Page 170 of The Ascended
I speared it with my fork, examining the strange flesh. "It looks poisonous."
"If I wanted to poison you, I'd be far more subtle," he replied dryly.
I rolled my eyes but took a bite, surprised by the burst of sweetness. "It's good."
A servant materialized at Xül's elbow, presenting a sealed envelope on a silver tray. The paper was pale lavender, edged with gilded silver, sealed with an intricate wax design of intertwined moons.
Xül's expression darkened as he broke the seal, eyes scanning the flowing script. "Fantastic," he muttered, the word dripping with sarcasm.
"What is it?"
"They give us longer to prepare for these frivolous events than for the Trials themselves," he said, passing me the invitation.
The silver script shimmered on the page:
The Divine Syrena, Aesymar of Illusions and Desires,requests the honor of your presence at the Midnight Revelry,a celebration of those blessed contestants who have survivedthe first two Trials. All Legends and Divine Beings of appropriatestanding are welcome to attend.Three nights hence, in the Crystal Palace of Lunadaire.Attendance is mandatory for all mentors and their charges.
"A ball?" I looked up, finding Xül's expression carefully blank.
"More like an elaborate evaluation," he said, taking a deliberate sip from his goblet.
"Wonderful," I muttered. "So I'm to be paraded around like prized livestock."
"More or less," he agreed, not bothering to soften the truth. "Though with considerably more expensive clothing."
I dropped the invitation on the table. "What exactly will this entail?"
"Conversation. Dancing. Navigating the shark-infested waters of divine politics without getting yourself killed." He set down his goblet. "Speaking of which—you'll need to learn to dance."
"I can dance."
"No," he said. "Court dances are specific, formal. They have rules, patterns."
"I assume you'll teach me?" I asked, pushing my plate away.
"Of course," he said, the words touched with that aristocratic arrogance that used to infuriate me. "Then I suppose we shouldbegin lessons immediately," I said, rising from the table. "I wouldn't want to embarrass you in front of your illustrious peers."
His eyes narrowed slightly at my tone, but he nodded, standing. "We can use the east wing ballroom."
I followed him through the labyrinth of corridors. Each step deeper into this palace felt like another step away from the person I'd been. The Thais of Saltcrest would never recognize the woman I had become—someone who walked beside Death without flinching, who'd survived two brutal Trials, who felt her power growing with each passing day. Was this transformation freedom or corruption? Was I finding my true self or losing it entirely? And why did it feel so natural to follow him, to trust him, when every instinct I'd cultivated over years of survival screamed that he was the most dangerous being I'd ever encountered?
Xül stopped before a set of double doors and pushed them open, revealing a vast chamber with polished stone floors and mirrored walls. The ceiling arched high above, decorated with intricate frescoes.
"This entire room just for dancing?" I asked, unable to hide my cynicism.
"This is actually one of the smaller ballrooms," he said, removing his coat and draping it over a nearby chair. He rolled up the sleeves of his shirt, revealing the strong lines of his forearms. "The one in the Eternal City could hold three hundred couples."
I shook my head, still struggling to comprehend the scale of luxury. "In Saltcrest, our entire house could fit in this room. When we danced, we pushed furniture against the walls to make space."
"Show me," he said unexpectedly.
"What?"
"Show me how you dance in Saltcrest." His expression held genuine curiosity.
I laughed. "Here? Now? There's no music."
"Imagine it," he suggested, his eyes intent on my face.
