Chapter 40
Caroline and Llin’s reunion is understandably tear-filled, and as such it’s several hours before Caroline eventually heads back to work.
With her gone, Llin and I finalise my dress for tomorrow’s ball.
Llin has been working on it for days, but I haven’t seen it.
When she pulls out the finished article, I can’t help but gape.
It is phenomenal. Part dress, part work of art.
As planned, Llinos removed the centre section from the layers and layers of flowing black tulle of the skirt so that my leather fighting shorts, thigh sheath, and an edge of dagger are visible beneath.
My ‘signature style,’ she calls it. And the top is even more unique.
The satin plunging V-neck is pure elegance, while the black sleeves are wired open, looking almost like wings fluttering behind me.
There’s no chance of me not standing out, that’s for sure.
At breakfast the next morning, Leilah finds me and tells me she’s spoken with Ruben and plans to share the scraps of food with the slums. I can’t thank her enough and the timing couldn’t be better as we’ll be able to make use of the undoubtedly vast amount of waste from the ball tonight.
With surviving the second trial, helping the slums, and getting to see Kay twice, this week’s going to be tough to top.
That evening, Llinos continues to fuss over me, even once I’ve got the dress on.
‘See,’ she says in satisfaction. ‘It’s like a bat.’
As I stare at my reflection, that’s not what I see. I see something with far more gravitas. And the way the tulle is layered reminds me of … feathers, I realise.
‘It looks more like a bird than a bat,’ Caroline comments from the bunk she’s lying on.
‘It does,’ I agree. ‘A raven.’
A collective shudder rolls through the room, and my eyes lift towards the window as though expecting to see a raven waiting there. It’s with an odd sense of disappointment that I find the sill empty. I should be relieved, shouldn’t I? Ravens are an omen of bad luck after all.
The battle yard was close to empty this morning, and Kyor missed my training session with Zelle, making knots form in my stomach.
There’s a good chance that he still blames me for the poisoning, and I probably should have explained the situation a little better, but what else was there to add?
He wasn’t my target, and I stopped him from dying in the woods. It’s pretty straightforward.
As always, I returned to the dining hall for breakfast after my session with Zelle, and the vast room offered my table a stark opportunity to see just how many were lost in the second trial.
Less than we expected, we agreed. Along with Elenor and Loch, Stefan the knight, Del from Galreck, and one of the Rowell Rettlings were the only ones who didn’t make it.
With Jonas and Kyor included, the Wrohelm Rettlings are down to half their original number.
It’s with a definite pang of relief that I see both Seiren and Kestria survived, while on the table next to them Clade, Nessira and Yeva are huddled together.
‘Maybe they thought we deserved something more gentle after the jotnar,’ Jonas suggested.
‘Maybe,’ Llin replied, though the tightening of her face suggested that she didn’t consider the piece missing out of her arm ‘gentle.’
Benny wasn’t there at breakfast or lunch, and neither is he here as we prepare to head over to the ball.
‘Still nothing about Loch’s body?’ I ask Llinos quietly as she slips on her own dress. This one is a vivid blue ballgown dotted with white flowers, which I once again assume is of her sister Carys’s choosing.
‘Not that Benny’s told me.’ She grimaces and mutters, ‘But then, I get the feeling there’s a lot he’s not telling me at the moment.’
‘Everything okay with you two?’ I ask tentatively. It’s the first time she’s brought up the tension between her and Benny, and I don’t want to let it go.
Her nostrils flatten as she draws a long breath in, only to release it with a sigh. She offers a watery smile.
‘Too much time together,’ she says simply. ‘Nothing more.’
Across the room, Caroline’s expression begs to differ.
There’s no denying it stings, knowing Llinos is lying to me, but we all came into this with our secrets, and no matter how our friendship has grown, I understand that there are some secrets we each have to keep.
After closing the zipper at the back of Llin’s dress, Caz moves over to the bed and grabs her bag. ‘I should get going,’ she says. ‘As Rohan’s family is at the ball, we can work at his house tonight. Have fun, and I’ll be here when you get back.’
‘I hate that you can’t come,’ Llin replies.
‘I know, but when you win this thing, you can demand it.’
Llin’s face spreads into a grin. ‘That sounds like a plan.’
Snow drifts down as Llin and I walk to the centre of the High Hold, and by the time we’re back indoors, goosebumps have risen on my arms and my fingers are completely numb.
A familiar face is waiting for us. He’s dressed in full formal attire, and once again has his blond hair tied back and long beard tamed and braided.
