Page 67 of The Dark Rises
Theron scans his attire. “Maybe we should find you something more royal to wear.” He shakes his head when everyone groans. “Court dress is elaborate. I’m not suggesting he don peacock feathers or jewels or whatever the latest is in fashion, but formal attire is a must.”
I laugh. “True.” With a mischievous smile, I wink at Arden. “The women were extravagant with their luxurious gowns, but the best part is how they used magic to showcase their power.”
Arden’s lips quirk upward. “This might be fun, after all.”
Solandis chuckles. “It’s quite absurd, but I love it. Of course, as a princess, I can choose to wield my power or not.”
Vargas lifts her hand to kiss it. “You looked magnificent at Meri’s coronation.” He tucks it into his arm, then his mouth turns down. “I’m sorry I won’t be there to fight this time.”
I walk over and hug them both. “I’d rather you stay here and protect her and the baby.”
Then I move to the front of the room to stand with my men. “Honestly, I’ve been a bit bored lately. This should liven things up, don’t you think?”
The dark Faepalace is nothing like the gilded golden palace of the light Fae. Deep weathered grey stone stands resolute against the land with its straight lines and symmetrical exterior. From the front, two separate wings extend back for at least a mile, creating a u-shape in the rear. There’s nothing particularly pretty or fancy about it, but that’s always been part of its appeal, at least for me. I like the strong, solid feeling it gives. As if it’s stood unchanged against the ravages of time and strife.
Cormal, Leandra, Callyx, and I head to the rear of one of the wings and stroll confidently into the kitchen. Wearing simple clothes, Callyx lifts the box he’s carrying and mumbles something about the pantry. Everyone shuffles out of the way to let us through.
“Idiots,” Leandra cackles, and I dig my dagger into her ribs to shut her up. She glares down at me, but with the glamour rendering her eyes a dull brown, it doesn’t have the same effect, and she knows it.
In the pantry, I close the door and Cormal steps into my spot next to Leandra. Squatting down below the bottom shelf, I flip a lever and watch the back wall swing open. “Let’s go.”
Callyx, still holding the box, goes in first. Then, me, followed by Leandra. Cormal enters last, protecting our rear and shutting the door behind us. For a second, it’s dark, but I murmur a spell and faery lights turn on one by one, illuminating the path to the library. When I had no magic, I often walked this path in the dark.
“It’s nice to have magic, isn’t it?” Leandra taunts. “I’m surprised to see you have all this power, considering you had to give up your crown.”
“Well, I did regain full use of the magic Cormal gave me.” I smirk at the ugly expression on her face. “It nets me quite a few interesting powers.” The ability to walk in the shadows is one of my favorites, but I don’t share that tidbit with her.
Callyx comes to a halt. “Meri?”
I squeeze past him and hold up my hand, murmuring the spell Leandra taught me long ago. Previously, I had to carry an orb with her magic in it to open the door, but that’s not necessary today. A huge smile spreads across my face as I watch the door silently swing open.
Callyx enters and sets the box down on a nearby table, then immediately moves to secure the area. “Clear.”
Stepping into the vast library, I breathe in deeply. I love this smell. Of all the places Leandra used to send me, this was one of my favorites. Surprisingly, Denir is a collector, and he’s made it his mission to get a copy of every known book in existence. Cormal said Lucifer often asked him for rare editions.
There’s a sad expression on Leandra’s face when she enters. “We spent many hours in here together.” She walks over to the seat by the window and runs a hand over the cushion.
Wewho? But I say nothing. This isn’t going to be an easy day for her. As usual, my feelings are a mixed bag of everything. Sometimes I wish I could hate her.
She motions to her worn clothes. “Where’s my dress?”
Cormal opens the large box and pulls out a smaller box with a silk bow on it, which he hands to me. He hands a similar sized one to Leandra, then takes out two smaller boxes for him and Callyx.
The only elaborate thing I had in my closet was my coronation dress. Stunningly beautiful, I thought it would be nice to wear it again, but instead, I have to turn away before anyone sees the tear roll down my cheek. Maybe I can go as a servant.
Cormal takes my hand in his and pulls me back to the box. “Open it.”
With a heavy sigh, I tug on the ribbon and let it drop to the side, then lift the lid. Instead of champagne-gold silk, acres of dark red silk embellished with sequins and feathers fill the box to the brim.
Lifting the dress out, I stammer, “Where did you find the time?”
He runs the back of his finger across my cheek. “For you, I’ll always find the time. Plus, it helps to have two more sets of hands to do things. The dress is from all three of us.” With a wave of his hand, a familiar mirror appears.
I hold the dress up in front of me. Against my pale skin and platinum hair, the dress practically glows. The fitted bodice plunges to a deep vee in the front with sheer panels on the sides and a sheer back. Sexy. The bottom half of the dress is a very short peplum skirt, hand embroidered with the sequins andostrich feathers I noticed first. Laughing, I run a finger across their downy softness. Sheer panels flow from beneath the bell-shaped skirt to my feet, with slits on both sides.
“It’s stunning,” I breathe out. With a wave of my hand, I put the dress on and style my hair into a simple updo.
I move into Cormal’s arms, my gaze silently asking if he’s going to be okay. This will be the first time he’s seen his sister in centuries, and I know he’s wondering how to save us both. Reaching up, I capture his lips with mine, needing a kiss to carry with me into the court.
