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Shelby made a noise that sounded like he was trying to hold back a snort but he offered her his elbow. She looped her bare arm through his. Though he wore long sleeves she could feel the heat of his skin through the material.
He twisted the knob, opening them up immediately to the rush of work. It took a moment before they were truly noticed as Shelby began to usher Ace away in her disguise. Not more than a few steps down the hall they started to receive curious looks.
Much of the staff started by giving them a quick bow. In her dress, more expensive than anything she could have ever bought even in her past life, Ace was certain she looked her part. Though she hated it, it was in thanks to Shelby. Admittedly, her original plan was shoddy at best. The god of luck, Bedesh, must be silently playing his part.
Down the hall, not much farther than two rooms away from the entrance that would then lead them to the queen's event, Shelby tensed. Ace's eyes moved over the bustle of staff rushing to and from to lock eyes on the one person who wasn't moving.
A guard.
And he stared back.
With narrowed eyes, and his hand firmly clamped around the hilt of the sword that patted against his leg, he watched them approach. She patted Shelby's arm and prayed he could keep the act at least a little bit longer.
As a lady, she would have to wait to be introduced, so she clamped her lips shut and tried to be patient. Maybe the guard would say nothing. Maybe, just maybe—
"Warlock. What are you doing?" The man was tall but not taller than Shelby. He looked up to the warlock without even the slightest bit of nervousness of what he could so easily do to him. No, only hatred showed in his gaze.
"This is Miss Dior, cousin to the queen."
"Cousin to the queen?" The guard with his greased back black and silver hair stood a little straighter and a smile spread across his greasy face. "Does Miss Dior have a first name?"
Ace smiled a little at that.
"Derfla."
Her smile fell.Derfla?
The guard blinked once but otherwise paid no mind to the hideous name. He gave a little bow just as all the other staff members had before him. Gone was his suspicion of her, now replaced by his undoubted brown-nosing. Ace refused to allow herself to roll her eyes.
"What's someone as special as you doing back here with the help?"
She made sure to give Shelby's arm a little squeeze, ignoring the way he took a sharp inhale. "I asked for a little tour! My baby cousin has suddenly gotten herself a castle and I needed to know the ins and outs of it! It's almost as big as the manor I grew up in. I'll have to give her that."
Ace didn't grow up with any cousins to model this after but she did have a friend who had a cousin that came to town every summer and she was a total bitch so this seemed like appropriate cousin behavior.
"Well, don't let me stop you from your tour." He turned his attention to Shelby, all signs of playfulness gone. "The minute you are dismissed you need to go to your chambers."
Shelby bowed his head.
"Thank you." Ace purred and began pulling Shelby the way they'd been headed.
His weight pulled her to a stop when he didn't move with her. Her pinned curls bounced as she whipped her head around to look back at him. The guard had him by the arm and whispered something fiercely in his ear. She couldn't make out what he was saying but she could see the way his fingers dug into Shelby's arm. She felt uncomfortable just looking at it.
As soon as the guard stopped his whispering, Shelby straightened his now ruffled sleeve and guided Ace down the hall. The pitter-patter of footfalls and the shouts of voices calling out directions all faded away as they passed through yet another door.
This half of the castle wasn't the dingy bare walls of the servant quarters, this half, oh this half…
Ace had never been in a castle. What she imagined, the grandeur, the spectacle of it all…this was so. Much. More. The stone gave way to polished tiles, golden trim, and doors carved from something like marble. Sconces were lit every few feet, and between them, small alcoves in the walls were filled to overflowing with blooming flowers. Their fragrant scent filled the air.
Above her, chandeliers were suspended from the ceilings that were possibly a mile high or more. Farthest from them, past the double doors propped open to allow the—mostly male—guests to enter the ballroom, was a staircase that rose up and up and up some more. Veins of gold sparkled against the white where light shone off the railing. Ace wondered if it ever truly had an end or if it just stopped when it reached the heavens.
There was no way any of the queens had access to the heavens; they were too sinful, she reminded herself.
Her lips parted in surprise as she was met by life sized pieces of art depicting the queen in many different poses along the path beside them. Ace had met the queen before, something she regretted, but knew she could not change. The queen’s face was as recognizable as Ace's own mother. She knew the other queens’ faces well enough too.
Her stomach twisted. Nausea crept up her throat like acid.
Still, Queen Sienna was utterly gorgeous. The way the artist showed the sun bouncing off her brown skin like a golden blush across her cheeks bringing out the streaks of gold in her iris. While the sunshine might just be a trick of the artist, Ace knew the beauty in her gaze wasn't fake.
