A Court of Illyrian Hearts

Chapter Three

I wake at the sound of knocking on my door. Groaning I get up, promising myself to steal the leathers of the prick outside the next time he decides to take a shower.

When I open the door, however, it isn't an Illyrian male beaming at me.

'You must be her!' the gorgeous female says and hugs me, tight. Too tight, as my stitches pull making me hiss in pain.

'Shit sorry,' she says and lets go immediately.

'Lady Morrigan' I say realizing who she is, and bow down.

'Oh no, get up you'll hurt yourself,' she stops me mid-bow. 'And please, call me Mor,' she says with a smile.

Looking back up at her I don't know what to say.

'Rhysand sent me,' she says, sensing my confusion. 'I'm supposed to get you ready for dinner.'

Shit I think How could I forget?

'Please come in.' I say and step aside to let her in.

I cringe at the sight of the cabin; the unmade bed, my leathers strewn across the floor next to the bucket filled with muddy, bloody water.

'I'm sorry for the mess,' I say as I attempt to clean up.

'You can leave it; we're going to the House of Wind.' She tells me and smiles.

'Right now?' I didn't have anything nice or formal to wear besides my leathers, which were filthy, and there is no time to go buy a dress I realize.

'Put this on first,' she laughs and pulling a folded piece of fabric from the bag draped across her body and handing it to me. I hadn't noticed the bag or her outfit of black pants and a flowy red blouse.

I take it, the fabric soft against my calloused hands.

'Go ahead,' she says, 'Try it on.'

I nod and walk to the back of the cabin and turn to see that she is looking away to give me some privacy.

I take my clothes off and slide the dress on. The shimmering purple fabric falls to the ground widening slightly from my hips to my feet adorned with tiny silver stars from my left shoulder to my right hip. White lines the edges of the thin straps. I look good, I think to myself; despite my bandaged arm and the various cuts adorning my body.

'Wow,' I breath.

'You look gorgeous,' Mor says and walks over to me, her hand fumbling for something in her bag. 'All you need is some curls,' with a wave of her hand dark bouncing locks curl around my face, neck and down my back. Black heeled shoes suddenly grace my feet. 'And a little bit of this,' she takes a red lipstick from her bag and applies it to my lips.

When I look in the mirror again, I can hardly believe my eyes. I look beautiful.

'Thank you,' I say just as Devlon enters my cabin, not even bothering to knock.

'We're leaving. Now.' He says with that annoying authoritative voice of his and stomps out.

'Does he always do that?' Mor asks frowning at his back as he leaves.

'Yeah. He hasn't caught me naked yet though,' I say with a wink.

She lets out a small laugh and eyes my back, noting the scars that now take the place of where my wings once were. 'How will we get to the House?' she asks carefully.

Of course, the House of Wind is guarded from any magic like winnowing. You have to fly in.

'I have a peryton,' I say, 'She can take us.'