Chapter 10 The White Swan #2
Eager to find out, Daisy perched on the edge of the cushion, afraid her travel clothes might leave a smudge.
Aunt V’s hands folded gracefully on her lap, over a white leather portfolio as she smiled at Daisy.
“Tomorrow, you’ll undergo what we call The Becoming.
A full day of treatments designed to prepare you for the evening’s festivities.
Massage, body work, beauty treatments, consultations with some of the world’s greatest hair stylists—everything you need to feel confident and beautiful.
” Her smile didn’t waver. “The Becoming helps tributes become the best possible version of themselves.” She leaned closer, her delicate perfume so appealing that Daisy found herself leaning into the scent.
“Honestly, it was one of my favorite parts of the experience.”
Daisy’s eyes widened. “You were a tribute?”
“Many years ago, at the very first feast.” Her laugh was rich like dark honey. “I was terrified. Dirt poor. Convinced I was making the worst mistake of my life.”
She didn’t appear to be any of those things now. “Did you regret it?”
Aunt V’s gaze shifted as if looking back in time.
Her smile turned thoughtful as her voice softened.
“It changed my life. One night, gone in the blink of an eye, like a dream that fades just after dawn. Everything that came after… Everything I have, everything I am… I owe it all to J. Thorne.” Her impeccably manicured fingers squeezed Daisy’s work-roughened hands. “I have no regrets.”
Changed. Not improved. Not ruined. Changed.
“Now.” Aunt V rose with fluid grace. “There are a few formalities. First, you’ll need to sign this.” She produced a document from the leather portfolio. “It confirms your continued consent and reiterates the terms of your agreement. Standard procedure.”
Daisy skimmed the page. More legal language, more clauses about confidentiality and liability. Her signature would affirm her willingness to continue.
“And if I don’t sign?”
Her question confused Aunt V, leaving her head cocked in concern. “Well, in that case, we would escort you back to the airport and see that you were fairly compensated for any inconveniences. You would then be safely transported home at your earliest convenience. Is that what you wish?”
Her continued courtesy surprised Daisy. She was glad to hear there was no penalty if she changed her mind. “No, I was just curious.”
Aunt V smiled, pushing the contract forward. “I’m sure you’ve had countless wild thoughts since arriving. Don’t worry. You’re in excellent hands.”
Daisy signed.
“Excellent.” She tucked the document away. “Now—” She produced a small, satin drawstring sack, the fabric a deep champagne, embroidered with the number 1922 in delicate gold thread. “I’ll need any personal effects. Just for safekeeping.”
Daisy stared at the number again. Everywhere she turned, that number followed. It couldn’t be accidental. Come to think of it, not once had Aunt V called her by name.
Was she 1922?
A number?
A statistic?
Trust no one.
Aunt V’s smile was so compelling, Daisy had to remind herself that salesmen were real and even people with bad intentions could lie convincingly.
She thought of the locket in her pocket, glad she’d hidden it from view.
“I don’t have anything.”
“Just your phone, and any valuables you brought with you. No need to worry, my little doe. They’ll be stored in a private safe, and you’ll receive everything back on Sunday, in perfect condition.”
Daisy wanted to trust her, but logically she couldn’t. Not after what happened earlier. This woman worked for the same people as Dr. Tannh?user. Her hand moved instinctively toward her hip, assuring her locket was still safely tucked away.
“Do I have to?”
“I’m afraid so,” Aunt V said, voice soft as down. “It’s a privacy issue. No phones are permitted past this point, I’m afraid. And we don’t want any personal items lost or stolen during the festivities. The Preserve grounds are extensive. Items could easily get…misplaced.”
The Preserve?
Was that where they were?
“I thought this place was called The White Swan.”
“It is.”
“But you said The Preserve.”
“That’s where The Feast of the Fallen is held. You go there tomorrow night, after The Becoming ceremonies.”
It all sounded so ritualistic.
Daisy withdrew her phone from her back pocket. She thought of Maryanne, who’d probably texted her a hundred times since yesterday, wondering where she’d gone.
Slowly, reluctantly, she dropped the phone into the open silk sack.
“Anything else? Jewelry? Keepsakes?”
The locket burned against Daisy’s hip. “No,” she lied. “Nothing else.”
If Aunt V doubted her, it didn’t show. She cinched the sack closed and tucked it away.
“Perfect. Now, for the schedule.” She withdrew another paper, this one printed with embossed gold text on white stock that shimmered like pearl.