‘Wow.’ Jonas steps forward and takes my arm. ‘You look … wow …’
A slight tinge colours my cheeks as I remember Llinos’s drug-induced comment about how he’d feel about my dress, but judging from the way he’s looking at me, she wasn’t wrong.
‘Llin’s the seamstress so deserves the credit,’ I deflect uncomfortably. ‘She’s phenomenal.’
‘Right …’ Jonas replies, as if he can’t manage more than one syllable.
Silence threatens to sweep in around us, but before it can, I’m slammed into from the side.
‘What took you so long?’
The instant I get my breath back, it’s stolen again. Kay. Looking more beautiful and full of life than I ever thought possible. My lungs tremble with joy and tears fall as I pull her as close to me as possible, and when I finally move back, it’s only so I can see her more clearly.
We’re still by the door, the cold wind whipping in from outside, and yet I barely feel it. Instead, I’m completely consumed with taking in every part of her the way I should have done in the forest. Her hair in my hands, her face cupped in my palms …
It’s only been six weeks or so, but she’s changed. Filled out. She looks healthy. The healthiest I’ve ever seen her.
‘Thank the Gods,’ I breathe, going in for another hug.
‘It’s okay. You can let go of me now.’ She grins.
‘Just till we get somewhere warmer. I’m freezing!
Artur keeps his home so warm that the slightest chill gets to me now.
It’s mad how quickly you can get used to luxury.
’ Her eyes are a little haunted by her own comment.
She may be getting used to luxury, but she hasn’t forgotten the slums. I doubt either of us ever will.
‘Artur’s taking good care of you?’ I ask, still not ready to let go of her yet.
‘He is. Don’t look so worried. It’s been incredible, really. But I want to know about you. Tell me about the jotnar.’
‘It was a team effort, really.’ The comment reminds me to turn to my side. ‘Llinos, this is my sister, Kay. Kay, Llinos. Jonas, you’ve met, right?’
‘We have.’ She smiles at Jonas. ‘I’m so grateful for all the kindness your family has shown me.’
‘It’s been our honour. I’m afraid I can’t stay and chat though. I need to go and talk to my father.’ He shifts his gaze to me. ‘But perhaps we can share a dance later, Rose?’
‘Of course.’ I smile.
He leans in, and for a second, I panic. He’s not going to kiss me here in front of Kay, is he? I turn my head to the side, planning to peck him on the cheek, only for him to do the same, and our lips land against one another in a clumsy kiss.
‘See you later,’ he says with a surprised grin.
Meanwhile, I fight a grimace.
‘Oh, good Gods!’ Kay hisses, pulling me towards her the second he’s out of earshot. ‘Are you and Jonas a thing? Will was telling me how Jonas told him that—’
‘No, we are not a thing.’
‘They totally are,’ Llinos replies, leaning towards us with an impish grin.
Kay’s smile is so broad I can practically feel the joy radiating from her. ‘I need you to fill me in on everything. Although can we please get away from the door? As I said, it’s freezing. And I want to dance.’
I follow her into the ballroom, barely even looking at the show-stopping chandelier, the black and red roses that decorate the place, or the platters of food and drink.
All my attention is on Kay and the way she moves so effortlessly through the room, as if she was born to be here. The irony is not lost on me.
‘William has had to undertake some errands for Artur today, but you’ve already met him, right?
’ Kay asks. ‘In some ways, I’m actually glad he’s not here.
He’s been trying to teach me to dance, but honestly, he’s terrible.
You’d think he was the one who had never attended these things before, rather than me.
’ She stops to look at me. ‘Don’t tell him I said that though, will you? ’
‘No, of course not.’ I can’t stop the grin that’s raising my cheeks. This loquacious version of my sister, so confident, so at home … it’s a wonder to see. It’s what I’ve dreamed of.
A waiter walks past and Llinos offers the drinks a longing look.
‘Next time,’ I tell her firmly. ‘You can drink next time.’
‘Just a little one?’ she asks wistfully, reaching out.
I swat her away. ‘No!’
She rubs her hand. ‘Your sister is a real ball-buster,’ she complains to Kay.
‘Yeah.’ Kay grins. ‘But you should take it as a compliment. She only does that because she loves you.’
‘I think she’s okay too,’ Llin admits, shooting me a smirk, but it quickly drops as her gaze flicks to someone behind me.
She offers a courteous nod to whoever approaches us, and from the wariness in her eyes, I assume it’s either someone she doesn’t know or someone she wishes she didn’t.
As she melts into the crowd, a glance over my shoulder reveals a man of similar age to me striding towards us.