Page 12

Nineteen Years Old

It would never make sense to Marlena how she and Vega had such different beliefs. How had their parents managed to remind Marlena that their lineage was better than the rest, while simultaneously letting Vega form relationships with the help?

All of Tolevarre was born from the blood of the original gods, and some might argue they were all descendants, but it had been so long since then.

The people who were from non-original bloodlines were so watered down now, Marlena believed they were hardly demigods at all.

And others believed this too—her parents had reminded her to not act like a “commoner” all her life.

They are less than us. Her conversation with Vega replayed in her mind as a servant pinned her hair on top of her head.

Marlena’s words were precisely the reason why they weren’t getting ready together for tonight’s Saturnalia ball like they always did. Arguing with Vega hadn’t been tonight’s plan.

But when that fucking deer shifter— what was her name? Delis? —knocked Vega down, something inside Marlena made her want to?—

“Miss Marlena, we have your dress ready,” her personal maid commented from behind the doorway to her dressing room, interrupting Marlena’s violent spiral of thoughts.

She nodded at the same time a knock on her door sounded, and moments later her mother stepped through. “Oh, you’re not dressed.”

Marlena stood, taking a long, controlled breath through her nose and out her mouth. “I was just getting ready to step into the dress, Mother.”

“Do you have an attitude already?” Ryanna asked, clasping her hands together after closing the bedroom door behind her.

She hadn’t even had time to allow her servant to put the finishing touches on her makeup. The rosy blush was waiting on the table. “Of course not,” Marlena pushed through gritted teeth.

Ryanna shooed the room attendants away with the flick of her wrist. It was the only dismissal either of the women would get.

They scattered quickly, and Marlena didn’t bid them goodbye—she didn’t take her eyes off her mother, who floated on light feet to the table where the blush sat.

“Commander Dimico and his family are here.” Ryanna tapped her middle finger into the cream blush, stepping in front of Marlena.

She gripped her chin, positioning her face before tapping the makeup onto the apples of Marlena’s cheeks.

Ryanna twisted Marlena’s head from side to side until she was satisfied with the new color she’d brought to her daughter’s face.

The words sent a chill down Marlena’s spine, but she held her composure, waiting until her mother released her from her clutches. “Oh?”

He’s accepting my alliance.

“The son,” Ryanna started, disappearing into the dressing room to come out with the prettiest pink dress that made Marlena feel like she was ten again, “is interested in meeting you.”

Marlena couldn’t peel her eyes off the dress. “Mother, is it not time for a more age-appropriate look? ”

Ryanna sighed. “Are you even listening to me?”

“How can I when that dress is so loud?” Marlena finally looked away from the garb, meeting her mother’s stone gaze.

“It’s a beautiful dress, Marlena.” The pink was the color of the butchered pig they’d be feasting on at tonight’s dinner. An assortment of different colored daisies rained down until they met in a pool of flowers around the bottom.

Marlena’s eyebrow rose. “For a child, not the future leader of two territories.” It was like her mother’s goal was to ensure the people she would rule over and beside never took her seriously.

Actually, that was precisely what she was doing.

Ryanna huffed, throwing the dress to the floor. “I can never win with you. Have I ever done anything right in your life?”

Marlena wanted so badly to answer that question, but it was meant to bait her into an argument, and she wasn’t in the mood.

“I’m not wearing it. I’ll find something else in my closet.

Now let’s talk about why you’re really here.

” Marlena knew her mother hadn’t come in here to help her get dressed—they had staff for that.

“Bridger Dimico.” She stepped over the poofy tulle on the floor, beelining for the dressing room, where a closet full of beautiful clothing waited for her.

Of course Ryanna followed. “So you do know his name.”

Marlena fingered through her dresses. “Yes, Mother, I know the future commander of Tolevarre’s name.

I also know all the other future seat holders too.

Should we go through a list and see if I get them right?

” She came across a satin gold dress she’d worn underneath a fur-lined coat last winter.

Her mother had said it was too revealing— it’s perfect.

“You will watch your tone with me,” Ryanna barked, taking a step forward.

Marlena spun around quickly, pointing a polished finger at her mother. “You will watch your next move.”

Ryanna froze, her heels squeaking from the abrupt stop. “Or what? ”

“Or I’ll ruin the night and put an end to the very reason Lucius is here with his son. He wants a marriage between me and Bridger. He wants to unite the families.”

Her mother’s eyebrows drew together, but she corrected the movement quickly. Never scowl. It causes wrinkles.

As if they got wrinkles in the first 150 years of their life!

“Since when?” Ryanna asked.

Marlena dropped her dressing gown and stood completely nude in front of her mother.

She unzipped the back of the gold dress and slid one leg in at a time.

The satin gripped her hips tightly. Once she had the strapless top situated around her boobs, she turned her back to her mother.

“Will you give me a zip?” Marlena made eye contact with her in the mirror, a memory of mirrors fluttering through Marlena’s mind.

Ryanna’s gaze scraped over every inch of Marlena’s body in her new skin-tight dress.

Ryanna scowled. “I asked you a question.”

Marlena sighed, rolling her eyes and turning around while one arm held her dress in place. “Are you not the one who told me I needed to start building relationships with the other territory leaders?”

“Yes, but I figured that’s what you’ve been doing in Littera.” It was the first time either of her parents had brought up the time she’d been spending in Littera, and Marlena kept her lips sealed tight.

She didn’t wait for her mother’s help—she’d never get it.

Marlena took a breath, concentrating on the way the air around her shifted through her open palm.

