CHAPTER 27
My body felt suspended in ice as I fidgeted with my skirts outside the gates of the faery kingdom. Two days had passed since I last spoke with Lukas – two full days of exchanging silent curses as I’d catch his glare in the hallways, and two very, very long evenings of avoiding anywhere his princely presence might be. After our heated conversation in my bedroom, he’d insisted on taking dinner each night in his chambers. That left me to either dine alone in the royal dining hall or do the same in my own tower bedchamber. Thankfully, Raena was quick to offer me company.
After I’d told her about the upcoming faery ball where Arenn would choose his bride, she’d tried everything in her power to change my mind. It was no use, though. Lukas had all but confirmed that he would never help my kingdom, so the fae were my last chance. Still, that did little to calm the unease I felt as I trembled behind the round wooden gates, waiting for Arenn to arrive.
Theo had accompanied me here, just as he did last time. He stood tall beside me, one hand on his sword as he closely monitored the remaining faery guard. Apparently, last time they’d played cards while Arenn and I visited the Crystal Caverns. I recalled him telling me on the journey back that it would’ve been a fun game, had the two faery guards not taken every opportunity to cheat. When he called them out, they claimed it was ‘in their nature’.
I didn’t have any more time to consider if I should take that as a warning sign, though, because the wooden gates swung open to reveal a familiar, tall, and darkly handsome figure.
“Good evening, Prince Arenn.” I smiled politely, curtsying in greeting.
He grinned and stalked closer. “Good evening, little human.” He was dressed more finely than usual – in a blue tunic and breeches set so dark it would match the night sky, while a long black cape with silver flecks hung from his broad shoulders. Even his circlet, which was normally a plain silver band, had been replaced by an ornate flower crown that featured weaving silver vines.
When he was mere inches away, he reached forward to plant a soft kiss on my hand. As his lips touched my skin, it felt as though butterflies had darted out from the vines and fluttered through my body.
“I trust you have come for Luminessia?” he said, rising from the kiss. “My sisters have been pestering me all week, asking about when you would arrive.”
“You have sisters?” I asked eagerly before clearing my throat and quickly regaining composure. “And oh, yes, I’m here for Luminessia.”
Arenn chuckled. “Such a funny human… But yes, I have sisters. Two, unfortunately. They’re twins.” His face twisted with annoyance. “I apologise in advance for their behaviour. They’re quite… excitable. Especially today. They have requested to help you dress, though, so I’ll take you to them now and then we shall meet at the ball.”
My head tilted to one side. “Is my gown not acceptable for your party?” Raena and I had worked together to select the most ‘fae’ gown for the ball. Of course, despite her reservations about Arenn, she couldn’t resist giving me fashion advice. After an hour of back-and-forth, we’d decided on a forest green strapless gown. It would’ve been declared scandalous in the halls of the Steel Palace, but here, where the fae have no issues showing off as much multicoloured skin as they please, it would probably be considered modest.
“No, no, please do not take any offence. You, as always, look divine, Princess.” Arenn studied my gown, his gaze lingering a little too long on the low-cut bodice before returning to my face. “But Luminessia is such an extravagant event.” His lips pulled into another grin.“And you want to look your best, especially if you’d like to be chosen for a dance.”
“What happens if I am chosen for a dance?”
He drew closer, his lips brushing my ear. “Come with me now, let my sisters dress you, and you will find out soon enough.”
Our fingers were interlocked as he escorted me through the quartz-walled faery palace. Unlike last time, there were hardly any other faeries wandering the halls. The only sounds I could hear were our footsteps echoing off the white marble flooring and the occasional grunt of greeting from a servant that would scurry by. But despite the lack of fae, the palace seemed more alive than ever. All the colours seemed brighter, and a thick sweetness hung in the air. It fizzled on my tongue every time I opened my mouth to speak, tasting like sugared fruits and sweet berries.
“Everyone is gathered in the ballroom waiting for Luminessia to start,” Arenn informed me when I brought up the quietness. Even he seemed affected by the syrupy air. His pale skin glowed under the violet orb lights, and I could feel something powerful thrumming from where his hand held mine.
Eventually, he guided me down a grand corridor, and together we halted before an oddly charming wooden door. Intricate flowers and leaves were carved into the wood, while the handle was sculpted from polished rose quartz.
The prince knocked twice then, with a deep sigh, said, “I do apologise.”
“For what?”
But before he could answer, the door flew open. Two young girls with matching auburn waves, identical lavender eyes, and distinctly fae features stared back at me. They blinked for a few moments, seeming to take in every inch of my appearance. Their hungry gazes swallowed my gown, my hair, my face until, in unison, wild grins overwhelmed them and the door slammed shut. I could just about hear the sounds of muffled laughter and squeals as I waited, my chest tight with embarrassment.
“This is where we will part for now,” Arenn announced, pulling my attention away from the giggling. “My sisters will take care of you and accompany you to Luminessia.”
I folded my arms across my chest. “I’m not sure how mocking me behind closed doors will help me prepare for the ball.”
“Do not worry yourself, human,” he teased. “My sisters are impulsive, and they can both wield fire. If they didn’t like you, you’d be a pile of ashes by now.”
“How reassuring?”
“I jest, of course.” He drew back with a grin. “But only about the pile of ashes. They do both wield fire, so perhaps don’t go pulling out any daggers around them.” He winked playfully before stooping into a bow and sauntering down the corridor. “Farewell, dear human. I am so looking forward to our dance tonight.”
