20.
“Heather, my flame, my flower.” Moth’s claw strokes my cheek, and ugh, the pressure in my head has gotten worse in the few minutes I’ve been asleep.
When I crack my eyes open, Moth is fully dressed. There are extra gold sparkles around his eyes, and a dark kohl liner beneath them. His suit coat has feathers on the lapel that match the ones on his wings. Damn, he looks incredible.
“Why are you ready so early?” I groan, rolling over and taking the blankets with me. My mom was like this back when I was still living at home. If we had a shoot scheduled, she’d be in a full face of makeup at the crack of dawn—and it’s like … why? You’re just going to have to touch it up later! Pulling a pillow over my head, I close my eyes tight. Sleep tingles at the edge of my body, ready to pull me back under.
“I had Holly take on your last-minute tasks,” Moth continues in alow voice.
“What?”
“I tried to wake you hours ago, but it appeared your body required more rest.”
That is enough for me to sit up, running my fingers through my rat’s nest of a hairstyle. I tilt my head toward the windows. The sky is dark and spotted with stars, and music flows through the air, paired withlaughter.
I was sleeping through the grand ball.
“No,no—oh my gosh, are we missing everything?” I hop out of bed, stumbling as I head to the vanity.
My hair—my face! God, everything is a puffy mess.
“Heather—”
“How much time do I have?”
“An hour before the main festivities.”
An hour?! Okay, okay. I suck in a deep breath, steeling myself. I’ve gotten ready in less time. I can totally do this. Rushing around the room, I begin the process of doing my makeup, and for my hair—ugh, myhair—a whimsical yet slightly messy half-up seems like the only thing I can manage. So much for Ruby’s suggestion of soft waves and flowers.
“Allow me,” Moth offers, and before I can protest, he brushes through the tangles, skillfully twisting the strands into two braids he weaves around my antenna to create the perfect crown for my head. Instead of flowers, he takes gold sparkle pins and places them throughout. “No need to rush,my flame.”
“But you’re the prince. We should be there when—”
“Whenever we please,” he cuts me off. “Your hair islovely.”
Once he’s finished, I can’t help but agree. I should ask him to do this every single day—butugh. Even with his help, the more I try to snap myself awake, the worse the haze around my brain feels. It’s like my entire head has been submerged in quicksand. I powder my face, applying mascara, blush, and the gold sparkles I bought at the market to my cheeks. The girl in the mirror doesn’t look fatigued or sick, but that doesn’t change the ache in my bones, or the way I feel more buried in the sand by the second. If I hadn’t felt this countless times, I’d think maybe Queen Plume was poisoning me too. But no, I don’t need some wildly sneaky murder plot to bring me down. All I need is an inconsistent dose of T4 and some gluten and dairy. Nothing can kick my ass like myown body.
Thanks, Hashimoto’s.
Still, I head to the closet to retrieve one of the ballgowns from Miss Widow’s shop when Moth catches my wrist, gently pulling my body toward him. “You do not have to pretend to be alright just for everyone else’s sake.”
“I’m fine. It’s no big. It’s not like this is the first time this hashappened.”
“No big…” He lets the words roll over his tongue. “I have heard you say that often and find that it is seldom true.”
“I just want this all to be perfect. Your mom has been working so hard, and your sister just adores you, and Moth, you…”
Should be treated like the precious gem you are.
“I?”
I squeeze my eyes shut. What was I talking about?
“You … should have everything youdeserve.”
“And what do I deserve,my flame?”
For that whole ballroom to see him for the wonderful person he is. To never be sent away from his family because his power or person doesn’t measure up. To be loved and wanted forever and always.
