Chapter 24 Dreams to Forget
Dreams to Forget
ANNA
Aknock at the door broke through the chatter.
“The guys are here!” Isabella said.
Her excitement amused me, and while I’d composed myself well enough to get through this part of the evening, my mind kept returning to the conversation with Saryna.
We’d dressed in our gowns and were waiting for our escorts to retrieve us.
Isabella had chosen my jewelry and even added a tiara in my hair.
For a moment, I’d forgotten about whatever impending doom Saryna seemed to think was coming.
Isabella swung the door open, and Caelan stood there, his classic, nonchalant smile instantly comforting me. He was dressed in a sleek, fitted blazer that accented his broad chest and shoulders, leaving no question about what was beneath.
Isabella looked crestfallen. “Of course, my date is late.”
“And that date would be?” I mused, but she still wouldn’t tell us.
“Well,” I said. “I guess I’ll see you ladies there.”
I joined Caelan as he bowed deeply before taking my hand and kissing it. He looked dashing, his dark blond hair falling across his forehead in waves. Even his scent was masculine, an almost metallic and fresh scent that was unique, yet oddly familiar.
“My lady,” he said, rising and taking my waist.
I giggled and curtsied the best I knew how. Roslyn and Isabella made catcalls and cheered from the door, and my cheeks flushed.
He leaned in, whispering against my ear. “You look beautiful.”
I smelled the fresh scent again and muttered, “Nice cologne.”
I flicked him a sly grin, and he laughed.
“It is very expensive,” he said, seriously. “Cleans the finest blades in all the land.”
I smiled, raising an eyebrow.
“It is a cleaning agent made with an herb my grandmother used to grow. I use it in the training hall. Reminds me of home.”
“And here I was thinking you’d cleaned up for me,” I teased.
Caelan glanced down at my gown. “Oh, I did, trust me. This suit is coming off the second this thing is over.”
I blushed, and warmth flowed through me.
For once, I agreed with the sentiment. I did feel gorgeous.
The girls had outdone themselves. The silken blue gown featured a flowing skirt that draped gracefully to the floor.
The elegant neckline swept across my chest, the fitted bodice transforming me into someone that I didn't recognize.
“Ready?” Caelan asked, offering his arm.
My mouth curved upward. Maybe this wouldn’t be bad.
“As I’ll ever be.”
The ballroom was just as I remembered it, though the ambiance was vastly different.
It was three stories high with an ornate balcony that looked down over the ballroom floor.
A grand staircase of marble and gold rails made for quite a spectacle.
When we arrived at the top of the stairs, I could see the rest of the student body seated at the dining tables below.
A grand piano sat in the corner and a man played a beautiful melody.
It filled the ballroom, pulling me into the ambiance of elegance and grace.
Some of the other couples were already descending the grand staircase and to the floor.
Caelan glanced at me and whispered, “Nervous?”
“A bit.”
He chuckled and patted my arm, which was hooked into his. “If you feel as if you might fall, just hang on.”
Now all my attention was on my shoes. Falling was now a genuine concern.
Damn it, Isabella. She hadn’t mentioned all these stairs.
She convinced me to wear these flip flops with sticks on the bottom.
She called them Louis something. I tightened my grip on Caelan’s arm.
If I fell into the ballroom, I was going to blame her entirely.
When we were next, everyone turned to us. We descended slowly and steadily, Caelan keeping his grip on me firm but gentle. Whispers and a quiet hush came over the room as we reached the bottom.
I leaned over to Caelan. “Why are they all whispering?”
“I imagine it is because of how beautiful you look,” he said, using his gaze to indicate my dress.
I gave a silent, “oh,” but I wasn’t convinced.
They were probably whispering terrible things about all the men I’d seduced.
Finally, we arrived at the bottom of the stairs without injury, and Caelan guided me to my seat.
I sat in the chair he pulled out for me, having never been this grateful to have been seated before in my life.
He pushed it in, and I placed my hands in my lap.
I quietly focused my attention on the other couples descending the grand staircase.
At the top of the stairs I saw Blake and Roslyn descending arm in arm.
I raised an eyebrow. What were they to each other?
Her expression was unreadable. Soon after, I saw Malakai enter with Saryna at his arm.
She was stunning in a bright, ruby-colored dress that hugged every curve just the right way but her smile was plastered on her face, and the makeup didn’t hide the red splotches under her eyes.
