Page 50 of Chaos and Crowns

“No. Well I guess yes, if you count a peplos as a dress? But no, not those dresses.”

Odelle cocked her head to one side. “Then what?”

Antony blinked. “You have to know—I made those dresses for you.”

“Oh,” Odelle answered dumbly, not sure what else to say. Antony seemed to mistake her crestfallen response for displeasure, barreling on.

“I know it must seem odd. We weren’t even together yet, but I work through my feelings by making things. After Christmas, I couldn’t stop thinking about you, and I thought making you a dress might be cathartic, but then one thing led to another and well…I made several.”

“Can I try one on?” Odelle blurted out, unable to help herself.

It was Antony’s turn to look crestfallen, as if he hadn’t expected her to be excited to have her very own dream wardrobe.

“Oh, of course. Do you know which one?”

“The white and gold one,” Odelle answered without hesitation, no question in her mind.

Antony went to the wardrobe and drew it out, even more breathtaking than before. He brought it over to Odelle and helped her into it.

“So you don’t mind?”

“How could I mind something this beautiful?” Odelle asked as the fabric slipped over her head, whispering over her skin as light as air, feeling like she was wearing nothing. “I was coping by trying to dislike you and prove that I could pull my weight, so I’m not one to judge.”

“To each their own,” Antony commented as he aligned the golden feathers and beading properly on Odelle’s shoulders. Then he turned her to face the full-length mirror in the corner, extending the train out behind her.

Odelle could have keeled over and died from how beautiful she felt. Antony must have crept into her home and stolen her measurements with how well it fit, skimming flawlessly over every curve, making even the ones Odelle would rather hide look lovely.

“You’re missing one thing,” Antony commented. Odelle couldn’t imagine what could possibly improve the ensemble until Antony picked up the replica crown from his bedside table. When he set it on her head, nestling the fragile looking bronze leaves into her hair, she sighed. He let his arms fall, trailing his fingers featherlight over her arms as he went, leaving goosebumps in their wake.

Odelle’s gaze caught Antony’s in the reflection, and she shivered. Despite the dress, she felt naked.

“Don’t let the goddesses catch sight of you. You’d start another full-on Trojan war.” Antony sounded reverent.

Odelle chuckled.

“I’ll be fighting in this gown, because I never want to take it off.”

Antony pressed a kiss to the back of Odelle’s neck. When she shivered, he did it again, looping his arms around her waist from behind. It didn’t take long for her to realize that she did want to take the dress off after all. The gown found its way to the bedroom floor, but the crown stayed on.

19

Walking to work the next morning, Odelle couldn’t wipe the smile from her face, which was especially unusual because she didn’t have a drop of caffeine in her system. Still, she was riding high from their victory the evening before, and a night of celebrating with Antony had made her feel even more unstoppable. It was hard to believe that she wasn’t capable of tracking down the missing crown when the most powerful sorcerer in the world got on his knees before her. Not that she hadn’t returned the favor with enthusiasm.

Now, said sorcerer walked by her side, fingers interlaced in her own. Odelle glanced at him as they strode down the sidewalk, enjoying the pink flush brought to his cheeks and the tip of his nose by the cold. Odelle had endured many “morning afters” but Antony was the first man to walk her to work the next day. He was the first man she had wanted her coworkers see her kiss goodbye.

Odelle found herself disappointed as she pushed into the office though, since nobody looked up, not even to wish her a perfunctory “good morning.” It was almost as if they avoided her gaze on purpose. Before she and Antony even made it two steps in, Ernie intercepted her.

“Zvezda, my office,” he demanded, not even offering her his trademark grin that didn’t reach his eyes.

Odelle’s heart sank to the soles of her feet as she motioned for Antony to stay put. Ernie barely let the office door shut behind her before he started talking.

“I’m going to give it to you straight: you’re fired.”

Odelle shook her head, positive something must be wrong with her hearing. “Fired? For what?”

“You had no authority to make that broadcast, not to mention that I don’t even know how you got that frequency. And you even had to go and mention channel three…now we have heat on us for hacking the signal! We have to cut all ties with you. Show that we don’t condone your actions.”

Odelle’s clenched fists shook but her voice remained steady.