"Wait, wait. I'm confused. Farrah did what?" I asked.

"In gym class last period," Spencer replied. "You know that I'm in that class with her and Luke, right?"

"Yeah."

"She kept trying to get his attention. The whole class! Always talking to him or clinging onto his arm." She leaned back, shaking her head. "I swear, she was all over him. Like a tumour."

"Seriously? Gross." I took another bite of my wrap.

The school cafeteria was busy, filled with its typical commotion that peaks on Fridays. Spencer and I usually just sat wherever we could find an opening. Sometimes we'd eat with our other friends, but today it was just the two of us. I was so grateful. Even though Spencer had no idea about my life on Emiarhia, she was always the one I went to when I needed to de-stress. The Nyvar Festival was tomorrow, and I wanted my brain to focus on something other than memorizing dance steps.

"I guess Farrah's found her next target," Spencer exhaled.

I arched an eyebrow. "Target? You make it sound like she's going to rob him."

"Yeah, of his freedom," she quipped. "I mean, she's never single for long. Sometimes I feel bad for her... Like, that's what most people know her for, is just a girl who's always hooking up with someone."

"Poor Luke," I added after a moment.

"No kidding. We've talked a few times – he's really sweet. He doesn't deserve to be pestered by her." She turned her head and I followed her gaze.

Closer to the middle of the room, Luke sat at a round table, surrounded by a large group of guys. He said something, smiling, and their whole table erupted into laughter. He suddenly met my eye and waved cheerily. I smiled and waved back. I'd never noticed, but he was kind of popular.

I looked back at Spencer. "Farrah's pretty athletic, then? I think I saw her name on the volleyball team list the other day."

"Totally, I think she's aiming for a college scholarship for soccer or something. She plays a lot of sports. Which is weird since they involve working with other people, and we all know how bossy she is."

"Is she still having that Halloween party?"

She nodded. "I'm so excited. We have to go."

"I'll go if you're going. I do love Halloween, actually."

"It's my favourite holiday," she gushed. "Our costumes have to be the best. We could do witches, or zombies, or superheroes, or..."

"We have time to think about it," I laughed.

"It's gonna be so fun going together!" She grinned and reached up her arms to adjust her beanie. The sleeves of her t-shirt rode up past her elbows and something caught my eye. My heart immediately sank.

Cut marks. From her elbow to her armpit. They were thin and more scars than anything, but still noticeable. I didn't say anything. I didn't want to make her self-conscious, but I was worried. The whole atmosphere of our conversation had flipped on its head.

"I can explain," she mumbled, realizing what I had seen. The colour drained from her face.

I reached forwards and took her hands in mine. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

"They're old, I promise. Last year...was really bad for me. With school, and dealing with everyone..." She sighed. "But I'm doing much better! Honestly. I'm going to therapy for it. It's just a process... You met me after all that."

"I'm always here for you, Spence. Okay? Whatever you need, I've got your back." I squeezed her hands. "You can come talk to me about anything."

She smiled slightly. "Thanks. That means a lot. I've got your back too!"

I smiled back even though I was still concerned. How had I never noticed? Spencer was always upbeat; it was impossible to get under her skin. The thought that she had been secretly struggling with her mental health never even crossed my mind. But now that it did, I felt sick to my stomach. I didn't know what I could do to help, or even if I could do anything. I was just glad that she was receiving treatment. That couldn't have been an easy thing for her to start. She deserved the best, and I wanted to be there for her, just as she always was for me. It was the least I could do.

Seconds later, her boyfriend – Joel Zentgraf – came strolling up behind her. He plopped down at our table, slushie in hand. "Hey, Spitfire," he said to Spencer, kissing her on the cheek. He then turned to me with his typical, endearing grin. "'Sup, Chloe?"

I gave him a friendly nod. "Hi, Joel. How's your band coming along?"

"Great! We finally found a good drummer. New music is on the way," he replied, making finger guns with his hands. His one short earring dangled from side to side.

