“You tell him to trust the process!” Lore declared, but the other fae female who entered just shrugged, closing the door behind her.
I assumed this was the Gwen that Lore was expecting. Her dark skin had tattoos covering every inch, even some that touched her face. Meeting her dark brown eyes, I tensed, feeling like a rabbit being watched by a hawk.
She studied me and my new clothes, lips pursed in grudging admiration. “Seems like he worried for nothing. Guess I’ll go.”
“No, no, no.” Lore shook her head dramatically. “Look at her feet!”
“Who cares?” Gwen said. “No one’s going to notice.”
“They might!”
“Fine,” Gwen scoffed. “They might notice, but who cares?”
Lore scowled for the first time since I’d met her. “You’re no help at all.” But she cheerily turned back to me. “I just thought of the perfect thing. One moment!”
Prancing back to the wardrobe, she rummaged around while I stood taller under Gwen’s stern gaze. We both refused to speak, and awkward silence reigned.
“Here we go,” Lore sang as she popped back out with some strappy sandals that looked vaguely gladiatorial. The open toes would allow myslightlylarger feet to fit.
“It’s winter,” I argued, holding my hands up in a “no thanks” gesture.
“Not down here.” She brushed away my concerns with a smile, shoving the shoes into my arms. “Most of the tunnels are heated. The main ones, at least.”
I sighed. Dad always said I’d make friends easier if I weren’t so stubborn. And the winter boots combined with the dress did feel a bit clumsy. If I had to run for any reason, I’d probably trip. Giving in, I took the sandals and moved to sit on the edge of the bed as I tried to figure out the straps.
“Just go around and around,” Lore said with an unhelpful circling motion of her hands.
Eventually, I figured them out and took another look in the mirror.
I hated to admit it, but it was better.
Almost like I belonged here.
That thought made me hate it. What would my family think of me wearing this, if I ever finally found them?
Lore grabbed a dark charcoal pencil and started outlining my eyes without asking. I tensed under her touch, but the distraction did help stop the tears.
Her softly pointed fox ears nearly tickled my face as she looked down to wet the pencil. When she returned, her deep brown eyes with hooded lids were inches from mine. She’d outlined them to make them seem larger, just like Rissa always did, giving her a doe-eyed look. They looked so... human.
“There.” She grinned, turning me to face the mirror. My own eyes appeared larger too now, but it wasn’t over the top. “Wow, you look amazing. I’m really good at this,” Lore said, congratulating herself without shame.
Gwen appeared behind me in the mirror, eyeing whatever Lore had dusted my cheeks with to add a bit of color. After studying me carefully, she gave an approving nod. “Once Soren puts a glamour on her, no one will know she isn’t fae.”
That must’ve meant that at least some fae were fairly normal looking—without wings, or tattoos, or fox ears, or blue skin. Unless this “glamour” she’d mentioned would give me all those things.
“Speaking of,” I chimed in, crossing my arms. “Why are we hiding that I’m human?”
“Maybe the better question is: Why would you want everyone in court to know you’renotfae?” Gwen raised a brow at me, letting me think it through for myself.
I imagined the fae who’d kidnapped my family and pictured their eyes lighting up at the sight of me...
Fair point.
I looked away instead of answering, smoothing the soft green fabric of my skirt and touching the gold chains that decorated the cutout above my breasts.
I found myself weirdly thankful they were hiding me amongst their own. It seemed Soren was doing me a favor after all. But I still didn’t believe it was for my benefit. He must’ve had an ulterior motive for wanting me to fit in.
If only I knewwhy.
