Page 51 of Ocean of Silver

“Thank you, Kallon,” I finally managed to say. “But I can’t go. Tezya said he was monitoring my room. He’s going to know if I leave.”

“Oh, who cares about him. He won’t know you’ve left until it’s too late.”

“I highly doubt that,” I groaned, thinking about the time he followed me when I tried to sneak off. “He’s going to know the second I open the door.”

“Well, it’s a good thing I can get you to the Ball in a second and without a door.” She winked at me. I was about to ask her how that was possible when she added, “I already created a portal at one of the side entrances of the Ball. We’ll get you dressed in here, and then once you’re ready, we will travel through the portal I have set up. By the time Tez senses you are gone, it will be too late. And then once everyone sees you at the Ball, he can’t kick you out.”

“You are brilliant,” I smiled as a giddy anticipation took over me. Tezya would be furious, but I’d deal with that later.

“Us girls gotta stick together.”

Kallon snapped her fingers, then an exorbitant amount of maids came rushing through my door to help me get ready. Even when I was the Princess in Tennebris I wasn’t this pampered. They worked fast, and I didn’t get a glimpse of myself until they were completely done sticking and probing at me.

“Wow, Scotlind Rumor. If I could, I would steal you for myself. You look breathtaking. Every single male and probably most of the females aren’t going to be able to keep their eyes off you,” Kallon murmured as she eyed me slowly. Just that action alone reminded me of Vallie. It made me think of the prophecy Tezya mentioned, how it spoke of someone being born from both Lux and Tennebris. And right now, I wished it was true. I wished there wasn’t a divide between the Kingdoms because I would have loved a place where Kallon and Vallie could meet.

I was about to open my mouth to protest her claim when I caught a glimpse of my reflection. My mouth dropped as I inched closer to the full length mirror Kallon insisted on dragging into my already cramped room. I hadn’t felt pretty in a long time. I hadn’t even looked in a mirror since the first day I was brought out of the dungeons. I was too scared of what I’d see, too scared that I’d still be that carcass of a girl I was when Patricia helped me during that first bath.

But I wasn’t dead anymore.

The gown Kallon selected for me was a silky, thin material that clung to my newly formed curves. The dress itself was a flaming crimson and had two large slits traveling up both of my legs, exposing most of my skin, which was starting to tan from spending time outside with Tezya.

And the neckline—it was low and revealing and would not be helping in the whole not-drawing-attention-to-myself department, as Tezya kept saying. Kallon selected ruby drop earrings to match the gown and opted to leave my long hair down in soft waves, bellowing down my mid-back. I was thankful for it because it hid the worst of my scars.

The maids did my makeup to enhance my features. My freckles were popping out against my olive skin tone, and my sapphire eyes were bright and contrasting against the red of the gown. I no longer had to hate the color. For Luxians, my eyes were considered common.

“Kallon, I can’t wear this,” I gasped as I took a step away from the mirror, realizing, to my horror, that I had to be careful with how I walked to prevent the slits of the gown from riding up. It was way too revealing. I felt naked beneath the sheer fabric, which I was.

“Fine, suit yourself. You can stay cooped up in your chambers all by yourself then,” she paused dramatically, eyeing her polished nails, which were neon green. “Or you can wear the gown and come celebrate Yule with me.”

I huffed a sigh, realizing this was a losing battle because I wanted to go. I wanted to see the Ball and eat the food. I wanted to dance. I wanted to have fun for once. I wanted to feel like I belonged, and I was surprised as I looked at Kallon that with her, with Tezya, I was starting to feel that way again.

“Fine,” I said as she smiled mischievously. Her cold, slender fingers wrapped around mine before I could second guess it. She swooped her free hand in the air, and a black circle materialized in the middle of my room. I gulped as I looked toward the portal. I’d heard of them, but I had never seen one before. When Kallon used it at the waterfall, she moved too quickly for me to glance at what she was doing. But now I was staring directly into it.

The materialized circle was a looming hole of darkness that had no end, at least none that I could see. Purple smoke entwined and danced around the outer edges of the border, mixing with the black. It reminded me of the night sky. A terrifyingly haunting, starless night.

It was the darkness I’d been fearing, except this time, it was beautiful and calling me into its embrace.

“Are you ready?” she asked as she looked down at me.

I nodded my head yes. My throat was starting to feel dry, and my palms were already sweating.

“Good. Don’t let go of my arm.” Before I could ask what would happen if I did, Kallon lept into the blackness, her body disappearing into nothingness before mine was forced to follow.

My body cleaved in two as I felt a jolt of energy rush past me. I couldn’t see anything as a cold wind overtook my senses. Not even Kallon’s hand squeezing mine brought me back as my body whirled and spiraled through time. I was weightless. I had no way of telling if we were going up or down or to the side. A sinking, dropping feeling grew in my lower abdomen as nausea crept up fast and hard. I tried and failed to squelch it.

As soon as I felt the bile rise in my throat, we landed hard on the shiny marble floor. I covered my mouth with my hand, willing the meats I had eaten earlier to settle, but I knew it wouldn’t help. I always had a weak stomach, and this wave of nausea was so intense that I was going to hurl up my entire guts in front of everyone.

But then it was gone. I felt normal. No, I felt better than normal. Brock came up behind Kallon, his brows furrowed, his hand outstretched, and it dawned on me that he was the reason my nausea left so fast. I didn’t know if he used his healing abilities on me or if he took away the feeling with his sensibus furari. I hoped for the former as I remembered Tezya saying when Brock used his sensibus gift, he would feel things twice as hard if he took any senses away. I wouldn’t wish that kind of nausea on anyone.

He gave me a soft smile. “It gets easier each time you portal jump. The first couple of times are rough, but your body adjusts.”

“Sorry,” Kallon said. “I didn’t think about the effects it would cause you. I should have warned you. I’m so used to portaling Brock, Rainer, and Tez, which they are used to it after decades and decades of jumping with me.

“No, it’s fine. Thank you. Thank you both,” I said as I looked between Brock and Kallon. A warmness crept over me, knowing that they went through all this trouble to get me here.

Before I even had the time to gawk at the Ball or how elaborately it was decorated, Tezya stormed over toward us, and he looked pissed. I caught a glimpse of the soldier he was within the Luxian army. We were positioned in the corner of the grand room, out of sight from most of the guests, but I knew that Tezya sensed my presence the moment I portaled here.

“What is she doing here?” Tezya glared at Kallon and Brock.

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