“But…but it’s a trial,” I told her when she insisted thatthiswas what I was supposed to wear. We only had another two hours before the trial began—at seven o’clock sharp, Calren had said just at lunch.
“It is. Andthisis what you’ll be wearing.” She smiled secretly, like she knew things I didn’t, and I didn’t doubt it for a second.
“Maybe I should just talk to Calren,” I said in wonder—what would a Hand do witha dress?
“No, Miss Reese. There’s no talking to anyone until you’ve gotten ready. Come now. Sit—let me dry your hair.”
She wouldn’t hear about me going to see the other Hands, and she insisted thattheyweren’t going to be wearing uniforms, either. In the end, I gave in and let her have her way with me. What other choice did I have?
I also asked her—pretty sure over ten times—to stop calling meMiss Reese.She always responded:“Certainly, Miss Reese.”I wasn’t sure whether I found it funny or annoying. Probably a little bit of both.
The dress she made me wear was a deep wine red with a white sash made of a million white stones that tied around my waist and into a large bow at the small of my back. She tied my hair into a bun on the side, too, and put on a pair of earrings that were made of the same white stones. The shoes didn’t have high heels on them, though, for which I was thankful, but they were satin, and my feet kept slipping in them. Plenty uncomfortable.
However, when I walked out of the bedroom, I was relieved to find that I was indeednotthe only one dressed like I was going to a party. Red and white everywhere—deep wine, scarlet, ivory, pearl—layers of fabric catching the light like magic.
Levana and Anika wore red gowns with silver threading along the seams, one with long sleeves, one with short, loose ones. Erith wore thesharpestdress of all, the color darker than blood, high collared, all sharp edges around the hems and the sleeves. She looked regal. Meanwhile Helen’s and Mimi’s dresses were pale, almost all white, with only red ribbons laced through their bodices. Mimi’s flared skirt had layers of scarlet tulle, too. They all had their hair wrapped up in low buns, just like me.
They were absolutely breathtaking—and the boys were no less striking.
Russ had a deep red jacket on with a crisp white shirt underneath. He was already loosening his cuffs, and he was looking a little panicked. Seth wore all white except for a narrow red tie, and Reggie’s vest was almost identical in color as my dress, while Cook looked plenty uncomfortable in a classic red tailcoat that fit him like it had indeed beenmade for him. Silas stood apart in a simple white suit with red stitching along the lapels that fit him so well I had trouble remembering him ever wearing black.
And then March.
The color of his suit matched the almost black-red of Erith’s dress, and the edges of it were a bright red. The jacket was tailored so that it revealed the shape of his shoulders perfectly, like the fabric was indeed melting on him. He’d combed his hair back, too, his curls tamed for the moment, and his face was unlike anything I’d ever seen.
He looked at me and shook his head with his lips parted like he was in awe. Like he was confused, then shocked, then in bliss.
His gaze held me in place and I didn’t move an inch until his tongue slid across his lips slowly.
Fuck.
Internally, I moaned. Whatever had gotten into me, I was so desperate to kiss him so suddenly I almost forgot about where we were and jumped in his arms.
Luckily, Calren was there to kindly remind us that the first trial awaited, and so we had to go.
Time seemed to pass in a blur for some reason—I could have sworn I forgot everything as soon as I saw it while we all walked down the stairs, nervous but smiling, thankful to be together.
Then we were outside, walking all the way behind The Ever to the fenced-in arena they’d apparently constructed during the day just for us. It was near the edge of the training area that was half inside the palace.
The sun had all but set, the sky dark, and the voice of Johnny the speaker seemed to come from nowhere and everywhere all at once, and all of a sudden:
“Hear, hear! The time has come, everyone! Welcome to the 31st Turning Trials!”
It became very hard to breathe. Very hard to remember how I even got inside the large wooden fences or how I walked all the way to the center.
I looked around me, at Cook on my left, Silas on my right. All Hands were grouped by courts, as per Calren’s request. March stood between Levana and Helen, just past the Clubs, and I had half a mind to go closer to him, take his hand, feel his warmth so I could ground myself. Just for a moment.
But Calren was there, his clothes and hat a rich olive, which made his eyes come alive. He had his cane in one hand, the other with his thumb hooked in the pocket of his olive-colored vest where one of his clocks was.MyLife Clock was on my person, clasped to the inside of the dress and into a tiny pocket Lida said was made specifically for it.
“Breathe, boys and girls. You look awfully pale. The casters are going to catch all of it up there,” he said, nodding his head up at the crowd—no, at the two large screens on top of two large pillars on the other side of the tiered seats that were currently showing the symbols of the courts.
I’d been trying to ignore them. The screensandthe people.
So many people.
I swallowed hard, told myself to breathe. I was here now, wasn’t I? I could do this with or without an audience. It’s what I came here for—to play. This was all part of the trial. All of it.
With that thought in my mind, I convinced myself to finally take in my surroundings, just to overcome my panic.
