“Aaaanne. Aaaaanne. Wake up.” Izzy’s voice sing-songed above me. 

 

I floated back to consciousness and sat up expecting to see our bedroom at home and had a moment of disorientation when I realized I was in Andrews’ second-best bedroom in the evening light. Izzy stood by the chaise in a shift and corset, holding a bouquet of fragrant flowers, surrounded by servants. 

 

“How was your nap? Do you feel like you can get up now?” she asked.

 

I felt much better. I stretched and ran my hands through my now-tangled bed-head hair. Izzy ordered some of the maids around, and before I knew what was going on, Lady Catherine’s handmaid was brushing my hair out and re-styling it into something wedding-appropriate. I was still bleary-eyed but felt better than I had in weeks.

 

Once my hair was done, Izzy confused everyone by sending all the maids and attendants out of her chambers and insisting that it was tradition for the Maid of Honor to dress the bride alone. She told them all that we’d meet them at the chapel. I went along with her charade and bid goodbye to all the girls.

 

Izzy shut the door, and we were finally alone in a quiet room. Before she could get too involved in dressing, I reached for her hand. How do you thank someone for taking care of you? No one did that for me. All of a sudden, I just needed her. I pulled her in close, unbelievably grateful she was here with me. I kissed her cheek and rested my forehead against hers. 

 

“I’m so glad you’re here.” And for the first time in our lives, I didn’t pull away first.

 

When Izzy eventually stood up, I followed her to the dress and lifted it off the valet. I gently draped the gown around her and smoothed out the folds, adjusted the laces, and arranged the shift underneath. 

 

“He’s going to love you in this.” She looked beautiful in my gown.

 

“He already loves me. At least, he’s convinced he does.” She admired herself in the mirror. I adjusted all the lacing to better fit her petite frame. I wasn’t a giant, but I had more muscle and her waist was smaller.

 

“Do you know he told me that he would have proposed even earlier, but he didn’t want to scare me off? What a world.” She grinned as she turned side to side to see more of her reflection.

 

A laugh escaped me. She really didn’t understand this era. “I imagine he wanted to propose as soon as he saw the sun shining through your nightgown in port that first day.” It was a miracle he hadn't proposed on the spot.

 

“What?! What are you talking about?” She pulled me up, her eyes panicked, her grip tight.

 

“He didn’t tell you?” Even I remembered that vision: the sunbeams turning her light cotton dress into vapor and leaving nothing but the silhouette of Aphrodite on a half shell with a joint stuck in her mouth. “Oh yeah, you were displayed in all your glory up there as he came to check on my ship.”

 

“Oh my god. Ian was one of those guys on the dock? And he still liked me after that?”

 

“Yeah. I’d say so.” I’d liked him far less after that, but I suppose during that first day I wasn’t as anxious to see him drawn and quartered.

 

“It’s a different time. I’d think he’d be appalled by such a display.” Izzy actually seemed embarrassed. Meanwhile, I’d seen her prance down the streets of Miami in a crocheted bra, but here she was concerned about this? Maybe this young lieutenant was something more than I’d thought. There’d be time to mull that over later.

 

“Men haven’t changed so much throughout time,” I assured her and resumed retying all the lacing.

 

“I would like to think there was more to his proposal of marriage than that. Especially since he still won’t...you know...yet.” She gestured to her body and all the fun her fiancé was missing out on.

 

I did know. I knew in all too detailed a manner. I frowned and kept lacing.

 

“One hour left.” Then she could go ahead and undo all my hard work here and get down and dirty with that – I sighed. Keep your thoughts to yourself. It’s her wedding day. I looked back up at her. “You can do it. Then you can – ugh, really? He’s who you want?” 

 

I’m sorry, I just couldn’t keep it together. He was a dick.

 

“I know you two don’t like each other very much,” she admonished me. “But I do love him. I wish you had gotten to know him the way I have. He really is amazing and – god, Anne, I can’t even explain all the things he’s done for me. I know this seems crazy, but...I have a really, really good feeling about this. And him. He’s so different from anyone I've ever met, for obvious reasons. And it’s quite appealing to be with a powerful Roman when in Rome.”

 

I listened to her talk and heard the words of a girl who hadn’t let the world drag her down despite its best efforts. Izzy still liked glitter and strawberries and polka dots and kittens, and all these things made her stronger. The fact that she was unapologetic in embracing what she loved, instead of eschewing it to appear more grown and cynical, served to draw people into her life. It even made some people want to keep her with them longer than she was supposed to be in their lives.

