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Elara
“Well, this isn’t quite what I expected when I told you ‘same time, same place’.” The laugh pulled me out of sleep with a jolt, my body flinching wildly as I went into attack mode.
I held up my hands like I was going to hit whoever was there, before slumping back against the wall where I had clearly fallen asleep.
Aeinya only laughed.
“What in the world happened in here, Elara?” Aeinya was still chuckling even as she looked around the room in confusion.
It took me a second to realize what she was seeing, for the hint of smoke mixed with the usual lavender aroma of my room to hit me for everything to come flooding back.
Oh, Goddess save me.
My room was trashed. My dress was in a pile by the window, my bureau destroyed, bedding everywhere from all the thrashing I had done before falling asleep on the floor. I hadn’t been able to sleep because every time I did I was flooded with images of the Boy’s face, so soft and prickly. That was a dream compared to the other things that had kept me awake; the memory of the magic that had flown from my hand. Unable to do anything more than toss and turn, I had attempted to replicate whatever had flown out of my hand to destroy my bureau and got a whole lot of nothing.
I was left only with frustration and confusion as my mind screamed that it was magic, even though common sense knew that it wasn’t.
“I know that dinner last night got crazy, but you weren’t supposed to bring it back here,” she laughed again. I tried my best to keep my expression straight. So, they hadn’t even noticed I wasn’t present.
It stung, part of me knew that it shouldn’t, it was their night to celebrate and bask in each other after all, but it did.
“I wouldn’t know about that, I wasn’t there,” I mumbled, pulling my underpinnings straight as I stood and made my way to the closet. Yellow cotton it was today. I think I had had enough of the fancy dresses for… well, forever.
“What do you mean you weren’t there?” Aeinya stopped her inspection of the charred edges of the splintered wood on my bureau and turned to me. She was clearly horrified, the horror growing as she thought back and realized I wasn’t, in fact, there.
“I mean, my mother stopped me from entering.” She also told me I was worthless and would die, but I figured that was not something I should share with Aeinya. She already knew how much my mother despised me, and I really didn’t want to dampen her week, not with all the wedding preparations that awaited her.
I chuckled and pulled the yellow dress over my head. My mothers ominous ‘Requisites die without Catalysts’ warning seemed inherently more ridiculous after last night. After I had shot white fire from my hand without a Catalyst.
Something which should not be possible, but I had clearly done.
“That woman,” Aeinya sighed, her expression turning to a scowl as she shook her head. “Batian told me she has been worse lately.”
I nodded, “Her hatred has no bounds.”
“Her hatred of you is made of more horse shit than all the shit my horses’ shit.” Aeinya kicked at one of the charred pieces of wood, sending it skittering over the floor. I only blinked at her.
“Did you just call The Queen horse shit?” I blinked again but Aeinya laughed, her tight blonde curls bouncing down her back.
“No. I believe I said my future mother in law is full of shit. So, I suppose. Yes, I did.”
I laughed, slipping into my well-worn leather shoes. Neither my dress nor my shoes were fitting for a princess, and made me look even more of a pauper against Aeinya and her red satin dress and matching slipper shoes.
I didn’t even own shoes that nice.
I pulled the hem of my dress down, as if that would cover the shoes and the holes that were clearly visible. It didn’t, in fact, this dress seemed to have shrunk in the wash, both hem and sleeves were shorter than they were last time I had worn it.
I tugged harder, willing the ends down, but they didn’t budge. I would change, but my only other options were dirty, torn, or frilly dessert dresses I had officially sworn off. This would have to do.
“Well, where should we away first? Breakfast?” She slipped her arm through mine, pressing against me eagerly as she led me into the sitting room where her Catalyst was stationed by the door, next to the partition that housed the Boy. My heart gave a start, that image of him slamming into me again. I pushed it away.
“You know I can’t.” Thankfully that edict had come down years ago and she was aware of it. It was always nicer when I didn’t have to explain.
“I know, and I will fix that. But for now, you and I have an appointment in the kitchen. It’s already planned. I called down for chocolate scones and blueberry cakes this morning. It will be ready for us by the time we get there.” She danced in celebration, jostling me and pulling me closer. “We will have to see if there are leftovers from last night too. I want you to try the duck, it was divine.”
She was practically dancing as she led me toward the door, her Catalyst moving to attention.
“Wait.” I pulled Aeinya back. “Where is the Boy?”
