Page 9

“I am NOT, under any circumstances, wearing that atrocious thing ,” I say, offended by the monstrosity before me.

“Oh, Maeva. Come on… It’s not atrocious. It’s called fashion ,” Cara laughs.

Surely she is joking, I think.

Cara preens as she holds up a fuschia dress with large puffy sleeves that I am quite certain could fly away on its own—joining a flock of birds on its departure.

Nope.

She’s not joking.

She loves it.

The intricate dress is layered with ruffles upon ruffles from the waist down. It is trimmed with golden lace with eccentric designs down the front and back of the gown. Cara found it at a shop in town earlier this week and claims she just “thought of me” when she saw it.

There is only one word to describe this dress in all of its fashionable finery.

Hideous.

“Maybe for a flock of swans,” I grumble under my breath.

“Would you at least try it on?” Cara whines. “Miss Hamesch says that this dress is the style of the season for the nobility.”

“Cara, she lied ,” I reply. “That monstrosity is egregious six ways to Celestae, and she’s probably tired of looking at it. She bamboozled you to make a sale.”

Cara gasps, gripping the dress firmly to her chest as if it might be offended by my words. At this point, I’m not too certain it doesn’t have a mind of its own.

“She would never?—”

“Oh, but she did sweet, na?ve Cara. She knew no one within all four kingdoms would ever be caught dead in that flurry of ruffles,” I deadpan.

Her mouth forms an O shape as her eyes widen. “So, you don’t trust my sense of fashion, dear sister?” she asks sarcastically.

“If these are the little gems that you plan to bring home as gifts, then the answer is a vehement no,” I retort.

“Fine,” she groans. “Let’s make a little wager, shall we?

If you are too good for fashionable taste, I will wear it and have the rest of the family vote.

If they agree that this dress is hideous, I won’t force you to endure it.

However, if they’re overcome with adoration, then you must wear it for the entirety of your birthday celebration… without grumbling. ”

I grin wickedly because this is something I HAVE to see.

“By all means, let the wager begin,” I reply.

Cara nods, striding off to her room to change into the flock—I mean dress.

While her heart is in the right place, her eye for fashion definitely isn’t.

I truly don’t know what she sees in that dress.

I suppose when there’s a silver-tongued seamstress whispering nonsense in her ears, she’d be inclined to believe that it is all the rage .

One eternity later, Cara erupts from her room, looking like a fuschia powder puff.

I put a hand over my mouth to hide the laughter that desperately wants to erupt.

She looks ridiculous, but her face is one of stoic confidence.

Her nose is pointed high in the air, as if she is trying to appear regal.

My sides hurt as I attempt to keep my composure intact with very little success.

It’s even worse than I imagined… so much worse.

“Well, enough gawking,” Cara says confidently. “It is time to pay the piper.”

Without another word, she stalks down the hall to the stairwell.

As she struggles to see over the thousand and one ruffles, I am bursting at the seams. Tears are streaming down my face as I attempt to stifle my amusement.

I truly thought once she saw how ridiculous it is, she would give up at once.

Though that is just not Cara’s style—stubborn to the end.

Once we arrive at the bottom of the stairs, she turns to me, pointing to the parlor. The twins, Deidre, Fion, and Aine are currently playing a card game, while Amelia and Rolph set the table in the adjoining dining area.

“You must go in first and announce my grand entrance,” she whispers excitedly. “Don’t tell them about the wager just yet. I want their true reactions to this masterpiece.”

I bow at the waist in mock respect.

“Of course, Lady Powder Puff.”

She swats at my arm and mouths, “Go.”

I take a moment to compose myself, because if Cara can go through with this ridiculous ruse, then I’m giving the performance of my life.

Upon entry, I clear my throat. “Excuse me. May I have your attention?” I say in my best announcing voice.

In unison, the family looks at me, waiting to hear what I have to say.

“As you all know, Cara is stubborn to a fault,” I continue. “She’s asked me to introduce her, so she can behold your true reactions to a dress that she sees as a work of art—nay—a masterpiece.”

They all sit up straighter, anticipation gleaming in their eyes. The Cales love nothing more than to show support to one of their own, and this moment shall be no exception.

“Without further ado, I introduce the illustrious Lady Cara,” I say, moving out of the way.

Cara bursts through the door in the fuschia nightmare, holding her head high.

Honestly, I believe she could walk into any room and make everyone eventually believe something was an artistic choice.

She is always so sure of her decisions, but in this moment, I see a flicker in her gaze that she might be wrong.

I keep my eyes glued on the family’s faces, waiting for their reaction. Every single one of their mouths drop open. Amelia even lets out a small gasp.

There is a moment of silence.

Then, the room erupts into uncontained laughter. The twins cover their faces, howling like a pack of wolves, while Deidre hides behind her drawing book. Amelia and Rolph are doubled over with tears streaming down their faces, while Fion and Aine play in the dress’s ruffles, giggling all the while.

“That… has to be… the ugliest… dress in all of Aurelius—no, in all of Celestae,” Cillian declares between howls of laughter.

“Indeed.” Rolph wipes his eyes. “It is quite unfortunate.”

“I am waiting for it to carry her away into the gray sky,” exclaims Aidan.

“That’s what I said,” I blurt. “I have affectionately named her Lady Powder Puff.”

Just as the room was quieting down, it erupts in deep raucous laughter once more.

“This isn’t fair. Maeva swayed you to her side,” Cara pouts. “Miss Hamesch insisted this is the style of the season!”

“I’m afraid Miss Hamesch misled you. No one would ever wear that ghastly flurry, my angel,” Amelia says .

Everyone nods their head in agreement as they regain their composure.

“So, you’re all in agreement then? You all believe the dress is hideous and Maeva shouldn’t wear it for her birthday celebration next week?” Cara asks sadly.

“If anything, that thing deserves to be ceremonially burned,” declares Rolph.

“Here, here,” the twins echo.

Cara deflates.

I quickly wrap my best friend in a tight hug. “Your heart is in the right place. It isn’t your fault Miss Hamesch gave you false hope for that dress. Perhaps bring me along with you next time?”

Cara hugs me back and slowly trembles in my arms—not with sobs, but instead laughter.

“It really is quite ugly, isn’t it?” she asks in a whisper.

“The ugliest,” I reply.

“Well, if there is to be a ceremonial burning for this dress, then I will happily light the match,” she says in her most noble sounding voice.

The parlor erupts in applause as Cara and I make our way back upstairs to actually get cleaned up for dinner.

The entire affair requires both of us to hold up the dress in order to make it to the landing, so that Cara doesn’t trip and fall to her demise.

I follow behind Cara as she struts toward her door since my quarters are directly across the hall.

Usually, I can walk beside her on the way to our rooms, but the fuschia dress is so large that it covers the entire width, forcing me to walk behind.

I sigh, reaching for my handle when Cara clears her throat. Turning around, I find Cara looking at the ground as if it’s incredibly intriguing. Yet, knowing Cara, she’s attempting to hide her embarrassment. “I just wanted your birthday to be special,” Cara whispers. “You know that, don’t you?”

I cross the hall, wrapping her in an embrace. “I know this, my beloved sister, and it will be,” I coo, hoping to quell her disappointment. “ Truthfully, I’d be happy just to spend time with you and other peers. This will be good for me, just as you’ve said.”

“I hope so. I love you, Maeva,” she mumbles into my shoulder.

“I love you too, Cara,” I answer.

On that note, we release one another and return to our rooms, excited for what the future will bring.