Chapter 45
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
Tonight is a super moon. Besides the spectacle that can be seen, I didn’t think it was something of any importance. But I am living at Moonveil Academy, so of course they have to make an event about it.
The hallways are full of life and excited voices. And although I don’t mind it at all, I’m not sure what it is for.
Ami hooks her arm into mine as we make our way to the restaurant. “Do you know what you’re going to wear tonight?”
I look down — I choose a burgundy turtleneck, a colour that somehow changes the colour of my eyes, and a wide-legged pair of cream trousers — and wonder what is wrong with my current attire.
“Uhm, this probably?”
She stops us in the middle of the hallway.
“Look, babes, don’t get me wrong, even with a potato bag you would look divine.
” I burst out in laughter ready to deny her statement, but she holds up her hand.
“You can wear it to the ceremony, but not in a million years will you go to the party wearing that.”
“There is a…party?”
Ami starts walking backwards, grabbing my hand and tugging me forward. “Uh yes there is. It’s the party we long for, desire, crave, ache —”
“I get the point, Ami.”
“…every three months.”
We reach the restaurant and I push against the doors holding them open for Ami. “Why every three months?”
Neoma follows immediately after us as if she appeared out of thin air.
“Because the super moon occurs every three months and we have to honour her. We — the Eilistrean priestesses — hold a ceremony for the moon to give us strength and guidance in these troubled times. And the party, well,” she orders her food and I follow her to one of the free tables.
“Let’s just say the moon can give the fae very strong… feelings.”
I look a little helpless at Siri, who was already sitting at the table. “You probably remember the Moonveil nectar?”
How could I forget about that? I nearly ripped all the clothes off my body and almost did the same with Aramis. The thought alone still sends a pulsing beat through my core.
I manage to nod.
“Well, during the ceremony, the emotions you feel are more intense, strengthened by the moon’s essence. Your powers are stronger too, it is a night that empowers us all.”
“So basically, it’s a horny night with fae high on power and sex?”
They all laugh and I join them as I start digging into my food.
“Something like that, yes,” Ami responds with a wink. “It might be a good idea to pick out a nice outfit, something you can dance in.”
My smile falters and it’s suddenly hard to swallow down the food in my mouth.
“Mai?”
I look up, the girls all noticing my change in mood. “It’s nothing really…”
“You can tell us.”
“Yes, we are your friends, okay?” Neo adds and my heart swells with the love I feel from them.
“I have never been to a party before…” I push around the food on my plate, taking forever to pick up a piece of cucumber. “I don’t really know what to wear.”
Neoma lets out a high shriek, making some of the fae at other tables turn their heads towards us. “You do know what this means, right?”
“Uh…”
“Scratch all your afternoon plans, we’re going to search for an outfit for you.”
I look at the girls, one by one. “All of you?”
“Of course,” Ami confirms. “It will be fun and we love to help you. You have two hearts to steal, you know.”
I throw a grape at her head — which she of course catches — and quickly look around to see if they are not around. But I know they’re not, I would’ve felt it somehow.
Their presence is like a second and third heartbeat next to mine. It’s faint and only there when they are near.
We finish our lunches and head into my bedroom.
“It’s strange.” Neoma notes as she makes a turn where she stands.
“What is?”
“Your room. It doesn't represent you yet.”
Siri walks over to my windowpane where a few plants now stand. “These are definitely new. They are pretty rare too, so are the flowers.” She looks over her shoulder at me. “Where did you get these?”
“I didn’t, they were just there one day,” I explain as I walk to stand next to her. The other two are already opening up my closet and hunting for my perfect outfit.
“How peculiar,” Siri whispers as she hoovers closer over the plants.
“What is?” I step closer, trying to see what she is currently so fascinated about.
“Could you move back for a second?”
I take a couple of steps back, seeing how my bed is already piled full of clothes. Ami and Neo seem to have some sort of discussion about what is appropriate or what is meant to be seen in the bedroom alone.
“You can come back.”
I turn to Siri and walk until I stand next to her once more.
She lets out a surprised huff of air and the violet in her eyes seems to glow. “Have you noticed yet?” she whispers.
“Noticed what?” I ask, lowering my voice as well.
She holds out her hand above one of the smaller plants and tiny bolts of light fall from her palm onto the plant.
