by Olivia Ash
“That’s a good idea.” I nod, sitting up. “What spell did you find?”
“It’s an enchanted charm. Milo is picking one out for you. Once we have that, we can apply the spell. As an added measure, Jesse’s ready to infuse some of his illusion magic to it.” She pauses and holds up a finger. “Actually, we may need help from Soren and Gideon as well.” She takes a seat. “Maybe you can let them know?”
I smile. “Oh, now you’re asking too much of me.” I fake feeling faint, playing it up until Savannah laughs.
“Dramatic much?” Her words bubble out between chuckles.
I drop the act instantly and shrug. “Maybe.”
We both crack into a peel of laughter, the sound way too loud for the library as it echoes horribly off the walls.
Savannah takes a breath. “Now, as I was saying… you’ll need to wear the charm all the time. Otherwise, it won’t work.”
I nod. “Sounds simple enough.”
“Maybe. I dunno…” she narrows her eyes on me. “That may be too much work for you.”
“Hardy har, har. You’re a riot.” I sit back in my seat and cross my arms over my chest as though I have a bad attitude.
She shakes her head. “Jesse is rubbing off on you, I see.”
“Eh, hasn’t been much rubbing, but he’s trying.”
“Pervert.”
“Thank you.” I laugh.
“Speaking of men,” she smiles and bobs her eyebrows, “who’s taking you to the Halloween dance?”
Shoot. I had forgotten all about that. It’s in a couple days. Honestly, I forced it out of my mind. Dances are something I don’t really know how to do. The formal get-togethers, that is, not the action. I love dancing. Going to a formal dance though? The idea is daunting. I clear my throat. “Um… I don’t know. Probably just meet up with them there.”
She wiggles in closer. “Do you have your costume yet?”
“I don’t. But I’m sure I’ll figure it out.”
“Well, if you need one, I have a few. It’s a masquerade, so it should be pretty easy to find anything to match the theme.”
I nod. “Thanks.”
She sits back and studies me with a quirked eyebrow. “Interesting.”
“What?” A pinch forms in the center of my forehead.
“You’re nervous.” She states it as a simple non-judgmental fact.
It’s true, though.
“Why?”
I shrug. “Didn’t really get the chance to go to many formals before my parents… well, you know.”
She nods. “Indeed, I do.”
I sigh as the silence settles between us and Savannah continues to study me. Her gaze seems to go in and out of focus and I shake my head. “Stop that.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She smiles like a Cheshire cat.
I giggle. “You’re horrible.”
She shrugs. “I think you’ll do just fine. But, if you want to have some help getting ready, just let me know. We’ll have you looking like the belle of the ball before I’m done with you.”
“Since you put it that way…” I shake my head and laugh.
She chuckles. “All right, all right. I’ll go easy on you. But trust me when I say you’re going to be gorgeous!”
“That isn’t helping.”
I spent a good chunk of the last six years of my life learning to fall under the radar. Attention was never a good thing when it came to the trolls. And being the “belle of the ball” or “gorgeous” would bring attention to me. A sense of anxiety quakes through me.
“Hey, relax. You’ll see.” She covers my hands with hers. “I’ll take care of you, and if anyone dares to make the night anything less than simply amazing for you, I’ll kick their ass.”
I laugh at that. It’s good to be a friend of Savannah, The Spunky One.
“Thanks, I’ll hold you to that.”
“Oh, it will happen. Mark my words. So, still wanna go?”
I stare into her beautiful violet eyes and take in a hint of hope and eagerness.
I sigh. “Yes. Definitely, since you put it so delicately.”
“Hey,” she pulls at her collar once as she leans back in her seat. “I got your back.”
After the recent, tension-filled events, this was just the thing I needed. I’m still a bit reserved when it comes to showing up in a crowded area all done up, but hey, Savannah has a good point.
