24
Iris
“But why does it matter if I wear heels, if the dress covers my feet?”
It was a reasonable question.
But none of the men currently looking at her would hear of her wearing flats.
“It’s the dress code, darling,” Arden told her. He moved forward, carefully placing the subtle coral crown on her head.
She’d tried to insist that a crown would be too much. But both Arden and Henry believed that it was never ‘too much’ when you were literally royalty.
Finn had held up his hands, claiming he didn’t want to be a part of that argument.
“Perfect,” Arden declared as he stepped back. “You look like a princess.”
“I am a princess.”
“Exactly. But now, people will believe it,” he said, eyes sparkling.
“Rude.”
“But true.”
“Fine. That’s fair. Any more tips for me?”
“Just be your charming self. I wish I could be there to see it. Alas, I would need an extra comma in my net worth to be invited.”
“You’re going to Selene’s, right?”
“Yep. Gotta ask Gerty what she’s angry about now.”
“You’ll keep me posted? I need something to look forward to.”
“Oh, stop. You’re going to have fun. Drinking, dancing, good wine, itty-bitty servings of food. Finn, you know where the closest hot pretzel cart is to the venue, right?”
“Enough chit-chat. You’re already ten minutes late, and you must drive across town,” Henry said, waving toward the door.
“Someone needs to get laid,” Arden said, making Iris snort.
“I heard that.”
“I meant you to.” The demon turned to the campaign manager, straightening his already straight tie. “You’re wound so tight. You need to pop,” he said, patting Henry’s chest.
“The saying is that you’regoingto pop,” Henry, a little pink, clarified.
“I believe it means the same thing,” Arden said, leaning in close. Then, quickly shifting from sinfully flirtatious to laid-back and easy, he clapped. “Okay. Go be a princess at the ball. I will go talk to a ghost who smells like mothballs and stale cigarettes.”
With one last smile, he was gone.
Henry, recovered, ushered them into the elevator, then the waiting town car.
“You’re going to do great,” Finn assured her, his hand reaching for hers, giving it a squeeze. “We will be together all night, so if you’re confused by anything, just give my hand a squeeze.”
She didn’t imagine there would be much to be confused by.
Until, of course, they moved into the sprawling museum. Everything was dipped in ambiance: candles, chandeliers, fairy lights. It made the space almost cinematic as they moved through the displays of ancient artifacts, following a small crowd toward a wider, open space dominated by a giant Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton.
