“This is Inrelle, she owns the inn,” Nicron explained. “If there is anything you need, please inform her.”
She bowed her head slightly, her blonde hair falling forward. “I’ll prepare a room each.”
“Thank the gods,” Eve muttered, but Ashley almost looked disappointed instead.
“You can share with me if you’d like,” Mey offered and Ashley jumped at the opportunity.
“We have a few bathtubs, I can make three available for you, that way you can all get a turn during the evening to refresh,” Inrelle suggested.
Ashley and I gaped. “Bathtubs? Like actual warm water!?”
Inrelle was visibly sweating as she tried to keep her faint smile in check. “Yes.”
“I’ll go first!” I shot out. The others played rock, paper and scissors to decide their order. I guess I had an advantage, since I was the one who would actually take part in the trials.
Inrelle was a great hostess. She took her time to show us around, patiently answering all our questions andchuckled at our eagerness. As we walked around, I only saw two other guests, perhaps she didn’t have customers very often? Or maybe they simply stayed out of our way.
However, all of my worries disappeared as soon as I sunk into the bathtub. I had never had the luxury of bathing in warm water, only lukewarm at best.
I had to admit, it was hard not to like this place, so far they had shown us nothing but the utmost care. Yes, it was only because we posed as magic-wielders, but still.
Was this what it was like, before the war broke out? Could everyone live like this, farm the lands and live with an easy smile on their lips every day? But Lionel hadn’t been smiling… he was probably the only one not letting himself feel comfortable here.
Even Eve seemed more relaxed than him.
My heart felt heavy, not knowing if our friendship could ever recover completely. The longer my thoughts dwelled on it, the more uneasy I felt, making it hard to continue to enjoy the warm bath. Instead, I got out and headed to my room, giving up the bathtub for someone who could enjoy it properly.
My room was small, with a dresser with drawers, a double-sized bed and a round table to place my belongings on. Before I had gone to the bathtub, I had hidden all my weapons underneath the mattress and they were still there when I got back. My dirty leather clothes had been neatly folded in a pile and a dress was lying across the bed. It was a beautiful burgundy one, with small straps and a heart-shaped bust. The fabric felt smooth to the touch, and as I pulled it over my head, it flowed nicely along my body. It wasn’t tight by any means, however it still showed off my figure, making me a bit embarrassed. I took a deep breath and went to meet up with everyone else.
The moment we stepped through the arched double doors, the scent of enchanted roses struck me first, sweet, heavy, almost dizzying. I thought it was too late in the season for roses? Perhaps they were able to plant anything all year around, using their magic.
The ballroom was like something out of a fever dream; vaulted ceilings with chandeliers of floating crystals, scattering soft light like captured stars. A marbled floor, clean and polished, faintly mirroring the shapes above it.
I caught our reflections in one of the gilded mirrors and almost didn’t recognize myself. The burgundy dress made me feel naked, the skirts whispering with every step. The color made my dark brown hair look more vibrant, as it flowed straight behind my back. Ashley smirked knowingly at me from my left, all mischief and danger in her black and silver gown that looked like smoke when she moved, more combat-ready than court-appropriate, but very much her.
Malakai stood on my right, as if he owned the space, black leather uniform exchanged for a dark suit with silver-thread embroidery that gleamed whenever he walked. He looked infuriatingly at ease here, like he belonged among the polished marble and sparkling lights, like this was his world, not ours. His gloved hand brushed mine as we entered, whether by accident or design, it sent an unwanted shiver up my spine.
Lionel followed a step behind, his jaw tight, posture perfect but cold as the steel at his hip. He looked every inch the soldier forced into finery. He had a crisp white shirt, black vest, and no smile. His eyes slid briefly to mine once, they showed something sharp, wounded, and protective all at once, before he averted them again, scanning the room like he was expecting a threat to materialize any second.
Mey was the picture of quiet elegance, draped in a gown of muted blue, her brown hair swept back with silver pins. She leaned lightly on her brother’s arm, a bit taken aback by all the beauty inside the room, before her excitement exploded and she dragged him forward with her. Nate played the fool as always, whispering something in her ear that made her roll her eyes but smile all the same.
Eve was in the rear, and I felt the prickle of her stare between my shoulder blades. She wore pale gold, a calculated choice to catch the light, and her hair was pinned perfectly. She laughed a little too loudly at something Lionel said, or pretended to anyway, and my stomach twisted.
We crossed into the heart of the ballroom right as the music swelled; a little group of violinists played in harmony together, every note glowing brighter than the previous. A ripple of excitement went through the gathered guests as the first display had begun, water mages stepping forward, raising their hands to coax glowing ribbons of water into the air. They weaved them together into illusions, swans that glided through the air, shimmering rain that fell without ever touching the ground.
I felt Malakai’s gaze on me as the crowd gasped. He leaned closer, his voice low enough for me alone.
“Try not to set the place on fire, kitten,” he murmured, smooth and infuriatingly amused.
I didn’t take my eyes off the water-swans, but I let a spark flare at my fingertips, just for him.
“No promises,” I responded bitterly.
The air hummed as the water illusions dissolved into a glittering mist. The crowd applauded, their voices echoing off the marble. Next, the earth mages took the floor, bidding vines to bloom across the pillars and petals to rain down like snow. The entire ballroom smelled faintly of a mixture of flowers and moss now, and it was almost enough to make me forget we were supposed to be soldiers at war.
Almost.
Michlael’s voice carried magically through the hall, introducing the next performer, me. My chest tightened for a moment. I shouldn’t have cared what these people thought, but I did. And more than that, I shouldn’t care whathethinks, but Malakai was watching me with that infuriating half-smile, arms crossed like he was already amused by whatever disaster I was about to cause.