There were only a few couples left. Where was Isabella and her mystery man?
Dinner was served, and I tried to engage in the pleasantries with Caelan and his friends, but I couldn't help but glance sideways at Roslyn and Blake at a nearby table. She nodded politely as she spoke with Adept Corinya. Her hands were motioning frequently, and I wondered if she might accidentally smack Roslyn at some point, though Roslyn was much taller than her. Her face was in a near constant expression of laughter, and I could only imagine the inane conversation Roslyn was being subjected to. The woman’s wide smile was outlined in bright red lipstick, and I glared at her, waiting for her to take a breath so Roslyn could look away.
Finally, I made eye contact and gave her the most intense look I could muster.
I glanced at Blake quickly, then to her with an eyebrow raised, and shrugged my shoulders.
She rolled her eyes before returning a plastered smile to the oblivious talking head and subtly lifted her finger at her side.
I pouted inwardly, knowing what she’d meant—later.
After dinner, the Aurkai and their partners were invited to the floor for the first dance. Caelan took my hand and expertly led me to the dance floor. He took my waist, placed my hand on his shoulder, and twirled me in a graceful waltz.
“Where did you learn to dance like this?” I asked.
“I only learned recently,” he admitted.
I pursed my lips in mock exaggeration. “I don’t believe it.”
He smirked. “I could not bring you to a ball without having some moves, could I? My grandmother taught me to dance when I was a child. She still makes me dance with her when I see her.”
“That’s sweet,” I said. “She taught you well. I have no idea what we’re doing; I’m just going where you tell me to!”
“Then I must be doing something right,” he said.
His smile was charming and put me at ease. I may not have survived this past semester without him. “I’m grateful for your friendship. Thank you for inviting me tonight. I don’t know that anyone else would have.”
He gave me a sardonic look. “Did you not see the student body's reaction when you descended those stairs?”
I tried to stifle the shudder coming over me. “That wasn’t because they like me.”
“You are right. It is how crowds react to stunningly beautiful people.”
Heat rose in my cheeks again. “Thank you, but I think it’s just Isabella’s makeup and this dress Roslyn got me.”
“Saryna is like this too,” he said, more to himself than to me. “Yeah, it’s just the makeup and the dress. I will give them credit for their sense of fashion, though.”
“What do you mean about Saryna?” I asked,
Caelan shook his head. “She just never knew how beautiful she was.”
I glanced at her, but she wasn’t at her table anymore.
“Did you know her and Malakai were close? I know all the Aurkai have their own connections to one another, but I never thought of them as being in the same orbit,” I said.
Caelan frowned. “They aren’t, though. What would make you say that?”
I faltered, unsure whether to tell him what I’d seen, but he clued in immediately.
“What happened?” he asked, his tone sharp and nothing like before.
“Nothing, I just saw him come and find her earlier in the hall,” I said.
Caelan’s expression turned serious, and the second the music ended, he excused himself and headed into the crowd.
I bit my lip hoping I hadn’t just started something but also grateful because I didn’t fucking trust Malakai with any woman, Aurkai or not.
I looked around, scanning the room for Roslyn, and saw her trying to slip away from Eli, Ji-Han, and some of the other Initiates while Eli chattered away, motioning with his hands animatedly. I laughed inwardly. Eli was endearing and Roslyn probably didn’t understand anything he was talking about.
When I got to her, I touched her arm.
“Hey, I need to borrow you,” I said.
I smiled apologetically at the others and didn’t wait for a response as I pulled Roslyn across the room with me.
“Ugh, thank you,” she muttered.
“Yup,” I said, now looking around for Isabella.
“Do you have any idea where Isabella is?” I asked.
“I thought she’d be with you,” Roslyn said, scanning the crowd.
Frowning, I glanced around for her again. “I’ll go check the dorm.”
“No,” Roslyn said, “You stay and enjoy yourself. I’ll go look for her.”
I was tempted to argue but remembering the way Caelan took off and Malakai's bizarre behavior, I held my tongue. I needed to look for Saryna.
“Alright,” I said as she turned to go but then I remembered something I wanted to ask her about. “Hey! You never told me you and Blake were going to come together.”
I was more amused by their surprise entrance than anything and I wanted to chide her for not telling me beforehand. Knowing that they both had other situations it was clear it was a platonic match for the evening so I wasn’t jealous, except a tad because she was getting to spend time near him.