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I don't see Syfi or Celeste again until an hour before the party, when the sun is just beginning to set. Heaps of fruit are brought to me twice throughout the day by an unfamiliar fairy, who stutters in my presence when I try to speak to her.
I spend the day in the flowery bedroom by myself, pacing or biting my nails or trying to wake myself from this nightmare.
Needless to say, it doesn't work.
The women barge into my room without so much as a knock, startling me out of a trance I'd fallen into while staring out at the sunset. Several birds flew by a few moments before, and I found myself wishing I could fly away with them.
"Close your eyes," Celeste commands. I do as she says. My torn up, damaged dress is pulled off and replaced by a heavier, scratchier one. I open my eyes, curious to see what Syfi has come up with, but Celeste snaps at me and I shut them again. The fairy fusses around me for a few more seconds. "Okay. Open them."
Celeste holds the seashell mirror in front of my face, tilting it down a bit so I can see the dress.
My breath catches in my throat.
I'm wearing fire.
No, it isn't fire. The fabric is made of red, yellow, and purple thread stitched together into a blazing pattern. The dress starts off dark on the bits that sweep the floor and grows lighter and brighter as it works its way up, resembling the flame of a candle. I look closer and notice that hundreds of tiny red and yellow leaves have been sewn into the dress. I chuckle to myself. Celeste was behind that, I'm sure.
"This is..." I pause, turning to the side to admire the dress from a different angle. I don't complete my sentence, but I think they understand anyway.
"I believe it's Syfi's best work yet," Celeste boasts. Syfi blushes, the focus of her gaze slightly to the right of her partner. I can tell by her expression that she wishes she could see her work for herself. I feel a pang of sadness for her.
When I finish admiring the dress, Celeste sets the mirror back down on the table and starts fiddling with my hair. As she starts braiding, I notice that neither girl has prepared for the party themselves.
"Where are your beautiful fairytale gowns?" I ask, gritting my teeth when Celeste pulls too hard on my hair.
"Don't worry about us," the fairy says. "We'll be ready in no time at all. You, on the other hand, have to look extra special."
I sigh and sit quietly so Celeste can finish my hair, biting my tongue when she's too rough to stop myself from whining.
"So, when are you going to tell her about Alec?" Syfi asks, her voice too innocent. A hint of mischief that I'm used to seeing in Celeste's eyes twinkles in Syfi's. Celeste's hands stop moving.
"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.
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."
"Pardon?"
"Quit stalling. We'll be late," he says. He gives me an infuriatingly sweet smile and holds his arm out. Swallowing my pride, I give him a smile that I hope is just as sickening and hook my arm through his.
The party is held at the top of the enormous tree where the grand staircase begins its long journey to the ground. We arrive on time, but the room is already packed. I scan the crowd for Celeste and Syfi or even Peter, but the only familiar face is Queen Lili Mai. She glides toward us, her pale green dress sweeping over the wooden floor, and smiles at us, looking eerie in the moonlight that filters in through the branches. But I'm relieved to see someone I know who isn't Alec, even if it is her.
"Good evening," she greets us, bowing with the grace of a royal. Alec returns her bow and I curtsy awkwardly, still getting used to acting properly in the presence of royalty. "I absolutely love parties. Aren't you thrilled this is all for you?"
I fake a smile. "Extremely. Thank you very much."
Alec covers a chuckle with a light cough. My breath catches in my throat, but the Queen doesn't seem to notice. I elbow him in the ribs, not taking my eyes off the Queen. "Have you seen Peter tonight, Your Majesty?"
"I seem to recall that your friend turned down our invitation." She frowns. "He told Warren that he would rather sleep with a centaur than attend one of our parties."
"A centaur—?"
"That's too bad," Alec interrupts with a polite smile for the Queen. Her pleasant expression returns, if you can call her nerve-wracking half smile that. "He's certainly going to miss out on a lovely night." The Queen nods her agreement and turns her gaze to me. My stomach churns as she takes my hands in hers.
"My dear, I hope you forgive me for my actions the other day. I did not mean to frighten you. Although, you certainly handled yourself very well." She puts a hand on my shoulder. I know the gesture is meant to be reassuring, but her touch makes my skin crawl. "You're a very brave girl." To my relief, she drops her hand.
"Thank you, Your Majesty." My voice wavers. The queen doesn't seem to notice, but Alec does.
"Well," he says, clearing his throat. He sounds so steady, not intimidated in the presence of the woman who was ready to kill us both hardly a day ago. "If you'll excuse us, Your Majesty, I think it's time for Edlyn's first taste of fairy wine."
"Ah, yes, of course." The Queen nods and averts her attention to a pair of fairies that had been vying for her attention since she began speaking to us.
Alec guides me through the crowd by my arm to the other side of the room and releases me to pour a dark red liquid into a circular wooden cup. He hands it to me and turns to pour himself one. I sniff the wine cautiously. It smells just like wine from my village, but with something extra. Cinnamon?
Alec takes a big swig out of his cup, but I decide to only hold mine for now. "Thank you for that. After the other day—" I shake my head. "I'm very afraid of her."
He shrugs and sets a now empty cup down on the table. "Aren't you going to drink?"
"I'm not much of a drinker," I mumble, glancing down into my cup. I wrinkle my nose at Alec and he chuckles.
