our father’s dreary house of eternal mourning.
    I saw Leth waiting. He looked real and solid and ready to take me as his bride. Behind Leth were his brother, Benn, and his sister-­in-­law, Lorna of the House of Tern. My father—­a head shorter, stern, rigid in his mourning—­stood next