Escort For The Witch: The Mystery of Psyche's Ruby

“I promise to shave. And I’ve got all of tomorrow still,” I muttered, forcing a pathetic smile. “Have you seen her?”

“She’s in the farthest bedroom. But you can’t go in there! Respect an old tradition, Jack.

The groom and bride must spend the night before the wedding apart,” Alex preached.

“One night, not two. Remind me about this tomorrow,” I said calmly.

“She’s been asking about you.”

“I have hurt her today. Any advice?”

“Sometimes you have to swallow your pride and make the first move. She loves you very much and has been waiting all day,” Alex encouraged me. “You know whose blood runs in Sabrina’s veins. Accept it and go to her. She’s too proud to admit she’s wrong.”

“That’s exactly what my problem with her is,” I muttered and walked over to the door Alex had pointed to. I knocked gingerly.

There was no answer. I assumed Sabrina was already asleep, but I turned the gilded handle anyway. To my surprise, the door was unlocked. I peeked inside, hesitating to enter. My princess’s chambers were in complete disarray: on the enormous bed, covered by a gold-threaded brocade throw, were scattered elegant mother-of-pearl hairpins. Scraps of white tulle, silk ribbons, and vintage lace were everywhere.

“I think the veil might not be necessary,” Angelica’s melodic voice came from somewhere on my left. I turned and saw a tall white intricately carved wooden door that was ajar. That was enough for me to peek inside without being seen.

What I saw took my breath away. Sabrina stood on a small wooden podium in the middle of a brightly lit boudoir. She was wearing a luxurious white corseted dress, its bodice lavishly embroidered with pearls. The dress seemed to hug her delicate figure, accentuating the slender waist and all the right curves. She casually ran her hand over the folds of the long skirt which flowed into a dramatic lace-trimmed train. From the side, she looked like a weightless porcelain doll, and I instinctively leaned forward for a closer look. I had to give Derek credit—he really knew how to sew.

“The most important thing is to ensure no one steps on the train. Or the dress – and the wedding – will be ruined,” my future wife sang in delight.

“And I think the veil is a must,” Derek retorted. “But it should be very long. We’ll have to make some adjustments. There’s still time.”

I was so absorbed in eyeing Sabrina in her fairy-tale gown, hidden behind the boudoir door, that I didn’t hear another door creak open behind me, and someone else enter the room. That someone else was the person who always showed up at the worst possible moment.

“Jack! What are you doing in here? You’re spying!” Brenda shrieked, dropping a box of white high heel shoes on the floor and lunging straight at me. Instinctively, I stepped forward and tried to clamp my hand over Brenda’s annoying mouth, but it was too late, of course. Apparently, Brenda decided to put up a fight. She pulled at my zip-up hoodie, desperately trying to shove me out of the room. Silently, I unzipped it and literally slipped out of Brenda’s clutch. She staggered, losing her balance, and fell on the floor. I smirked, reaching down to help her up, but she lunged at me again.

Hearing the commotion, Derek rushed out of the boudoir and froze on the spot. Then he closed his eyes, cursed loudly, and pulled the furious Brenda away from me.

“He saw the dress!” she screeched again, kicking and thrashing, trying to break free from the vampire’s iron grip.

“Brenda, chill,” I said as calmly as I could, though I was fuming on the inside. “Why are you so worked up? It’s not like it’s your dress I saw!”

“Don’t you know it’s bad luck if the groom sees the bride’s gown before the wedding?”

Derek cut in coolly, still trying to contain his companion. “Brenda, enough!”

“Oh, come on! What kind of silly superstition is that?”

“The kind that’s a really bad omen!” Derek grumbled. “Brenda! Calm down already!”

My poor nerves, which I’d been trying to keep in check this whole insane day, finally snapped, unleashing all the anger and frustration that had been building up inside me over the past month. I turned on my heal and forcefully flung open the boudoir door.

Sabrina was sitting on a small pouf, drowning in a sea of lace and organza. She was shaking with indignation and surprise. Suddenly, she started pulling delicate mother-of-pear hairpins from her hair. Behind her stood a bewildered Angelica.

“I’ll leave you to it,” Derek mouthed, leaning over Sabrina.

“Be wise, don’t make any mistakes,” Angelica whispered, then the pair of them left the boudoir, firmly shutting the door behind them.

