"I think you've had quite enough," he growled. I stepped out of his arms and moved closer to Caroline.
"I think I'm fine, Mr. Rymer.” I knew my speech was slow, but maybe not quite to the slurring level, probably about as close as it could get before that point. “Thank you for your concern." I could even hear the venom in my voice.
He looked at me so hard that I momentarily feared turning to stone on the spot. "Come on, it's time to go. Caroline, you first." He was clearly ticked off at her, too.
I didn't see why he was so mad. We were safely tucked away in the hotel bar and it's not like there was any whispering of a threat since we’d gotten here that the three of them couldn’t handle.
"I'm not going anywhere with you," I said boldly.
“Um, is everything okay over here?” my mystery bartender asked, looking a bit fearful at James’s scowling expression of fury.
"Ariya," Riley began, while walking toward me tentatively. "Come on, I'm drained and they won't come up without you." I saw him, two versions of him, that is.
"Riley, the world would be a much better place if there were as many of you as I see right now." I closed my eyes hard for a minute, shaking my head to try and clear the fuzz away if only a little bit. Riley burst out laughing and dropped the serious face he had moments before.
James started to put his arms around me and pick me up, but I backed away, tripping as I went. Caroline caught me and I knew I would be mortified over this after I sobered up.
"Not you," I whispered.
He looked hurt, unless that was my alcohol vision forcing those thoughts into my head; but if he were, it served him right! He was over me, but I wasn't over him. Not yet. And I didn't want to get close to him.
"I got her." Riley walked over and picked me up, draping me over his shoulder.
"I don't need you to carry me, Riley!" I shouted with surprise as I smacked his back.
"Yeah, right. You took one step and fell. You're hammered, Ariya.” He shifted my body to silence me and I huffed in response.
“You’re lucky I’m wearing a dress or I’d beat you up.” I sighed at his back and he laughed at me again.
James, Nick, and Caroline followed behind us, silently. Riley didn’t put me down until we finally reached my room. He sat me on the bed and knelt in front of me. "Want to tell me what's going on?"
I looked and saw that no vampires had come into the room with us. Riley began taking my shoes off for me and I sat while swaying ever so slightly.
"James is over me," I said, quietly. "I didn't get a chance to tell him the truth and now he's over me." I started crawling under the covers that Riley held up.
"How do you know that?" Riley asked, helping me get between the sheets that I couldn't seem to find the entrance to.
"He told me," I sighed as I closed my eyes. I didn’t even hear Riley’s response before I passed out.
The afternoon light crashed through my undrawn blinds, waking me up from an alcohol-induced sleep. Rubbing my eyes, I headed to the bathroom to brush my teeth. I hated morning alcohol breath. Hopping into the shower, I relished the rushing, warm water. The chilly air outside that assaulted me after I finished made me shiver before I grabbed a towel to dry off. Using my toothbrush again, I vigorously tried to brush away the sour residue that lingered from the variety of liquors I downed so recklessly. Taking the towel off my head, I flipped upside-down to dry my hair. After a couple of minutes, I stood back up and combed through it before I was startled to find James standing in the doorway.
"How do you feel?" he asked harshly, as if he didn’t care very much about the answer.
I rolled my eyes at him. "I'm fine. Thanks for asking."
I pulled my eyes away from his and continued combing my hair out. Then I remembered that I was still only dressed in a towel. I flushed and started to walk out, but James blocked the doorway.
"Excuse me," I said, batting my eyes at him in an exaggerated fashion. Now it was his turn to huff and puff.
"What's going on with you, Ariya? Why won't you talk to me?" he demanded, clearly unaware of why my actions towards him were what they were.
"You seem to have everything figured out, James. What more is there to talk about?"
He stood aside, letting me pass. "I have to get dressed," I murmured.
"What am I missing here?" he asked, running his hand through his hair.
"Everything," I whispered.
The main doors to the room flew open and Caroline’s voice echoed inside. “Rise and shine, you lush! We have a ball to get ready for.”
