“We made sure to leave enough room for her to move and dance,” Daniella, the seamstress, insisted. “The fit of the gown appears tighter because of the corset. Really, it’s just about making sure the material all sits in the right places on her body so she's comfortable.”
I stepped back, twirling as I took in the dress. It looked elegant, edged with just a little sexiness, and I feltdifferentthan I normally did. At twenty years old, I was no longer a child, and I couldn’t allow myself to be looked at or treated as such, even if I was the princess of the Thaician Empire. Iwantedto be looked at tonight, and this gown was sure to pull attention in my direction.
“Who knows who will be at the ball tonight, Mom. I have to look great.”
Because I was finally allowed to date!
“First of all, you are always beautiful,” my mom offered with a soft smile, “even in pajamas. But beyond that, you’re going to kill your father with that talk. When he said you could start dating, I don’t think he expected you to start dating the same next week he uttered the words.”
Daniella put the finishing touches on the gown, declaring me ready to go, so I stepped off the pedestal, and allowed my mother to fix the necklace around my neck. The smile that pulled my lips up at the corner threatened to split my face in half with its ferocity as I hooked arms with my mother. “All of these rules, Mom. Seriously, first it'sno dating until you're old enough, then it'sno turning into a vampyre until you're twenty-five…”
“A rule that is completely reasonable,” she offered me with a knowing smile. “It's the same rules that the Tridian Empire follows—five years more is no time at all.”
Oh, I would disagree. The past five years, in some ways, felt impossibly long. Though for a far different reason.
Besides, I knew she was right—I just didn’t like it. I had so much I wanted to do in my life, far more than I could accomplish in a human life span. Not to mention, I wanted hundreds of years with my family. It wasn’t a question ofifI wanted to become a vampyre—merelywhen.
“Speaking of the Tridian Empire,” I started as we continued to walk arm-in-arm, pushing down the butterflies threatening to turn my stomach. “When do they arrive?”
I missed Aunt Kyella so incredibly much, and I couldn’t wait to see her. Our families tried to see one another every six months, but we had missed our last trip to the Tridian Empire because of a crop shortage that my father hadn’t felt right leaving his people in while he was on vacation. He worked so hard, sometimes I worried the stress he subjected himself to would shave years off his life expectancy, despite being a vampyre.
“I imagine soon, dear.” My mom and I made our way down a large grand staircase. I could already hear music playing, and while I hadn’t had a chance to look at the harbor yet, I could only assume that they had arrived if the castle workers felt they could begin festivities.
A brief, sad pang hit my heart. I was looking forward to seeing Aunt Kyella and her family, but I knew disappointment awaited me at the bottom of the stairs.
It had been five years since I had seen Landon since I had even been in the same room as him. Because even when we had visited the Tridian Empire over the past several years, he had conveniently been away onhunting tripsormilitary exercises. His parents insisted it was poor scheduling, that he was too focused on learning more about ruling the empire to travel. It felt like more than that, though.
The last time I saw Landon, he seemed different. I didn’t know how else to describe it, but something had changed between us. The way he looked at me had almost seemed…pained? But when I tried to talk to him, something should have been normal since we were close friends growing up, he took any and every excuse to get away from me. After five years, I couldn’t help but take his affront personally, and it hurt deeply.
“There they are!” My dad’s voice filled the space as we got to the bottom of the staircase, and I smiled as he offered my mom a kiss to the lips before smiling down at me. “You are right on time—they are just disembarking the ship.”
I smiled in anticipation. Despite the awkwardness with Landon, his six siblings were here, and I was still very excited to see them. Following my parents into the ballroom, I was taken aback by the eyes I felt following my every move. Citizens of our empire greeted us as we strolled through the room, and we stopped every few feet to share words of warmth with them in return.
The space was decorated in the muted pastels of spring, with the windows open wide, allowing a fresh breeze to circle through the space. The marble floors were covered in petals, and light, happy music played through the space, complementing the quiet, happy murmur of the gathered crowd.
It was a great representation of what this place was like now, which, according to my mom, was a far cry from what it had been like before.
A year after my father had taken over, the castle had been rehabbed completely, removing any trace of the vile man who had ruled before my dad, hurting Kyella and this empire so badly. While I had never gotten the full details, it was clear from the way my parents discussed the past that it was nothing but bad.
“I can’t wait to see them all,” I said, pushing the dark thoughts away when we finally reached the front of the throne room, where three large chairs were seated, one slightly smaller than the others. I stood next to my parents as the doorway of the room cleared, and we waited for the royals from the Tridian Empire to be announced. My stomach fluttered with excitement. I knew it would be any minute now.
“I’m sure they are excited to see you as well,” my dad said as he smiled at me warmly. “Plus, now I have your uncles here to help me with this pesky suitor problem.”
“Suitors?” I arched a brow as my mom stifled a laugh.
“Your father has been contacted—”
“Bothered,” he grunted, “bothered, by several families with proposals of marriage. As if any of their idiotic sons would ever be good enough for my daughter. I would respect a man more for coming in and asking me himself than insisting on these stupid formalities.”
I felt my mouth drop open in shock. What did he meansuitors?“What happened to freakin’ dating? These people just want to get married? That’s ridiculous.”
“I’m so glad you agree—I’ll reject them all,” my dad offered cheerfully, a big smile stretching over his face as my mom shook her head and laughed.
I stared at them with open-mouthed shock for a moment, blinking owlishly before shaking my head and turning my gaze back out at the room. Was that…was that still a thing? All the girls in the castle I knew, even from lords’ families, dated the men they were interested in. I knew my parents would never just marry me off, but was that what others expected of me? An arranged marriage for what…Power, wealth, and standing?
They were certainly setting themselves up for disappointment. I wouldnever.
Suddenly, horns sounded, pulling my attention from my dour thoughts and toward a man dressed in the ceremonial attire of the Tridian Empire who stood by the door to the throne room. He stepped dramatically to the side, flourishing his arms.
