He stood there, still as stone as he watched Sophie Foster walk away. Or watched Moon walk away.
He shouldn't give two craps about the bullshit she was spewing, but he couldn't bring himself to hate her. He didn't know what happened to her to make her this--it couldn't have been at the Black Swan base? She was in that stupid organization, so she couldn't hate it, it wouldn't have affected her.
Something else was making her this way, something else turned her cold, something else made her change her name. He wouldn't be told otherwise because this had to be the truth. "Moon," He said, testing her name out. It sort of matched her, he heard from Fitz that she had a fondness for the moon. It made his heart pang a little knowing that she wouldn't tell him anymore, and that he would probably never see her again.
//
"Where is Kerys?" Oralie demanded him the next day.
All eyes turned to him, "I took the thing off, she left last night." He sighed, rubbing his eyes. He didn't get much sleep last night, "I don't know where in the stars she went, all I know is that she left like there was a bunch of blood thirsty animals behind her."
The blonde councillor pursed her lips, Oralie was so in on whatever So--Moon was up to. "Okay, thank you." She breathed out, some tension easing, "She doesn't like being powerless, she's probably with her other family right now."
She left the room and the others faced him, they read something on his face, "What is it, Dex, spit it out. I know she was hiding something." Ruy, he caught everything it seemed, "There was either a hidden meaning to what Oralie said, or she accidentally spilled something that she wasn't supposed to."
"Before the girl left, she told me to call her Moon." He breathed, he didn't like lying to them, but he didn't want to disappoint his friends.
"As in Moon for Moonlark?!" Biana screeched.
Dex hadn't thought about that, it was already one thing that Sophie is suspicious, but she was really powerful, even in those early stages of discovering her ability. But that was just one ability, she couldn't have gotten more without people finding out. The hydrokinesis and pyrokinesis must have been faked somehow, she would have needed to train. Even if she changed, she would never harm people--it had to be against her very being.
"No, I don't think so. I think it's just because she resonated with the name," He saw a dawning on Fitz's face, he knew what Dex was talking about then.
"That doesn't answer my question about Oralie though," Ruy said, "It is very valid, if she's hiding something it's not only bad for her, but it's bad for us." And he was right, Oralie was so nice and kind, they would have to be the ones dispensing justice on her.
There was a moment of silence between the group of close friends, but then the door burst open and three figures strutted in with two silently behind them. "Having a meeting without us, aye?"
Ramzi smirked as Sukki cursed, "I told you they would leave Jensi out," She placed twenty lusters in Ramzi's hand. He and his friends looked at each other, shamed that they forgot about him.
"Well that's not the reason we are here," She threw herself on the couch and screeched when something fell on her, it was a balloon full of glue. 'My parting gift, enjoy,' was scribbled on a piece of paper on the chair, it was in a fancy script that didn't look rushed in the least. She was planning this before she left, how alike she and Keefe were now.
"Ugh!" She yelled as everyone laughed, even her friends, "I wanted to say that the annual Peace Gala is at the end of the week, we have three days to plan it. The Council is taking an impromptu trip so I'm in charge, they said the theme this year has something to do with the sky."
"The Council left them in charge, not you. We are just helping," Jensi told her and she bared her teeth in his direction, he just smiled at her.
Biana screeched, probably already pissed at the short notice. "It is not possible to plan a gala in three days! Much less the most important gala of the semi-centennial! We need more time!" Oh Biana was definitely panicking. Semi-centennial? She could have just said fifty years.
A Peace Gala is held every fifty years. Dex didn't know why they called it a 'peace' gala, all anyone did was dress up, dance and talk about themselves. He wished that they had the stupid thing every semi-millenia. They threw extra big celebrations in the years of the successors. Goodie goodie, he thought.
"Sky? We need sunset things, midnight things, cloud things, star things, moon things..." Dex just tuned her out, and he thought. You needed to be invited to these things, so there was zero chance of her coming. It was honestly just so stupid.
"We need invites, drinks, food, desserts! We don't have time!" Biana looked ready to tear someone's hair out. Her gaze turned to Ramzi who was laughing at her, "Shut the stars up, just because they didn't leave you in charge doesn't mean that you aren't obliged to help." She had a wicked smile on her face, "The gala will be at Everglen, I need you to make sure that everything is spotless and that the forest is clear of anything. You are also in charge of handwriting each and every invite."
Ramzi looked like she so wanted to argue, but it was an order and she couldn't disobey Biana. It made him almost laugh, she gave Ramzi's friends equally bad jobs. Sukki had to set up the tables and chairs, while Wyllo helped Ramzi with the letters. Being a conjurer meant that she could deliver the letters without being in person, it would tire her the stars out though.
