Lightning Bringer: (Lighting Seeker Book 2)

Clypeus and Ostium

Vale ignored the whispers and giggles that filled the halls as she followed a quiet servant to her room. She could hardly believe Kebar had let her inside, let alone offered her accommodations with the other ladies that had come. She took small, graceful steps— which took twice as long as her normal gait—eyes forward, ignoring the headache that threatened to split her skull in two.

Six months ago, Vale had wanted nothing more in the world than to find adventure, connect with others and make her way in the world. But as she was ushered down the hall, calculating eyes following her every move, she admitted that this was far from the adventure she wanted. A stupid dress, fake smile, and meaningless pleasantries all to keep my head above water long enough to save humanity.

The entire idea was insane. 

A girl with bright red hair watched Vale as the servant girl opened a large door to the room that was going to be hers for as long as Vale survived a set of games she didn't know the rules to. 

Vale returned the red-headed girl's stare with one of her own, causing the girl to narrow her eyes and slam her door. She moved into the room and was immediately bombarded with the feeling of deja vu. 

This is the same room as last time, she realized. She couldn't imagine the Devinus household accepting duplicate rooms as part of the overall decor plan. A chill ran down Vale's spine as the servant closed the door, leaving her alone in the room. Did Kebar know I was coming? Her heart hammered wildly. Why else would he put me in the same room? He's toying with me. 

Moving to the closet, and after several violent tugs, Vale managed to wiggle out of her large green dress, thankful for the escape route Ace had added to the otherwise ancient styled dress that would have been impossible to remove alone. Hanging it up in the closet, Vale reached underneath the ruffles and pulled out the other items that Ace had so graciously sewn into the fabric.

A set of skirts, blouses, a pair of riding boots, and three evening gowns. By the time all the items were put away, Vale could hardly hold back her laughter. She should have expected the large number of items that Ace had claimed to be "essential," but the entire ordeal was ludicrous. "He's a brilliant designer. The doctor missed his calling," she murmured with a smile.

Pulling out one final pouch, she found makeup and several items she believed were meant to be used on her hair. I really should have asked him what all this stuff is.

Pulling on a skirt and blouse, Vale moved to the window and stared out at the sky as she freed her hair from the ribbon. Running her fingers through it, she released the wild curls that the ribbon had kept tamed.

A sudden knock on the door followed by the immediate entering of several girls caught Vale by surprise. Vale curtsied as they entered the room and closed the door behind them. "Hello."

Their postures were threatening. Cue hazing, Vale thought while scanning the group. A tall blond girl stood before the others wearing a deep blue dress. Her hair was pulled back into a long braid. The girl to her left had olive skin and a pair of breathtaking honey-colored eyes. She wore a cream-colored dress. The final girl that stood to the right, had hair cut to her chin in a short bob. She wore a deep red dress. 

Vale waited for them to address themselves. To give her a clue as to what they wanted. The leader raked Vale with her eyes and if she hadn't been wearing such a large, garish dress, Vale may have found her ice-cold glare to be intimidating.

"That was quite the entrance," the leader said. The other two snickered. Vale waited, curious to see what their point was.

When they didn't speak Vale offered a shrug. Am I supposed to respond to the obvious?

"I'm surprised he didn't throw you out the moment you got here," the girl continued, flicking her eyes over Vale's appearance. "You clearly aren't Devinus material."

Vale snorted and instantly cursed herself. The girl's eyes turned venomous. "Is something funny?"

"This entire situation," Vale replied, ignoring Dash's voice in her mind to play civil. "Like parading around in garish gowns like that will determine the cut of a person."

"Well you certainly don't care about your appearance," the girl shot back.

Vale nodded. "Not enough. That is true." She walked towards the girls, surprising them. "You win in that department." Vale held out her hand. "The terrible dresser is Vale."

The girl to the right in the red dress reached out and took her hand, disarmed by the sudden change. "Ostium, but you can call me Osti." She offered Vale a wide grin. "That was some entrance." This time, the words didn't sound accusatory.

Vale laughed. "Thanks. The ship ran out of fuel. It was the fastest way down."

The girl with honey-colored eyes laughed, amused. "I'm Clypeus. Call me Cee," she held out her hand and shook Vale's in a tight grip. The girl in the middle looked at her two companions with a mix of betrayal and fury.

"Whatever. Let's go girls. You don't want to catch anything." She turned on her heels and left the room.

Vale shot the girls a quick smile. "True. I hear dramatic entrances are contagious." The girls left the room giggling.

Vale smiled to herself as she laid down on the bed. Two down, Nine hundred ninety-eight more girls to go. Dash would have been proud of that exchange. It was surprising how easy it had been, which made her wary. Everything is a game. Don't let your guard down.

The girls had been given three hours to get ready for the evening's opening banquet. There they would learn what kind of game they were in for. And even if it took her all three hours, Vale was determined to stand out in a breathtaking dress, and prove that she deserved to be kept another day, even if drawing attention to herself was the last way she wanted to spend her time.