I took a deep breath, waiting for Sabrina to lash out at me, also known as initiate the conversation. To my surprise, she didn’t. She continued to remain silent, burning holes in me with her deep blue eyes full of tears and resentment.

“If that’s how it is, may I begin then. Firstly, I don’t believe in silly omens and superstitions invented for innocent maidens who faint at the sight of a dead fly.

Secondly, I did knock before entering. Thirdly… I just wanted to apologize and say that I don’t want our married life to start with resentment and scandals. I love you, despite all your ridiculous antics. And forgive me, sunshine, but you’ve got the most infuriating personality. I love you still. And the day after tomorrow, unless you buy into all that omen nonsense spouted by the crazy duo and don’t change your mind—which I’m still hoping for—I’ll repeat it before God. And before the entire crowd of those strangers!

I’ll smile dutifully, shake everyone’s hands, and shower them with thanks for their congratulations and gifts. Although you know perfectly well how much that annoys me! I always want you to be happy. Even if you’re hating me right now.”

Sabrina remained silent, struggling to hold back tears, gripping the hairpins so tightly that her knuckles turned white. I waited a few minutes, expecting her to lunge at me and try to stab me with a hairpin, but none of that happened. She closed her eyes, letting a tear roll down her lashes. That single tear pierced my heart like a knife. I couldn’t say another word. Hastily, I left the boudoir, leaving Sabrina tête-à-tête with her grief and pride.

I wanted to strangle that omnipresent Brenda for showing up at the worst time to ruin the moment for me, and, potentially, my entire future life with Sabrina. But where was she now that I needed to scold her? Brenda was only where she was not welcome or needed! And now that she had done her ‘duty’, she disappeared. Could this day have gone any worse? What Gods had I angered? Because I must have done. Feeling completely drained, I headed to my room, escorted by a subdued Angélique.

“What are my chances of a happy ending?” I asked the vampiress gloomily. Angelica paused for a moment, then shook her head sadly.

“You did the right thing, Jack. That’s my opinion. If you truly matter to her, she’ll listen to her heart. And don’t pay attention to any nonsense. I’ll have a little chat with Brenda. Derek’s hopeless—he’s always on the edge. But you – you need a rest right now,” Angelica smiled gently and headed away from me toward the grand staircase.

I pushed open the heavy oak door and disappeared into the welcoming coolness and darkness of my chamber, illuminated only by the moonlight. The image of the slender girl in her poufy wedding dress reappeared in my mind. Before that wicked witch Brenda popped up in the room, I could have sworn I had glimpsed a sparkle of happiness in my bride’s eyes. My heart still heavy, I took off my T-shirt, pulled the envelope and the pouch with the ring from my pocket and placed them on a small table by the window. On the table – I now noticed – stood a tall decanter half-full of deep amber-colored liquid, which, upon closer inspection, turned out to be proper vintage cognac, and two glasses. I poured myself a glass, took a few sips, lit a cigarette and sank heavily onto my bed.

My life was changing rapidly, and not for the better. Cursing everything under the sun, I closed my eyes, plunging into impenetrable darkness, a darkness that now seemed to symbolise my entire existence. I tried not to think about the upcoming two days, for they promised to be fine fun for everyone, except for myself.

My gloomy thoughts were interrupted by the soft creaking of the opening door.

Someone entered the room and stood there, hesitating, waiting. After what felt like an eternity, my eyes still shut, I heard light footsteps approaching.

Someone stopped by the bed, then sat down beside me gingerly. The next moment I was aware of a gentle kiss being planted on my unshaven cheek, and the familiar tender fingertips ran through my tangled hair.

“I love you too,” whispered the dear voice in my ear. “And my temper really is awful.”

“Hey! You’re here…What about that old tradition? The bad omen thing?”

“I’m a witch, remember? Omens don’t bother me. What could possibly happen?”

Sabrina chuckled softly. “Let’s not fight anymore. I’m so tired of it. Plus, I’ll need to get up super early and sneak back to my room before anyone discovers I spent the night with you.”

“My devious goddess,” I muttered, pulling her closer.

Well, maybe I was wrong, and all was not so bad after all. Destiny, it seemed, decided to remind me that there was still light at the end of the tunnel. And tomorrow morning… Tomorrow morning, we shall start with a clean slate. And I hope the wedding goes without a hitch. Here’s to no more drama and hysterics!

