Alone for the first time in days, I explore the wonder of my room, trailing my fingers over the silk bedding, the colorful gowns peeking from the wardrobe, and the ornate spines lining the bookshelf against the wall. Picking out a foreign title, I curl up beneath the window. I make it two pages before I fall asleep.
15
The brisk sound of knocking causes me to nearly fall out of the window seat and land flat on my ass. I recover in time to see Igrid standing before me with a wicked grin on her face.
“Igrid! You’re here. Thank god.”
“Look at you, missy!” She does a spin, taking in the room. “Quite a step up from the servant’s quarters, isn’t it?”
She pauses, looking over me. “There’s something different about you.” Her eyes touch on my newly pointed ears, and she gasps, clapping two freckled hands over her bow lips.
“It’s a glamour. Over another glamour.” I roll my eyes and finger the arched tip absently. “I have a lot to tell you.”
Taking up my seat at the window, I pat the empty space beside me. Igrid listens as I recap the events of the last few days, including our meeting with the king and his council this morning. I know this information is supposed to remain confidential, but Igrid is my friend and she already knows so much.
“I’m supposed to go to this ball tonight, I guess.” I lean myhead back and gaze at the snowy mountain peak ten feet from my window.
“For Prince Kai,” she assents, her eyes bright. “I’m told he is quite handsome.”
“I’ve never been to a ball in my life. The closest I’ve gotten is prom. And I hated it so much I left after five minutes.”
“Your first time appearing before the entire court.” She sighs dreamily. “We’ll need to make you look your best.”
“Good luck with that. I haven’t plucked my eyebrows in three weeks, and I probably have a mustache.”
“Oh, you haven’t met my friends, missy. They’re nothing short of miracle workers.” Her copper brows waggle at me. “Come on. Let’s get you into the bath and then we’ll work our magic.”
Igrid leaves me to bathe, my sore hips and inner thighs releasing their tension as I soak. When I emerge in the silky bathrobe, Igrid and two other maids are waiting in my bedroom.
I’m sat in a chair, and every square inch of my body is waxed. My skin stings from where it has been ripped raw, but then a pink-tinged lotion is applied to my naked body, and the redness and irritation disappear.
“They definitely don’t have this stuff at European Wax Center,” I mutter.
My hair is styled into a gorgeous half-updo, falling over my chest in tight waves that remind me of a medieval maiden’s. Tiny diamonds are woven throughout like little stars among a dark sky of silken tresses.
I’m sprayed with the most intoxicating perfume I’ve ever smelled—something smokey and sweet. I notice that even my skin looks brighter—more luminescent—as I’m gently eased into the gown with utmost care.
The neutral-colored corset is strapless, fitted through thewaist and hips before pooling out around my ankles. Every inch of the dress is encrusted with tiny, iridescent beads that shimmer beneath the light. Whimsical vines peek out from beneath the strip of gossamer fabric stretched diagonally from shoulder to hip. With the dress just a few shades lighter than my tan skin, one might mistake me for being naked at first glance. But upon further inspection, I look like I belong to the elements, to the ether.
I gasp as I take in my reflection, surveying the dramatic winged liner, the shimmering iridescent powder dusted along my cheeks, and the full, mauve-tinged lips.
I’ve never looked more beautiful and probably never will again.
Usually when I look in the mirror, I see about a hundred things I wish I could change about myself—my slightly crooked button nose, the deep color of my brown eyes, the little bit of softness around my hips that always leaves me feeling self-conscious.
But studying myself now, I feel beautiful. I feel fae.
“You three deserve a raise.” I turn to the females, beaming.
Igrid claps her hands and bounces in place while the other two break into slow grins. She slides a pair of sheer fingerless gloves over my manicured hands and adjusts my dangling, vine-shaped earrings.
“You’re ready,” she says proudly. There’s a soft knock on the door to the adjoining suite.
“Zadyn?” I call.
He props the door open and leans into the jamb, studying me. My cheeks flush under his assessment, but I relax when he smirks in approval, one dimple making itself known at the corner of his lips.
“Nice work,” he says to the three fae beside me, his eyes holding mine.