“I am close to nature. All fae are, but it’s different with me.
I can feel and understand the plants, know exactly what they need or don’t need for that matter.
I’m not as powerful as Ms Bloomhart, she is nature.
But,” she removes her hand and the plant has already grown twice its size.
“As you can see, I can give a plant the small push that it might need.”
“That is amazing, Siri, thank you.”
She smiles, the purple in her eyes still glowing. “But you on the other hand, nature somehow seems to grow without you even noticing it.”
“What do you mean?”
“Move your hand above one of the plants, just like I did.”
I do as she says and watch as the plant grows, but much quicker than when Siri did it and the leaves, twigs and vines seem to move towards my hand, as if they long for my touch.
“Nature grows when you’re around, and it lives for you.”
The leaves tickle my palm and I watch as one of the vines swirls around my fingers. “What does that mean?”
“I am not sure.”
Two hands land on my shoulder and turn me away from the windowsill, the plants reluctantly letting me go. “Enough with the plants already. It’s time to find yourself an outfit.”
I don’t know for how long we go on, but the sky already turns dark and someone has manifested some food to survive the first wave of hunger. I’ve lost count of how many outfits I’ve tried on, but I feel like I am their personal dress up doll.
I settle for a pair of dark grey, sparkling trousers that seem to catch the light with every small movement I make and a mesh black top with long sleeves that I have to wear with a black bandeaux top underneath.
The discussion of the shoes is still ongoing, but I cannot see myself with the pair of heels that Neo is currently holding. Yes, they look good and they aren’t too uncomfortable. But I nearly twisted my ankle as soon as I took one step forward.
“I’m sorry, Neo, but I think I’m going with the loafers.”
She sighs and hangs down her head in defeat. “Fine. Although breaking an ankle might get you some spicy time with some hot males.” She wiggles her brows at me and I throw a pillow she easily catches “I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”
I put all the clothes back into the closet, when Siri and Neo say the exact same thing at the same time. “It’s time.”
“Okay, we’ll see you later.”
They wave us goodbye and I turn to Ami. “Time for what exactly?”
“Since they are Eilistrean priestesses, the pull of the moon is immensely strong. They need to prepare for the ceremony,” she explains and I nod. “I feel it too, not to get ready for the ceremony, but the shift in power. Don’t you?”
If I really focus, I sense something, but it’s very faint.
“Hm, not really no.”
“Maybe it’s because your powers are fire related, so your connection could be stronger with the sun instead.”
“Yeah, that might be it.”
Ami eventually heads back to her room, telling me she will knock on my door when we need to leave.
I count to ten as the door closes and try to hear if she has reached her own room, but don’t hear a single thing. Fae hearing might be a thing, but not for me.
My focus is pulled back to the plants, and with half a thought I watch how they grow, until I can’t even see my windowsill anymore and the plants have created their own little forest. Right inside of my room.
Peculiar indeed.
In the hours we were upstairs, the halls of the Academy have somehow changed.
The big floating lights are replaced with floating candles casting the hallways in a golden hue.
Flowers with closed buds are placed everywhere, and if the sensation in my chest is correct, they will blossom when the moon is at its highest.
Ami guides me towards a very green courtyard. I barely recognise the normally snow and ice-covered garden. “How?”
“See it as a one-time gesture for the ceremony. The moon can’t melt the realm, but manages just fine with this courtyard.”
The moon is enormous as we enter the courtyard and although I didn’t understand why Ami made me wear this cloak, it makes sense now. As soon as the moonlight touches the hem of my cloak, it starts to twinkle, just like the stars in the sky.
“The moon moved closer to us, so we bring the stars to it.”
It feels like we’re walking through a celestial dream. The small fountain isn’t frozen and the sound of water hitting the surface creates a serene melody.
The courtyard somehow seems larger, which could be the case, since there is apparently no limit to what magic can do.
In the centre of it now stands a circle of six tall pillars, a priestess next to each one of them and Mrs Delalune stops in front of every female whispering soft words and exchanging sweet smiles.
She is the moon reincarnated. Her robe is woven from starlight itself, the silver threads catching the light of the moon just as it does with our own cloaks.
It’s tighter around her waist and falls in a long skirt to the floor.
Her arms are bare and for the first time, I notice how muscular she actually is.
Her nearly white hair hangs loose in perfect glamorous waves.