“I’ll leave you to it then,” James said in the snottiest voice I’d ever heard come out of him before he left the room.
Caroline headed over to one of the closets and I turned, but only for a minute. When I looked back, I saw her hiding behind one of the most gorgeous dresses my eyes had ever beheld.
My jaw dropped open, and I naturally assumed it was probably not my dress for tonight. I didn’t dare get my hopes up. “That, is that…?”
“Yours? Yes.” She beamed at me and nodded.
“Oh, my gosh!” My hands flew up to my mouth as I shook my head in disbelief. “It’s an actual princess dress! How in the world did you find something so elegant and beautiful?”
Caroline watched me as I walked over to her, openly admiring my gown for the evening ball. The dress was an exquisite, grey satin material and the same fabric was used on the straps that intersected over the chest. The sides and back were narrow, and the back was attractively corseted. I couldn’t keep my hands off the material! As I walked around in a circle, the glimmer of beautiful, sparkling jewels at the center back of the dress caught my attention. I let my eyes wander down to where the gown tapered at the waist. The dress would definitely poof around my hips, I could already tell. I stared in awe at it, eagerly approving of how effortlessly it draped at the sides, cascading to the floor just as majestically as it appeared on the hanger.
“Judging by the amount of drool you have running down your chin, I’m guessing you like.” Caroline laughed as she approached the windows and hung the dress back up. “Now, we must make you look like you belong in that dress instead of out on the street corner, holding a brown paper bag in one hand and a handwritten sign in the other.”
Frowning, I looked down at my towel before tentatively reaching up and touching the knotted, wet mass of hair piled on top of my head. I remembered James’s pleasant interruption before I actually got a chance to dry it with more than just my towel.
“Yeah… that’s probably a good idea.” I smiled, actually excited at the thought of getting ready tonight.
After a swift blow-dry, a curling iron and one full can of hairspray, I looked incredibly hot, which is not something I would ever casually admit. Caroline had the uncanny ability of making me look and feel like a princess. She thrived at glamming me up for every event and party, tonight was no different and the results were nothing less than fabulous.
“There!” she said proudly while she finished the final smear of lip gloss. “We’re ready for the dress now.”
Having completed her own preparations over an hour ago, she was primed and ready to concentrate entirely on me now. Both dresses were hanging in my bedroom. Caroline held mine and allowed me to step into it and I slowly brought it up around me. She buttoned the back before allowing me to look. As I turned, the dress easily slid around my waist and I was grinning wide and long before I even saw my reflection in the mirror.
“You look absolutely amazing, Ariya!” Caroline exclaimed.
I stared into the mirror without recognizing the girl gazing back at me. She didn’t look like she could ever be afraid of anything. She seemed so commanding, regal, and more than anything else, confident. She couldn’t have been my reflection.
“I feel amazing too. I think your makeup and hairspray must have some magical qualities,” I said, glimpsing a flash in the corner of my eye. By the time I turned around to face Caroline, she was already wearing her
dress and anxious to leave as well. She looked stunning in a slightly less poofy, emerald green dress. No bling, just sheer satin elegance. She looked like a Greek goddess.
“Wow. Nick’s going to die… again,” I giggled.
We emerged to find the three men in the living room eagerly waiting for us. All of them stood upon our entrance and it felt wonderful. It seemed like putting the dresses on had somehow managed to transport me back to the time of my early ancestors. A time when manners and common courtesy were important and valued, things that ceased to exist in our modern world. All three boys looked striking in their tailed coats, but James was the only exception, looking absolutely flawless.
Our eyes locked and my heart stopped. For once, I could tell from his unmasked expression that he was spellbound with me. I knew right at that moment he thought I was the most beautiful woman in the world. His look was pure adoration, all directed at me.
“Ladies?” Riley said as he stepped towards me, bowing and taking my hand in his. Instantly, he broke the spell with James.
“Kind sir,” I curtseyed.
