Chapter 13
Ihad to sit out of lessons for an entire week while I recovered.
As predicted, the marks faded from my skin after one night, but the Grand Arch Magus still forbade me from participating in lessons even after they lessened.
In truth, I was partially thankful for it.
Exhaustion riddled every inch of my body.
If he had allowed me to practice, I would probably have embarrassed myself in front of the other Mages.
It wasn’t as though I was in the right headspace to work with my magic.
My thoughts were still very much elsewhere. An elsewhere I refused to acknowledge.
Elle had accepted the explanation that I’d gotten into a ‘minor spat’ with Jyuri and had to recover in a private room as well as expected.
It felt awful lying to her, especially as she swept me up in a hug, crying over how worried she was about me.
I couldn’t exactly tell her that my magic had been the primary reason I needed to recover in solitude.
Alandris was clear that he didn’t want anyone to see the marks. Another thing he refused to explain.
All that remained from my duel with Jyuri were the bruises he’d left on my throat, which I’d been covering with high-collared shirts.
Luckily, he hadn’t caused any permanent damage.
I was glad I hadn’t spotted him at the Consortium since the incident.
I had a suspicious feeling he’d been told to keep away.
Better for both of us. I was likely to stab him if I saw him again.
Another week passed in a blur. My return to lessons with the other Mages was permitted, but Alandris remained distant.
We hadn’t spoken since the night of my injury, when I’d lashed out at him, and he’d closed me out in return.
He’d said we would resume lessons after the ball, but who knew if that remained true after the words exchanged between the two of us?
I was deep in thought when Elle came rushing into our room, squealing with excitement. “They are here! Get up, Nairu. Come on!”
The weight of the enormous fabric bag resting on her shoulder tilted her body to the right.
It took me a moment, but I realized she was referring to our dresses from Alessnae.
Nothing else made her lose her usual composure—turning her into a giddy, jittery mess.
Before I could wrestle myself out of the bedcovers and stand, she’d thrown the bag down onto her bed and began untying the ribbons that held it together.
“You first,” I insisted.
“You don’t have to tell me twice.”
She pulled forth a bundle of light blue silk fabric, sparkling with beautiful golden embroidery, and held it out in front of herself, mouth agape.
It was brilliant. The base of the gown was a sweetheart corset covered in golden stars and dots that glimmered in the light.
Extending from that neckline was a high collar made of sheer mesh, connecting to billowing bell sleeves of the same material that ended in more stars.
The skirt of the gown was a pale gold, covered in more of the blue silk material and gold embroidery that crawled up from the hem.
“It suits you perfectly,” I told her.
The night sky weaved into a tangible thing. Wise and calm and ever present.
Elle clutched the gown to her chest and turned to me. “I don’t think I want to put it on yet. I want to stare at it for a bit longer while we get ready.” She carefully draped the dress over her chair and motioned for me to come closer. “It’s your turn.”
“It’s not too late for me to back out, is it?”
It was a joke, but the look of abject horror Elle gave me in return had me biting my tongue.
I reached into the bag and pulled forth my gown.
A shock of scarlet pulled my attention immediately, my fingers sliding over the smooth silken material.
As Elle had, I held it before me, stunned by its beauty.
Alessnae had crafted an off-the-shoulder gown with slender straps that gave way to short mesh sleeves.
Midway down the corseted bodice started detailed emerald green embroidery—leaves cascading down the length of the front of the gown, complementing the scarlet flowers that sprawled from the left breast to the right hip.
Serving mainly as texture, the flowers—matching the silk in color—were a hidden gem, best observed up close.
The scarlet overskirt went to the floor on the back and both sides, layered several times with a matching sheer fabric of varying heights, but the front stopped midthigh before transitioning to a single layer of sheer material.
Sheer emerald fabric crafted the underskirt, visible only on the sides, and long enough for a small train.
Elle had been right. Alessnae was as much of a Mage as we were.
Something like the masterpieces she’d crafted would only be possible through the magic of creation.
