The sound of lightning cracked, a sound so close, yet so far away. The ground began to wobble at her feet. Airess’ control slipped as the scenery around her blurred. She concentrated on stabilizing her body in the dreamworld, trying her best not to wake up.
Her efforts were in vain, the ground caving in at her feet as the dreamworld crumbled into nothing. She fell through that familiar starry void-–
Airess sucked in a breath as her spirit sank back into her body, the sound of lightning ripping her from her dreams. The flash of electricity lit up her bedroom, the source coming from outside her window. She jumped out of bed and bolted to the window, looking out to the city's outer rings. Another strike cut through the night, originating from the furthest ring from the castle: The Poverty Ring.
Then, an eerie silence.
Airess pursed her lips in thought. An oddity, to be sure. The skies were clear tonight. This was no natural phenomenon. No, not natural indeed. The lightning had been wielded. Had the Mrkynian Guild breached the city once more?
If so, Airess supposed sheshould feel terrified. Fearful. Would the rebellion strike another hit on the capitol? Airess smiled softly at the idea, beginning to hum another comforting melody.
Yes, she thought,come let this city burn.
Chapter 3
‘They will never accept us together, Evyen. Perhaps this is for the best.’
— Written correspondence from Tinyrah Kazimyr to Evyen Deyanira (Pre-Division)
Airess
Tonight would be the night. Airess had decided.
She had conjured up a half-baked plan, a last-minute effort to escape during the waltz tonight. Would her plan go sideways? Probably. It was more of a suicide mission than an escape plan, but she had to do something. She had to try.
The glass was cold beneath her fingertips as Airess pressed her body close to the bedroom window. Anxiety bubbled in her stomach, hundreds of guests beginning to file into the castle for her engagement ball below. If she wasn’t a nervous wreck, she would take delight in how the differing ball gowns and suits looked like a kaleidoscope of colors. She usually found beauty in even the most mundane parts of life. It wasn’t as if Airess had any other choice but to master the art of observation during her confinement.
She saw a flash of white in her peripheral, her head snapping to see a snow-white owl landing on a tree branch. Airess’ face relaxed slightly at the sight of the familiar bird that showed up every once in a while. She watched it, its round head cocking to the side, milky gray eyes narrowing as if it were asking a question.
“At least we have each other,” Airess whispered quietly, knowing even though the bird couldn’t hear her, it helped calm her nerves in some odd, lonely way. It was strange—the bird, always seemed to appear, either outside her bedroom window or perched on a branch during her strolls in the gardens. Airess assumed it lived here from seeing it over the years, and liked to think the bird had grown fond of her.
Her chamber doors opened, a team of attendants entering, including the seamstress, Esper, to help her change into her ballgown. They bustled around the room, each one of them assigned to a different task. Airess sat in front of her vanity while hands tugged at her hair and face, applying fragrant face powder and roseate lipstain to her features.
She felt the cold sensation of the necklace queen Melanthhad given her the day prior being fastened around her neck, the piece of jewelry feeling more like a branding than a gift. Airess sucked in as Esper pulled at the corset strings.
Finally, they were done. They dressed her in a long-sleeved royal blue gown, the sturdy corset sucking in her frame. The square neckline of the dress showcased her breasts. The skirt was conservative, not too large or too thin, the azure fabric spilling down to the floor. Her hair had been styled half-up-half-down, the front pieces of her hair curled in ringlets. She was the epitome of Luciena fashion.
Airess sighed, blowing a ringlet to the side and flattened her dress with sweaty palms.
The seamstress stood in front of her and smiled, her gaze lingering on the snake emblem at her neck. “A rather busy piece of jewelry,” she muttered as she fished around in her bag.
Airess raised a brow in curiosity, intrigued by the seamstress's obvious dislike. Esper was a new addition to the royal staff, only arriving in Luciena a few weeks ago. Airess ought to warn the Human woman that such words could land her in a prison cell.
Esper brought out a thin necklace, dangling it in the air before Airess. “Consider this my wedding gift, dear. I would think less is best for such a beautiful dress, wouldn’t you?”
Airess grabbed the necklace and inspected it. The golden chains were definitely old and dirtied with time. It was a locket, a small golden heart the size of a coin, considerably smaller in size than the statement piece she currently wore.
“Why thank you, Esper, but the queen gave me this necklace to wear—”
“Meh!” The old woman waved a hand. “Young ladies should be the ones to determine what jewelry they wear. Trust me, you’ll want to wearthistonight instead.” The seamstress's tone was uncharacteristically serious.
Airess didn’t even get her reply out before Esper stepped behind her and unfastened the queen’s necklace and replaced it with a locket. The new locket was fastened, the small heart resting above her breasts. Airess smiled softly as she touched it. “I love it. Thank you.” It was probably the first gift she’d received by anyone in years.
Knock, knock, knock!
A fist banged on the door impatiently. Airess felt a burst of agitated energy hit her in waves from outside the door. Her heart began to race, her stomach sinking with dread. She stepped away from the mirror, rushing to the door. She stopped before it and hesitated, staring at the painted wood. She didnotwant to go out there. Airess could already feel the restless, heavy energy stirring on the other side.
“I believe that is the prince, my Lady,” said an attendant, verbally urging her to open the door. Airess nodded, as if reassuring herself, and opened the door.
