Chapter 22 Adept #2
I buried my face in the pillow before coming up for air. “I would give my left arm to see you say that to her face.”
Roslyn took another drink and made to stand up.
“No!” I cried, grabbing her arm, but I was laughing too hard to stop her.
She opened her door and disappeared for a second before returning with a perturbed expression.
“She’s not here,” she said, snapping the door shut behind her.
“Ugh,” I complained, shaking my head, “what a donkey hole.”
Roslyn paused. “Wait, what is a donkey?”
“Seriously? You don’t know what a donkey is?” I asked, trying to decipher if she was kidding or not.
Roslyn kept moving about, idly strumming the strings of her harp as she passed it before moving on to her bookshelf.
“Is it some kind of de-locking device?” she asked.
I watched her incredulously as she picked up various books, flipped through them, and put them back.
“Where did you say you were from again?” I asked.
“Oh!” she said. “I see. It’s like a horse, but it is smaller!”
I cocked my head and dismissed her antics, having another swig of wine. We spent the evening being absolutely abhorrent and eventually found another bottle of wine stashed in her wardrobe.
As I was falling asleep, passing out somewhere in Roslyn’s room, I realized that was the first time in ages that I’d felt like I was having fun.
Which was ironic, because I went there to figure out what happened to my mom and me, but every time I did that, I only found more questions.
It was like I’d chosen a path into the darkness that never ended, and finally, tonight, I stopped and found some light.
Perhaps my quest wasn’t meant to be done all at once. Maybe it was in these moments, the ones in between, that the real healing would take place.
The next morning, Isabella was waiting for us in the common room.
I blinked hard and rubbed my eyes, still not fully awake.
“Bella?” I called.
A glowing smile spread across her face as she used her thumbs to lift her vest from her torso. I looked at the crest on the vest pocket, seeing the swirling “A” now embroidered under the Nightfall insignia. My jaw dropped.
“Are you an Adept now?” I asked, my brain fog instantly vaporizing.
“In the flesh.”
“What? How?” I asked, approaching her and looking over her new uniform.
“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” she said, her voice serious.
A rush of adrenaline coursed through me. This was unbelievable. She knew secrets that she couldn’t tell me—all Adepts were bound from discussing their classes or acceptance into the program.
My hands trembled as a mix of emotions flooded my senses. How had she made it and I hadn’t?
“So, what’s it like? What can you tell me?” I asked.
I stood there with my hair sticking out and my robe hanging open over my tank top and shorts. I caught a glimpse of myself in the glass pane of the cabinet in the kitchenette. I looked like an alcoholic heading to the liquor store at six a.m. that couldn’t comprehend why they weren’t open.
Isabella shook her head, and a pitying smile splayed across her lips. “Not much, but I’ll say this. It changed everything, Anna. And I mean, everything.”
My thoughts ratcheted through my mind like they were trapped within the gears and cogs of a machine ready to explode from overuse.
Isabella touched my shoulder, and a calm came over me.
I looked at her, stunned.
“You need to relax, Anna. Stop worrying,” she said. “You’ll get there. I promise.”
I backed away, fighting the energy swirling within me.
I wasn’t sure that I wanted to get there.
What if “there” was the end for me?
I awoke to a chill in the air and shivered.
Finals were officially over, and winter break had begun.
I needed to train. Perhaps talk to Roslyn about what I needed to do to reach Adept.
I pushed the covers down and placed my feet on the floor.
My room seemed brighter than usual, and I glanced out the window.
Falling through the air were perfectly crystallized snowflakes.
I got up and approached the window, squinting from the glare of the fresh snow.
Despite the unease in my shoulders, it was beautiful.
The trees and the rooftops were all covered with a layer of glittering snowflakes.
It reminded me of home during winter. Fresh-fallen snow in the mountains was always beautiful.
My mom would take me outside every year and have a snowball fight.
She rarely managed to hit me, but in retrospect, she was probably going easy on me.
My door burst open. “Anna! Our dresses are in!”
It was strange.
I wanted to feel Isabella’s joy, to enjoy an evening of youthfulness and forget, even if only for a moment, that this place wasn’t the winter wonderland that it appeared to be.
Even if Cody’s death were explained, Skylar’s disappearance wasn’t.
If she succumbed to something naturally, why was no body found?
And Reece. She simply vanished from her hospital bed.
Then there was Annabelle—was there a connection?
Malakai obviously didn’t have anything to do with that.
