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“You don’t have to blend in. Stand out so he can see you,” Breena insisted.
“He’ll certainly be able to spot me in this.” I sighed. “Very well.”
I let her pull the gown over my head. The fabric was as delicate as a moth's wings. There were designs cut all over, and with every movement I made, ripples went through the fabric, revealing glimpses of my gold-tinged skin beneath.
I glanced in the mirror. The gown enhanced my curves, draping over my bodice and hips alluringly, hugging my figure like a second skin.
As I walked, the material billowed and danced, reminding me of the cloak Sephone had been wearing the day before.
The neckline of the dress was modest, only hinting at the soft expanse of my collarbone, while delicate straps graced my shoulders, attaching along the sides of the dress and leaving the expanse of my back bare.
The fabric felt weightless, as light as feathers. The skirt fell like a waterfall around my feet.
Breena slid pearlescent slippers onto my feet before I could protest, then fastened a gold choker around my neck.
She left my hair down in a simple braid, sweet and maidenly, then stood back clasping her hands.
“There,” she said with satisfaction. “Very different from anything the court will be wearing.”
I nodded, suddenly nervous. “What should I expect?”
The little maid frowned. “Someone always dies on the first day. Sometimes more than one.”
“And the court?”
“Oh, they stand around gossiping, enjoying refreshments and pretending not to watch.”
Unsurprising. “They don’t want to watch even though the outcome determines their future emperor or empress?”
She chuckled. “They know there’s quite a way to go.”
“How many challenges are there in total?” I had never asked Draven.
“Three in all. By the last one... Well, there won’t be much competition. They get worse as they go on.”
I wasn’t sure if she meant the competitors or the challenges themselves.
“The prince will make it through them all. I know he will,” I said stoutly.
Breena shot me an odd look that made me think she was surprised by my show of faith. Perhaps she had found the letter opener in my drawer.
There was a tapping at the door.
“Come,” Breena called.
I wasn’t surprised when Odessa’s form filled the frame.
“Ready?” Her tone was even terser than usual, as if she was worried about something. About Draven?
I nodded and followed her out into the hall, then turned back to Breena. “Will you be there?”
She shook her head. “The viewing area is for nobles and courtiers. We hear the results second-hand. Usually quite quickly.” She smiled slightly. “Thanks to that scallywag Beks.”
“He’s quite a little rogue, isn’t he?” I tried to smile. “Well, then...Thank you for everything, as always, Breena.”
Odessa led the way through the palace to a new wing I had never been in before.
Pushing open large glass doors, I followed her into a spacious gallery filled with crystalline light. Luminous stalactites hung over us, hanging down from a cavernous stone ceiling.
