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Between the two of them, they quickly had me inside the garment. Once they’d smoothed down the layers of fabric along my body and fluffed the gown, I was dying to see myself in it.
“Is there a mirror?”
Delyth bolted out of the room. I heard her speak to the guard, and within minutes, there was a knock on the door. Delyth accepted a highly polished piece of silver. It was set in an intricately carved wood frame that allowed me to hold it, so it reflected most of my body. It wasn’t as shiny as a modern mirror, but I could see myself just fine.
I barely recognize myself. My hair was still too short, but the gown fitted me like a glove. Tight around my upper body, it pushed my small boobs up to create a sexy cleavage. Whoever had created this had a great eye for form. Or maybe it was Fae magic that made it cinch perfectly in the waist and flow generously over my hips all the way to the ground.
When I moved, the fabric shimmered in shades of dark blue, from navy to indigo to a midnight color that seemed nearly black. Against the backdrop, the silver embroidery came alive with flowers growing from the hem upward to accentuate the fantastic cut.
If I could even find a dress like this in the human world, it would be couture and cost thousands. There was no way I’d ever be able to afford something as exquisite as this.
“Milady, you’re not done yet.” Margiad held up something shimmery.
I gasped as I saw the jewelry. I’d never seen anything like it before. Smooth, uncut stones were set in a necklace to create a teardrop shape. The stones seemed to shine by themselves, reminding me of the color of the full moon. It had to be a trick of the light.
Turning, I allowed the woman to place the jewelry around my neck. It draped heavily and cold against my skin, colder than it should have been. It was so long that it brushed across the top of my breasts.
“We call themdagrau lleuad, tears of the moon,” Delyth said quietly, reverently. “Only women of royal descent are allowed to wear them. The court will see and know.”
I shivered and caressed the exquisite piece with my fingertips. If this was what being a princess was all about, I could live with it.
Have you forgotten why you’re here?Guilt swept aside the joy of the dress and the necklace. I had a job to do, not play princess.
I was still hoping Bleddyn would help me, but I hadn’t seen him since I’d left the tavern. Maybe now that I’d arrived, he wasn’t allowed to see me anymore. Or maybe I’d be guarded so carefully, he wouldn’t be able to come near me. Although Daeary had had no problems moving past the palace security.
Another, much worse, thought bubbled up. I shut it down immediately, but in the back of my mind, it kept percolating. What if he’d left me after he’d delivered me to his master?
My hand tightened around the necklace until the smooth metal edges hurt my fingers. I took a deep breath to fight down my rising panic. I needed to get myself under control.
Get it together, Beth. While you’replaying dress-up, your friends are imprisoned somewhere in the palace.
Shame clawed at my middle, consolidating into a heavy ball in my stomach. I ground my teeth against the anger, trying to force its way to the surface. There would be time for railing against the unfairness of it all. But it wasn’t now. Now I had to be strong.
I pulled my shoulders back and lifted my head. If I was a princess, my mother’s blood in my veins was royal, putting me at the same level as every other Fae. I’d carry on with my plan and do what I came here to do.
My hair had dried flat against my scalp, with some strands sticking up. I ran my fingers through it, but it looked even worse.
“Try this, milady.” Margiad held out a porcelain bowl full of water and a brush.
I wet the bristles and ran them through my dry hair, flattening the bits that were standing up and pushing it behind my ears. Without a hair dryer, that was all I could do.
Delyth offered me a pair of slippers, made of the same dark blue material as the dress itself. They were comfortable, but too fragile to wear on anything but smooth wooden flooring and rugs. Maybe that was the point. I wouldn’t get far, running in those.
Somebody knocked on the door. Two Fae stood outside in breathtaking uniforms which enhanced their masculine beauty. I’d gotten used to the tight leather armor the guards wore in the city and around the palace.
These uniforms, however, consisted of loose-fitting tunics of a lighter blue than my dress. They seemed to shimmer with an internal light, embroidered with the same silver flowers as my dress.
One of the guards moved aside to allow me to leave the room. “It is time, Lady Beth.”
I took another deep breath and stepped forward. The guard was so tall, my head didn’t reach his chest. If I stood in front of him, my eyes would have been staring at his abs. I wasn’t the tallest of girls, but my five foot four inches made me feel like a child compared to the court Fae.
As we walked along the dark hallway, torches burst into flames as we approached and extinguished after we’d passed. A susurration like the summer wind brushing through canopies of leafy trees grew louder until the sound broke into music and laughter. Then we reached the end of the corridor, and the space opened into a giant ballroom.
Chapter thirty-three
TherewerehundredsofFae, dressed in colorful dresses and frocks. The ladies and gents floated across the dancefloor, swaying like flowers in a hot breeze.
There were no musicians I could see, and the music seemed to come from everywhere. There were violins and flutes, but it wasn’t classical music like my dad had sometimes played. Instruments I couldn’t identify wove a tapestry of lively notes, but I didn’t recognize the tune. Yet my foot began to tap along to the rhythm, and when I tried to stop it, I couldn’t.
