Chapter 41
On With the Show
ANNA
“Ican’t believe you have to leave before the play,” Isabella said.
“I know, I’m so sorry,” Roslyn said. “I was looking forward to it! I’m afraid this can’t wait.”
We were in the common room of our dorm where Ash had arrived to retrieve Roslyn.
Apparently, she’d been summoned to Roran by her father—something about making an appearance.
I had a feeling this had something to do with their whole arranged marriage thing, which was so bizarre, but Roslyn didn’t seem to think anything of it. It was just that normal to her.
“We will be back before the end of the semester,” Ash said. “We want to make sure you are as prepared as you can be before your journey through the rift.”
Dread gripped my heart as I thought of passing through the rift alone.
To be lost in the swirling black emptiness was not the way I wanted to meet my end.
“Be safe,” I said, giving Roslyn a hug.
She smiled. “Try not to get into any trouble while I’m gone.”
“Can’t make any promises.”
When the door shut behind them, I glanced at Isabella.
“Want to go find the wine she stashes in her room?” I asked.
Her face lit up. “You read my mind.”
“You. Look. Stunning.”
I looked in the mirror, barely recognizing myself.
Isabella moved a curl in my hair over for the hundredth time.
Performance day had arrived and I was ready for it to be over, because as soon as it was, I was going to find Blake and tell him exactly how I felt about this separation thing and that nothing he did would keep me from going to the Realm.
“Seriously, you look like you stepped out of the pages. This dress is gorgeous. You won’t find anything made like this anywhere else on Earth,” Isabella said, touching the fabric.
Isabella was dressed in a silver and black gown, her elegance radiating.
I glanced in the mirror across the stage.
She was right. The gown was made of emerald and silver with needlework that must’ve been done by hand and layer after layer of skirts.
It was heavy and I couldn’t imagine dressing like this every day.
My hair was in a sweeping updo with loose curls and stiffened with so much hairspray that it would probably look like this for days.
Makeup disguised my real identity beneath the mask of a Queen and a tiara that glittered with diamonds, rubies, and emeralds adorned my head.
“This tiara isn’t just a costume piece,” Isabella said. “These are real stones.”
I touched the tiara, suddenly nervous. “Seriously?”
“Anna, are you ready?” one of the stagehands called. “Professor Elara is calling all of the cast to assemble.”
“Yes,” I said, taking deep, slow breaths to calm my nerves.
Don’t think about the tiara, Anna.
“You’re going to be fantastic! Remember, this performance is a treat for the professors, who also bring their families from the Realm. They do not often come here, if at all, and seeing Nightfall for the first time is exciting for them,” Isabella said. “And seeing my gorgeous costumes, of course.”
I shot her a wry grin.
“Yeah, okay,” I said. “Got it. Where’s Blake?”
“He’s still getting ready,” she said. “Oh, they are making the announcement.”
I took a breath, my heart racing. If only I’d known how crazy my life would be when I’d agreed to be the lead in the play.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, please take your seats. Our performance will begin shortly,” said Professor Elara from beyond the curtain.
My mind blanked as I stepped out of the dressing room to the commotion of the set.
Everyone backstage was rushing around, finalizing the columns and flooring that made up the set for the first scene—the throne room of the Arynthian court.
I had to quell the nervous excitement that was building in my chest. We’d been rehearsing for months and not at any point had I considered what it would be like to do this in front of a live audience.
I slowly parted the heavy velvet curtain and peered into the dimly lit theater.
The audience was a sea of shadows, their faces obscured by the darkness.
However, I could sense the anticipation in the air, buzzing like an electrical current flowing through the room.
The theater’s wall sconces flickered with the soft glow of candlelight, casting dancing shadows on the ornate walls.
Torches had been strategically placed around the stage.
Before I was awakened, I never would’ve noticed how brightly and calmly they burned, projecting the right amount of light that seemed to move exactly where it needed to go.
The stage had been transformed into another world.
The light created an ethereal feeling that I knew was from the everi that powered it.
Still, it felt like I was back in the Realm because of the intense energy.
It wouldn’t be hard to imagine what it would’ve felt like to be in the court of ancient Arynthia.
I watched as the children that Professor Elara had invited to play the roles of Daodyn, Adara, and Aryus in the beginning scene giggled and rehearsed their lines between bouts of laughter. Finally, I saw Blake. He took hold of my waist, kissing my cheek gently.
“You look beautiful,” Blake said.
I peered up at him, seeing the dark eyeliner and makeup they used to make him look evil. I giggled at seeing him in makeup.
“And you look evil. You’ll pull off a king gone mad splendidly,” I said. “King Aryus.”
He smiled. “I think Ash should have stayed and played Aryus.”
“Why is that?”
“He is moody like Aryus,” Blake smirked.
“You can be quite moody yourself,” I said.
“Yes, but it is appealing when I do it.”
As I looked over his go-to King Aryus scowl of evil, I knew he had a point. He was sexy out of costume, and in it he struck a whole new level.
Isabella appeared at my side, a grin spreading across her face. “Oh my god! You won’t believe what we found in the artifact room! It’s a replica of Queen Adara’s amulet!”
She held up a necklace and stared at it. It was the same one I saw when I trained in that room with Caelan. The emerald stone glittered brilliantly in the candlelit chandelier high above.
Isabella started fastening the silver chain around my neck, a cool, strange feeling making my skin tingle but it quickly passed.
“I guess you could pass for a Queen.”
I glanced up and found Caelan admiring my costume.
He looked impressive too in a crimson tunic with a gold-stitched collar. Behind him, a long black cloak rippled like dark, flowing water and was pulled partially in front, covering only half of his front with a gold dragon stitched finely into the fabric.
“I see Isabella found the amulet,” he said. “I could not help but think of it when she was talking to Saryna about the costume pieces.”
I glanced at it. “Yeah, I didn’t realize it was a replica. Works perfectly!”
“Yeah,” he said, adjusting the gold crown atop his head. “I would have never known if Saryna had not been there. She recognized it right away.”
“Only a few more minutes, everyone,” Professor Elara called.
I tapped my fingers on my leg, trying not to descend into a nervous disaster.
Caelan smiled. “You are going to be great.”
I groaned. “Why did I agree to this again?”
Caelan made a pointed glance at Blake, and I blushed even as I sheepishly hid a guilty grin.
“Places!” Professor Elara called, shuffling through everyone and shooing people along.
Caelan nodded at me and shuffled off before she could smack him with her script like she had the others. I laughed and turned to find Blake. A nervous energy came over me as he kissed me on the cheek.
“I will see you on stage,” he said, heading to the opposite side of the set.
“Alright, people, places!” Professor Elara called.
I took a deep breath, trying to recall why I’d agreed to do this—Blake—that was right. He got the lead role for King Aryus; this was his fault.
“Without further ado, we present to you a tale lost to time,” Eli announced.