With the flick of her pointer finger, Marlena sent a small burst of wind up her spine.

Like the air had little fingers, it zipped the dress for her.

Ryanna watched, hiding the wave of astonishment washing over her features as a sly smile slid over Marlena’s painted pink lips.

“If only you paid closer attention, I guess.”

Marlena wiped the underside of her wrist across her lips, smearing the pink lipstick. Gone was the sweet Marlena who played nice.

It was time to show people who she’d grown into. “Imagine what an alliance with Fortis would do. It comes with Ardor and Fraus. A ceasefire from all the trouble the territories have been causing. We could take control again.”

I can take control.

Her parents’ reign was coming to an end. Slowly but surely… it would fall.

And Marlena would be the one to take them down. They would beg for mercy, and if they were lucky, Marlena would let them live out their days in peace… locked away somewhere deep and dark where they couldn’t hurt her anymore—where they could never touch her again.

“And you think you can pull this off?” her mother asked, watching Marlena’s every move as she slipped into a strappy pair of gold heels. “That you can get the Dimico boy to fall in love with you?” Ryanna followed Marlena into the main room.

Marlena leaned into her vanity mirror and traced a blood-red lip stain across her plump lips.

She pressed them together, rolling her lips for the perfect application.

Finally dressed and ready, Marlena turned around slowly.

“I don’t want love, Mother. I want power, respect.

I want everything you’ve told me I don’t deserve, and I want to watch you watch me get it. ”

Marlena didn’t look back at Ryanna as she left the room on a gust of wind, pulling on the pin that held her hair up. Her straight blonde hair fell over her shoulders, settling down the middle of her back.

The party had already started, music from the live band pumping through the halls. Marlena kept her head high as she strode through the double doors, making her own entrance.

Heads turned, and the sound of whispers broke out amongst the guests in the ballroom. They were seeing the Marlena who was rising from the ashes, the girl who was no longer allowing herself to be treated as less than who she was—no longer standing in her parents’ shadows.

The gold gown was a choice. A decision to pick the accent color of the wardrobe Marlena knew the commander and his family would be donning tonight—and every other night they were in the public eye.

A match made for revenge.

“Mar.” Vega’s voice broke through the chatter, her jaw agape with the slightest hint of a smile behind the shock. “Holy shit.” She spun around Marlena, reaching out to touch the smooth satin of her dress. “You look amazing.”

Their argument was still fresh in her mind. “It’s like I don’t even know who you are these days.” But Marlena pushed it aside.

This was her sister. Her Vega.

Marlena would save her. She would make sure Vega made it out alive, even if Marlena chose to burn the rest of the world down around them.

“It was about time I took charge of my wardrobe a little, huh?” Marlena had always been jealous of Vega’s freedom, of all the choices she was allowed to make for herself that Marlena wasn’t.

Vega’s black ball gown was slit from the floor to her hip, with lace accents that gave peeps of her skin.

The straps holding the dress up were thin, and her neckline plunged to above her navel.

Vega’s dark brown hair was pulled away from her face in her signature braids, but it fell over her shoulders in tamed waves.

The smoky makeup accented the color of her eyes, and her lips were painted with nothing more than a pop of glossy burgundy.

Vega looked like a blooming storm on an autumn day. “I love it.” She gave Marlena a small smile, and she could see the apology in Vega’s eyes before she opened her mouth. “About earlier…”

Marlena held her hand up, ready to tell her it was okay, before they were interrupted by the sound of their father’s voice. “Marlena.”

Both daughters turned to face Jonan, whose attention was glued to the version of Marlena she’d chosen to present herself as. She didn’t pay much attention to her father, because Commander Dimico loomed over his shoulder. His wife appeared beside him, and then his son.

Marlena hadn’t seen Bridger since the meeting where his dad had determined her fate, and gods, had he grown.

He was handsome then, with a jaw so sharp glass could be cut on it, but now?

Now, he owned the body he lived in. Gone was a boy, and in his place was the confidence of a man who would one day command an army.

For only a second, their eyes met, and before Marlena could officially introduce herself, his gaze wandered… and when it did, Marlena watched his face soften, his eyes glazing over, and a muscle in his jaw ticked.

Marlena studied the man who should have been hers fall instantly head over heels in love with her little sister. It was clear as the morning sun rising behind the mountains of Stella.

The world could have spun a hundred times before anyone spoke, until Marlena realized anyone was speaking.

“Bridger, my daughter, future leader of Aeris and Amora. Marlena.” Jonan gestured to Marlena, forcing Bridger’s gaze off Vega.

“Marlena.” He said her name like he was sucking on a sour candy. “Pleasure.” Bridger grabbed her hand and placed a soft kiss on the back… but as soon as he was done, his eyes whipped back to Vega. “And your name is?”

“Vega,” her sister answered with a gleam in her eyes.

“Vega.” When he repeated her name, it was saccharine. He took his time. He greeted her in the same way he had Marlena, but with Vega, his lips lingered on her skin for noticeably longer, and the eye contact between them felt like everyone around them was interrupting a private moment.

“No wonder they’ve kept you away from us. A striking young man like yourself wouldn’t last a night around a bunch of hormonal teens. ”

Marlena watched their back-and-forth banter. Oh no.

Vega was smitten… and when Vega caught someone’s attention, it wasn’t often she lost it. Khort, for example.

This was going to get ugly.

Lucius stared down his nose at Marlena, his eyebrows creasing in the middle—he realized it too.

There’s no going back, Marlena. You’ve made your decision. Now it’s time to get what you’ve always wanted.