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I glance down at the dress, which is so long, it requires at least four people to carry it, then back up at him and sigh. “Very well.” I hold out my arms as the godsworn approach with the dress.
It takes nearly half an hour to get me into the dress, but once they’re done securing me into it, I examine my reflection in the wall of cascading water that separates my room from the bathing chamber just beyond it. I’ve never seen anything like it. The collar is embroidered with gold and precious gems, and the rest of it molds and fits to my body as if it were a second skin. The fabric shimmers in the low evening light almost like scales, and some sort of insignia is embroidered on the cape that trails nearly to the room beyond. Only when I look at my reflection in the water wall again do I realize that the insignia is of an ebiki, one that looks very much like Queen Ayo.
The final touch is a crown of gold and blue coral that drapes over my forehead and threads through my hair. To my surprise, it begins to grow the moment the attendants affix it to my head, four golden horns sprouting above it.
They look so much like Ixa’s, my reptilian companion chirps, pleased. Deka pretty, he says, staring up at me. Deka pretty with horns.
I nod. You look wonderful too.
Indeed he does. While I was being dressed, the attendants were hard at work on Ixa. His claws have been tipped in gold, as have his whiskers, and some intrepid soul even managed to do the same to the tip of his tail. All he’s missing now is a crown, but as far as I’m concerned, he already looks like royalty.
“Oh, Deeeeka…,” Britta calls out cheerfully as she makes her way through the door, which the attendants have opened for her and Belcalis.
Then she sees my dress.
She rushes over to me, amazed. “Ye look like a queen! A queen of the ebiki,” she exclaims, gaping at my horns.
“One who’s been asleep for an entire day,” I grumble.
“Same,” Britta says, “although ye can’t deny we needed it.”
“True,” I acknowledge grudgingly.
Much as I hate to admit it, this is the sharpest I’ve felt for months. My mind is clear, my body is relaxed, and I feel almost happy, if that’s possible. I’m about to see Mother, about to reunite with her after two years apart.
I return my attention to Britta, who’s now whirling for my benefit. “You look beautiful,” I say when she’s done, a compliment that is no exaggeration.
Britta is wearing a stunning red dress, little golden hearts at the neckline and hems. She has always loved the color red. How the attendants knew, I have no idea. A small circlet adorns her forehead, red gems sparkling there, while yet more gems adorn her ears and neck. She touches her new necklace shyly.
“I don’t know how they knew I liked red an’ hearts, but it’s like they read my mind.”
“They likely did,” Belcalis humphs, walking closer.
In contrast to Britta, she’s wearing a dark purple shirt and matching pantaloons, which mold so closely to her legs, it seems almost scandalous to gaze upon them. The fabric is as iridescent as my own, so it shimmers in the light, giving the appearance of scales. She wears no jewelry, only a thin golden circlet that highlights her long black hair, which flows down her back.
When Britta turns to her, confused by her words, she explains: “They’re godsworn to Nian, deity of love and beauty. They have a sixth sense when it comes to clothing and adornments.”
Britta wrinkles her nose. “An’ how do ye know that?”
“Because unlike the rest of you lot, I explored instead of sleeping the day away.”
Of course she did. Belcalis is suspicious of everyone and everything. She’d never sleep in a place she hasn’t thoroughly scouted. It’s one of the things I admire most about her.
If I hadn’t been so weary, body and soul, I would have done the same thing.
I glance in her direction. “So, what did you find?”
Belcalis shrugs. “Everything seems benign. For now.” With that dire warning, she walks closer to me, her eyes taking in my new finery. “It truly is stunning,” she says, soft just for a moment.
My cheeks warm. “Thank you,” I reply, glancing shyly again at the water wall.
In all my years, I’ve never worn anything as fine as this, nor dreamt I ever would. Even when I was the Nuru, the goddesses’ loyal pet, no one ever offered me such beautiful clothing. I was always in armor, always standing unobtrusively at the goddesses’ side. An attendant instead of a companion. A subordinate instead of an equal. But this—this is not a dress that allows you to stand to the side. This is a dress that demands you be the center of attention.
Why the gods of Maiwuri would grant such a thing to me, I don’t know, but I’m grateful. At least when Mother finally sees me, she’ll see a daughter who is whole and relatively healthy, instead of the wounded and scarred person I was mere hours ago.
The reminder has me turning toward the door, ready to head to the Hall of the Gods. As I begin to walk, however, Belcalis steps in front of me and taps her lips.
“There’s only one touch missing,” she muses.