I could imagine the manifestation of her magic swirling around her as she threaded the needle through the fabric, hands dancing along as loyal servants to her machinations.
“Like a flower in bloom,” Elle hummed. “You will be a magnificent specimen.”
A blush crept up my neck. “It’s gorgeous—it’s—it’s honestly too much.”
She threw her hands up, exasperated. “I don’t want to hear it, Nairu. Also, here,”—she removed a small object from a box on her desk—“The queen needs her crown. I may or may not have asked Alessnae her plans for your gown so that I could transform your magical item into its perfect complement.”
And found it she had. A crown of black leaves that wrapped around the back and sides of the head, asymmetrical so one side erupted into a bundle of leaves, the other side only one.
“I love it—truly—but is everyone going to be this… dressed up?”
Elle crossed her arms with a pout. “Stop worrying so much! This is the first ball the Mages Consortium has hosted in years. I can assure you everyone in attendance will use it as an opportunity to show off their grandeur. Besides—for you—the crown is a necessary piece of your disguise.”
She had a point. Even if it was embarrassing to be dressed so luxuriously, it wouldn’t matter in the end. If the crown worked as intended, anyone who spotted me would forget me not long after.
With that bit of comfort, I allowed my nerves to settle and plopped down in Elle’s chair. “Now, then. Do what you must to my face”—I pulled my collar down—“and my neck.”
Elle’s mouth dropped at the sight of my bruises. “What happened?”
“It’s a bit of a long story. I’m fine, though.” I gave a wan smile. “Can you cover them?”
She hesitated, biting her lip. “I will not press you, Nairu, but know that you can trust me. And yes, I can cover them.”
We’d decided to enter the ballroom separately, for fear of someone recognizing me instantly for the mere fact that I was with Elle—as I oft was.
Elle was confident in the crown's magic, but she still urged me to err on the side of caution and stick to the outskirts of the party when possible.
It was better for what I needed to do. I needed to be a fly on the wall to eavesdrop on conversations and figure out what Alandris was really doing with the Mages Consortium… and me.
I quickly descended the stairs to the main floor, not wanting to draw any unnecessary attention to my entrance.
If it were any other circumstance, I might feel flattered to feel several sets of eyes roving the length of my dress.
Now, it only served to make me anxious. I kept my head down until I made it down the steps and could move away from the central staircase.
The ballroom was overflowing with guests.
Elle hadn’t been kidding that everyone would use the ball as an opportunity to show off.
My gown was far from the most extravagant in the room.
Some guests danced in the center of the room to sweet, melodic music barely audible above the chatter, the rest mostly clustered around tables, conversing.
Servants attended the long tables at the corners of the room, piled high with an abundance of food and alcohol.
My eyes caught on the many bottles of wine—the perfect fuel for gossip and just what I needed to take the edge off.
Of course, my least favorite person was there filling his cup.
He did a double take upon seeing me, but there was an obvious recognition in his eyes.
I couldn’t get up close and personal with anyone if I wanted them to ignore me, but hopefully, Elle was right, and anyone who encountered me would forget the experience shortly thereafter.
“Quinn,” I acknowledged him with a nod and a forced smile before reaching for the wine and an empty glass.
He grabbed the bottle before my fingers could wrap around the neck. “Allow me.”
I searched his face for some indication of why he was being…
cordial, but he had the same naturally arrogant expression as always.
I attentively watched his hands as he poured my glass—can never be too careful—but he didn’t attempt anything heinous.
It might have been preferable if he had.
At least that would make sense. He extended the glass to me, and I took it, taking a small sip before thanking him.
“You’re looking at me like I have two heads.”
I cleared my throat. “Yes, well, I wasn’t exactly expecting you to greet me, let alone pour me a glass of wine. You’ve been less than amiable towards me the entire time I’ve known you.”
Quinn hummed in agreement. “You’re right. I don’t like you, Faeling freak. But I’ve been watching you scan the room like you’re scouting out the place, and I think our interests may align tonight.”
