Highest rating: #19 in fantasy!
Edlyn has never fit in. With her unusual white hair and silver eyes, she sticks out from her village of brown. To make matters worse, unexplainable things tend to happen around her-things that she can't control. In a...
"Celeste?" I ask, a hint of irritation already obvious in my voice. She wouldn't.
The normally talkative fairy is silent for once. After a moment, she begin to braid again. "I might've arranged for Alec to escort you." She finishes my hair and comes to stand next to Syfi, jabbing an elbow into her side. "I'll get you for that, dear." Syfi only laughs.
"Why would you do that?" I groan, putting my face in my hands. "I didn't even want to go in the first place. Now I have to put up with him the whole night?"
Celeste frowns. "He's isn't that bad. Just a little uptight is all."
I roll my eyes. "Whatever you say."
Celeste looks like she might add something else, but Syfi grabs her arm and pulls her toward the door.
"Come on," she says with a giggle. "It's time to pamper ourselves a bit. Edlyn will be fine by herself for a little while."
Celeste glances out at the setting sun. "Alec said he'd come around when the sun touches the horizon," she mumbles, hanging her head like a dog that's just been scolded. I nearly apologize for snapping at her as they leave, but Alec's face appears in my mind and a fresh wave of anger rushes over me.
I give the girls a curt goodbye.
To distract myself, I take the mirror from the desk and admire Celeste's work on my hair. She braided my white locks into three complex braids and wound them together in an intricate up-do. I've never seen anything like it, not even amongst Achalia's wealthiest women. I smile to myself, knowing the girls that always teased me would be green with envy if they saw me now.
To my credit, I don't spend the rest of my time alone engaging in narcissism. I choose instead to admire the sunset while I wait, thinking about how large of an ego the sun must have after having so many adoring eyes gaze at it all day long.
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Alec is right on time.
"Knock, knock."
I turn to see him standing in the doorway, looking almost as unhappy about this arrangement as I feel. He wears a simple black tunic and deep green pants. A thick brown belt wraps around his waist, matching the color of his boots, and his sword rests in its sheath at his side. The look is simple, but I find myself blushing nonetheless. He looks...nice. "Ready to go?"
I notice with a dark feeling of victory that a purple bruise has formed where my fist made contact with his cheek. Taking a quick breath, I say, "You don't have to take me if you don't want to." The words rush out of my mouth before I can think. Alec, leaning against the wall near the door, raises an eyebrow. "I didn't ask Celeste to make you—"
"She didn't make me do anything." He pushes off the wall and takes a few steps toward me, amusement lightening his dark eyes. "I volunteered."
