A Tale of Red Riding: Rise of the Alpha Huntress (The Alpha Huntress Series Book 1) (9 page)

Chapter 10

Red paced around on the porch of Granny’s house in nervous anticipation. It should have been the most exciting night of her young life, but she was consumed with dreadful anxiety. Her stomach was twisted in knots and the deep breathing Dote had coached her into trying wasn’t helping one bit.

Her only comfort was that she was wearing the most beautiful blue ball gown she had ever seen. Grenda had spent the better part of an hour braiding her hair with little flowers and ribbons. Red had never dreamed that she could actually look like a princess, though it was impossible to deny the reality of the moment as she stood there in all her glory.

“At least I’ll look good when I faint in front of everybody,” Red said.

“Don’t be silly,” Dote said. “We’re about to have the most fun ever.”

Dote stood by Red’s side wearing the most ridiculous bright orange flower patterned dress anybody had ever seen. Dote’s mother had made it for a harvest dance that Dote was to attend, but she never got a chance to wear it because her date had backed out at the last minute.

Red was fairly certain that showing up in that dress would have brought Dote more ridicule than being dumped by her date. Now poor Dote was going to the premier event of Wayward in the same ridiculous dress.

“We both look so pretty,” Dote said with a gleaming smile. “I bet everybody at the ball will be staring at us all night.”

“Oh, I have no doubt about that.”

Red had offered to loan Dote something from her mother’s wardrobe, but Dote was set on her orange dress. She insisted that it matched her eyes. This made not a bit of sense, considering that her eyes were hazel.

“Do you think they’ll have ice cream?” Dote asked.

“I don’t know how balls work, so I can’t say either way,” Red said.

“I sure hope they’ll have chocolate mint cake. That’s our favorite.”

It felt odd for Red to be with somebody who knew her so well and yet she knew so little about. She hoped that the memories of their time together as children would soon return. Until then, she took comfort in knowing they would have a lifetime to get to know one another again.

“As long as we’re together, I don’t care what happens,” Red said.

“I still can’t believe you invited me. I mean considering that my family and the Seethers aren’t on the best of terms,” Dote said.

“Do I even want to ask why that is?” In Red’s haste to invite Dote, she had not considered the idea that it might be a problem.

“It’s a long, weird story. Most of it happened before we were even born.”

“As long as it doesn’t have anything to do with that boy who fell off a cliff.”

Dote gave a nervous laugh. “What would make you think such a silly thing like that?”

“Dote, I was only joking. Tell me the boy that our mothers were fighting over wasn’t a member of the Seether family.”

“Of course he wasn’t.”

“That’s a relief.”

“I mean not in a way that anybody could ever prove.”

“What exactly does that mean, Dote?”

“It was mostly just rumors, Red, so don’t take this too seriously. There were some people who thought maybe the boy, who I think was named Hamelin, was like an unofficial member of the Seether family.”

“How can somebody be an unofficial member of a family?” Red asked.

Dote fidgeted, a little nervous. “You know, when somebody who’s married to one person goes off and has a baby with another person, but doesn’t want anybody to know for whatever reason.”

Red nodded in understanding. “Oh, like that kind of unofficial. So he’s the reason the Seethers don’t like your family?”

“Oh, no. My grandmother once tried to destroy the Seether Clan by casting a spellcraft on them that causes people to go crazy with paranoia,” Dote said, quite casually.

Red gasped in disbelief. “Dote, you’re only joking, right?”

Dote gave Red a nervous grin.

Just then, in the near distance, the sound of galloping hooves erupted. Red and Dote stood watching in awe as four white horses emerged from the foggy path. They were pulling along a magnificent white carriage with glimmering gold trim. A driver sat atop wearing a formal riding uniform.

“Is that for us, Red?”

“I have no idea, Dote.”

The horses pulled the carriage to a stop near the porch. Red and Dote watched in wonder as the driver stepped down and meticulously straightened his uniform. He approached Red and bowed to her, all the while managing to blatantly ignore Dote.

“Your carriage awaits, my lady.” The driver spoke with a formal English accent.

It took Red a couple of awestruck seconds to respond. “Thank you.”

The driver opened the carriage door and kicked down a wooden step. He turned to Red and extended a white-gloved hand. “My lady.”

