Soothsayer: Magic Is All Around Us (Soothsayer Series Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page B

Violet, the photographer…” I began
    “Yes, yes. They’re expecting you. Go straight upstairs, to the right, second door on the left.” The woman pointed to the nearby grand staircase and hurried away.
    Becky and I stepped inside and closed the large door behind us. The interior of the house was incredible. The floors were a dark, polished wood and the grand staircase in front of us curved upwards along a blue carpet that would allow at least four people to walk up and down side by side with each other. A circular skylight cast bright, morning sun onto the staircase beneath it. More sunlight poured through the windows behind us, and little dust motes danced in the beams, giving the entryway a mystical quality. Despite the dark wood that seemed to flow throughout the entire house, everything seemed very light. There were large windows everywhere you looked and all the shades had been pulled back. To the left of the staircase, French doors lined the back of the house and opened up into the backyard. All of the doors had been pushed open and I spotted several people setting up chairs and hanging what looked like lanterns. One man stood in the middle of the yard giving orders to everyone around him.
    “Could this place be any nicer?” Becky whispered, leaning into me.
    “It sure beats a one bedroom condo.” I noted and started for the stairs.
    Everything had been decorated for the wedding, including the staircase. White chiffon ran the length of the banisters with lilies and roses spaced evenly apart. Long strands of ribbon hung from every other post beneath the banister, all the way to the top of the staircase. The ribbons rustled like blades of grass swaying in a summer breeze as we made our way up the stairs. I reached the second level with Becky right behind me and turned to the right, making my way down the hall to the second door on the left. I knocked and readjusted the camera gear on my shoulder.
    “Come in.” Annabel’s cheerful voice came through the door. “Hey Violet,” she said as I walked into the room. “We’re just starting to get ready.” She smiled the kind of smile you only ever saw on a bride: pure bliss.
    “Perfect, this is my assistant Becky.” I motioned toward Becky who stretched out her hand to shake Annabel’s.
    “Nice to meet you and congratulations,” Becky said with a big smile.
    “Thank you.” Annabel beaming with excitement.
    There were six bridesmaids in the room, still in their pajamas and bath robes, three hairdressers and two makeup artists.
    “I think this room might be bigger than my entire condo,” I laughed.
    The room really was one of the biggest bedrooms I’d ever seen. The four-poster king size bed sat on the far left side of the room. Along the walls, stations had been set up for each girl to get ready. Each vanity had its own giant mirror. Makeup and hair accessories were laid out on each of the vanity counters. The girls’ long red bridesmaid dresses hung from the top of each mirror. The silk of the dresses flowed smoothly like crimson water, pooling on the vanity counters. The cream carpet offset the ocean blue walls and the open doors to the balcony let fresh air and sunshine into the room.
    Out on the balcony, a small breakfast buffet and iced champagne had been set up for the bridal party. The excitement in the bedroom was almost tangible. It filled the room with an overwhelming sense of happiness. Some of the bridesmaids sat on the balcony eating and chatting while another girl with curlers in her hair fished through an overnight bag. The bride was talking to one of the hairdressers and a couple girls were already at their stations, one plucking her eyebrows and another painting her nails.
    I turned toward Becky and whispered, “Can you start taking candid’s of the girls while they get ready? I’m going to head downstairs and capture the setup.”
    “Sure,” Becky said, setting the bulk of her gear down and preparing her camera.
    “Oh, and