//
Over the course of days Everglen was turned into the epic party site, everything was perfect and it was all because of Biana. Dex didn't even want to know how many hours he and the rest of his friends had lost, it was that much. He thought he had gotten about nine hours out of the seventy two of sleep. He couldn't wait to crash tonight.
Tomorrow was the gala, and even though everything was ready Biana was still in a panic.
"I don't even know what I'm going to wear. This is preposterous!" She said to us, collapsing on the couch. She just finished inspecting all of our work--after using many lusters, buying all the right materials. Marella was lighting ever lasting fires, well everlasting till she or someone more powerful than her took them out. He was working on the lighting crystals hanging on the trees, he was the tallest they said, so this was his job.
Fitz was on food tasting duty, while Keefe helped me with the lights. Though it kind of changed midway because Keefe started eating the food. So to prevent him from eating all the food, Fitz changed jobs so that he could do the taste test.
Jensi and Keenan were just supervising because they are super clumsy. Biana's eyes almost bulged out when Jensi dropped something, and she was ready to kill Keenan when he knocked over a fancy glass.
Marella made her way to Biana's side, she was about to sit when Biana surged up. Knocking her friend over, but grabbing her in time, "No, Marella we have to go dress shopping!"
"Mmmh," He could tell that she didn't want to go, "But I have a perfectly good dress back at home, it's yellow for the sun."
"Come on! This event only happens every fifty years! We are lucky to be so young when this happened. This is a night to remember!" His girlfriend reluctantly agreed, and Biana rushed to grab her hand, "I'm leaving Jensi in charge! Everyone get back to work!"
Sukki groaned, "How is that fair? I have to go dress shopping too," She pouted, but it fell upon deaft ears. Biana and Marella had already light leaped away, leaving the rest of them to work.
Ramzi looked damn near ready to rip someone's head off, likely Jensi because Biana left him in charge. "We are working our asses off day and night, much more than that pretty princess. So why are we still here, everything is about done." No one answered her, they just shrugged and went back to work. They would all rather work with an angry Ramzi than an angry Biana.
It appeared that even her friends knew that as well, because as soon as Ramzi slammed her hand down on the table they got back to work. A flash of betrayal crossed her face, but seeing as though her best friends didn't follow with her, she sulkily went back to writing the invitations.
//
It was finally time. Everglen was getting fuller by the second, he still didn't see her. It was safe to assume that Sophie or Moon would not be making an appearance here tonight.
"Not everyone is here yet," Biana said, surprising him as she walked up close, "We are missing three parties. Wylie, he's coming with his friend. Tiergan said he passed his invitation down to his adoptive son who is coming in his stead with a friend. And the Heks'."
They grouped together with the others and the horn blared signaling the appearance of a party, the announcer read the names, "Presenting Lord Wylie Endal and Linnette Shade."
"I've never h--," Apparently they must have all come as a group, "Presenting the Lord and Lady Heks, and their daughter."
It was a few minutes and the last party still didn't show, "Tiergan's ambassador has yet to show," Dex muttered, "And speak of the devils,"
Two figures approached, their silhouettes the only reason he knew they were there. One was big and tall, while the other small and curvy. "Presenting Lord Thomas Shade and Lady Jodee Ruin."
He eyeballed the couple. The man had perfectly styled back black hair lined with silver tips at the ends, his face looked perfectly at peace, but his tense shoulders said otherwise. He was dangerous and he knew it, his misty eyes cold as he looked around the room—searching for someone. Lots of young eyes tracked him and Keefe cursed beside him.
"Aw man, there goes all the girls who like me, Fitz, and Ruy." He whispered, "And he doesn't even have good hair, it's legit what his last name is. Shade-y."
Dex put off his friend's comment and looked to Lord Shade's side, at his lady friend. He tried not to gape, he was pretty sure everyone tried not to gape when they saw her. She could be a damn goddess, or anything close for that matter.
Her dress was a sunset of a pink and purple ombré. Dark purple hugging her thin waist and then flaring out with her hips in a light purple. She looked like a perfect morning. Her every step brought the dress up a few inches, and stars, she even had attractive feet. Her pale blonde hair falling to reach her midriff, there was little braid and beads in them, she might have even had tinsel in her hair.
He had to give it to the Lord, he picked his friends well. As did Wylie, who seemed to be with the Lord's sister.
"Gods, holy gods." Keefe breathed next to him.
Dex was faithful to Marella, but he could so agree with what Keefe was seeing. He moved his sight back to the Lord after banishing the thoughts from his mind. He was startled to find his eyes locked on his, he visibly stiffened and whispered something to her. His eyes shined as he smirked.
Point taken, she was with him.
"Shit," Fitz cursed and he turned his gaze back to her, but before he made eye contact she did.
Dex cursed a storm of his own, all his friends' eyes went to him. He pointed at the lady who was staring at him with turquoise eyes that used to be cerulean, "They're here."