“We should get going,” James said, clearing his throat after interrupting our silly charade. “We can all enjoy the evening for a little while until I give the signal that we should begin to spread out.”
I sat in the front of the car with James, sensing his eyes lingering on me every so often. Well, his eyes might as well have met mine because I was staring at him, but strictly from my peripheral vision. I couldn’t help it.
The castle was well lit up for the event. Riley took my hand to help me out of the car and I watched the crowd of people gathered tonight for the event. I saw formal wear of all kinds: old-fashioned, newer, sleeker, as well as tuxedos, suits, and even ruffled collars. It was as if every type of formal fashion was on proud display tonight.
Walking through the entrance I had gotten to know so well over the past few days, we followed the signs to the main ballroom. We came here on the first day and saw it then, but tonight, it had dozens of candelabras and chandeliers illuminating it, thereby creating a completely different room. The doors brought us to the top of a grand staircase with two symmetrical sides that descended to the ballroom floor. The large windows were already open in the room, making it airy, and the pulled curtains displayed all the intricate woodwork and detailed paneling.
A group of musicians performed in the far corner of the room and some of the guests were dancing in a style I’d never seen before. It was slow, yet surprisingly catchy. The dance didn’t look too difficult and I hoped I could take part in it. I wanted to feel my dress swirling around my legs at least once, after all!
When my arm was suddenly looped through smooth fabric, I turned to see Riley grinning. He motioned for me to go with him down the stairs. As we reached the bottom, a new song began.
“Hey!” Riley cried out, “this is a waltz.”
“Who are you? And what have you done with my best friend?” I asked, watching his eyes light up.
“I happen to waltz rather well,” he retorted proudly. “Come on.” Dragging me across the room, he happily lined us up with the other couples.
“When did you learn how to waltz?” I asked as he positioned my hands on his body and took my waist.
“It was really fun actually. Helen…” He paused and a look of sadness passed over his face. “Helen taught me.”
“Oh, yeah?”
“Yeah,” he said, perking up a little bit. “Her mom enrolled her in a whole bunch of socialite programs back home in Washington. She had to learn all the formal, ballroom dances; and one night, during spring break, she was hanging out with me and my brothers and she taught us all the steps. We were all drinking before that so learning a dance was even more hilarious than it would have normally been. I managed to surprise her sometimes by whipping out the moves on her, just to show her I was paying close attention, you know.” He winked at me.
“You miss her.” It wasn’t a question. It was more than obvious from his eyes and the tone he used when he spoke about her. I think Riley probably loved Helen, even if he was also in love with me at the time.
“Of course, I miss her. Even though I had strong feelings for you, that didn’t change what she and I shared. She just got me. She kept things comfortable, but really fun. She’s actually really funny. I laughed with her all the time. And not an awkward laugh that you think you have to pretend to do because it’s expected either,” he smiled again, probably remembering something specifically from their past. “Lately, especially, I’ve really missed talking to her. Don’t get me wrong; you and Care will always be, well, you and Care. But, I don’t know. It’s just a weird feeling I’ve had. Super girly, right?” he asked, switching from his serious tone and turning it into a joke flawlessly.
“Super girly, weirdo. Have you talked to her at all since you broke up?”
“No, she asked for more space and I respected it.” He shrugged.
“Maybe when we get back, you could…”
“Ariya,” Riley interrupted. “I’m pretty sure she doesn’t want to talk to me.”
“I think you’d be surprised to learn the difference between what we girls say and what we actually hope for. If you love her, don’t give up. That’s all I’m suggesting.”
Riley looked at me thoughtfully and shrugged again. “I guess we’ll just have to see.”
We danced and laughed as I tried to keep up with the complicated moves of the waltz. Riley was patient but that didn’t stop him from making fun of me when I trod over my own feet as well as his. He spun me around once more just as the music concluded.
“Mind if I cut in?” James suddenly appeared and addressed Riley.
