Raena snorted.
“Will you show us some more gowns?” I asked with an eager grin. “I’d love to find something for my female pet to wear.”
Raena’s face lit up like a peach in the sun.
“Of course!” The mermaid clapped her hands together. “I should probably mention we’re actually offering free pet makeovers upstairs. There’s no cost to you. All we ask is that you let our portrait artists capture your pets’ in their new clothing. We’re using the paintings to help decorate the shop.” She held her arm out to gesture at a few portraits on the walls, each one showing a different human wearing new extravagant outfits.
“Oh I’m not sure if we have time.” I winced, noticing how some of the portrait subjects appeared less than thrilled to be dolled up in fancy clothes.
Nails pierced the skin in my arm. I jerked my chin to see Raena smiling sweetly while she muttered something loud enough for only me to hear, “Naria, if you dare take this opportunity away from me I swear I will never speak to you again.”
Swallowing, I turned back to the assistant as Raena released her death grip. “Actually.” I let out a nervous laugh. “I think we have enough time for this one.” I nudged a grinning Raena towards the shop assistant who squealed gleefully.
“Wonderful!” Carefully, she took Raena’s arm and wrapped it around hers. “We haven’t had a pet this beautiful before. We’ll make her look so lovely.”
Raena’s eyes glittered like the stars. She mouthed a quiet ‘thank you’ to me before being led away to an impressive spiral staircase.
“Don’t even think about sending me up there with her,” Arenn huffed the moment she was gone.
“I’m not that cruel,” I told him, swimming over to a rack of gorgeous dresses.
The next few minutes were spent with me browsing while Arenn followed like a lost dog, tossing out as many complaints and forceful exhales as he could, and being particularly vicious whenever my fingers brushed an ivory gown.
“You’d look awful in that,” he drawled as I examined another delicate, frost white gown. “Try this instead.” He plucked a modest black gown from the rack and thrust it into my hands.
“You don’t think white is my colour?” I raised an eyebrow.
“That depends on who you’re marrying.”
A frustrated sigh pushed past my teeth. He was hurt; I could see it in his broken gaze. And because of that hurt, he was being petty. But still, a girl could only take so much.
I was really starting to feel that I’d enjoy this shopping experience much more on my own.
“Actually, you know what? I think youshouldgo with Raena after all.”
“Don’t you dare—”
“It was so foolish of me to let her go up there by herself. They could be doing all sorts of awful things to her. She could be being tortured.” Judging by the occasional excited squeals and chatter coming from the staircase, she was far from being tortured.
“Please don’t do this,” he begged. “Naria—”
Scooping up his hand, I tugged him towards another shop assistant who was folding shawls by an elegant gown display. “Excuse me?” I smiled sweetly, ignoring the way Arenn was writhing in my grip. “Do you have room for one more makeover?”
CHAPTER 28
I’d explored the entire shop, tried on multiple beautiful gowns, and waved down Adriana through the giant bubble-shaped windows by the time the assistant returned with Raena.
“Here she is!” The mermaid grinned, presenting Raena as if she were a prized jewel – andAncients,did she glow like one. A jellyfish-pink gown hugged her waist and flared out around her legs, its long sashes and overskirts swirling through the water. Tiny shells decorated the top of her head, while her dark curls had been twisted into braids and woven around an impressive pearl crown. It was all so breathtaking. Ethereal.
“You look like a Sea Goddess,” Adriana sighed.
“We’ll be hanging her portrait right by the door, if that’s alright?” The assistant struggled to take her eyes off Raena as she spoke.
“Of course.” I grinned. “I’m sure mypetwouldn’t mind.”
Raena slid me a wink before mouthing, “Not at all.”
Once the mermaid had hurried off to hang her portrait and Raena had been showered in enough compliments to turn her cheeks a deep, rosy scarlet, Adriana glanced around the shop, as if searching for someone.
