A dress cut from the night sky.
Just like you, my Starfire.
-W
My Starfire.
A sentiment that promises more than I can offer in return.
I brush my fingers over the silk, and I swear it’s woven with a kiss of magic.
Turning to the mirror, I toy with the slit in my dress, which is lined with thin, beaded strands that decorate the edge all the way to my hip. They swoop along my bare leg. The black silk draws out the blue in my hair, which is wavy from my bath. A braid ties it off my face on each side, while another cascades over the front of my shoulder.
If Letia could see me now, she wouldn’t believe it.
This dress, these cheeks, burning at the thought that I’ll see Wilder tonight, make me glow.
We have one more moment before the Rite.
I press my fingers to my cheeks, patting them, trying to bury the flush when a knock sounds at my door.
“Come in.”
The door swings open as Callum pops his head in. He meets my gaze across the space, slipping inside and closing the door behind him. His silver Crown Guard armor has been replaced by an all-black set. Perfectly polished and decorated with medals and pins.
“Look at you.” I smile, turning to face him.
His eyes fall down my body, taking me in. “Look at you. You’re beautiful, Elorie.”
I hold the sides of my dress and curtsy. “Thank you.”
He chuckles, shaking his head. His nearly black hair is slicked back, but he runs his fingers through it like he does when he’s nervous, tousling it around.
“That dress is…” He swallows hard, shaking his head.
"It’s a gift from Wilder.” I glance away to avoid any judgment that might shine in his eyes. “Letia would go wild for it, don’t you think?”
Tension loosens from his shoulder as he steps farther into the room. “She would trade you three sets of leathers for it.”
“I would make that trade.” I smile.
My heart pinches with reminders of Letia. So much has changed these past few weeks that sometimes my life on Alyssium feels like it’s not real. Like those memories were a dream, made up in my head.
The long days in the market and snowy nights at the tavern.
Arguments over watery wine and Letia trying to convince me to wear something other than my worn leather pants.
A lifetime of memories that ache inside me.
I can’t imagine how centuries feel to the Fae.
“Where has everyone been?” I ask Callum. “No one has stopped by except to bring me food. Not even Greer.”
The same guard with red hair and strange purple eyes shows up at my door three times a day to check in on me. He keeps me fed but refuses to answer any questions.
“You don’t know?” Callum’s eyebrow quirks, and his smile slowly grows. “Wilder put some magic barrier around your room. The wing, actually. No one can get through it unless he lets them. King Malachi nearly destroyed half the palace in a fit of rage. They’re still cleaning up the mess, even with magic.”
My eyes widen. “Wilder did that? Why?”
