Page 153 of Glutton for Punishment

Chapter 46

Arwen

Istare at my reflection in the mirror in Cleo and Tabby’s dorm room, trying not to have a breakdown over something as lame as fabric.

“This is a nightmare,” I mutter, yanking at the side of the black dress Holly loaned me. The material strains across my chest while somehow hanging loose everywhere else.

“How does something manage to be both too tight and too big?”

“Is that what you asked when you stayed the night in Maddox’s dorm room last week?” Tabby asks from where she’s curled across Cleo’s bed, painting glitter onto her collarbones.

I pick up a shoe and throw it at her.

Cleo snorts softly as she adjusts an earring in the mirror beside me. She looks stunning in deep sapphire blue; her short dark curls pinned half-up with silver clips that glitter every time she moves.

“It’s bad enough that you all won’t let me wear a power suit. The only thing worse than a dress is a dress that doesn’t fit.” I pout.

“You could still wear it; you can pull off anything,” Cleo says.

I stare at her reflection. “Cleo.”

She winces. “Okay, yes. One aggressive inhale and that zipper becomes a dangerous flying projectile.”

I groan and drop my forehead against the mirror.

“Why are we going again? Why can’t we just stay here in sweatpants?”

“Because Arwen, this is called having fun. It’s about time you try it out.” Tabby replies.

“Sweatpants are fun,” I grumble looking longingly at the roomy pants I showed up in.

“And besides…” Tabby adds. “Cleo needs a boyfriend. This is our perfect chance to match her. She’s tired of being the seventh wheel.”

“Excuse me!” Cleo shrieks. “You bringing a new, random man to every date night does not make you a wheel pair. And what about Brix? He’s single!”

“Brix is hardly ever there,” Tabby responds. “And when he is, he just sulks in the corner silently. The grump.”

Over their arguing, I hear the Sinful Sinfall Ball is already in full swing downstairs. Music drifts through the academy halls, and distant laughter echoes around the stone corridors. Outside the windows, hanging lanterns cast a warm amber light across the grounds. It looks fun. Maybe even romantic.

“I’m going back to our room,” I sigh. “Maybe Holly has something else shoved in her closet that won’t cut off circulation to my organs.”

I slip out into the hallway before either of them can torment me further. The academy corridors are empty; most students are already at the party. The soft gold lighting reflects along the stone walls, making everything feel oddly dreamy.

I make it to my dorm room and stop short. There’s a box sitting in the middle of my bed. The wrapping paper is matte black, tied with dark green ribbon. I shut the door behind me, approach the bed and pull the ribbon loose.

Inside the box is the most beautiful gown I’ve ever seen.

Moss green silk spills through the tissue paper like light reflected through a forest. The fabric catches the glow from the dorm lamps with a soft shimmer, elegant without being overly delicate. The slit up the leg is just high enough to feel dangerous.

My fingers brush over the material. A folded black card rests on top.

'You wear power beautifully. Everyone should know it.'

Warmth blooms in my chest at the sweet message from Maddox. After multiple training sessions with him to work on controlling my power, I already feel more confident.

My cheeks warm as I glance at the clock. No time to overthink.

I strip out of Holly’s death trap of a dress and carefully pull the gown on. The silk slides over my skin like water. I step over to our floor-length mirror and freeze.