 

While imprisoned I had racked my brain to figure out the piece of the puzzle I was missing in this whole situation. Why was she making these random and unconnected choices? Love. It was fucking love – or, in Izzy’s case, non-fucking love. At least she thought it was love and, for now, I’d go along with her. I begged the universe for an ounce of patience. 

 

“I don’t see it. But I’ll suffer this young lieutenant as an in-law since you love him so much.”

 

"Lieutenant commander, Anne. He’s not a lieutenant. And thank you.” She went back to admiring herself.

 

“He’s an ass—fine. This...Ian...seems to love you just the same way back.” I turned my attention to the veil and where and how to place it on her head. “Your hair looks wonderful. When did it get so long?"

 

“I know, right? It’s hard to tell when it’s all curly.”

 

I stuck the pins in place and wondered at her straight hair. “Did you smuggle a hot comb on board my ship?”

 

“I hardly smuggled it!” Izzy pointed out the metal comb on the vanity next to her. “It fits all of your parameters!”

 

“Yes, yes. Okay,” I grumbled. I did say no electricity. I didn’t figure on needing to limit inventions by patent year. Looks like no harm was done. I tugged the veil to get the lace to turn out and frame her face. “Mom wouldn’t shut up about this veil as she wrapped it up. Got to hear the whole damn wedding story all over again. I hope you appreciate my sacrifice.” The limo mix-up, the sun shower of afternoon rain, how the photographers got the most glorious picture of her at sunset. Blah, blah, blah.

 

“Right.” Izzy twisted around and the veil pulled out of my fingers. I twisted her back and continued my preparation.

 

“Didn’t you just leave yesterday?” she asked. “That’s what Davies told us. But you said you had been sailing for the past week? How did you manage any of this?”

 

“I’ve been sailing for three weeks. Time travel. Duh.” I smiled to myself. I really hadn’t had much time to explain anything after Tavern Rock. It’s amazing she hadn’t stabbed me.

 

“Oh. Uh. Okay. Can you give me a little bit more than that?”

 

“Yeah, what?” I asked around the pins in my mouth. “Like, I sailed home. Mom yelled at me. I sailed back here in time for the wedding? Or do you want, like, science? Because I have theories, dimensions, and branes and—” Izzy blinked at me. “Magic feels appropriate too. Or rather, the old gods still messing about.” I rubbed at the wicked brand on the back of my neck out of habit. 

 

The brand was called a Nekydalleon, and my friends and I joked it was called that because it went on your neck, much like Tavern Rock was called Tavern Rock because it was a tavern on a rock. However, the significance went deeper and darker than was appropriate discussion for a wedding day. I dropped my hand quickly from the Nekydalleon to my side and hoped she didn’t notice.

 

“Huh. Well...okay. I guess that makes about as much sense as anything else that’s happening. Thank you for giving me a straight answer for once.”

 

“I always give you straight answers. I don’t lie to you, Izzy.” There, that last pin would keep this damn veil in place.

 

“You don’t volunteer information, either, Anne.” Izzy gestured to the room, and I imagined that gesture included Andrews and all he entailed. 

 

I grimaced. True, I had never had any intention of telling Izzy about Andrews ever. Which made me wonder how mad she might get if and when she learned of some of my other stories.

 

“That’s fair.” I hid myself behind her veil again, pretending to fix a small bit of stitching.

 

“How was Mom? And – what did you tell her?” she asked as she ran the delicate veil through her fingers.

 

“She’s fine. Mimosa lunches and all that.” I poured a drink for myself and put a piece of cheese on top of bread for a snack. “I told her you were getting married, and she spent the rest of the time in motion getting all this stuff for you.” I gestured to all the crap Izzy had on right now.

 

“That’s it? She didn’t think it was weird that I was getting married when I wasn’t even dating anyone? Or – oh, god, did she think I didn’t want to invite her?” Izzy started pacing unconsciously.

 

“Mom...she...has suspected me for a long time. She never says anything outright, but I’m sure she knows. Apparently ‘whether you want to see it or not, Diane, you’re very much like your father.’” I imitated Mom’s voice as I said that last line while grabbing a few grapes and more cheese. That dig still stung. She could get under my skin unlike anyone else. It was her superpower.

 

“Wait a minute. Like Da?” she asked. 

 

I nodded and started looking at her jewelry options. 

 

“Anne. When you kept running away – is this what you were doing? Were you coming back here?”