But she won’t be doing the ass-kicking. I will.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Tonight is the night of the Halloween Dance. I’m already dreading the crowd I’ll have to face. Interacting with large groups has never been my thing.
I trudge into my room, exhausted from the day’s training and classes. Desperate for a shower and a nap. But as soon as I make it to my bed, I’m taken aback by a long black dress. A note sits on top. I grab the card and it reads: Wear this tonight.
I smile to myself. Soren is something else. He and I haven’t had much time together since he got back from his travels. I bet this is from him.
I had hoped that we would’ve had some time between classes or maybe before or after school, but he’s been busy. Not being able to hold him in my arms or share with him my day’s trials make me miss him, but since he’ll be at the masquerade, I’m excited and a little anxious to see him.
I stare at the dress, taking in its mermaid shape and plunging neckline and realizing that I have no idea what I’m doing. How do you even get into this thing?
One person might know, but I need to shower first. I’m not going to a dance smelling sweaty and nasty. Trolls smell like a walk in a park compared to me right now. And that says something. Take my word for it.
With that, I hop into the shower, taking the time to shave everything I need to, and paying a little extra attention to my wild red hair by putting extra conditioner in it. My hair is frizzy from being kept in some sort of bun, ponytail, or some semblance of both for the whole week.
Once I’m fresh and changed into some lose-fitting clothing, I grab the dress and head out the door.
I race through the halls and around the corners with their twists and turns until I reach the House of Kraken. The girl that answers the door could be Milo’s twin. Right down to the glasses. Though, she has freckles, and her long hair is piled up on her head in a messy bun. I smile, blushing a little from staring at her. “I’m here to see Savannah.”
She nods and holds the door open wider. I quickly make my way to Savannah’s room. Her door is propped open. She calls out from the other side of the room. “Come in, Wren.”
This girl will never stop amazing me.
I step in and find her at her vanity all set up for a makeover. My eyes go wide at the lavish display of tools and various shades of eye shadow, blush, foundation and lipstick laid out on the surface.
“Uh…”
“Stop that, come on. We need to begin!” She waves me over with quick circular motions of her hand. As I approach, she takes the dress and gently lays it out on the bed. “Sit!”
“Yes ma’am.” I giggle.
“That’s right!”
As she begins running a brush through my hair, it feels… weird. The fuss with making my appearance such a priority is outside of everything I’ve known. I don’t dare complain though. Savannah is taking time out of her day to help me, and I appreciate the effort. Besides, it feels good to pamper myself a little, and the looks on my men’s faces when they see me tonight will be priceless. However, at some point, I’m gonna have to learn how to do this myself.
“This is a rite of passage,” Savannah says. “Today, you become a woman.”
I snort. “As opposed to being a girl before now?”
I admit that I’m inexperienced with most of this stuff, but come on… give me some credit.
“No. Okay, so woman was a poor choice of word.”
“Just a bit.” I squint my eyes and hold up my finger and thumb with just a small space between them.
&nbs
p; She chuckles. “How about a lady?”
I think about that for a moment and nod. “Sounds right.”
She giggles and shakes her head. “All right, deal.”
Never mind this is closer to the normalcy I’ve been looking for. Sure, not every woman wears makeup, but this is a normal school thing, right?
Right.
Once my hair is up in curlers, I turn my head from side to side and look at myself in the mirror. I laugh at my reflection. Savannah joins in and we busy ourselves for a few moments by making funny faces at each other.
Savannah quickly turns me and the chair to face her as she holds a bottle of foundation in her hand. She dabs a spongy wedge into the mixture and starts to apply the substance to my face in smooth, even strokes. “So, where did the dress come from?”
“I don’t know for sure.” I close my eyes as she moves around them, applying makeup. “I think it’s from Soren.”
A wistful sigh leaves Savannah’s lips. “You have surrounded yourself with some fine specimens of the opposite sex, my friend.”
