CHAPTERTWENTY-FOUR
I stared at my reflection in the mirror. “Are you sure all this is necessary?”
The make-up artist kept patting my face with powder—after an hour’s worth of applying all different variations of colors and goopy crap to my face. She studied her work, murmuring, “I spend more time on the other girls. This isn’t anything. Your natural skin appears to be flawless.”
I snapped my mouth shut. It was flawless because I had magic in me.
Nothing cured pimples like immortality.
And black circles under your eyes? Immortality’s got you.
Crow’s feet? Immortality will wipe ’em away.
Age spots? Pfft. Immortality will kick their ass to the curb.
The make-up artist leaned up and cocked her head, staring at my face. I tried not to get excited. She’d done this multiple times. It didn’t mean she was done.
“I’m done!” she exclaimed. “You have been transformed.”
I looked at myself in the mirror again. Other than some shadow over my blue eyes and shading on my lips, I didn’t look a whole lot different than when I had arrived. I wondered vaguely if she was really doing anything to my face for the majority of the time while, instead, padding her paycheck for longer hours when it wasn’t necessary.
“What do you think?” she probed, turning in place to stare with me in the mirror. “Doesn’t that highlight look amazing on your cheekbones?”
I turned my head from side to side. Still didn’t see anything different.
I smiled in a friendly manner. “It looks incredible. The before-and-after is startling.”
Her eyes creased in the corner with her resulting smile. “Now, let’s get you dressed. Are you so excited for your princess dress?”
“I am.” I bounced on my toes.
I was so freaking excited, I’d kept staring at the gowns in the reflection while she worked.
She led me to the rack of gowns. “I know they had one specially made for your size yesterday. It’s here somewhere.” Her hands shuffled gowns aside, until she stopped. She pulled one off the rack, holding it up to my frame. “This is it. And, boy, this is excellent material. Light and soft.”
The air trapped in my lungs as I gazed down at the most beautiful gown I had ever seen. I fingered the dress with a delicate touch. It was the deepest blue, almost black. And it shimmered like a midnight sky. It was strapless, so the bodice formed to fit around the middle with flexing material, for easier movement. And the skirt would reach the top of my shoes. Absolutely perfect.
The woman stared, her gaze sweet and patient. “Do you want to put it on now?”
Speechless, I could only nod.
She helped me change since there were so many clasps in the back. Low heels were slid onto my feet, a flawless fit. And when she turned me around to face the full-length mirror, I could only gape.
“There you go.” She bent and swiped at the skirt, making sure it hung right. Then she gently placed a tiara on top of my head, pinning it down with bobby pins. “That looks good.”
My mouth bobbed. “When do I get to go out to the park?”
“When you’re done getting ready.” She pointed at my reflection in the mirror. “And you’re ready. You’re a princess now. And remember to smile.”
Rapidly, I smiled. I didn’t want to lose this job.
* * *
“Princess, Princess! Can I have a picture with you?” A sweet tiny girl with a strawberry-blonde ponytail tugged on the skirt of my dress. She mumbled with awe, “You are so pretty.”
I bent at the knees, careful not to flash my cleavage around—because this gown gave me cleavage. “You are even prettier than I am. And I would love to take a picture with you.”
She turned to where her parents were, waving them over, wonder flashing in her eyes. “Mom. Dad. The Princess said yes!” She wrapped her arms around the back of my thighs and rested her head against my waist, posing for the picture.