Chapter 5

What Could Possibly Happen?

I woke up rather early to find Sabrina long gone. Outside, the weather was gloomy, and the rain was tapping lightly against the tall windows of my bedroom, like a soft drumroll. The clock hands were on nine. Considering the amount of people involved in the final preparations for our wedding, I selfishly decided they would manage just fine without me – which meant I could sleep for a couple more hours. My conscience completely clear, I nestled back in my bed and was about to doze off, when there came a sudden persistent knock on the door. I froze, pretending not to be there, then pulled the blanket over myself to hide. And then my phone pinged, announcing a delivered message. The message was a voice note from dad.

“Open up, son, I know you’re not sleeping! I’ve brought you your suit.” He was clearly irritated.

Another urgent knock on the door.

Reluctantly, I crawled out of bed, opened the door wide enough for my hand to go through, grabbed the suit from my father with thanks and shut the door hastily behind him. To give him credit, he didn’t complain, just nodded understandingly and went on about his business. I had no desire to talk to anyone, let alone answer the same questions over and over. And now, I didn’t even feel like sleeping anymore. Why does everything always seem against me? There was nothing else to do but get up, so I decided to accept my fate. After a quick shower, I headed to the kitchen through the maze of old, dim corridors, moving in the shadows, trying to remain unseen. To my surprise, hardly anyone paid any attention to me, everyone busy with their own tasks.

Except for me and a local chef, the kitchen was empty, so I sat down to my breakfast in peace and quiet, and then, just as quietly, I returned to my bedroom. Today was supposed to be our wedding rehearsal, so I figured if I could survive today, I had every chance of surviving the Big Day itself.

I glanced at the perfectly ironed wedding suit and the lonely bow tie lying on the bed. I shuddered. It’s a good thing mom insisted on buying a classic tie right before the flight.

Well, it’s time I surrendered to fate and finally tried on this monstrous attire.

I donned the black pants, the white shirt, the black vest, and shiny new shoes, then stared at myself in the mirror. I couldn’t recognise myself. But I could now see why men wearing tux are often likened to penguins. Being in the suit made me feel somewhat strange and rather uncomfortable.

“Thank God I’ve never worked in an office. Suits are pure torture,” I muttered through clenched teeth as I lifted the collar to put on the bow tie.

There came a knock on the door, and before I could even decide if I wanted to see anyone or not, the door swung open. Derek stood in the doorway, sporting basketball shorts, a red Nirvana T-shirt, and a lime green hoodie. In his hands, he held a ball and a pair of sunglasses.

“Hey, Cornell,” Derek greeted me, spinning the ball on his finger. “Why are you all dressed up? The rehearsal isn’t due for hours.”

“Don’t ask,” I grumbled, giving my mirror reflection another disapproving look.

“Alright, I won’t. There’s no sun today, so Eric, Joey, and I are thinking of shooting hoops. You in?”

Derek stared at me, waiting for an answer while I struggled with the tie. It was my third attempt, and another failure.

“You’ll strangle yourself,” the bloodsucker remarked in a matter-of-fact way.

“Maybe that’s for the best. Why can’t we be wearing just jeans and T-shirts to own wedding?”

“Yeah, and ride off into the sunset on a Harley.”

“As an option, yes. What would be your dream wedding, by the way?”

“Well, my wedding was pretty traditional.”

I stopped and stared at the vampire. In all the years of our friendship, he had never once mentioned having been married. I couldn’t help but notice a sudden change come over Derek. The usual cheerfulness and nonchalant manner were gone without a trace. He heaved a sigh and seemed to retreat into the world of memories, running his hands over the ball absent-mindedly. I could tell he was pondering something – or rather, reminiscing about something – and judging by his sad expression, now wasn’t the best time to ask questions. But curiosity got the better of me, and I was just about to open my mouth when the door burst open, and Sabrina literally flew into the room.

“Jack, sweetie, is my phone charger in your suitcase?” she asked, pulling her phone out of the pocket of her long Terry bathrobe. “I can’t find it, and my phone’s nearly dead.”

Sabrina halted, looked me up and down, biting her lip playfully, and laughed.

“Holy crap, Jack! You look so smart! Boy, do I envy myself!” exclaimed my better half, adjusting the towel on her head before throwing her arms around my neck. “You look so sexy. A real gentleman. That suit looks amazing on you! Right, Derek?”

