Chapter Nineteen
Analleia
Ibarreled out of myroom, slipping tiny diamond earrings into my ears as I tripped over my long skirts.I ripped them upward with annoyance.We had spent so many hours grueling over our plan to steal Athello’s ring that we had barely enough time to get ready.My appearance would have to do.
“Do you have it?”Anxiety threaded through my voice.
Nadiyah knelt before the table, mixing together one of her concoctions.She didn’t answer, gaze focused as she dipped her fingertip into a yellow powder and then into a red one.She swirled the two together before scraping the mixture into a vial.I had never possessed an understanding of potions the way she did, the way her mind worked through the individual ingredients and different lethal combinations, far surpassing anyone else among the Dark Walkers.
She picked out two liquids, pouring them both into one vial before shaking it three times, then mixed it with the powders from the first tube.She capped it with a cork and turned it over gently until it combined.The mixture of colors immediately turned clear, almost translucent, as if the vial were empty.
“Done.”
“What is it called?”I asked.
She tucked it into a hidden pocket on her dress.“Doesn’t matter.You wouldn’t be able to pronounce it.All you need to know is it contains no odor, no pigment, and is by every means undetectable.”
I nodded in approval.“Perfect.Do we need to go over the plan again or do you have it?”
“Don’t ask stupid questions, Analleia,” Nadiyah chided.“You do that when you’re nervous.”
“I am not nervous.”
“You shouldn’t lie either.”Nadiyah swept a shawl around her shoulders.“Neither of those traits becomes you.”
I rolled my eyes.“Let’s get this over with.It needs to be successful so I no longer have to worry about my end of the bargain.”
––––––––
MAGIC CLOAKED THE THIRDball like mist, the ball of elegance and propriety.Of dancing.Sparkles clung to every banner, the night’s colors consisting of translucent pastels and silvers that shimmered in the candlelight.Frosted treats and salt-sprinkled snacks lined the tables.Stacks of goblets waited beside fountains overflowing with wine and fizzing punches of every flavor imaginable from tangy to sweet to sour.
I smoothed my hands over my glittering skirts, the pale blue and purple of my dress making me feel more fairy than human.Light reflected off the jewels stitched into the bodice, and color popped from the flowers Nadiyah had woven into my elaborate updo.
I kept my eyes trained on King Zaricor as I made my way around the ballroom.He didn’t appear too involved in trying to make alliances with other kingdoms but rather more preoccupied with which woman currently resided in or near his lap.I watched him all the same, unwilling to let anything slip my notice.
A string orchestra was spread across the dais, their melodies mixing together in perfect harmony to fill the room with an aura of beauty and warmth.Dancers swayed to the music, taking up the majority of the grand hall, more couples joining with every new song.
“May I have this dance?”
I glanced up at the young man, perhaps half a decade older than me.He wore the clothes of a nobleman, his brown hair tumbling over his forehead in a cascade of curly locks.I smiled up at him, taking his hand and letting him lead me out onto the floor.He grabbed my waist and I placed a hand on his shoulder as he swept me into the dance.
“How are you enjoying the ball, miss...”
“Analleia,” I offered.“And you are?”
