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Forgetting that I was naked, I grabbed more of my hair and examined it. Instead of being mousy brown with streaks of gray, it was now silvery white with streaks of…
“Purple?” I muttered to myself, looking at the long, silky strands. “What in the world?”
I shot a glance at the bed, where the two big Fae were still fast asleep. Had they dyed my hair while I was asleep? But why would they do something like that? Also, how had my hair grown so long in such a short period of time? Did it have anything to do with the weirdly delicious wine I’d been drinking the night before?
My nails were different too, I now noticed. Instead of being short and stubby, (I had been biting them due to stress,) they were long and oval and looked perfectly manicured. Also, my skin looked paler and smoother—it almost seemed to shimmer—which must be a trick of the light.
I shook my head at the weirdness of the whole situation. Somehow while I slept my hair had been changed and I had been given the best manicure I’d ever received. I must have been really out of it not to realize all that was happening to me.
A cold little thought crept into my mind. If I had slept through having my hair and nails changed, what else might I have slept through? What had Seldarin and Krynn done to me while I was apparently unconscious?
My hand went involuntarily to the place between my legs, but I didn’t feel sore there at all. I did feel more sensitive but there was nothing to indicate that I’d been assaulted in any way, which was a huge relief. But what if?—
At that moment, Seldarin sighed and turned over in the bed. I froze in place, still naked as I watched the big Fae. I was waiting for his eyes to open…but luckily he simply made a soft snoring sound and continued sleeping. Krynn was sleeping more deeply now too—his bad dream apparently over.
Deciding that I would worry later about the strange make-over I had apparently had in my sleep, I picked up the nightgown and robe and swiftly slipped them on. As I did, I noticed something strange about my breasts—were they bigger and firmer now? But that was crazy—wasn’t it? I might convivially sleep through having my hair and nails done, but there was no way I would sleep through a boob job—and no way such an extensive surgery would heal overnight.
Anyway, I didn’t have time to find out—I had to go. I found the matching slippers and put them on my feet, glad that I wasn’t going to be barefoot once I reached the forest.
If I could get there—first I had to find my way out of this maze of a palace. I grabbed a handful of berries from last night’s dinner tray to munch on as I navigated the winding tunnels and looked longingly at the cold remains of the delicious not-quite-chicken. I wished I had some Tupperware or a to-go box to pack it away in. It was hands-down the best food I’d ever had in my life and I wasn’t sure when I’d get to eat again.
But even the promise of the delicious Fae food couldn’t keep me from sneaking away. I wasn’t the Lost Princess and I didn’t belong here in this gorgeous palace—I didn’t want to have to deal with the consequences when Seldarin and Krynn realized that.
Also, I didn’t want to deal with whatever I had presumably started the night before with the two big Fae. I still had no explanation as to why I had woken up naked between them. The last thing I remembered was drinking the delicious wine that tasted like melted jelly and then feeling dizzy. I didn’t think I’d been assaulted but it was still extremely weird, especially considering the changes to my hair and nails—I needed to get away.
Part of me hated going back to the “human world” or the “Mortal Realm” as they called it, but I was certainly in better shape than I had been the night before. I was well-fed and well rested, despite a night of bizarre dreams. And now that I was clean and looking more respectable, maybe I could take another stab at finding a job.
So, rather regretfully, I made my way to the back of the cavern and slipped into the dark mouth of the long tunnel.
It was time to go home—or at least back to my minivan.
15
Lily
My soft slippers made no noise on the cold stone floor but I found I could see in the dark tunnel much better than I had the night before. When Krynn and Seldarin had led me back to the Cavern of Lolth, we had been moving in pitch blackness. Now, though it still seemed just as dark, I was able to make out most of what was around me.
There wasn’t much to see—just a hallway which appeared to be carved through solid white marble—which just seemed extravagant to me. Was the whole Fae Palace made of the stuff? How much had that cost?
The marble countertop we’d had back in the house in Asheville had been extremely expensive—I remembered feeling so excited when Christopher showed it to me along with the rest of the house. Of course, I hadn’t had any idea then that he was probably already planning to move some other woman in there—someone younger and prettier and presumably better in bed—than me.
I tried to push the bitter thoughts aside. Here I was, making my winding way through the bowels of an honest-to-God fairytale palace and I was still thinking about my ex? That was stupid. Still, the feelings of betrayal and hurt ran deep and it was with some effort that I pushed Christopher and his little blonde girlfriend out of my head.
My handful of berries was long gone and I was wishing I had brought more when I finally reached the end of the tunnel and the small door which I was sure led into the huge, mirrored room Krynn had led us through the night before.
I put my ear to the door but heard nothing. Good—I should be able to just slip right out and hopefully make my way quietly out of the palace. If anyone caught me, I’d pretend to be a servant, I decided. Hadn’t Krynn said something about being a servant when he first came here? Hopefully I could pull off the deception if anyone asked.
I pushed carefully against the door, but it was stiff and didn’t want to give. Gritting my teeth, I pushed harder—then harder still. I could feel the door starting to open but it was made of stone and really heavy—clearly I needed to use more force.
Taking a few steps back, I rushed forward and rammed my shoulder against the stubborn door, throwing my whole weight into the effort.
The door gave at last. With a sudden jerk, it popped open and I lurched forward, carried by the force of my momentum into the center of the room. I tripped, stumbled, and landed on my knees.
I had a moment to realize that the huge room with the mirrored walls was not in fact, empty. It was actually crowded with people—not just people though—tall, gorgeous Dark Fae.
And all of them were staring at me.
16