The vampire tossed the ball high into the air and, without looking at us, nodded silently in agreement. At that moment, I noticed someone else hiding behind him.

“Come on, Brenda, I’ve seen you now,” I called to her, finally giving up on the bow.

Sabrina smirked and put her hands on my tie. Moving her hands like a pro, she quickly did the bow for me and stood back to admire her work.

Brenda stood in the doorway for a moment, but eventually stepped hesitantly forward, handing me the hoodie I’d left in Sabrina’s room the night before.

“I accidentally ripped your sleeve. But I sewed it back together. I mean… Derek did. And I’m sorry about yesterday. Really, I didn’t mean to. It’s just… everything’s so overwhelming. And your constant thoughts…”’

“What thoughts?” Sabrina asked me, alarmed.

“Don’t listen to her, sweetheart. Everything’s fine,” I said, kissing Sabrina on the tip of her nose and gesturing Brenda to go to the table. “Help yourself to some chocolate and find something else to occupy your mind with besides reading my thoughts. We’ll look for the phone charger.”

I expected Sabrina to bombard me with questions, but to my surprise, she just started looking for the charger. Brenda fell silent and looked curiously at the unusually quiet Derek, who had put in his earbuds and seemed completely lost in thought.

Brenda slowly walked over to the table, on which were stacked a couple of chocolate bars, an old, yellowed wax sealed envelope, and a black velvet pouch. She glanced the items over, picked up a chocolate bar, stuffed it into her old leather jacket pocket, and gently ran her fingers over the velvet pouch. For a moment, she shut her eyes, as if trying to shake off the nagging urge to mentally scan its contents. She even bit her lip.

Still, curiosity got the better of her. She glanced at Derek again, as if hoping he might prove a welcoming distraction, but he seemed oblivious to everything around him.

Seeing that we were all busy with our own tasks, Brenda stealthily picked up the pouch, untied the ribbon, and pulled out the ring.

“Wowzer! Look at that beaut!” Brenda muttered under her breath, noticing the ruby start to glow faintly in her warm hands. She suddenly thought there might be some initials engraved on the back of the stone. She turned it over and peered at it, trying to make out the scratch marks that represented the letters worn away over time – sadly, she could decipher nothing. Brenda brought the ring to her face for a closer look, when suddenly the ruby began to pulsate, radiating a bright light. Her eyes widened, and she held her breath in awe.

A loud thud sound bounced around the room, creating an ominous echo. It was Derek slamming the ball down to the floor. Nothing to worry about, and yet the sound was enough to startle Brenda, causing her to drop the ring. It hit the stone slabs with a dull, metallic clink and rolled under the table. Brenda gasped and dropped to the floor after it. Picking the ring up with trembling hands, she saw in horror that a narrow crack had formed on the gem’s surface.

“Damn it,” she whispered, quickly getting to her feet and sliding the ring back in the pouch.

“Brenda! I told you only to take a chocolate bar and leave everything else alone!” I barked from the closet. “Sabi, I don’t know where your charger is. Maybe you left it at home? My backpack was around here somewhere. Maybe it’s in there.”

I stepped out of the closet and froze on the spot. Something in the bedroom had changed. Something was off. Actually… Everything was off! What the hell was going on? I admit the wedding was driving me crazy, but – to that extent?

I looked around frantically, not believing my eyes. The room, which I now knew down to the smallest detail, had transformed beyond recognition. The burgundy curtains with gold brush fringe trim, which I distinctly remember being open when I had gone into the closet, were now tightly drawn, deep blue and missing the fringe trim. Bright sunlight barely reached through the thick brocade fabric, only leaving tiny pools of dim light on the floor. It was even more strange because I clearly remembered it was a grey, gloomy morning when I woke up, and it had been raining through the night. The air was suddenly thick with the almost tangible scent of candles: beeswax, vanilla, and a hint of incense. A bad feeling crept over me, followed by a blood-chilling realization that somehow, I had managed to travel to another time, another dimension.

I took a couple of steps toward the bed, which seemed to have shrunk in size. What used to be a massive, messy-looking bed was now a small, neat, four poster affair. It was made up with a bedspread the same shade of blue as the curtains. On the solid oak nightstand, which I also didn’t recognize, stood a huge vase with a bouquet of scarlet roses. Next to the vase, rested a neat stack of antique-looking leather-bound books.