"It's good, I promise. Like human wine, but with a kick," he tells me. He waits for me to take a drink and I squirm under his gaze. I set the cup on the table next to his empty one.
"I think I'll pass." He picks my cup back up, holding it out to me. I meet his eyes. I immediately wish I hadn't, because his raised eyebrow convinces me to take the cup back. I sigh and stare into the cup. "Are you trying to get me drunk?" The only answer he gives me is a laugh. The first genuine, non-sarcastic laugh of his that I've heard.
"I don't think you have to worry about that from me." His eyes glimmer with an untold secret that I decide not to ask for.
"What exactly makes it fairy wine?"
"The grapes are grown using our magic. So, really, it's just magical wine." He shoots me one of his somewhat forced half smiles. "Nothing to be afraid of." I take a cautious sip out of the cup. Just as I expected, it tastes like wine with a teaspoon of cinnamon. I don't like it; it's too sweet. But I'm rewarded with a slightly more sincere smile from Alec, so I take another sip. "Not so terrible, is it?"
A group of fairies step in between us, swarming and bombarding me with questions and excited chattering. I try my best to listen to them all, but there are too many voices to focus on just one. Once I start to feel claustrophobic, I try to force my way out of the circle of loud fairies, but they're oblivious to my discomfort and block my path. A hand grabs my elbow and pulls me out of the crowd. Alec. He mutters something to them that keeps them from following us. Others, spotting us maneuvering through the crowd, gravitate toward us. They touch my arms and my hair like they did when I first arrived, their voices pulling me in every direction.
Alec's hold on my arm tightens and he pushes through the thickening mass of fairies, no longer being polite with his movements.
Once we break free from the crowd, he guides me around a corner and up a few steps. He releases his hold when we reach a twisting mass of thick branches outside that form a sort of porch that overlooks the forest below.
I take a deep breath of the cold air, grateful to be away from the suffocating environment of the party.
"They seem to really like you," Alec says, watching me from the shadows. I grimace and he folds his arms over his chest. "They mean well. Just too excited about being in the presence of the greatest witch of all time." I ignore the sarcasm he injects into the last few words.
I snicker. "No pressure."
Alec stares at me until I look away. "I wanted to apologize. For what I said. In the forest the other day." His words come tumbling out, like he's nervous. A sarcastic comment pops into my head, but I block its way out with a small smile. Alec is being nice, so I will be too.
"You're forgiven. I'm sure everyone was thinking it anyway." Sighing, I twist a stray strand of hair around my finger. Alec's bruise stands out in the darkness, swollen and purple. Painful. I wince, guilt gnawing at me. "I'm sorry for hitting you."
He waves a hand in the air. "I deserved it." I nod my agreement and he rolls his eyes. "Anyway, now that we're the best of friends," he says, his voice thick with sarcasm. Now it's my turn to roll my eyes. "Why didn't you let the griffin kill me?" The question is unexpected, but I suppose I should have seen it coming. I've been wondering the same about why he did what he did the first time the Queen threatened me.
"So that we'd be even." I shrug. Alec raises an eyebrow. It isn't a lie since I don't know exactly why I did it. But I certainly don't want Alec hanging it over my head that he saved my life. "You stopped Warren from killing me, so I stopped the Queen's griffin from making a meal of you. We're even now." He shakes his head and chuckles. I wrap my arms around myself, rubbing my arms to keep warm. "Speaking of, why did you stop the Queen from killing me?" My question seems to make him uncomfortable. I cock my head. "There was no reason for you to."
Alec hesitates, his rigid expression faltering.
Screaming fills the room beside us. Alec and I lock eyes for a fraction of a second before taking a step toward the doorway. A swirling mass of black drops from the branches above us, slamming onto the ground in front of me. I stumble to a halt, inches from the creature. The black smoke forms the vague shape of a body and two shapes on its back that I think might be wings. Its eyes, red and glowing, are glaring at me. Evil exudes from it, filling me with dread.
The eyes narrow, then the creature pounces.
A strangled scream escapes my lips as it barrels into me, shoving me onto the ground and crawling on top of me. Smoke extends from its sides and wraps around my neck, stealing the breath from my lungs. I choke on my spit while struggling for air. My vision starts to swim and my heart pumps loudly in my ears.
The last thing I'm going to see is its horrible eyes.
Something silver flashes above my face and the creature shrieks, releasing its grip on me. Its head—or what I think is its head—topples off its shoulders and onto the ground, rolling away. The headless body evaporates.
"Looks like you owe me again," Alec says, sliding his sword back into its sheath and pulling me to my feet. He looks unshaken, whereas I'm having a hard time breathing.
"What—what was that?"
Alec releases me before I can steady myself. I stumble a bit before leaning against part of the tree trunk, waves of nausea rolling through me. "Fatoris. A dark fairy." Cold fear fills my veins, making me feel like my insides are made of ice. Alec glances at me before turning back to peer into the canopy where the sounds of screaming and death rapidly grow louder. The shadows on his face make him look almost as terrifying as the creature that attacked me.
"We have to help them!" I gasp, stepping toward the sounds. Alec bars my way with his arm, glaring down at me.
"Stay here," he orders. With a hand around the hilt of his sword, he charges into the bloodbath.
Dark fairies are everywhere. Billowing clouds of dark swirl around the partygoers, strangling the life of out some, stabbing curved knives into others. I choke down my terror.
"Like hell," I mutter, following Alec into the chaos.
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