Maybe they weren’t connected at all… For now, I had to know if Malakai was behind this and the chaos and excitement of the ball would be the perfect time to see what he does in his spare time.
“Anna!” Isabella said, “Come on!”
A joyful grin spread across her face, and her excitement was contagious. The guilt was there, but for the moment, I let in her excitement.
I grinned and ran into my bathroom to get ready. A few minutes later, I found her and Roslyn in the common room, holding their packages. Mine was beside them in a box with elegant golden foil. “Where did these come from?” I asked.
Roslyn waved her hand. “This cute boutique I go to back home.”
The winter ball was tomorrow and everyone was excited. I gently touched the package's exterior. Isabella had a closet full of dresses she had offered to me, but I had yet to pick a dress out. I couldn’t believe Roslyn would order something…
“The box is too beautiful. I don't want to open it.”
Roslyn looked at me like I was crazy and then ripped hers open.
She pulled out a carefully folded garment bag and unzipped it to reveal a beautiful crimson dress.
The skirts were full and the gemstones were hand-sewn into the bodices.
It was stunning, as if it’d been made for a princess.
Isabella soon tore into hers. She pulled out a shimmering golden gown with a long train and sparkles that would bedazzle her.
Excited, I finally began to open mine. I slipped the garment bag from the box and laid it across my lap.
Carefully, I unzipped it. Inside, a beautiful royal blue gown sparkled up at me.
I pulled it out and stood up, holding it against my chest. I’d never in my life seen such a beautiful dress before.
It featured a fully structured corseted bodice with delicate beadwork and a lace-up back.
The off-shoulder neckline was softened by thin shoulder straps, and long, sheer gloves.
The skirts were layered and cool to the touch—like gliding your hand across the surface of shimmering still waters.
“I don't know what to say,” I said, spinning around and seeing the skirts of the dress twirl.
Roslyn grinned. “I'm glad that you like it.”
I smiled at her, “Thank you, Roslyn.”
The following day brought with it a contagious excitement that spread through the castle. There was a thrill in the air as everyone prepared for the Winter Ball. Soon, the Adepts would be free to visit the village as much as they liked, and Initiates could relax and spend lazy days by the fire.
The day's first event was a brunch celebration in the Meridian Hall. Like the Rooftop Evening, it was a tradition held by the Aurkai for the Initiates and Adepts.
Everyone was there. Delicious spreads of fruits and pastries were on tables throughout the room.
White linens fell to the floor as students grazed with their small plates, chatting at standing tables throughout the hall.
Excitement filled the room and laughter delighted my senses as much as the dessert bar’s scent of caramel and cinnamon.
Festive music was played by the fire by a woman sitting beside a harp.
Roslyn spotted Caelan, who noticed us too, and waved us over.
It was too good to be true.
We spent the better part of the morning playing board games and discussing the finals we’d just taken.
I took note of things I usually didn’t notice, like how easily Caelan’s smile came even when the joke wasn’t that great, or how natural of a flirt Isabella was, and most of all, the subtle way in which Roslyn seemed to understand everyone around her, and knew everyone and a few things about them when I couldn’t recall their name.
I hadn’t seen Blake or any of the other Ravens there that morning.
Even the thought of him had my heart racing and tore through the joyful peace I’d found here with this group of friends.
As I tried to tune the thoughts out of my mind, I noticed Saryna across the room. I wondered briefly why she wasn’t over here when I saw her glance at Caelan.
I stood, feeling oddly brave, and approached her.
“Hey,” I said, sitting down beside her. She smiled awkwardly and took a sip of her drink. “You seem to enjoy these parties as much as I do,” I said with a small smile.
She chuckled. “Yes, it’s been somewhat of a requirement in my life. Seems to have sucked all the joy from it.”
“Really? Where are you from?” I asked.
“My family travels a lot, honestly,” she said. “There is always a formal dinner and guests to entertain somewhere.”
I nodded pleasantly but I had no idea what that meant.
“You and Caelan?” I asked, hoping I wasn’t overstepping. “You both have the pegasus on your uniforms. Did you know each other before Nightfall?”
Saryna glanced at Caelan.
“Yes, we have known each other for some time now,” she said.
“Have you guys ever,” I made a face as if I were thinking, “been a thing?”
Saryna gave me an odd look before looking at Caelan.
“No,” she said. “No, that is not—”
“Not what?” I asked.
“It is getting late,” she said, rising from her seat. “It was nice chatting with you. See you tomorrow.”
As she walked off, I caught Caelan watching her, too.