“After you, Dote,” said Red.

The driver looked over Dote a little perplexed. “I was not informed there would be two this evening.”

“Ice said I could bring a companion,” Red said. “Is it a problem?”

“Of course not,” the driver said through clenched teeth.

Dote giggled and took the driver’s hand. As he helped her up the step, she lost her balance and fell backward into his arms. Her legs flailed around as the driver fumbled to get her through the carriage door.

Red did her best to contain her laughter as she waited for the frazzled man to regain his composure and straighten his uniform.

He turned to Red and extended a hand. “Shall we?”

“I suppose if we must.”

Red took the driver’s hand. While stepping up into the carriage, she faked like she was going to tumble backward. The driver gasped in a panic and dashed behind her with his arms extended. Red gave him a devious grin as she stepped inside and sat down on the crushed velvet seat.

“Enjoy your ride, ladies.” The driver slammed the carriage door.

“Thank you,” said Red and Dote in unison.

The ride to the ball took the better part of an hour. Red and Dote sat mostly in silence. It was all so surreal that neither could come up with much of anything meaningful to say.

Red instead gazed out the window at the lush forest landscape. Even in the dark of the night, Wayward seemed magical to her, like she was living in a fairytale realm of boundless possibilities. Only days ago she was a nameless orphan, and now she was riding in a fancy carriage on her way to a grand ball. It made her feel quite foolish for considering the idea of leaving.

“Dote, if this is a dream, I don’t want to ever wake up.”

As they rolled up a steep embankment, Red and Dote gasped in astonishment. Thousands of floating lamps that looked like twinkling stars illuminated the night sky. Below was what could best be described as an ivory palace. It towered a hundred feet tall and was many times that in width. There were even guard towers on the two front corners.

“Have you ever seen anything like it in your life, Red?”

“I’ve never even dreamed that such a thing could exist, Dote.”

As they approached the palace, they bypassed a long line of horse-drawn carriages and formally dressed party guests. They rolled to a stop at the front gate. The door opened, and two men wearing formal uniforms stood at attention.

Red gestured for Dote to go ahead, but Dote shook her head to say
no way
. Red sighed and took the lead. As she stepped out, a handsome butler extended a hand and helped her down. He wore a black tuxedo with several medals on his chest.

“Announcing the arrival of the lady Red of the Riding Clan,” the butler proclaimed.

Party guests waiting in the line looked curiously at Red. They pointed and whispered things to one another that she couldn’t quite hear.

“Thank you, sir,” Red said, feeling both flattered and embarrassed by all the attention.

The butler held up his arm to Red. “Would the lady allow me to escort her inside?”

Red giggled. “Oh, that would be wonderful.” She took his arm and together they walked toward the main gate.

“Don’t forget me.” Dote cried out from behind.

Red looked back to see Dote frantically stumbling out of the carriage. “Dote, I’m so sorry. I got so caught up in everything that I nearly forgot you.”

Dote’s eyes were wide with awe as she took in the sights. The butler let out a prudish sigh and offered his arm to her.

“Are you going to announce her?” Red asked the butler.

“Of course, Miss Riding. I was just about to.” The butler looked to Dote. “What is your name, young lady?”

Dote whispered into his ear. The butler grumbled to himself. He then cleared his throat.

“Announcing Miss Dote, of the Shrine family.”

Not a single person in the crowd reacted, but Dote smiled and waved just the same. She took the Butler’s arm, and the three of them walked through the main gate.

Dote whispered to Red, “I can’t believe they didn’t make us wait in line.”

“Miss Riding is an honored guest,” the butler said.

“See, Red? You’re totally important,” Dote said.

The idea of this seemed strange to Red, but she figured it was best to leave well enough alone and just enjoy the moment.

As they entered the ballroom and approached the top of a grand staircase, Red’s and Dote’s eyes lit up in amazement. Down below, a full orchestra was playing for countless party guests waltzing on a dance floor. Surrounding them were hundreds of tables, where guests dined on gourmet food and sipped champagne.

“Shall we go down, ladies?”

As the butler led them down the grand staircase, Red felt a surge of excitement that she did not expect.

“Dote, I have a feeling this is going to be a night that we’ll never forget,” Red said.

