I ate, the tastes reminding me of when I was little and I’d have breakfast with my mother and Addie in Mama’s room.
Outside, the sky had been scrubbed clean, the world washed and full of promise.
I almost felt that way myself.
When the last bite was gone, I curled up on the bed, the pendant snug in my hand.
I could almost hear his voice in my mind:You’re safe, Minx. Always.
I drifted again, waking to a knock on the door.
“Isi?” Lexie’s breathless voice came through the panel.
40
ISI
“Are you alright?” Lexie called out. She rapped harder. “Isi? I went to the healers. They said you’re better, but who sleeps all day long?”
I’d slept the entire day?
Rising, I went to the door, tugging it open.
Lexie looked me up and down. “Good. I was so worried.” She hurtled herself at me, hugging me so hard I stumbled backward. She released me and shut the door with a sweep of her hand. “Like that? I’m testing new spells and was approved to shut—and lock—doors.” Her fingers twitched and the lock snapped into place.
“Amazing. I want to learn that.”
“Maybe not.” She tested the door. “I’m not as good with unlocking as I am with locking. I’ve had…a few issues. No matter. We’ll figure that out later.” Turning, she smiled brightly, looking me over. “You do look better, which is good, because I brought this.”
She held up a gown, of all things.
“Why?”
“For the ball, of course.”
I’d completely forgotten there was a ball tomorrow night to celebrate the new warriors.
“Do you feel well enough to try this on?” she asked. “I can come back later.”
I actually felt like my old self, so why not?
The skirt flared as I spun, a sweep of soft green fabric catching the candlelight. Material whispered over my calves before settling in a swish that made me want to turn again just to hear the sound.
As a princess, I’d worn lovelier gowns, ones that cost five times what this one probably did. But I’d never felt prettier.
Behind me, Lexie danced to keep up, tugging on the laces of the bodice with a grumble. “Hold still or we’ll never get the back closed.”
“I am being still. Mostly.”
“You’re fidgeting like a minxpip in a bramble thicket,” she said, yanking on the ties.
“Ha. Sure.”
Minxpip?
I hadn’t seen the one I’d bonded with for days, and that made me sad. She was sweet, and I kind of wished I could jump into all this like Lexie. But I wasn’t Syllavar.
As for Maddox… I wasn’t sure what I should do about him, though I had some solid ideas.
