Chapter 14

On the day of Elara's hospital discharge, Alder ordered the most expensive champagne. Crystal glasses clinked with a crisp chime. As Alder watched the bubbles rise in his glass, he heard Elara say, "Thank you for taking care of me these past few days. I don't know what I would've done without you." Vera hooked his arm and giggled playfully. "Alder, your wedding with Elara has to be grand. Two people this perfect for each other deserve a celebration that will shake the whole city!" Hearing that, Alder froze. Again, memory fragments fleeted through his mind. A lady with a face full of shock hurled a ring away. "We're siblings!" He remembered holding back as he bent over to pick up the ring and slip it silently into his pockets. Instinctively, in the present, he reached toward the pocket at his side, only to find it empty. These strange, disorienting moments had been happening more lately. It felt like he'd forgotten something important. During the days of their wedding preparation