I had heard this same speech too many times to count, and could predict what he would say next. There was no need for me to pay attention.
Out of sheer boredom?—
Fine.
Out of sheer boredomandcuriosity, I let my focus drift back towards the soldier. While his attention was elsewhere, I examined his features, and gods…
He was undoubtedly the most handsome man I had ever seen.
The edge of his jaw was crisp—sharp, like the edge of an untainted knife. His chin was home to a small dimple, present from the way his teeth were noticeably clenched. I followed the line of his mandible, stopping my gaze on his lips. They were full, but not so much that they overpowered his other features. His dark brows laid arched over his eyes, which were the most beautiful shade of blue I'd ever seen. Even from this distance, I could make out the specks of navy that reside in his irises.
I was lost—completely immersed in his face until his sight coursed towards me and we mistakenly made eye contact.Again.
My heart leapt in panic and my gaze dropped to the ground. Although I couldn’t know for certain, I sensed that the soldier was still watching me.
Ever so carefully I looked back towards the king, and when I did, I noticed that his eyes were the same hue as the soldier’s. Both sets had an identical, mesmerizing effect. I elbowed Delani in the side. “Is that the king's son?” I pointed discreetly to the soldier, not daring to look back.
Her eyes followed my direction and her lips bent into a flirtatious grin. “I'm not sure. But he sure isgloriousto look at isn’t he?”
That he was.
“Soon a rainbow of stars will fall from the sky.” King Hawthorne's voice boomed through the castle grounds, recapturing my focus. “Those who have found themselves with an unfamiliar bauble in their flesh will undergo a transition as the stars fall from the heavens. If this applies to you, I expect you to make your presence known at the Jewel-Light Ceremony tomorrow afternoon.” He cleared his throat. “By now, you all are aware of the laws and ordinances that our kingdom must obey. Therefore, I know that the following information will come as no surprise to you.”
This was the part of the king's annual oration that always made my skin crawl. I braced myself for his cruel words, the bite of them no less painful despite having heard them before.
“If it is found that you are gifted by the gods, and do not present yourself at the ceremony tomorrow, you can expect to be executed as soon as I am made aware of this betrayal to Caelestis.”
Yup. There it was.
I shuddered.
King Hawthorne made a theatrical pause, building suspense before he concluded his speech. He wished everyone an evening of pleasure, then turned his back to his kingdom to step through the castle doors, closed behind him by the most exquisite man I had ever seen.
Chapter
Three
My mother never stayed to watch the meteor shower.“I've seen it plenty of times before,”she always said.
After the king concluded his speech, she gave Delani and me a lecture of our own, making us swear that there wouldn't be a repeat of last year. Of course we said what she wanted to hear, but as twilight got closer and my nerves got stronger, I couldn't make any promises.
After she left, Delani secured us some wine while I gathered a collection of sweets from one of the buffets. With my arms full of pastries and candied fruit, I followed Delani’s lead as she directed us along the outskirts of the courtyard.
The lights from the festival still flickered around us despite no longer being under the tent made from magic. Our shoes left footprints in the plush grass we wandered through as we searched for the perfect spot to watch the meteor shower. We settled on a location—a grassy hillside with a view of the cliffside near the rear of the fortress. I dropped carefully to my knees, letting my snacks spill onto the grass. I was already too tipsy from the wine to care if they got a little dirt on them.
My legs kicked out from beneath me, allowing me to sit more properly. I reached for the goblet of wine that Delanihad set by my hip and savored the sweetness of the liquid as I gazed into the sky that darkened more and more by the second. Twilight was almost among us, and my fists clenched with the reminder that at any moment, my life could be forever changed. I wished that my mother knew the exact time of my birth. That information alone would have eased my nerves.
I looked around at the others sitting nearby on the lawn, observing who had shining jewels on their hands. The newly gifted looked excited, eager to finally access their magic. The others—the ones without magic—just looked drunk. Delani fell into that category.
We devoured most of our snacks, sipping on our goblets of wine when we finished the sweets. As soon as she finished her cup, Delani leaned back, slumping her body into the grass. Her eyes closed in relaxation. “Wake me when the shower starts,” she mumbled, falling asleep as soon as the words left her lips.
I sighed heavily. Once again, I was left with just my brain for company. My thoughts drifted, pulling away from my fear to instead focus on the soldier from earlier.
As uncomfortable as it had been that he caught me staring, remembering the way he stared back sent shivers down my spine. His gaze was profound, as though I looked familiar to him but he couldn't quite figure out how. Though the likelihood of ever seeing him again was slim, the image of his face would certainly stay sealed in my memories forever.
The inky sky had no source of light aside from the crescent moon lingering in the atmosphere. No stars had appeared yet, but it wouldn't be long before the blank canvas was speckled with color.
Tension pooled from my breath as I blew it out, releasing the anguish I’d been holding on to all day. There were only a few hours left of my birthday, which meant that the odds of me being gifted were next to none.