My focus snapped to the door as it swung open again. The same two girls smiled back at me in an almost feline way. Their synchronised movements were slightly unsettling, but at least now they had stopped giggling.
“Do come in, Princess Naria, our brother has told us so much about you,” the one on the left said. Her tone was sweet and lilting.
“Yes, please enter. We have so many questions.” The one on the right spoke in a breathier voice, curling her fingers in a come hither motion.
Absolutely no part of me wanted to enter an enclosed space with two seemingly unhinged, fire-wielding faeries. But the alternative was to sprint back through the palace with an imaginary tail between my legs and possibly never know what might’ve happened if I’d attended Luminessia.
I didn’t want to marry Arenn, did I? He was handsome, but there was something dark about the way he looked at me – closer to obsession than love. But if that obsession meant that he would help me with Corlixir, then maybe in time, I would learn to love his roguish ways.
Swallowing down any fear, I smiled. “It’s lovely to meet you—” I paused. Of course, I didn’t know their names.
“Elsie,” the girl on the left chimed, “and my sister here is Elara.”
“Enchanting to meet you too, Princess.” Elara dipped her head. “Now please, do come in. We have so much to discuss and such little time before Luminessia.”
The twins moved aside to allow me to enter, and my trembling feet obeyed – ignoring the pounding in my chest and every warning bell ringing in my mind. The moment I had crossed the threshold, the door creaked ominously shut behind me.
“You can start by stripping off that gown. We have much work to do,” Elsie tutted.
Elara echoed her sister’s tutting. “Much work indeed.”
“When I heard that someone had caught dear Arenn’s eye, I almost ignited the banquet hall!” the twin, who was weaving intricate plaits into my hair, babbled excitedly. She was probably Elara, but I’d already been wrong twice. “You know, Papa was beginning to suspect that he was cursed. Twenty years without showing any interest in anyone, man or woman!” She continued twisting the strands of my hair, occasionally threading in a small flower or bud.
I’d been with them for almost an hour, and despite their insistence that they had many questions for me, I’d maybe uttered five words in between their chattering. First, they’d insisted that I bathe. Although it took five minutes of arguing before they decided on which scented lotion to use – nevermind that I detested the scent of jasmine. After that, I was slipped into a silky robe and plopped in front of a wide, willow-framed vanity. The girls then conjured heat from their fingers to dry and style my hair into stunning spirals. Once they were satisfied, one twin remained to braid parts of my hair while the other had spent the past fifteen minutes digging through the wardrobe.
“What do you think, Naria?” The other twin, possibly Elsie, popped out from a rack of dresses. In her hands were two glittering faery gowns. “This one reminds me of lavender, innocent and timid. But this one,” her teeth glinted as she grinned, “is like dark amethyst.”
“Amethyst, definitely amethyst,” Elara answered for me.
“Good choice.” She tossed the lavender gown aside and swayed the chosen dress in her arms, swinging it around as though it was a dance partner. “Gosh, Elara, doesn’t she look magical?” the girl commented when she caught my gaze in the mirror. “And her human features look so cute! Such precious little round ears and a sweet button nose.”
I opened my mouth to remind her that those precious round ears were perfectly capable of listening, but the other twin chimed out first, “Our nieces and nephews will be so adorable!”
I almost choked.
“Are you alright, Naria?” Elara stopped tugging at my hair for just a moment to lean over my shoulder.
“Oh, she’s fine, just nervous probably,” Elsie answered for me this time. “Some of our wine will help. We’ll get her some when we arrive.”
Elara smiled, satisfied with her sister’s answer. Her nimble fingers returned to my hair, and for a brief moment, there was peace in the dressing room – until a sudden gasp from Elsie made us both flinch.
“Sister! Haven’t you been keeping an eye on the time? We need to leave, now! Luminessia starts in just a few minutes!” She rushed towards us with the amethyst gown, slipping off my robe and helping me into the dress while Elara finished the braids.
“Have you eaten, dear?” the girl working on my hair asked quickly.
I shook my head, but of course before I could answer properly, Elsie took the pleasure instead. “It doesn’t matter, our wine is strong. Give her some blushberries.”
Elara quickly obeyed, dropping the braid to reach for a small bowl of berries that they’d been feasting on while helping me dress.
“Open wide.” She smiled sweetly before shoving a handful of pink berries into my mouth. While they tasted quite pleasant, I wasn’t sure I appreciated the forced feeding. “If you feel the wine is making your head spin, you should try to eat something. Otherwise, you’ll be too busy dancing around the room naked to try and convince Arenn to choose you.”
“Don’t give her any ideas! You know how desperate some girls get around our brother.”
The pair of them tittered with laughter.
A few minutes later, Elsie was smoothing my gown while Elara applied the finishing touches of a strange pink substance to my lips. There was no denying that the twins were talented. They hadn’t changed or glamoured anything, only used pretty fabrics, creamy ointments, and hair twists to enhance what was already there. The backless purple gown clung to my curves in a way that was even more scandalous than the Cedrelei dress I’d worn three nights prior. If Lukas were seeing this, he’d probably throw a fit and then demand I marry him immediately.
Not that it mattered what he thought.
Of course.
“Remember, don’t drink too much wine.” One of them waggled her slender finger at me, hauling me out from my daydream.
“And don’t go skulking off with another faery and breaking our dear brother’s heart!” the other one huffed. I wasn’t given a chance to reply as more pink paste was smeared onto my lips.
Then finally, after smoothing out my skirts for the fifth time and triple-checking that there wasn’t a single blonde curl out of place, the girls both grinned at each other as they sang in unison, “She’s ready!”