“Breakfast will be delivered at nine tomorrow morning. I strongly suggest you rest tonight. Tomorrow will be long, and your success depends on being fresh and energized.” She handed the program to Daisy and stood, moving toward the wet bar.
From a glassy white cabinet, she produced a small ceramic teacup and saucer, then turned on the glass kettle and shook a small packet of powder into the teacup. “Many tributes find it difficult to sleep on their first night. This will help.”
“What is it?” The fragrant powder carried a sweet, earthy aroma she could smell from her seat.
“Just a tea, completely natural and designed not to leave you sluggish in the morning. The goal is to have you well rested.”
“But what’s in it?”
She carried the teacup and packet to her. “Valerian root, passionflower, chamomile. A bit of reishi mushroom for the nerves. All natural, all gentle. Just enough to quiet the mind and let the body rest.”
Daisy peered into the cup and took the packet. The ingredients were listed in neat handwritten calligraphy, not exactly what she would consider a guarantee of safety.
“No secrets or tricks, I assure you.” She returned to the counter and poured water from the kettle. Steam curled upward, intensifying the strange, sweet scent.
Trust no one.
“I’ll think about it,” she said. “You can just leave it there.”
Aunt V’s smile didn’t flicker. “Of course. But I speak from experience when I say rest is essential. Whatever your goals are tomorrow, you’ll need all your strength and a clear head to achieve them.” She moved toward the door. “Do you have any questions for me?”
“What happens now?”
“You rest. Self-care makes the soul strong.”
Daisy stood. If she had questions, she couldn’t think of any in that moment. “Will I see you tomorrow?”
“Bright and early at The Becoming. Sleep well, my little doe. Tomorrow, your transition begins.”
Daisy watched Aunt V go with a mixture of relief and anxiety. When the door clicked shut behind her, she simply stood there for a long moment. Then she sniffed the tea again.
It didn’t smell bad. It actually had a soothing scent. She dipped her finger into the pale-brown water and licked the tip.
“Hm.” She still wasn’t sold.
Turning, Daisy took in the impossible luxury surrounding her, laughing when buoyant giddiness popped inside of her like a bubble, tickling until she laughed at the surreal insanity of her surroundings. Then she covered her mouth and screamed—giggling like a crazy person.
“Holy shit,” she whispered, moving through the suite like raggedy Cinderella set loose in the palace before her true transformation.
It wasn’t real. Not fully. Not yet. But every time she touched something, the evidence of her circumstances solidified a bit more.
She trailed her fingers down the four-poster bed draped in white silk. Caressed the pristine vanity laden with French products she couldn’t name. Opened the door to a wardrobe, empty aside from a plush white robe sewn of the softest fabric she’d ever held.
The bathroom shined from floor to ceiling in white marble.
Gold fixtures adorned every drawer. She ran her fingers over the smooth edge of the claw-footed soaking tub, opened drawers lined with scented paper, sniffed bath salts and luxury soaps, turned golden taps as warm water flowed through her fingers like fountains of life.
Giddiness rose in her chest, and Daisy nervously covered her mouth before another giggle escaped, fearing such light feelings could break the invisible armor that helped her survive her regular, hard life.
But what if her hard life was over now? What if this was how it was going to be from now on? Her body jerked at the thought, shifting her euphoria into sudden—
She didn’t know the name for such a feeling.
Happiness so intense it bordered on pain.
Eyes welling, pressure built in her chest, sharp and too expansive to hold in. Covering her mouth, a sound escaped somewhere between laughter and a sob.
Twin tears tripped down her cheeks, having nothing to do with sadness.
Then came the sharp lash of guilt, reminding her she was only a visitor, an outsider passing by.
“No.” She wasn’t going to do that. Not today. She earned this. Maybe not yet, but she would. “I have every right to feel happy.” Determined to luxuriate in such extravagance, she shoved the guilt away. “I’m going to enjoy this.”
She deserved a moment of sheer indulgence after such a confusing day. After years of relentlessly scraping by. This was her time. Hers.
Twisting the gold knob of the tub, she turned the water to full speed. “Time to wash you away, Dr. Tannh?user.”
Steam rose from the crystal-clear water, warming the room to the vaulted ceiling.
A row of oils and bath salts lined the marble edge, each in a crystal bottle with a handwritten label.
Rose. Lavender. Bergamot. She uncapped them one by one, breathing in scents that had no place in her life. Until now.
Daisy liked the jasmine best, thick and sweet and somehow right. Pouring a dash into the water, it swirled across the surface, perfuming the bathroom like a secret garden hidden under moonlight.