Alex stepped forwards, putting his arm around Tessa’s slight shoulders. ‘Your grandparents’ manor is among the most romantic in all of Europe. It is said that, long ago, it was the scene of many romantic proposals and declarations of undying love, because this is where the Free Rose of Summer blooms.’
Ivy tilted her head. ‘I don’t think I’ve ever heard of that tradition and I’m a vamp, so I know my sister hasn’t.’
Olivia stuck out her tongue at Ivy.
Alex chuckled. ‘Then we will have to show you. I’m due to visit Wallachia Academy later today to go over some last-minute wedding plans with the school head, who is to be a witness at the wedding. But I should just have time . . . Come with me.’ He beckoned, and Olivia and Ivy followed him and Tessa across the lush grounds towards the back of the mansion.
On the other side was a beautiful green field. The group walked up to the crest of a hill that overlooked the blossoming Lazar garden with its colourful violets, tulips and lilies. Vampires, with their advanced horticultural skills, certainly did have green fingers!
Alex took Tessa’s hand and pointed down to the other side of the hill, where the land flattened into a blooming rose meadow. Olivia had never seen anything like it before. The garden was planted with beds of red, pink, yellow, peach, lavender, blue, purple and white. A huge greenhouse – bigger than Ivy’s home back in Franklin Grove – nestled on the edge of the meadow.
‘It’s fabulous,’ said Olivia, taking a deep breath of the fragrant air.
‘Like all flowers,’ said Alex, ‘these roses can live for years and years when aided by vampire cultivation techniques. But despite how strong and long-living these flowers are, at the very height of summer a fierce breeze blows through the grounds, plucking a single rose from the meadow and stealing it away. It happens every year.’
Olivia tried to imagine what that would look like, a single flower soaring through the air.
‘Of course,’ Alex went on, ‘no one has actually seen this occur for a long, long time, but it is said that the colour of the rose holds significance for any who witness it. For example, yellow means “new beginnings”, while lavender means “enchantment”.’
‘Almost all colours promise good fortune,’ added Tessa. ‘Except blue, which means “impossible love”.’
‘Impossible love does not exist,’ said Alex, sharing a meaningful look with Tessa. Even though their love had seemed impossible, it had worked out. Ivy and Olivia had convinced Tessa at the Valentine’s Ball this year that she could be with Alex and still stay true to herself. Together, she and Alex had overcome the odds and now they were getting married! Maybe Alex was right and no love was impossible.
But I know that’s not exactly true, Olivia thought, with a rueful pout. She forced her lips into a smile and hoped no one noticed.
Tessa rested her head on Alex’s shoulder. ‘I want our whole wedding day to be filled with flowers.’ Olivia sighed but didn’t speak, letting them enjoy their moment. Ivy rolled her eyes.
In silence, they all looked out at the rose meadow. It was hard not to feel a little starry-eyed with the combination of the view and Alex’s romantic superstition. Olivia’s breath had literally been taken away. She’d had no idea her family’s land was the site of such a beautiful and romantic legend.
‘Um, guys?’ Ivy stepped forwards, peering down the hill. ‘Isn’t this the hill I fell down last time we were here?’
Olivia burst out laughing. Leave it to her sister to puncture such a tender moment!
‘Well, with that parting thought . . .’ Alex’s eyes sparkled ‘ . . . we should probably be heading back to the house. There’s a lot to do before the big day!’ He and Tessa exchanged a loving smile, and Olivia found herself having to suppress another wistful sigh.
‘He’s right,’ Tessa agreed. ‘And we’ve stolen you from your grandparents for too long already. But, you two have to promise to come to my O Inima Sarbatoare.’
‘Oh Enemy Sar Batter?’ Olivia tried to repeat the words.
Tessa chuckled. ‘O Inima Sarbatoare,’ she said the words slowly.
‘Oh In-ee-ma Sar-bat-or,’ Ivy echoed in a very American accent.
‘Tessa?’ Olivia interrupted. ‘I think our Romanian might be a little rusty. It sounds like you’re speaking jibberish!’
Tessa frowned. ‘I’m sorry. It doesn’t have an English translation that I know. Its literal meaning is “One Heart Celebration”.’
‘One Heart Celebration?’ Ivy repeated. ‘No offence, but that sounds sort of sad.’
Tessa smiled. ‘It’s traditionally held two nights before a wedding to mark that a person has just one more night as a lonely heart.’ She intertwined her fingers in Alex’s. ‘Because after that, I’ll forever be part of a pair.’ Olivia didn’t dare look at Ivy, who was surely approaching her tolerance level for mushy love stuff.
Olivia kept one eye on the rose meadow, half hoping she would spot the Free Rose. ‘In America, we call that a bachelorette party.’ Olivia tried to picture Tessa running around in a silly veil made of toilet paper and singing bad karaoke, like at the bachelorette parties she’d seen on TV shows back home. ‘But . . . I have a feeling that the Transylvanian vampire version will be a much classier affair.’
‘But don’t think you girls are having all the fun.’ Prince Alex waggled his eyebrows. ‘I’m having my own One Heart Celebration. It’s just a shame Brendan and –’ The whole world seemed to lurch into slow motion for Olivia. He’s going to say it, isn’t he? The J-word. He was going to say the J-word and there was nothing she could do to stop him. She could see Alex’s mouth forming the word. She could make out Ivy’s shadow, stretching out in front of her, arms waving like she was trying to stop a car crash. Then Tessa was reaching for Alex, but before she could grab him, he finished, ‘– Jackson couldn’t be here.’
Ivy’s jaw dropped and Tessa stopped dead. Olivia suddenly felt as if all the oxygen in the entire world had been sucked up by the sky.
Alex’s eyes flitted between the faces staring at him. ‘Um . . . I mean . . .’ he stuttered. ‘You know, I just thought . . .’ Tessa gently touched her fiancé’s arm. ‘My apologies.’ He bowed his head to Olivia.