The Crystal Trials

31 Taury

I watched my finger run through Zither's red and black waves. I had decided to primarily leave it down except for the front strands which I pulled tight against her head and tied them at the base of her neck, under the hair. I felt that the look complemented her long sleeve skintight dress and harsh makeup. When I finished her look, I handed her the velvet mask that coupled her dress. The king has sent a mask with each dress. Whoever his stylist was, they knew exactly what they were doing.

I didn't have to do Lilta's hair, as she enjoyed doing her own. She took it upon herself to help Nik and I get all the girls looking perfect for the night's Winter Masque. As Zither walked over to help Rayze into her billowing sage chiffon dress, Emyr sat in the seat in front of me. She chatted away about wondering if Syphor would be able to dance with her or if there was a rule against teachers doing that. Though, he as only three years older than us, so I hoped they could get away with it. Her red silk dress was held up by barely-there straps and the front cut down between her breasts to just above her belly, leaving a scrap of fabric in the front and back. It was daring but elegant. I did her hair in a simple chignon strategically leaving out strands in the front.

Sera came over to watch over my shoulder, her demeanor more relaxed I had seen it all year. Over the full white lace body suit, she donned a floor length white wool trench coat. Instead of a color, like a man's suit, were silver and diamond feathers flaring out. She had added real ice to her which only added to her winter dominatrix look. I finished up with Emyr, just as Lilta finished up with Nik.

Lilta was the first of us to get ready. Her breasts were covered in scallops of satin emerald fabric. Her middle was bare, but her skirts were of the same cloth and the slit on the side of her ample thigh went up to her waist, leaving very little to the imagination. She had taken her usual braids out and had heated it into large soft curls that fell to her waist. She tapped her mask onto Nik head, indicating she was done, and tied it onto her face.

I hadn't been able to see Nik outfit yet, as I had been working on hair. She stood up and I gasped. Her choice of the gowns was clearly the pick of the ones sent. She glittered allover, clothed in the darkest of blue fabric that was covered in sequins. The middle of the dress, cut down to her belly button, leaving the inner sides of her breasts exposed. Though the top of the gown was secured by tight long sleeves, the waist down was a ballgown. But that wasn't what made me gasp. On her head, held by strands of hair, was a headband that secured silver and diamond wings behind her ears. She smiled at my gasp and giggled as she showed up the silver mask that would attract anyone wanting to dance with her.

She walked to me and spun us to look in her mirror together. I left my hair down, which I rarely did, and wore the diamond flower necklace Sera had found. Where Nik was dark, I was light. My own gown glittered from flicks of gold sewn into the fabric. My neckline crisscrossed over my breasts where gold and light pink flowers edged the ends. My long sleeves were as loose and flowing as the skirts. Nik waved the other girls over and we all crowded around the mirror together.

"Damn we're hot," Nik declared. "Wait, one more thing." She waved her hand and right in front of my eyes, she wove tiny vines of baby's breath into the hair on one side of my face. I laid my head back on her. The other girls twirling and posing, then we all laughed.

We made our way down the hall towards the staircase leading to the foyer. I stopped short, having forgot my mask. I shooed the other girls on. I snatched my mask off Nik's couch where I had left it and shut the door behind me. When I turned around, Garren was standing there in front of his door looking delicious in a pristine white suit and tie. I swallowed. We hadn't spoken since Sera's admittance to me. Had she told him she finally shared her secret? Did I care? I shook my head to clear it and walked on.