Their spines were adorned with gold embossing that glowed softly in the dim light of the strange chamber.

I kept looking around me in confusion. The walls of the room were changing right before my eyes. Their familiar color and pattern were slowly fading out, as if an invisible hand were carefully peeling the old wallpaper to reveal the ancient masonry hidden beneath. The patterns that were emerging now were intricate and unfamiliar: a tangled mess of grape vines, delicate flowers, and symbols I couldn’t decipher. It was as if the room were breathing again, gifted a new lease of life, returning to its former glory, hidden from view for centuries.

I stood there, in the middle of the bizarre transformation, feeling my head spinning as my reality was shifting. Every object, every corner of the room seemed to be telling its own story in some sort of magical performance, and I was a mere spectator. And it didn’t make me happy at all. What the hell was going on?

“Um… guys,” Derek called out quietly. “Is it just me, or was this door white just now?”

Our friendly bloodsucker nodded toward the massive black oak door with a brass handle and drew the basketball to his chest.

“It’s not just you,” I muttered, feeling my stomach drop as if it were setting off on its own adventure. I tried to keep my voice calm, despite numerous alarms going off inside my head. How could my room have become so unrecognizable in just a few minutes?

Derek and I exchanged glances. Both of us were trying to ascertain what was happening and what to do next. Meanwhile, the space around us continued to transform slowly, as if obeying some invisible force. Gradually, the room became more austere, with fewer and smaller objects in it.

“What the hell?” Sabrina suddenly screamed next to me. “What kind of sick joke is this? Where are we even?”

She nervously adjusted the towel on her head and stared at me in confusion.

“I… I’m not entirely sure,” a soft voice piped up from behind us, “but I think it’s my fault.”

Well, of course! Could it have been anyone else’s? What even possessed me to think that having Brenda as a wedding guest would not make things go sideways? Naive fool! I closed my eyes, counted to five, then turned to face Brenda. She was standing there, shuffling, a silly, guilty smile on her face. I clenched my fists, taking a step in her direction, and was about to be extremely rude to her when a sudden, strange rustling noise behind the door made me freeze on the spot. Someone was there, and that someone was eavesdropping on us. My gut told me we were running out of time, which meant we had to think and act fast.

“Here’s your backpack,” Brenda whispered, almost apologetically.

“I see,” I whispered back. “Now, pack everything from that table into it before it’s sucked into that time hole or whatever it is, and let’s get out of here. Got it?”

A muffled noise came from deep within the hallway. Brenda, her hands trembling, quickly stuffed a comb, the envelope, and the chocolate bar into the backpack. She reached for the ring pouch, grabbing it and trying to lift it, but it seemed glued to the spot and, a moment later, it vanished completely. She bit her lip and sniffled quietly.

Struggling with my hoodie, I gave her a threatening look that said, “I’m getting you for this, but first – I’ll deal with this mess.”

“Okay, I’ve got everything. Let’s go before – ”

Her words were cut off by a loud knock on the door, making us freeze in place.

“Who is it?” Derek whispered, gripping the ball tight as if it could offer him guidance and protection.

“Maybe the maid?” Sabrina suggested in a shaking voice.

“Maids don’t knock, sweetheart,” I whispered back. “They just barge in and start cleaning, even if you’re still asleep.”

Loud voices could be heard behind the door now, and someone was resolutely turning the handle. Brenda moved closer to me, Sabrina closed her eyes, and Derek and I exchanged frightened glances. The four of us looked like the rabbits in the headlights.

The door opened slowly, revealing a man in his fifties. I looked him up and down, my mouth hanging open in surprise. He, however, did the same thing. In his beige, embroidered, tailored high-collar jacket and matching breeches that barely contained his enormous belly, he looked like he’d just returned from a period costume party. On his feet were black velvet shoes with silver buckles, and on his head – a bulky curly wig. The man stared at our party in bewilderment, his eyes darting from side to side. I noticed there was no one with him. We had to act fast.

“He’s definitely not happy to see us,” Brenda whispered behind me. “I don’t speak French, but in my head, I can hear him screaming and cursing right now.”

Our spectacular visitor, apparently, didn’t speak English either, because our remarks agitated him extremely. His face puffed up and turned red, his eyes bulged, and he started screaming at the top of his lungs. That kind of scream, in any language, could only be a call for help.