“By all means. I caught sight of the food on that last twirl and you know I can’t pass that up.” Riley touched my arm lightly before heading towards the obnoxiously large food spread.
“I don't know this song,” I commented softly as the music started up. It was a little more dramatic and more like a passionate melody than the waltz. Everyone on the floor split into two lines, standing face-to-face. James took a few steps back to join the other side of the line.
“I do. I’ll lead.” His eyes bore straight into my soul and I felt the familiar tingles of anticipation at the sight of him watching me.
“All right,” I managed to murmur.
Moving closer towards me and then away with fluid ease, I noticed he occasionally smirked at my gawking as I took all the moves in. I also followed the motions of those around me, holding my hands up when I was supposed to and taking my own steps. He approached me and took my hand. I swear, I can’t understand how anyone could manage to perform such precise choreography back in the day. A thrum of electricity jolted through my skin each time we touched on the dance floor.
Apparently, we needed to dance closer together at one point and he took my waist before gliding me across the floor. I had no idea how we were moving because I couldn’t really feel my legs, much less change their direction. James was, as usual, in complete control.
“You look stunning, Ariya,” he softly whispered in my ear and trails of goosebumps appeared on my skin wherever his breath touched.
“Thank you,” I nearly gasped.
“Was this fun?”
I pulled back to look at him. “Are we leaving so soon?”
“Momentarily; we can finish this dance, but we do need to search again tonight. We’re running out of time.” His hand moved to guide me in a turn and I enjoyed the way it felt through the back of my satin dress.
“Will she find us?” I knew what he meant. We hadn’t discussed his thoughts regarding Audrey. She wouldn’t have given up her search for me. That much I felt sure of. “How can the other Protectors not know where we are?” I asked. I was worried and trying to consider all the possibilities of being discovered and dealing with that.
“We haven’t checked in. We got new phones that can’t be traced. Nick is routing everything through Italy if they do try to track us. It’s only
a matter of time before they catch up though.” His eyes met mine and he quickly softened his previous matter-of-fact tone. “The Protectors, not Audrey,” he added when he noticed the look of concern that crossed my face.
“Isn’t it suspicious that you haven’t touched base?” I asked, knowing fully well Marik was probably in his all-out asshole mode at the thought of losing any control over James’s movements.
“Yes. It’s unprecedented and most likely, unforgivable. I could care less about that anymore, Ariya. All I care about is getting whatever we need to keep you safe. And not just safe for now, but safe for good, forever.” We stopped dancing and he tilted my chin up until my eyes met his. “I told you I would never let her have you again. You have nothing to fear. I would like to make sure we find the weapon we need sooner rather than later, that’s all.”
“I trust you,” I responded without breaking eye contact. “I’ll always trust you.”
“Good. Thank you for the dance,” he smiled. “We should go now. The others are already at the meeting place.”
I turned and saw that Riley wasn’t by the food table where he was before our dance, and Caroline and Nick were also nowhere to be seen.
“Lead the way.”
James took my hand and maneuvered me past the watchful crowd that couldn’t pry their eyes off the perfection they saw latched onto my arm. We followed the signs for the restrooms but soon disappeared out of sight, going behind the curtained-off area once we were truly alone.
As we walked down the hallway, I noticed slabs of metal depicting different facts about the various royalties who formerly lived in the palace. They lined the stone walls.
The slabs soon turned into portraits. I stopped suddenly in front of a bronze plate that had Christiane’s name on it.
“This is my Christiane?” I asked, causing James to stop in his tracks.
“Yes. That’s her,” he acknowledged, pausing with me to let me read about her. I perused the plate of history next to the name.
Christiane Eberhardine, born 19 December 1671, wife of Augustus II the Strong. Electress of Saxony from 1694 until her death in 1727 and titular Queen of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth from 1697 – 1727. Christiane Eberhardine was the mother of Frederick Augustus. She chose to live in voluntary exile at Hartenfels Castle until her death in 1727.
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