Chapter 4
FOUR
Lo
Lo took the long way home. Different thoughts rippled through her mind like the whirling skirts of a hundred dancers. Fortune’s Kiss was here. It was her chance to get Mamá back, and yet …
Mayté’s face flashed through her head. The look when Lo brought up Mamá. Her smile, much too big. The flicker of panic in her dark eyes. Like everyone else, Mayté didn’t believe she was in there. Unlike everyone else, though, she was too kind to admit it.
Lo would just have to prove them all wrong. But to do that, she would have to get into Fortune’s Kiss. There was a lot to prepare for.
By the time she returned home, the stars above flickered like magic in a sea of soft violet and darkest blue. The shining moon was just a sliver away from being full. Her mind replayed the day’s events. There was so much, and so little, they knew now about Fortune’s Kiss.
She snuck in through the parlor and almost made it up the stairs when Sera jumped out from behind the corner.
“Where have you been?” Sera hissed, grabbing her arm. “Papá’s furious.”
Lo’s heart skipped a beat. Those two words alone could cause a lifetime’s worth of dread. “Wait. Why?”
“What do you mean why? Dinner was supposed to start almost an hour ago. You were supposed to sing too, remember?”
“Mierda.” How could she have forgotten? A chill crept through her, but as Sera scowled, as if to blame Lo for their father’s anger, her blood blazed.
“It’s too late for singing. The meal will be ready at any moment. What will Juan Felipe think?”
“Well, sorry.” Lo snatched her arm away. “It doesn’t matter. Juan Felipe’s already enamored with me and Father’s the only person in Milagro who’s hung up on punctuality. He shouldn’t be so angry. After all, didn’t he spend most of the day with one of his mistresses?”
“Don’t you dare say that,” Sera growled. The girl acted so grown up yet still believed their father’s lies.
“Whatever you say.” Lo stomped toward the dining room.
In a way, she was glad she’d missed the singing.
At one time she’d looked forward to her singing lessons and loved performing the new songs she learned for Mamá.
That was so long ago, it felt more like a dream than anything, but at some point, like always, her father found a way to use her talent as a tool to benefit himself.
Sing to impress his friends. Sing to attract suitors.
Sing as an excuse for a lavish banquet. Each time she sang, she wanted to scream.
She lingered behind a pillar instead of making her presence known.
The room was warm and extravagant with earthy orange walls that matched the patterned rug underfoot.
A small chandelier glowed above, lighting up the medley of red-curtained windows.
The centerpiece was the large table, carved from the most luxurious of dark woods and glossed until one could see their reflection on the tabletop.
Juan Felipe and Sofía were the only ones seated.
Lo’s lips curled, and she dug her fingers into the hard marble of the pillar until they throbbed. Of course, it had to be him. He was the one she hated the most. While the rest would be dreadfully boring and controlling husbands, Juan Felipe would be absolutely brutish, not unlike her father.
Sofía’s tight black curls bounced as she giggled and tried to grab Juan Felipe’s deep brown fingers, but he kept playfully pulling away.
Charming as cursed gold, Mamá would say. He had certainly shown his true colors earlier today. Lo rubbed her wrist, which still ached from when he grabbed her, but it was his words about Mayté that burrowed under her skin like barbed hooks.
“If I was old enough …” Sera’s whisper startled Lo. Her younger sister stood behind her, hugging herself. “I would be happy to marry Juan Felipe. Look at him. He’s so kind and handsome.”
No one else saw him for what he truly was. Lo gritted her teeth. “You don’t understand.”
A rough hand grabbed her wrist and whirled her around.
With a severe glare, her father pulled her into the hallway. He was in rare form tonight. He ground his teeth together, and his fingers threatened to rip her hand off.
“Did I not tell you to be here for dinner?” he snarled.
“I’m sorry, Papá.” Lo winced, wanting so badly to wretch away. “It must have slipped my thoughts, but I’m sure dear Juan Felipe doesn’t mind the wai—”
“Did. I. Not. Tell. You?” Her father leaned so close they were nose to nose.
He didn’t yell, only because Juan Felipe was in the other room, but Lo wished he would.
This quiet, seething anger made him even more terrifying.
“You know what else I’ve told you to do?
To stop spending your time with that disgrace of a Robles girl. ”
“I don’t care.” The words came out before Lo could stop herself, but as soon as her father’s eyes widened, she knew she couldn’t take them back.
