Dris stood by the entrance in a shimmering silver dress that looked like stars. Her wild hair was free, and she wore matching silver shoes to complete the ensemble. I plastered on my best smile, hoping to deter her from asking questions of why I looked like I’d been attacked. She saw through it. The owl essence in her was too keen at seeing things beyond what was obvious, but her pink lips remained sealed.
Her arm linked around mine in a friendly way that I understood with gratitude. She was here for me, my friend, and to be there for anything I needed, like entering a throne room of Fae who looked at me with a mixture of hunger and disgust in their eyes.
“I don’t think this was a good idea,” I whispered, hoping the others weren’t listening to me as we walked up the dais where the king and queen sat on their respective thrones. The king dressed his lithe body in an all-white tunic and black pants. His long black hair was unbound, and his crown of obsidian sat happily on his head.
The queen peered down at her hand, her lips moving like she mumbled, and tears stung my eyes. I wanted to hate her for what she tried to do, but I couldn’t harbor any emotion toward her except to love and please her.
“Sapphira, welcome. I’m glad you could make it, and I’m so happy the dress fit you so stunningly.”
The king had officially ruined this beautiful garment that covered me like his personal present, wrapped how he wanted me to be. The food I’d ingested earlier threatened to come back up the way it went in. The sour churning in my stomach made me want to run to the nearest bathroom I’d cleaned many times and rip off this dress as I vomited.
“She is most grateful, your highness. You are very kind.” Dris spoke for me and pulled my arm so the rest of me would fall into a bow with her. The king’s head bowed in response, as close as we were going to get to some sort of respect from him.
“Enjoy the night, Sapphira.” Chills ran down my arms as the king spoke directly to me again, ignoring Dris at my side. I was thankful for her Fae senses as she noticed the king’s behaviors and said our thanks before steering us toward the refreshment table.
“We are going to need something strong to get through this night.” Dris poured herself some of the pink wine and handed me a glass. I hadn’t drunk any sort of alcohol in a long time, so I would be a mess if I drank a lot. One drink wouldn’t hurt me. I was in desperate need of something to numb myself.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Turns out Fae wine was not like the alcohol humans drank. It was strong, mixed with a certain purple-colored berry that went straight to your bloodstream and turned off the inhibitions button in your mind.
Dris watched over me, and I was grateful. I laughed and danced by myself, mostly because Emrys sneaked into the ball and became a bodyguard. Anytime a curious Fae danced toward me with interest, my loyal spider blocked him with his dark eyes and sneer. I didn’t mind the absence of a dancing partner. I didn’t want to think about men or destinies or anything heavy.
My body was coated in a light sheen of sweat, and the music was as lovely as I’d heard the other times I was near the festivities. This time I wasn’t supposed to not be seen or heard. I could laugh and smile and move to my heart’s content.
I’d only had two drinks and a small finger sandwich to combat the effects of the alcohol. My only desire came in the form of lifting my hands in the air and swaying my hips along with the musicians who played a lively song.
Other Fae danced, too, and when I needed someone else to do a couples with me, I grabbed either a shy Dris or a willing showboat Emrys.
I didn’t know what time of night it was, and the party hadn’t slowed when I finally told Dris, “I’m going to the bathroom!” I didn’t need her to go with me down the hall, so she ate an apple while Emrys danced. She tried hard to ignore his strutting like a peacock. I giggled, then stopped when I saw two bodies against the wall in a dark alcove beyond the bathroom doors.
Just as I reached the door of the restroom, I heard it . . . a loud slap of a hand against a face and heels clicking toward my direction. The queen passed by without glancing in my direction. If she was the queen, then . . .Crap.
“Sapphira,” the king whispered in a purring tone, his body resting on the stone wall.
“Hello, Your Highness, and excuse me.” I did my best curtsy or bow. I wasn’t sure which I actually ended up accomplishing because my foot slipped slightly. I reached to open the door to the bathroom to get away from him, but his hand stretched so fast and pushed the door shut with all fingers splayed across the wood.
“Why did you have to come here, little gem? Something about you . . . Can’t put my finger on it. The draw. Not in my plans at all.” It almost sounded like a whine, as his other hand touched a tendril of my curly hair.
Instantly I took a step back, and he took another forward, crowding my space with the wall at my back.
“You look ravishing for a human. Maybe you will tell me your secrets in and out of that dress.” He leaned in and I counted to ten, hoping I didn’t need to assault the king because my stay here in Crysia would probably end up with me dead.
His nose touched the side of my face, the tip of it running along my cheek bone as he inhaled my scent before returning back to where he was standing. “Sapphira,” he breathed, holding the “a” from my name longer for emphases.
All of the drinks and food in my stomach churned, my vision turning into a shade of yellow.
“I’m going to puke.” I pushed him out of the way with too much force and ran into the bathroom to expel everything in my stomach. I was too sick to know if the king had followed me into the closed space. In a temporary break of heaving, I managed to look around and saw no one before going for another round of hurling into the toilet I’d most likely be cleaning tomorrow.
My cheek rested against the cool seat, and I let out a groan that echoed off the stone walls. I was done with the night. The king had officially ruined any sort of fun I had been having. What did he even mean by everything he said?
“I’m not ready for this shit,” I muttered to myself as I climbed up to my feet and shuffled to the sink basin where I could wash my face and mouth. “What are you doing, Sapphira?” I asked myself when I got a look at the woman in the mirror. She looked beautiful, even wearing a dress that a creepy king got specifically for her. This woman looked so different from the one who had trekked across the continent.
I couldn’t forget the Saphhira who should have died in my community. She was still a part of me no matter how far I traveled, how much I trained, or how dressed up I appeared. Two Fae women walked into the bathroom, laughing and tripping over each other. They pushed me out of the way to the sinks.
Dris waited where I’d left her with Emrys nearby, who had a drink in his hand instead of prancing around. She took one look at me and knew I was finished with the night.
“Are you OK, Sapphira? You look more than the type of ill you get from the wine.” She pressed her hand to my head, checking for fever as I nodded her off.