“Is that weird?” This whole time I’ve never thought about it, it just feels right to me. I wouldn’t choose between them if my life depended on it. Still, I wonder…
“Though it’s not as common as it used to be, it’s a thing in the world of mages. Most of those that still prefer multiple partners don’t advertise it. Especially among humans.”
Maybe that explains it. Not sticking with just one guy is in my blood. It feels deeper than that though.
Much, much deeper.
“I didn’t know that, about mages and relationships.”
“Of course, you didn’t.” Savannah moves to a different item on the vanity’s surface. It’s a large wand with a tiny brush at the end of it. She dips it into some dark shadow then uses her fingers to turn my face toward hers and keeps it at an upright angle. “How could you after living in the woods?”
“Thanks for the reminder.” It comes off sarcastically.
Her apologetic eyes settle on mine, but her lips turn up at the corners in a slight, barely noticeable move. She strokes the powder across my eyelids and in minutes she’s finished. “It’s not like the trolls offer Mage Relationships 101. That’s something that’s taught through families. Generation to generation. It’s passed down information.”
“Fair point.” I shrug a shoulder.
A comfortable silence falls between us as she applies the mascara and liner to my eyes and a healthy, vibrant shade of red to my lips. She quickly undoes the curlers from my hair and styles my hair with my back to the mirror.
“Can’t peek. It’s a surprise.”
“If you say so.” A giggle bounces between my words.
With a few tugs and tossing my hair over my shoulder, she spins me around.
“What do you think?”
I gape, my mouth hanging open so wide that a dragon could fly into it.
This is… me? Really?
I mean, this is Blackbriar. It could be an enchanted mirror I’m looking into, but I doubt Savannah is the type to mislead me like that. Leaning forward, I study my brown eyes that stand out against the shadowy lids, almost darker than normal. The browns are deeper. My lips look fuller, and the lipstick color compliments the color in my hair covering my left shoulder, perfectly pouring down the front of me in spirals. A pin made of gold and encrusted with a white gem is clipped to the side of my head.
“Wow.” It comes out breathless.
“I thought you’d like it. Now,” she claps her hands, startling me from my mesmerizing reflection, “let’s get you dressed.”
I slip into it, and it seems a bit tight, but as Savannah zips up the back, it hugs my curves perfectly. My breasts even look stunning in this dress as they swell ever so delicately through the opening in the front.
My transformation is beyond amazing. I’ve never felt so gorgeous in my entire life.
“Now the finishing touch…” Savannah drops a mask in front of my face and helps me situate it before tying it behind my head. She stands back, observing her masterpiece. Clasping her hands in front of her heart, she smiles dreamingly. “Perfection!”
I blush. “Thank you.”
She waves it off. “Think nothing of it. I had plenty of natural beauty to work with.”
I smile. My cheeks warm and I feel this funny sensation in my chest and stomach. I’m so unaccustomed to compliments. It feels awkward, almost.
With a dramatic bow, she turns and gets herself ready in record time. I imagine getting all done up gets easier and quicker with practice.
Her costume is a simple yet elegant amethyst-colored dress, in an eye-catching crushed velvet material, with long sleeves and a silver cloak. She lifts the hood over her head and adjusts the mask that covers half her face. The mask’s design is silver and purple roses, which make her violet eyes stand out even more.
She leaves her beautiful dark brown hair down, cascading over her shoulders. Little rivers of purple sneak through, completing the look.
Striking a pose, she smiles. “What do you think?”
“I hate how beautiful you are.” I laugh. “You’re going to knock some lucky guys dead on their feet.”
She giggles. “Well, what are we waiting for then? Let’s go break some hearts.”
We lock arms and head for the celebration. As we leave Savannah’s room, I catch some of the stares people give us. I want to believe that they’re all for Savannah, but it’s really nice to see eyes connect with mine and lips parted into O’s.
I chuckle.
Break some hearts, indeed.
