I had no chance to resist or run.
I heard the faint clinking of metal beneath Annie and Monica's priestess robes, the clear sound of weapons brushing against fabric. A silent warning: they were fully prepared to subdue me by force if necessary.
I was stripped bare beneath Jasper's watchful eyes from outside the gilded cage, only to be redressed in a lavish white wedding gown. Annie and Monica handled me gently, gracefully, yet I saw no gap, no moment of carelessness, through which I could fight back.
They combed my hair, pinned a lily to the bun. Applied light makeup, tasteful but impeccable. Fastened a ruby necklace around my neck, matching the color of my hair, like a silken shackle.
Once I was presentable enough to be his bride, the two step back in unison, heads bowed, clearing the way for Jasper to enter.
He came in with another tray: two golden goblets and a small wooden box nestled between them.
