“You’re lying.” His voice was quiet but fierce. “You have exceptionally gifted parents, not to mention a grandmother who gets glimpses of the future and yet you expect people believe you have no special ability beyond being magic-born?”
“So what if I am normal?’’ I said with a shrug. “And if I wasn’t, I don’t trust you, you don’t trust me. That’s the way it’s always been.”
“I told you about Aric’s impending death,” he said flatly. “Something he doesn’t tell many about. Something I doubt he wants Legacy to know, by the way. At least for now. So don’t say anything.”
“For all I know it could be a lie.” I stepped out of the closet. “You want a truth? Perhaps you should try not ignoring me and acting like an ass every chance you get. Oh, and put a leash on your girlfriend before she gets hurt.” I slammed the door, leaving him inside and rushed off when I saw Aric coming down the steps.
I’d find out about the creature from the north with red eyes on my own, without having to tell my secret.
Chapter 14
At the Delhoon castle, the girls and I rummaged through my closet to find dresses for the festival. Many of them I’d never worn. Some had long sleeves and were form-fitting and silky; others were ball gowns with heavy fabric and lots of folds. I wasn’t entirely sure what I was looking for but I wanted it to glitter like the stars.
Lora pulled down a dusty pink ball gown, sleeveless with a high neckline. “I love this,” she said, almost squealing. “I’ve never been able to wear something so beautiful. Warlord Asger doesn’t have women wear dresses to her events.”
It was funny to watch Lora, warrior girl always in pants, weapons and boots get so excited over a frilly dress.
“It’s all yours,” I said, smiling as she held it up against her body. It pooled far past her feet however. “We might need Bindy to adjust it for you, it looks a little long.”
“I’ll ask her now! I can’t wait to try it on.” Lora darted out of my closet which was bigger than my dorm room back at the academy.
I sat on a soft white sofa while the girls chose their gowns. I wanted to make sure they had their pick so I didn’t take something they wanted. I’d been to so many of these parties my whole life; it wasn’t as exciting for me. Freya chose an indigo-colored dress, empire-waisted, made of pure silk with sheer long sleeves. Taz would be floored when he saw her. I’d probably have to keep reminding him to close his mouth.
And Legacy, probably the most beautiful of us all, chose a bold, blood-red strapless ball gown that had a bodice adorned in small jewels. When she stepped out from behind the changing curtain, all of us stared at her. The color was perfect with her cool skin tone and dark hair. “How do I look? Is it too much?”
I shook my head. “It’s perfect.” The others emphatically agreed. I was sure Aric would fall in love if he hadn’t already. Thinking of him made my stomach churn. Cursed to die and my vision, had it not been cut short thanks to Zyacus, would have shown me how. I had yet to tell her or anyone. How would I even begin? “I’m sorry, but your boyfriend is going to die soon, better say goodbye now.” Or “You know that birthmark on his wrist? It means he’s cursed and since I’ve never stopped anyone from dying before, I doubt I can this time.”
“What about you? It’s your birthday,” Legacy said and began rummaging through the closet.
“I’ll find something. You should get your hair done in the meantime.”
I flipped through the dresses, nothing catching my eye, even if they were all pretty. Maybe because I couldn’t focus; all I could think about was Aric, this curse, and what I was going to do about it. Then there was the issue of Aric being here in Delhoon in the first place which could cause problems with Kyria and Collweya. I sat back down and stared at nothing in particular letting my vision become unfocused. The girls laughed in the other room, blissfully unaware of my inner turmoil.
Bindy knocked on the closet door frame and I sat up straighter. Folded over her arm was a black dress, accented with shiny gold designs, little whirls and flowing floral patterns covering it from the neckline to the bottom. She held it up. “Try this on, will you?”
When I stood before the mirror with the dress on, my eyes roamed over my form that now appeared womanly instead of girlish. My waist cut in dramatically compared to my hips and chest. The fabric clung to my body until it hit mid-thigh but loose enough that I could move, even fight if necessary. The neckline was modest, exposing my collar bones but left my cleavage to the imagination. A three-inch strap held the dress over my right shoulder, leaving my defined arms exposed. The bottom trailed behind me at least two feet.
Bindy smiled in the mirror beside me. “Your father might make you change.”
I laughed but heat rose in my cheeks. I had always worn dresses that were loose and unpretentious, nothing like this. “Seventeen is a good age to make a statement,” Bindy said, probably noticing my blush. “It’s fit for a woman but appropriate for a young lady.”
“Thank you, Bindy.” She took the end of my braid in hand. “Now to do something with this hair.”
The girls fawned over my dress and the small gold crown that sat atop my long loose waves of hair. Legacy threatened to snatch it off me, and I wasn’t sure if she meant the dress or crown. Freya kept saying I actually looked like a princess now, and Lora kept grinning at me like this was the first time she’d ever seen me, her princess.
On our way out the door, Lora leaned her platinum-blonde head close, “Prince Zyacus is going to forget all about that girlfriend of his when he sees you.”
I furrowed my brow. “He can’t stand me, no matter how beautiful I may look.”
Hooking her elbow with mine, she giggled. “I think the only person blind to his affection for you, is you.”
I looked down at her, she barely reached my chin in height. “If that were true then why does he pretend I don’t exist more than half the time?”
“Maybe he’s afraid. I don’t know, I can’t read his mind but I see the way he looks at you.” She smiled. “And it’s far from dislike.”
My mouth suddenly felt dry and my pulse throbbed at that thought. I needed a drink and something stronger than water. “I have to meet my parents but I’ll see you all in there.”
I turned down a hallway and Bindy and I headed for the throne room. When the guards opened the doors for us, my family was waiting dressed as royal and fancy as I. We always arrived together for these events and Bindy usually saw to it that we dressed similarly. Mother wore a stunning long-sleeved, shimmering black gown with gold jewelry. Father wore an all-black suit as did my younger brothers. Their chatter stopped when I entered. My nine-year-old twin brothers O’Syrus and Tyrus ran to me, both wrapping their arms around my waist in bone-crushing hugs. “We missed you!” they exclaimed. “Fancy dress,” O’Syrus said, dark head ramming into my arm.
“Yeah, you actually look like a lady,” Tyrus said and pinched my other arm.
I smacked both of them upside the head. “Ouch. Stop that.” As much as the two of them bugged me when I was home, I’d missed them, too.