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“Where did you get them? They’re stunning,” she breathed. “I love what they did with the ribbons. So naughty.”
“And those shiny things on your dress,” her friend said to me, reaching a tentative hand. “Beautiful. They look like diamonds.”
I relaxed. Some things are bigger than long-standing class feuds. I should’ve remembered that. “Thanks. I wish I could give my fashion sense the credit, but it all goes to Daciana. I’m just her mannequin.”
Daciana waved. “I’m so glad you like my dresses. I made them myself.”
“Really? Could you—? I mean, can I ask you to make me one too? I’d pay of course,” she rushed. “Whatever you ask.”
“Me too.”
“And me.”
“Yeah, no problem,” Daciana replied easily. “I brought a bunch of fabric and stuff with me, so you can choose which one you like.”
“Are you sure it’s not too much?” I asked.
Daciana waved that away. “Trust me, you’re doing me a favor. Daddy taught me to sew to focus my mind and strength. I need that more than ever now since I can’t take off and run like I used to.
“Tell you what?” she told them, clapping. “I’ll make them for free. Tell your friends, and I’ll see what I can do for them. This is why I’m here after all. To learn your culture and share mine.”
They squealed like it was Christmas morning.
“I’m Sofia,” said the first girl. “Daughter of Artemis. This is Venetia and Dafni. Can we get one like hers? With the...” She drew a line down her cleavage. “And the...” Then a line up her thigh.
I had noticed that every girl was wearing a dress with a high neckline and long skirt. Olympians obviously didn’t have trouble showing skin, going by all the naked novices running about the place. They only dressed like they did.
“Easily,” Daciana agreed.
Sofia beamed. “You’re the best. I don’t care what anyone says. All my friends are going to love your dresses—”
“The fuck they are.”
The smile melted off my face.
“What the hades are you saying, Sofia? You don’t have to take diplomacy that far—pretending these hideous, cut-up rags belong anywhere other than the trash. These two look like a couple of tumblers who should be shaking their minuscule skirts at passing men.”
Slowly, we turned, coming face-to-face with Sirena and the other six girls in the Future Twelve. I’d say she had a nasty look to go with her nasty words, but her smile was pleasant. Brilliantly beautiful eyes shining. She could’ve been discussing her favorite ice cream flavor if you glanced at her from afar.
“You’re not buying her clothes or wearing them.” Sirena snapped her fingers. “Leave.”
“Yes, Sirena,” Sofia mumbled. “Sorry, Sirena.”
The three girls beat it out of there fast.
“What was that for?” My face was unpleasant. No one would ever say my lips-peeled-back snarl was pretty. “What do you care what she wears? Who gave you the right to comment on our clothes? Mind your own damn business.”
Silence smothered the party so hot and fast the band cut off with harsh, discordant sounds.
Everyone was staring at me—again.
Sirena raised her brows, laughing mirthlessly. “Who gave me the right? I’d expect the ignorant little wolf girl to ask that, but not you. What hole have you been living in, child of Eirene?”
My muscles went rigid. Target struck. Had I said something wrong? Something that I was supposed to know if I grew up in Olympia like I wanted everyone to believe? Everyone was certainly looking at me like they couldn’t believe the words coming out of my mouth.
I searched the crowd for Alex and found him by Theron of all people, speaking in his ear. Alex passed him something I couldn’t see.
A figure blocked my vision. “It’s your ignorance that’s the problem,” Daciana growled, “if you think wolf girls like me were raised to take shit from people like you.” She held out hands suddenly tipped with fearsome, lethal claws. “Back the fuck off. We’re not bothering you.”
