Dante and I stepped away from each other, lowering our rapiers to our sides, panting heavily.
Myrine looked between us and gave me a curt nod.
“Very well,” she said.
Her tone was light, casual, but I couldn’t help the way the corners of my lips lifted into a satisfied smile at the hint of her praise.
“Cosmo is hosting a dinner this evening to celebrate your success,” she told us. “Many prominent members of the majorhouses will be there. I assume I don’t have to state aloud that we expect you to be on your best behavior.”
She narrowed her eyes at me specifically.
“Adrian, appropriate attire has been left in your closet. Dante, take her to the Mitte.” Myrine turned on her heel and left us standing in the courtyard.
Dante wasted no time; he snatched my rapier and placed it gently on the outdoor weapon’s rack before striding off toward the Mitte, expecting me to follow.
I knew where we were going. I knew exactly what sort of training awaited me at the Mitte, and I shuddered.
It had been three weeks since we’d emerged victorious from the third Trial and Dante had begun teaching me how to swim. That first day, he simply shoved me into the water, shouting at me to learn the proper motions or drown. When I didn’t sink to a watery grave, he cocked his head to the side, gave a brief nod which rivaled his mother’s, and claimed he could work with me.
Two days ago, I’d managed to paddle around the pool on all fours like some sort of creature. He’d said it was an improvement but, judging by the way Sita and Sajan, the children in the class I’d been assigned to with Bria, and other cousins of Dante’s, were swimming circles around me, I doubted that.
Today, we were going to work on treading water. He planned to time me to see how long I could remain with my head above water before my muscles gave way.
“But don’t worry,” he continued as an afterthought. “I won’t let you drown or anything.”
I repressed the urge to roll my eyes. His tone didn’t inspire much confidence.
By some grace of the gods, Olympia was not there to taunt me, and I was actually able to concentrate on my swimming. I no longer looked like a fish out of water in the pool. My body wasstarting to memorize the movements, my muscles expanding and contracting in their learned behaviors to keep me afloat. By the end of my lesson, Dante actually smiled.
“Not bad, Third Ringer,” he told me, and I grinned back.
***
“I look ridiculous,” I said to the reflection of myself in the mirror.
They’d dressed me in a gown of emerald silk. It was cut low, exposing the curves of my breasts, and cinched at the waist to accentuate my figure. There was a slit all the way up the left thigh, exposing my newly tanned legs and the strappy heels they’d left to match. The dress somehow flowed in soft, ethereal waves to the ground while also being incredibly tight.
I lifted the green silk, running the smooth material through my fingers, and frowned. Bria had explained that it was customary for the guests of such dinner parties to wear the color of the house they belonged to. I’d chosen to swallow my comment about what house Ibelongedto.
“You look beautiful,” Bria breathed as she fixed the straps at my shoulders, correcting the way they crisscrossed behind me, revealing my entire back down to the curve of my rear. “Are you ready?”
I grumbled but nodded as I turned to face her. She held out an arm, and I took it with one final deep breath. We headed out of my room for the stairwell at the end of the hall.
Please tell me you’re nearly ready, Dante’s voice brushed against my mind, pleading.I’m uncertain how much more of the force of my grandfather’s full attention I can bear.
I smirked and allowed Bria to lead me along.
We emerged downstairs to find clumps of people in varying shades of green, blue, and red all milling about, the blinding white of the acolyte robes interspersed among the crowd as well.Bria patted me kindly on the arm and strode off to greet a few women her age near the base of the stairs. I stood, awkwardly, at the bottom, clearing my throat and running my sweaty palms against the skirt of my gown to press it flat. I wasn’t used to anything so revealing. It took everything I had not to keep adjusting the plunging bodice every few seconds.
“I wondered when you might be making your grand appearance,” a familiar voice sneered.
I closed my eyes and sighed before turning to Olympia as she approached me from behind. Clad in a gauzy blue gown that did nothing to hide her broad shoulders and overly muscular legs, Olympia’s eyes glittered with malice and poorly disguised hatred as she approached me, similarly dressed goons on either side of her.
“Dante has been waiting for you.” Her tone oozed with displeasure. “But I suppose you were busy with his cousin.”
Her gaze flicked over my shoulder to where Bria stood across the room.
“Dante is my partner,” I replied, narrowing my eyes to show my annoyance, hoping that would be enough to convince her to leave me alone. “Bria is my friend.”
