Her shocked eyes met his calm ones. “What? No,” she hissed.
Eyden turned his eyes on the club. “Do you see the windows? I can’t see him from here.” He looked back at her, steel eyes unrelenting. “You can wait outside if you want but there are a lot of other guards and drunk fae wandering about. Your choice.”
The way he put it made it sound like no choice at all. Lora surveyed the fae entering the building. They were all either dressed up, barely dressed at all, or both.
“Will they even let us in?” she asked.
“They let anyone in who can pay the entry fee. I’ve been there before.” Seeing Lora’s facial expression, he explained, “For surveillance.”
What kind of surveillance was the question, but she didn’t ask. Instead she said, “If I go in with you, you’ll have to tell me why you’re doing this. Something truthful.”
“Are we making more bargains now?” He seemed to contemplate the possibilities, then said, “Okay, how about this? If you make it through this evening without asking me to leave at any point, I’ll share one secret with you. Deal?” There was an excited glint in his eyes that she hadn’t seen before. It made him look younger, playful.
She wondered how old he was. Grown fae, appearance-wise, usually stayed in their mid- to late-twenties for far longer than humans. He could be decades older than he looked.
Lora glanced back at the strip club. Eyden was underestimating her again. Lora was convinced she could deal with whatever she might see in this club. She wasn’t a prude. She had Maja as a friend, after all, and that girl didn’t shy away from anything. All she had to do was channel her inner Maja.
“Deal,” she said, returning his smile with a devious, determined one of her own.
Chapter14
Amira
Amira was excited to see one of the servants deliver a large package to her door. The attached note read, “So you can dazzle me tonight –Rhay”
She had been wondering all day if Rhay would keep to his word. Amira took a good look at the dress before laying it on the bed. The top part of the dress was artfully cut on the sides and the skirt was made of a textured material that looked like crystals. Amira was surprised by its design. Given her status in the court, she would have expected something more conventional, or at least less…provocative. Wryen would surely not approve.
Nalani helped her put on the garment. As the fabric slowly grasped her body, she felt a shudder run down her spine. Her excitement chased her fears away.
Even though the dress hugged her curves, she could still move freely in it. For once, she was actually going to wear comfortable clothes to an event. And she was invited to a party on her own, an informal one. If Karwyn was there, this could be a good opportunity for them to get to know each other. To break through his cold exterior.
Reassured, she let Nalani braid her hair on both sides, revealing the nape of her neck. She wasn’t used to this type of hairstyle. In Amryne, she would keep her hair framing her face, but Nalani had assured her that this was the height of fashion in the Turosian kingdom.
She stared at her exposed skin in the mirror. The memory of a shadowy figure gently kissing her neck flickered in her mind. She closed her eyes, trying to remember if it had actually happened. All she could see were vibrant burning flames and blonde hair going up in smoke. The smell of burnt flesh stung her nose and brought tears to her eyes.
She suddenly felt a light hand on her cheek. When she opened her eyes, she saw Nalani’s concerned eyes. “Are you all right, my lady?” the maid asked.
Amira took a deep breath and quickly wiped her tears away. “I’m okay. I just miss my family,” she lied.
“Oh dear, of course. I hope your brother is staying for a bit longer, maybe until Falea Night. You seem to have such a close bond.”
Amira almost let out an audible laugh, but she knew it would be wiser to pretend to care for Wryen, so she smiled and nodded. A practiced move.
Nalani opened one of the drawers of the dressing table and took out some small pots and tins. “Anyway, it’s better to cry before I put on your makeup. I wouldn’t want your pretty face to be covered with black smears.”
Nalani started to apply the makeup she had selected and Amira watched her face being moulded into a different woman. The amethyst colour of her eyes shined brighter and her olive skin became soft and dewy. She looked like a high-level fae, radiating confidence and power.
Smiling at her reflection, she kept herself from hugging Nalani for creating such a miracle. With her new look, no one would think that she didn’t belong.
* * *
Along with the dress, Rhay had sent her an invitation and a map to find the location of the party, but the piece of paper was so full of details and intricate drawings that Amira was utterly confused about where to go. She walked around the darkly lit palace, moonlight streaming in through the big windows. She was very aware of her scandalous outfit every time she passed someone in the corridors and they stared at her. Suddenly, all the confidence that Nalani had brought out with the makeover vanished.
Amira stared at her reflection in the window. Her hand automatically grabbed the end of her braid and she started pulling it, first lightly and then with more strength. The familiar pain brought her much-needed comfort.
The sound of strong steps echoed through the corridor and Amira let go of her hair. She followed the sound on quick feet. Just as she turned around the corner, she saw Karwyn enter a dark passage to their left. She wondered if she should call out his name. Full of nerves, she glanced at her braided hair, her fingers grasping the ends of it as if by their own will. As she forced her gaze up, she realised her hesitation had made her lose sight of Karwyn.
Almost running, she aimed for a new corridor and found herself in a large hallway with multiple doors on each side.