Page 28

Twenty-Two Years Old

One last Saturnalia.

Marlena caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror of the Aeris foyer as she and Ivelle made their entrance.

Her long blonde hair was pulled up in a coronet braid, with random pieces falling down from her shorter front strands framing her face.

The makeup she’d chosen was dark around her bright eyes, making them pop in contrast with the red stain on her lips.

Marlena’s dress was unlike anything she’d ever worn before.

The velvet was the color of fresh blood— the blood that will soon splatter the halls of this home.

A single strap covered her shoulder, with another on the same arm falling around her bicep for decoration.

The neckline cut low with tiny jewels sewn in, and the corset built in gave her a lift she was sure would get some attention.

The fabric of the corset was see-through, giving a peep of the delicate skin underneath.

The train of the dress spilled out behind her dramatically, her leg exposed from the slit that went from the floor to her hip.

Long black lace gloves covered the skin of her arms, cutting off just above the elbow, and her shoes were high heels with thin black straps that wrapped up her bare leg—nothing that would take away from the dress itself.

Marlena left nothing to the imagination, allowing her figure to be the center of attention tonight.

Distract.

Marlena wasn’t the same person she’d been last Saturnalia. She wasn’t the same person she’d been a week ago.

Something inside her had changed in that room with her parents.

Their blatant disregard to the way they’d treated her was enough to change her mind on their fate.

They deserved worse than rotting in a cell for the rest of their miserable existences.

Heads turned as the two strode in from the cool night air.

Marlena hadn’t spoken to her parents, Vega, Arlet… none of them since the incident with her mother and almost killing the guard last week.

No one had reached out to her to make sure she was okay, and Marlena was sick of being the one to come back with her tail tucked between her legs.

Never again.

Arlet was the only one she felt a little remorse for, finding she really missed having her around—that she really, really wanted to tell her about what had happened and what was about to unfold.

But after much consideration, Marlena had decided to keep them out of it. They would follow when the time came. It was safer for them to be on the outside of this.

Marlena was going to make sure she made the entrance of a lifetime into the grand ballroom. I will be remembered. She stepped up to the door, and Ivelle fixed the train of her dress. She’d fallen in perfectly behind her, accepting that she was destined to follow—and Marlena was destined to lead.

Ivelle was right where Marlena wanted her .

The guard at the door nodded an amicable hello. The soldiers of Tolevarre would look at her differently now—they would respect and fear her after she’d nearly killed one of their own.

Marlena didn’t return his hello; she only squared her shoulders and motioned for the double doors. They swooped open in a grand gesture, and a voice echoed over the crowd.

“Miss Marlena Caelum. Future Curia member of Amora.”

“ And Aeris,” Ivelle added under her breath, allowing the announcer time to correct his mistake.

He did after a single sweep of Marlena’s gaze.

Eyes of the entire room landed on Marlena. Hushed murmurs breaking out among the guests were heard even over the sound of the band’s music.

A nobleman ascended the stairs, holding his arm out for Marlena to grab. She raked her gaze from his crooked elbow to his silver eyes. If it weren’t for his dignity, Marlena was sure he’d be drooling.

She turned her head away from him and took the first step down the stairs by herself.

The last thing she needed was a man to step in where he didn’t belong.

Once she reached the bottom of the stairs below, a servant with a tray of sparkling wine offered a glass to her. Marlena grabbed the stem between her fingers delicately and took a sip. As soon as the glass fell from her lips, her mother was at her side.

“Marlena, dear, you look lovely.”

Marlena’s eyebrows rose, a questioning look occupying her face as if to ask Ryanna, What the fuck?

Before she had the time to speak those exact words, her father popped in beside her. “We have been waiting for you.” He eyed Ivelle taking her place behind Marlena’s right shoulder. “There are a few people who’d like to meet the both of you.”

Marlena and Ivelle shared a knowing look .

Had Marlena finally gotten her point across? A shame. It was too late for apologies.

The girls were swept away and into conversation by powerful families lucky enough to get an invite to her parents’ famous Saturnalia ball.

It was clear where most of these people’s alliances would stay when the time came, so she didn’t bother remembering their names.