A huff of a breath passed my lips. “What do you know of my interests?”
“I’m here for information.” He held out a hand. “If that is, in fact, something you’re interested in, then why don’t we dance?”
“Dance? I don’t even trust you.”
“The feeling is mutual.” He sighed. “I’ll find someone else if I must, but I’d rather not play pretend if I don’t have to. So? Why don’t we call a temporary truce and work together?”
I downed the rest of my wine before setting the glass down and very, very reluctantly slipping my hand in his.
I’d worry about what information exactly he was interested in later.
He had a point—eavesdropping would be easier with a partner.
Dancing near the tables was the perfect guise.
My desire to figure Alandris out was greater than my disdain for this man.
I’d listened in on two human men droning on and on about the plummeting value of rubies since the discovery of an abundant mine for as long as I might stomach.
Quinn and I had stopped for refreshments multiple times to discuss where we would ‘dance’ next.
If I sipped down any more wine to occupy my boredom, I’d end up drunk and useless, so I dared suggest we move to the center of the room where larger groups were engaged in boisterous conversation, which he was more than happy to do.
“Isn’t it strange such a young male is heading the Mages Consortium?” An obviously buzzed man spoke loudly to those at his table. “Lyandril was much older when he took the title of Grand Arch Magus.”
“You forget Alandris’ family has served on the King’s court for thousands of years.
He may have gone a different route, playing teacher to these wayward Mages, but those sort of ties don’t disappear,” the woman next to him chimed in.
“It’s all politics, dear. The Mages Consortium may like to think it holds its own reins, but we all know that is never the case.
The Elven King no doubt used the young male to maintain power over the Consortium. ”
“Keep your voice down, Elisa. What you speak is treasonous.” An Elven male sought to silence her.
“Oh, hush. It is only treasonous if what I say is correct.” She raised a brow. “No such thing as treason on neutral territory.”
The drunken man spoke again. “I think he killed the poor bastard.”
Both the Elven male and human woman turned to him in shock, the male stepping forward to tug his friend away. “I think you’ve had a few too many. Time to go.”
“Unfortunately, this marks the end of our arrangement,” I whispered to my dance partner, forcing another obviously fake smile to my face.
To my surprise, Quinn didn’t argue, but I didn’t have time to sort through all the things we’d overheard tonight to garner what exactly it was that he had been looking for. “Consider our truce over as well. Don’t think I’ll forget your strange behavior tonight.”
Except he would if that crown worked like Elle said it would.
Planning to follow the gossipers to see if I could garner anything else from their conversation, I pulled away from Quinn, grabbed a glass of wine from the nearby table, and waited for the perfect moment to silently fall in line behind them.
As I turned to go, someone roughly bumped into me, sending wine spilling down my chest. Before I could see who had bumped me, they vanished, leaving me sticky and having missed my opportunity to follow the gossiping trio.
But worse than all of that—the one thing that had me downright horrified—the wine had stained my gown.
Burgundy liquid mottled the scarlet fabric with big, ugly splotches.
Elle was going to kill me. I was going to kill me.
“This is going positively wonderful,” I muttered under my breath as I rushed to the washroom to do anything I could to remove the stain.
Water proved worthless. I looked like a madwoman, scrubbing vigorously at my bodice as I frowned at my lack of progress in the mirror.
There was probably a spell for such a catastrophe, but I didn’t know it, and anyone who would, belonged to the group of people I was trying to avoid tonight.
Except Elle. If I could find Elle and profusely apologize for ruining the amazing gown she’d helped me acquire, then maybe I had a chance of salvaging it.
I stepped out of the washroom and turned down the hall before I felt a tug on my shoulder.
“Nairu,” a voice called from behind me.
I whipped around. No one should be able to recognize me so easily from behind with my crown on. “Who are you?”
An Elven male with cropped blond hair met me with a wide smile. “I’ve heard you’re looking for information. We need to speak. Privately.”