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Zephyr and Bain stood together, speaking in low tones, and as I walked around the edge of the room taking everything in, they approached me. Both wore, well, it was definitely formal, and while it was not traditional, neither was it the powder blue and sage green of the 1970s I’d seen pictures of. Their suits were made of a fabric that emitted a sort of glow when the light hit them. Zephyr’s was somehow black, Bain’s a coppery color that suited him amazingly well.
They each kissed my cheek then Bain took my hand and led me to the dance floor. When the music stopped, Zephyr stepped in, and that was how the evening went. I never even got to try one of the amazingly elegant and apparently delicious cupcakes everyone congratulated me on.
I felt a little guilty, but then decided I’d tried hard enough to deserve a little credit, but next time I went to the village, I’d have to buy the cook a present. The best one I could afford.
I spotted Alara dancing past a few times but really just spent the evening dancing with my two favorite men until, by the time the band played—a fairy band whose feet never touched the stage once that I noticed—my slippers were indeed a little ragged on the bottom, and it was lucky I was going to change before the after-party.
Speaking of which, how would I tell Zephyr and Bain I was going to the party when I was reasonably sure they weren’t?
But this perfect night wasn’t about to have any issues crop up. As Zephyr escorted me over to where Bain stood talking to Alara, he told me to have a good time but not too good a time. When I tried to stammer out a reply, he clarified, “Watch out for Nissa. She knows Adair wants out of their arrangement, and she’ll do anything to anyone to keep that from happening. You have our numbers in your phone, right?”
I nodded then planted one right on his lips and one on Bains’s as well. My world was sometimes like a confusing dream, but times like this, it was a beautiful one.
Alara and I ducked back to our room to change and then headed out to where students who had cars here, parked them. I’d only recently learned Alara had one, and hoped we’d be able to find some time for sightseeing. The school’s trips to the village by shuttle were nice, but my glimpses of the countryside on the way to and from the airport were at the least intriguing. We were approaching a modest row of cars when Alara stopped and gasped. “Endy…”
I spun to follow her gaze and couldn’t breathe. The shimmering folds of the veil were rippling forward, encompassing the school buildings, the lit windows and laughter from students still winding up the evening, gone. “How…”
As we watched, the academy disappeared behind the veil as if it had never been there at all. We clung to one another’s hands. “Alara, have you ever heard of?”
“No. Never.”
Then we were silent, but my muscles twitched as I struggled with what to do. My mates were in there, but there was no there there. Then, I wasn’t sure how long it took, but the veil moved back and the school reappeared, voices and lights and everything as if it had never been an issue. The veil hovered behind the buildings as always, and we got in the car and drove away.
“Don’t say anything to anyone, okay?” Alara’s tone was hushed. “I’m not even sure it happened.”
“We both saw it,” I protested. “It had to be real.”
“Not necessarily. It’s been a really long day, and the veil is thinner than usual tonight. Maybe it was an optical illusion.”
“I really want it to have been,” I murmured. “Because if not, it has to mean something.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
“Two guys. I can’t even believe this shit. And a third in the wings as well. You are one lucky fairy.”
Alara had gone on and on about my situation and brushed aside the sight of the veil.
It would definitely be the talk of the after-party, though, if anyone else saw it. Or not. Wasn’t really sure what fairy royalty talked about in their spare time.
“We’re here,” Alara said and threw her car into park. We sat in the front and stared at the monster of a house for quite a while, simply in awe. It rivaled the academy in terms of size of both the house and the land.
It was enormous, and I was being conservative.
“Jeez, this is what Nissa wants her hands on,” I muttered.
“That’s not what I heard. I heard she has her hands on a lot of other things. But then again, from what one of your mates told you, they are on the outs. Any idea why that could be?”
I whirled on her, seat belt still in place. “What does that mean anyway? Mate? Why do they keep calling me their mate?”
Alara blew out a breath while she pulled down the visor mirror and applied fresh cherry-red lipstick. “That’s a question for your mates, unfortunately. Speaking of, let’s go tear this party up. I bet he’s waiting for you, all itching to see you.”
“We shall see. Let’s just have a good time, and I’m going to try to avoid Nissa.”
“Good plan.”
We got out and were both enamored by the wealth and variety of gorgeous plants at every corner. Some colorful ones, with lights shining on their leaves and petals, were tucked in between ground cover, giving us a surprise at every turn. The walkway was laid with mismatched slabs of marble that shimmered with the light from the moon.
“Do we knock or what?” I asked as we walked up the grand front staircase and faced the door. The front porch was spotless, the perfect entrance for a mansion of this caliber.
