All Chapters of Shadows and Waltzes: Chapter 1 - Chapter 8

Out of all the gardens, the one with the reflecting pool was my favorite. I could have chosen the Daisy Walk with the Pythorian statues, but I hate having the old gods watching me. It doesn’t feel safe. No. I much prefer being near the water, where no eyes watch, and I can hide away for as long as I need to.Except for today, apparently. As I stride towards the gazebo in the center of the pool, tracing my fingers over the carved wood forming the bridge railing, I see my elder, and immediately younger sisters. They seem to be in some sort of heated debate, and I contemplate turning around, and walking away.“Margherita, don’t you dare walk away.” Klover beckons me over. “You know that we have been waiting for you.” She stands in her tall dark beauty, regal.Rosa is near her, her pale looks, so similar to mine, looking so much more pale next to our older, half-sister. “Margherita, please come tell her that she is being stupid, because she isn’t held under the curse.”I finish crossing t

I stood, impatient in the witch’s ring, awaiting my brothers and sisters. The trees grew crooked, and shaggy, holding the darkness of a thousand spells. I remembered perfectly the first time I had been pulled to the ring. I had just lost my kingdom to my brat of a brother, Orion. I felt myself slipping, falling back to the past.Father had been weak, dying, when he had called Orion and I to him. I had gotten there first, kneeling by my father’s bed, taking his hand while we waited on my brother. Father had coughed, and blood bubbled from his lips.Orion walked in, fifteen minutes before Father had died. I had been with him for hours at that point. But when the golden son walked in, Father no longer had eyes for me. He saw naught but the son of his second wife. Forget the fact that I had been the one giving him water for the last three hours, forget the fact that I had been the only one that had sought him out on his deathbed. Forget that I had been the one that had come when he called

I awoke sharply fifteen minutes to eleven, a jolt running through my spine. A gown covered a dressmaker’s model. The gold of the fabric shined in the moonlight, and I knew what it meant. We were being summoned. The Underground King wanted us to dance tonight.“Rosa, Iride!” I called for the sisters closest to me. “Get the others ready.”I heard muffled acquiescence, before throwing open my door to get to the three younger girls that I was in charge of. Poppy, Gladiole, and Buttercup were already moving, gathering their dresses, and jewels. They brought everything back to my bedroom, where I would assist them, and they would help with my laces. “Quick, girls.” I pushed them into my room, gathering them around, so I could attempt to start on their hair. “We only have an hour before we have to start moving.I heard fumbling and crashing coming from Rosa’s room, and cursing coming from Iride’s. With all twelve of us trying to prepare at the same time, it was so much harder than it needed

I made eye contact with each of my neices as they entered with the escorts that I had reanimated for them. I could smell the pain and sorrow emmanating from each of them. Margherita had the richest power coming from her. She carried the burden of caring for each of her sisters, and some of them I had paired with unhonorable men. Her pain was delicious. It was a mixture of sorrow, watchfulness, and something else, something elusive."Welcome to my home, Neices!" I gestured to my huge hall, from where I sat in my throne of bones. My armor clinked and chimed as the music started to play, coming from a curtained balcony. I could have shown off my orchestra of skeletons, but the princesses were disturbed by the undead circulating in my court as it was. It was better for them to think that the music was played by instruments strummed with pure magyck.Margherita glowered at me. "It is our honor to be here, Uncle." The younger princesses clustered around her, seeking her presence for safety,