Page 77

Tessa

Nellie followed me into my chambers when I returned to the castle. “We’re going to have a celebration tonight!”

I rubbed my shoulder, wincing from the soreness in my muscles. It felt good, satisfying, much like the way I’d felt after a long day scaling the chasm to collect gemstones for the captain, before I’d had any inkling of who he was. And now he had me hauling a sword around for hours. Oddly enough, I had no complaints.

“What are we celebrating?” I asked as I climbed onto my bed and eased into the pillows. After the long hike back to Endir, my body begged for a full night’s sleep. Tomorrow, Kalen had said, he’d show me how to swing the sword. I couldn’t wait.

“The end of Oberon’s reign, of course.” Nellie grinned.

I raised my eyebrows and glanced at Val when she walked through the door that still hung open. “Are you partaking in this celebration?”

“Absolutely,” Val said, closing the door behind her. “And so are you. Get out of that bed.”

Nellie grabbed my hands. “It’s an actual ball, Tessa. Aball. We’ve never been to a ball.”

My stomach twisted. “I’vebeen to many balls. Too many. None of them were enjoyable experiences.”

Her face fell. “Oh. Well, surely those don’t count. You weren’t a real attendee.”

No, just a prize on display. A vessel for Oberon’s true love.

Val crossed the room and flung open my wardrobe, ignoring my objections. There seemed to be a new collection of gowns inside, four beautiful garments hanging in a neat row. Each was a different shade of blue or silver.

“Consider this a way to banish all those memories of Oberon’s balls,” Val said. “He can’t force you to do anything ever again, and if you hide inside this room all night while everyone else dines and drinks and dances the night away, then that smug bastard has won. The best revenge is enjoying your life now that you’re free of him.”

“You do have a point,” I admitted.

“Of course I do. Now, I’m going to steal one of these for myself. The plain silver one, if that’s all right?”

She held up a simple silver dress crafted from silk, and the long bell-shaped sleeves had no embellishments. The brass belt was the only hint of additional color, but when she held it up to her chest, it made her brilliant red hair pop.

“That one is perfect for you,” I said before turning to my sister. “Nellie, do you want one as well?”

She trailed over to the gowns. “Which one are you going to wear?”

They were all beautiful, but one stood out from the rest. It was a sleeveless sapphire gown embroidered with deep gold along the bodice. Its skirt fanned out and was made from pleated paper silk. Golden chains hooked the front of the bodice to the back, to wind over the shoulder, and the front held a rectangular cut trimmed with more golden chains. It was very elaborate and unlike anything I’d ever worn before, but it called to me.

“The sapphire one,” I said with a small smile.

Val coughed and then shook her head. “Oh, for the love of light. The one that matches his eyes. You’re well and truly gone. Do you know how corny that is?”

“I’ve spent so much of my life being angry at the world. I don’t mind introducing a little corniness to it now.”

She laughed. “Well, come on then. Let’s get you ready to be your new corny self.”

* * *

The Great Hall had been transformed. The overhead beams were festooned with sapphire and silver draperies while emblematic shields hung along the walls. Gemstones lit lanterns scattered throughout the room, casting a cozy glow across the party. Along the far corner, a grand table held an assortment of refreshments, from pitchers of ale and fion, to delectable cakes, to buttered rolls and pastries.

Kalen approached me through the crowd, wearing a pair of dark trousers and a silver-and-blue velvet brocade coat, cinched around his waist with a leather belt adorned with silver embellishments. His sword, as always, was strapped to his back, the silver hilt matching the crown atop his head, the one I’d rarely seen him wear. Sometimes, it was easy to think of him as a warrior and nothing more, but he stood with a regality now that only a true king could wield.

With his broad shoulders and piercing sapphire eyes, he commanded attention, and every single person in the room, both fae and human alike, turned.

“This is incredible,” I said when he reached me. “When I heard there was a ball, I didn’t expect it to be quite so elaborate.”

“It’s been a while since we had a ball here in Endir, and I thought it was about time.” He smiled. “The humans of Teine have been through so much, and so have all those who call this city home. It’s time to bring a little light into the darkness of this world. I got the idea when we were up by the falls, and I saw the look on your face. It reminded me that we need more moments like this.”

I gazed up at him, so touched by his words that I missed the approach of his Mist Guard. All five of them fanned out behind him, a gathering of some of the most powerful fae in Aesir. Together, they could probably take on a small army themselves. They wore matching outfits: black trousers, black and silver brocade jackets, and embellished leather belts cinched around their waists. All carried swords and had mask-and-crown pins on their jackets that showed allegiance to their king.