 

“Yeah. Of course. Here, there, other places. I get around.” She already had a lot on. I wondered if she’d be willing to lose that necklace. “When I couldn’t navigate the portal right, I would miss days and you all thought that I’d run away. Really I’d just blown my exits.” I rambled as I straightened parts of the gown. It was pleasant to talk so freely to her about this. This was closer to what I’d envisioned our trip would include – minus the upcoming husband.

 

“And you guys think that Da might be here in 1649 too? I mean, that’s—”

 

“What? No.” God no. That bastard was long gone to hell and good riddance. I was sure of it. Heaven help him if he wasn’t. “I don’t know what Mom thinks. What I think is that Dad was a bad sailor and didn’t make it through the portal. Not everyone does.”

 

“But you do think he might have tried?” Izzy kept pushing this line. “Because anything could have happened—”

 

“Izzy, stop.” I cut her off. “It’s an impossible question. All that’s important to know is that he was a piece of garbage who left in the first place. Nothing matters beyond that.” Izzy was destroyed when he’d left. She had been in her bed reading for weeks. She wouldn’t even touch a sailboat for ages. She still hadn’t left her books behind and escaped into the pages every moment she could.

 

“Anne, it does matter! Don’t you understand? It’s crazy here, and anything could happen!” She was pacing again.

 

“Maybe he just got lost or wrecked his boat or something, but – this is amazing news!” She turned back, all smiles, to the mirror. I couldn’t argue that the happy expression was the defining accessory for her to wear, but the reason behind it worried me. There was enough going on for her today, I’d hate for thoughts of that man to intrude.

 

“Maybe. Sure.” I straightened the skirt just a little and stood next to her in front of the mirror. My sister looked resplendent in all her finery and now with a smile to boot. I looked old. Ah well, can’t be helped. “Are you ready?” I asked.

 

“We are missing one thing. I really, really wish we could have pictures. Even just a few selfies, you know?”

 

“I know. This wedding is dangerous enough though. Let’s not add a camera into the mix.” That devil rectangle was not coming off the ship on my watch. Not after what happened at Tavern Rock. “But maybe we can add a little to your dress here in memory?” There was a small area around her hip near a depiction of a turtle where we could add something.

 

“Maybe a nice ring or,” I reached for her hand to see what kind of ring the stupid boy – Hold. The. Fuck. Up. “Hey, is that one of my diamonds?” It was! I had sat in a damn prison in the Canary Islands for three months because of that thing! How had she found it and what was it doing on her finger?

 

“Yes.” She took her hand back and admired the sun sparkling off the rock. “Speaking of you doing nice things for me, your sister, who you love and kidnapped? I need a couple of small favors.”

 

“Uh oh.” This wasn’t going anywhere good for me. The sound of guests climbing the stairs sped Izzy and her litany of requests up.

 

“I need you to take Lady Catherine off this island. I need to get some supplies to some impoverished refugees. And I need to get my almost-husband inoculated as best I can before he goes off to war. Will you help me? Please?” 

 

The doors opened, and Izzy was swept away from me before I had a chance to wonder what the hell just happened. Did she say something about Lady Catherine as a passenger? Refugees? However, I did sort of enjoy the idea that I could stick my new brother-in-law with something sharp.

 

“Wait...what?” I said as the tide of silk flowed back down the stairs. Why not ask for the moon while she’s at it? Andrews trotted up the steps and poked his head in the door.

 

“Nanette? Shall we?” He offered his arm, but I was still reeling from Izzy’s departure. “Nanette?” The concern in his voice caught my attention, and I turned to him. He looked stunning. He was washed and dressed in a beautiful brocade ensemble. He’d even shaved some of the scruffiness off his beard.

 

“You were right,” I told him. “She is dangerous.” He grinned that wildcat grin and took me in his arms and kissed me.

 

“I’m glad you slept.” He held me close, and I put my head to his chest. “I came to check that your sister was being kind and saw you dead on the chaise. You snore really loudly, did you realize?”

 

“Liar.” I reached up and kissed him.

 

“Takes one to know one.” He grinned. “Let's get this charade over with, shall we?”

 

“Let’s,” I agreed and let him lead me out of the house.

 

I did make one stop before heading to the chapel. It looked like Izzy had tasked me with enough errands to ferry me to hell and back. And I’d do them because I’d do anything for her. So if I was going to hell, I might as well do it thoroughly. I retrieved my phone from my cabin. This devil rectangle might get me killed, but only if Izzy didn’t manage the deed first. I pocketed the thing and met Andrews back out on the dock. Time to go watch Izzy take a short walk in a pretty dress.

​

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