“It will be as long as they have mint chocolate cake.”

When they neared the bottom of the stairs, Red spotted Ice Seether among the crowd. She was standing with a group of aristocratic gentlemen and their snooty looking wives.

Ice was wearing a long purple gown with a train that dragged for several yards behind her. It was plain to see she had no interest in speaking to the stuffy men and was just waiting for her chance to get away.

The instant Red’s feet touched the ballroom floor, Ice looked right to her, as if she sensed her arrival. “Red Riding, thank the goddess!” Ice turned away from the men without a word and dashed over. She greeted Red with a hug, followed by a kiss on each of her cheeks. “I was beginning to worry that you might not come.”

“Ice, I can’t thank you enough for inviting me. When you said a few friends, I had no idea you meant all this.”

“Well, you have to agree that there is nothing too good for our birthday,” Ice said.

Red gave Ice a perplexed look. “
Our
birthday?”

“Did you not know, Red, darling? You and I were born on the same day. Within minutes of one another, or so it is to my understanding.”

“I didn’t know that.” Red stood dumbstruck. She had never known the date of her birthday. Making it more confusing, she couldn’t figure out how Ice knew, or why she would even care.

“I know it’s still three days away. Tonight was far more appropriate for a ball. I hope you don’t mind us sharing a party,” Ice said.

Red felt quite frazzled. “This is all so unexpected. I don’t know what to say.”

“Red, tell me I’m not imposing on your own plans. You know how much I hate to be an upstager.”

“It’s okay. I just got to town, so I hadn’t made any plans,” Red said.

Dote stepped between Red and Ice. “I’m giving her a slumber party with mint chocolate cake and ice cream.”

“What is this that speaks to me?” Ice looked down her nose at Dote as if she were some kind of annoying insect.

Red cleared her throat. “Ice, I would like you to meet my dear friend, Luna Shrine.”

Dote extended a hand to Ice. “You can call me Dote, like all my friends do.”

Ice blatantly ignored Dote’s hand. “This is something different. The last Shrine to step foot in this house departed without her head intact.”

Red giggled nervously, unsure if Ice was serious.

Dote held her extended hand right to Ice’s face. “Well, I sure don’t plan to hold that against you.”

Ice gave Dote a stone cold stare.

Red nudged Dote aside. “Dote is here by my invitation. I hope you don’t mind. You did say I could bring a guest.”

Ice rolled her eyes in irritation. “I distinctly recall using the word
date
, but why not? It is your party as much as it is my own. Enjoy the festivities, little Miss Shrine.”

“Dote.”

Ice gritted her teeth and turned her back on Dote. She put an arm around Red and ushered her away into the crowd. “So, Red Riding, I know we have discussed this before, but I was hoping you might open up a little more to me. I truly want to know every little thing there is to know about you.”

“There isn’t much to tell, I’m afraid. Dote probably knows more about me than anybody.”

“Yes, of course,” Ice snarled. “From what I understand, you disappeared when you were just a child. Excuse my candor. Most people believed that you were dead.”

“Honestly, it’s not an interesting story,” Red said.

“Your apparent resurrection is nothing less than interesting to me. Red, don’t leave me wondering a minute longer.”

Red sighed. “It’s not that I was dead. I was taken away from Wayward and left alone to fend for myself in a city a long way from here. Until a few days ago, I had no memory of this place or anybody in it. I didn’t even know my last name and certainly not the date of my own birth.”

“That clears up a lot of confusion,” Ice muttered.

“I’m sorry I can’t tell you more, Ice. In many ways, I’m just as much in the dark as you are.”

“Well, none of that matters now. Red Riding is back in Wayward and that is a thing to be celebrated.”

Red faked a smile. “If you don’t mind my asking, why do you care so much? As far as I can tell, we’ve never met before this day.”

Ice stopped and looked Red in the eyes. “It’s not easy to put into words. In Wayward, you’re something of a legend. The Alpha Huntress, gifted with powers greater than any in all of the land, born at the exact same moment in time as myself. Among our generation, I am by far the most exceptional of all, save one girl. Red, darling, that is you. In many ways you are my equal. We are connected at a level I can scarcely explain. Having been born so close in time to one another practically makes us twin sisters.”