Chapter Twenty-Three
I enter the crowded arena and gasp at the room’s magical transformation. It’s all made to look like a creepy orchard with scary faced Jack-o-lanterns hanging from the trees. More of the carved gourds are scattered along the floor which is coated in a thick fog-like smoke. A star-filled sky spreads above me, with a full moon wearing a creepy grin. Bats float in and out of view as the scent of spices, roasted meats, and baked goods waft toward me. Music, mingled with high-pitched strings, screams, deep wallowing laughs, and creaking wood fills the air.
“Whoa.”
“You got that right,” Savannah says from my side. She smiles wide and moves deeper into the arena. I lose sight of her among the roaming figures of masked students. I spy her handsome mentor from our initiate trainings, and I can’t help but break into a large grin. I’m truly happy for her. Especially with the way his face breaks into a huge smile, which lights up his blue eyes, upon her approach.
There is so much adoration in his eyes, I’m nearly giddy for my friend. She deserves a slice of happiness, and I hope she gets a big piece of that tonight. Such an unusual feeling for me to experience, but I love it.
The music seems to come from everywhere, moving closer toward me and then fading away into eerie echoes, like the ebb and flow of the ocean waves surrounding this island.
I catch pot-bellied gnomes near some of the decorations, entangling themselves in shimmery black webbing and accidentally toppling over a couple of Jack-o-lanterns.
To say that I’m in awe is an understatement. Blackbriar really knows how to go all out for holidays. I’m glad I came.
I notice Milo and Jesse huddled together in a darkened corner. My heart swells at the sight of them sipping drinks and chatting it up. It warms me inside and out that they get along so well. They’re dashingly handsome in their suits and masks.
I make my way toward them. As I move, their attention turns to me and their eyes hungrily take in my form. Milo’s mouth parts slightly in awe. Jesse smiles in that devilish way of his. Both reactions stretch my lips, and I really do feel like the belle of the ball with their well-received attention.
As I stop in front of them, Milo gulps.
I chuckle. I could probably get used to this.
“You are simply divine,” Jesse says. “A true goddess.”
“You look…” Milo licks his lips as he stammers. “Beaut
iful.”
I giggle. “Thanks, boys.”
“Here comes the party-pooper.” Jesse speaks from over the rim of his cup as he brings it to his mouth, giving a slight nod over my shoulder.
I turn to face Soren. He hesitates in his steps, moving slower as his eyes take in my form, drinking me in like I’m a tall drink of water and he’s a dehydrated man. His gaze finally comes to rest on my ample cleavage. He doesn’t look so bad himself in his straight black suit that compliments my dress right down to the black beaded details of our masks.
I knew he bought me the dress.
“Wow, Wren. You look…” he sucks in a deep breath, huffing it out, “You look amazingly gorgeous.”
“Thanks to you.” I gesture to myself. “You’ve got good taste.”
He cocks his head slightly to the side as a flash of confusion passes through his eyes. “What do you mean?”
“The dress is from you, isn’t it?” Maybe I was wrong, and it’s simply a coincidence we’re dressed alike?
“I didn’t buy that dress for you. But I sure wish I had.” He takes another long look at me.
I blush, but I’m confused at the same time. If he didn’t buy this dress for me, then who did?
“I bought the dress for you,” a woman’s voice speaks from behind me just over my left shoulder.
I spin around and see Aunt Patricia standing in front of me, looking ravishing herself with her silvery-white hair piled at the top of her head like an updo a Greek goddess would have worn. A silver mask with blends of purple and gold seed beads cover her eyes. It complements her high-collared golden satin, form-fitting dress with a sequined purple belt that cinches at her waist. Purple gems dangle at her neckline from a barely visible chain. Her dress is much more conservative than mine, but it suits her beautifully.
Rich and regal.
“Oh, there wasn’t a signature on the note, so I just—”
“Worry not, my dear. That’s not the point of the gift.” She smiles, but with the shadows thick in the room, it’s hard to tell if it reaches her eyes. “May I borrow you for a moment?”