His hand crashed into her cheek. A yelp filled her ears. It was her own voice. Detached from her body. A stinging warmth raced across her face, and her heartbeat quickened as everything sank in. Her father had backhanded her.
“Don’t you dare talk back to me.” He yanked her shoulders, shaking her. She wanted to scream at him.
Wanted to slap him and shake him and—and—
“Apologize. Now.” His fingers dug into her flesh.
Her? Apologize? Lo wanted to laugh but all she could do was glare at the disgusting roach that was her father.
“I said apologize, you ungrateful little—”
“Papá,” Sera interrupted. If she saw the slap, it didn’t show on her face. “The servants are setting the table.”
He released Lo with a grunt. “Take care of your sister’s face.”
“Yes, Papá,” Sera said, unaffected by the bruise surely blooming on Lo’s cheek like a purpling rose.
Her father tugged roughly at his silver-trimmed jacket. A vulture preening after a slaughter. “And, Lorena?”
Lo closed her eyes. “Yes?” she managed.
“Do not embarrass me during this meal, and I’ll forgive your disobedience.”
“Yes, Papá.” But I’ll never forgive how you struck me. Her throat burned and all she could do was stand there until Sera came back with a washcloth and a bottle of Piel Perfecta. Sera soaked the cloth in the shimmering liquid, before dabbing Lo’s face.
The cool sensation bit into her cheek, numbing the rest of the pain.
It did nothing for the storm raging inside.
Pain, terror, and anger swirled and mixed into a concoction of pure hatred.
Her father had most certainly spent thousands of gold coins to ensure he always had the strong potion on hand.
The thought enraged her. Her fingers trembled, and her breaths came out in shaky puffs.
Sera wouldn’t look her in the eye. Her dark eyebrows knit together, and she chewed her lips as if this were a delicate procedure that took all the concentration in the world. “You know, if you would just behave, then Father wouldn’t—”
“Don’t.” Lo jolted away as if she had been slapped a second time. No, Sera’s words hurt even worse than that. They dug into her skin like splinters and burrowed to the depths of her heart.
“But I—”
“Just don’t.” Lo pushed past her and made her way to the dining room.
She didn’t need a mirror to know the elixir had already worked its magic.
For years, Mamá had used it, not only on Lo’s cuts and scrapes from playing, but also on her own body.
As a young child, Lo thought maybe Mamá secretly played outside at night.
But after Mamá left, the source of all the bruises reared his ugly head.
Mamá …
If everything went according to plan, in less than a day this would all end.
For that exact reason, she put on her most contagious smile as she entered the dining room.
This was her final performance, and she would make it the grand finale.
“Oh! Juan Felipe! I hope I didn’t keep you waiting too long. ”
“Ah, Lorena.” Juan Felipe made a big show of standing up and kissing her cheek. The kiss was sloppy and much too close to the corner of her mouth. “I could never be upset with you.”
Sure, because his outburst on Centro Street certainly wasn’t anger.
“It’s such an honor to see your beautiful face twice in one day.”
“You saw her earlier?” Her father sat at the head of the table, smiling. The malicious monster from just minutes ago was nowhere to be seen. As much as Lo hated to admit it, she had inherited her acting skills from him.
“We crossed paths this afternoon.” Juan Felipe helped Lo into the seat next to him. The servants came around, giving each of them a bowl of watery soup along with spiced rice. “Everyone sure is excited about Fortune’s Kiss.”
“Fortune’s Kiss?” Lo’s father raised an eyebrow. “You went to see it?”
Lo’s heart skipped a beat and a mouthful of rice got stuck in her throat. She managed to swallow it down, keeping her composure. If her father found out about her plan, he would never let her leave. “Yes, Mayté wanted to see it. Right?” She locked eyes with Juan Felipe.
“Yes! Yes, it’s no surprise someone like María Teresa would be interested in Fortune’s Kiss, hmm?” Juan Felipe spoke the part, probably expecting a reward, but Lo would be long gone before he would get one.
“It was so enchanting, but there were too many people to get a good look.” She pouted. “We saw a lot of nobles there. Everyone must be very curious.”
“I see,” her father simply said, between bites.
She couldn’t tell if the growl in his voice was because he was on to her, or because he didn’t want to hear about Mayté.
Maybe he just wanted to get on with the meal.
Lo was beginning to sweat. She fought the urge to fan herself with a napkin.
She glanced at her sisters. Sera was always the first to catch on, but she seemed too occupied with shushing Sofía, who played with her soup, swirling her spoon around and around.