Winter Embers [ Book 2 ]

Chapter Fourteen

       "I don't have anything to wear," Claire replied.

       Meili simply smiled, light steps carrying her over to a door Claire had not noticed before. It was painted in such a way that it blended right into the wall, Meili stepped inside and after a few moments emerged with something draped over her arms. Closing the door behind her, Claire watched in awe as it disappeared without so much as a seam left in its wake.

       She carried the garment over to the bed and set it down carefully before turning to face Claire once more.

       "Come, mistress, we will help you dress," Meili declared.

       Before Claire could ask, she turned to see the other three girls had returned and now stood quietly by the pool with various items stacked in their arms.

       "Oh, well..."

       "There is no time to argue, mistress," Meili continued, her voice remaining calm and collected. "Please, allow us to assist you, we mean you no harm."

       Claire glanced around the room and wondered if Draz was still there simply watching the scene play out. As she approached the stone steps that would lead her out of the water she hoped for his sake that he had his eyes covered.

       "There," Meili declared as she slipped one final ornament into Claire's hair. The four girls had spent the better part of an hour poking and pulling, combing and braiding, until Claire had nearly reached her wits end. As she turned to view her reflection in the mirror, she found herself slightly taken aback. The outer gown was more robe-like in its construction and made of a sheer, lightweight fabric that faded from a pale yellow at the shoulders to a deep gold at her feet. Beneath it was a similar gown of crimson with long flowing sleeves and cinched at the waist by a wide sash of white silk embroidered with swirling black clouds and lotus flowers.

       Her hair had been pulled back into an intricate array of braids and twists laced through with thin gold chains and colorful ribbons. They were all held in place by several gold sticks and pins decorated with jewels and delicate silk flowers.

       "Master Zou will be so pleased," Meili beamed, clapping her hands together. It was the most emotion the young woman had shown since Claire had first met her. "We should hurry, it isn't good to keep him waiting."

       "No, we wouldn't want to do that," Claire replied. "What about my shoes?"

       "Oh, you won't be needing them, mistress," Meili replied, motioning for Claire to follow her out of the room. All this and no shoes? It made little sense to her, but who was she to question the infamous Master Zou?

       Meili led the entourage back through the center of the garden and when they emerged they were greeted with a staircase spiraling down into darkness that Claire was certain she hadn't seen earlier. Looking around Claire couldn't help but wonder how many other doors and stairs some sort of magic might have masked from view.

       Meili stopped at the landing and motioned for Claire to go ahead of her.

       "You'll find Master Zou is waiting for you," she explained.

       "You aren't coming with me?" Claire asked, suddenly feeling anxious. She wasn't sure why, but the thought of going down those dark stairs alone was unsettling.

       Meili shook her head and laughed. "No."

       "But why?"

       "Now is not the time for questions, mistress, please," Meili motioned again to the stairs.