“Excuse me, I hate to interrupt, but I need to steal some of her attention for a moment.” Vega’s voice cut in before her hand slid into Marlena’s, tugging her away from the group she’d gotten roped into talking about her plans for Amora with. Fake plans. Lies.

“Vega.” Marlena tried to protest, but her little sister wasn’t having it.

She yanked Marlena into a corner, turning around to finally look at her. “Where have you been?”

Shock ran through her body, the feeling of watching herself as an outsider rattling her enough to take a step back and look at Vega from the floor up like this moment wasn’t real, like Vega was going to disappear before her eyes and this was all going to be a dream. “What?”

Vega’s eyebrows scrunched together in confusion. “Mar, you attacked our parents, almost killed a guard, and then you went silent for an entire week. Now you’re here, letting them parade you around like a proud show pony as if none of it happened.”

Marlena didn’t worry about hiding her eye roll. “‘Attacked’ is not the word you’re looking for. I defended myself when our mother slapped me across the face. And that guard, well, he had that coming.”

“She what?” Vega’s eyes landed on their mother across the room, who averted her gaze from the two of them when she was caught staring. “What did you say that made her slap you?”

Marlena’s teeth ground together so hard her cheeks vibrated. “What makes you think it was my fault?”

“Mom wouldn’t?— ”

“I’m going to stop you.” Marlena held her hand out.

“This is one of those moments where you need to mind your business. What happens between Curia members, and what I do as punishment to a guard who deserved a little reminder of who I am, is no matter to you. You don’t get to insert yourself into anything you want anymore. You have to learn when to butt out.”

Vega’s jaw dropped, and her attitude that rivaled Marlena’s growing rage spiked. “What is wrong with you? Why are you being so mean?”

“Mean?” Marlena wanted to raise her voice, to cause a scene, but this wasn’t the time or place.

Her allies were in the midst, mingling with the partygoers, putting feelers out for who might be useful at the turn of a new rule.

Marlena took a breath, pinching the bridge of her nose.

“Vega, stop worrying about things you can’t control. About things that don’t?—”

“I’m worried about you! I don’t care about the rest of it!” she screamed, cutting Marlena off.

So much for not drawing attention.

Marlena looked over her shoulder, noticing the eyes starting to flick to the two fighting sisters in the corner.

She had to shut this down. Drawing a breath, Marlena looked back to Vega.

“Oh, so now you’ve decided to worry about me?

After nearly two decades, perfect little Vega has realized it’s time to pay attention to what’s going on behind closed doors?

” Marlena had a slow smile spread across her lips.

“It’s too late for that. I need you to go back to what you were before. Clueless.”

Vega would understand soon enough why Marlena was acting this way… why she needed to start pulling back and put some distance in between herself and the rest of their friends.

“Fuck you, Marlena.” Tears welled in Vega’s eyes, but she kept her head held high when she stormed away, not allowing Marlena to respond .

Marlena stared at the wall for a moment before she spun around and slid her pretty mask back into place.

She passed by a waiter with a tray and downed an entire glass of bubbly in a couple gulps, then put the flute back with a little too much force. The glass cracked, a spiderweb shatter traveling to its rim.

Ivelle spun on the dance floor with Khort, her laugh mixing with the sound of the music. She had taken her job very seriously—so seriously that he was still lost in their own world, a happy smile lighting up his handsome face as he and the most beautiful girl in their realm danced the night away.

Marlena silently hoped when this all fell down, Ivelle wouldn’t rip his heart out. It seemed he might finally be able to let her sister go.

Crossing the room, Marlena was flagged down by a group of her parents’ peers, and she would have gone to them if it weren’t for the beauty in a bronze dress who caught her attention on the opposite side of the room.

Arlet’s eyes twinkled against the lights strewn across the ceiling, but when they met Marlena’s, she caught the sadness inside them and the dark circles underneath. Even with makeup, they were still visible in the shadows.

Marlena changed course, ignoring the group of brown-nosers.

Her new path ended where Arlet stood. She held Marlena’s stare until she was halfway to her, and she turned, leading Marlena down the Aeris home’s halls.

Her reaction didn’t make Marlena stop… They were used to catching one another’s eye across the room and sneaking off.

It had been part of their game for months.