"That'd be cool if you could play at Farrah's Halloween party. Everyone would be stoked...except Farrah," Spencer mentioned.

Joel scrunched his face in disgust, recoiling slightly. "Nuh-uh, no dice. No way in hell. I wouldn't do it even if she wanted me to; that girl is pure cyanide. You two are still going?"

"Yeah," Spencer laughed, "a good party is a good party. We probably won't even talk to her at all with the sixty other people there."

"M'kay. Just don't hesitate to punch her lights out if ya need to." He then looked at me with a jokingly serious expression. "That goes for you too, Chamomile."

I smirked at his use of the nickname he had given me weeks prior. That was Joel's quirk – finding a unique label for each of his "favourite people". "I never asked – why Chamomile?"

He grinned. "Because you're so chill! It spreads to people around you. Which is why I'm encouraging you to get heated if need be."

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that," I answered with a smile.

The harsh tones of the bell rang over our conversation as everyone began leaving the cafeteria. Joel headed off in the opposite direction while Spencer and I made our way to math class. She kept talking about the party and I did the same. I could tell that she was in a good mood, so I didn't want to interrogate her about her scars.

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I could barely concentrate in class. The Nyvar Festival was tomorrow. I couldn't tell if I was more excited or more nervous. But no matter how hard I tried to be optimistic, Balgaur's words kept creeping up in the back of my head. You haven't an inkling about the fate of this world. He looked right at me as he said it. Following blindly to the slaughter. What did he mean by that? Was it just nonsense intended to be menacing?

Forget it, I thought. I'll have fun at the Festival tomorrow, and I won't think about anything negative the entire day.

"Psst, hey. Chloe," someone whispered.

I shifted. Nathan Wright was staring at me from the adjacent desk – the same guy who told me to crouch down in English class on my first day because my head was blocking his view. We would talk every now and then, but I knew close to nothing about him.

"What is it, Nathan?"

He leaned closer, brown eyes pointed directly at me. His side-parted, wavy hair resembled a dark, layered curtain around his face. "Do you have a pencil I can borrow?"

I furrowed my eyebrows. "There's one on your desk. I can see it."

"But... The eraser on that one is all gone."

"All right, fine." I was not in the mood to spar with him today. Reluctantly, I rummaged around my backpack for a spare pencil before handing it over.

"Thanks," he smiled. "You're so nice."

I nodded slowly, confused as to why he was still talking to me. Our conversation normally would've ended by now.

"Cool t-shirt, by the way. I like that band."

"Oh, thanks," I said, glancing down at the vintage Pink Floyd shirt I was wearing, knowing fully well that it was my dad's from the '80s and had just progressively shrunken in the wash. I threw it on that morning simply because it was comfortable – although I did grow up listening to a lot of rock music.

"Quit distracting the class, Nathan," the teacher cautioned, effectively cutting off our chat. "Chloe? Do you have the answer for question nine?"

Fighting the urge to roll my eyes, I scanned my notebook for last night's homework. Thank god I had finished it. "Seven-hundred and forty-eight."

"Correct. And the connection we can make here is..." The teacher carried on with the lesson.

Despite my best efforts, I couldn't focus and ended up zoning out. Even Nathan was falling asleep beside me. Or perhaps not – he opened one eye, looked at me, and laughed under his breath when I looked back. I chuckled and shook my head. To my left, on the other side of the classroom, Spencer yawned and put in her wireless earbuds when the teacher's back was turned. I hated that she sat so far away. Assigned seating was the worst. I slumped down in my chair, eagerly awaiting the end of the class.

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Later that day, I walked into the training arena as per my usual routine, only to find it unusually empty. Kadia stood by the entrance with Ashkan and Shaye. I noticed they weren't wearing their active clothes. There wasn't any equipment set up either. Even the other trainers were missing.

"What's going on?" I questioned, approaching them while habitually tying my hair up in a ponytail.

"Good thing you aren't late today," Kadia said. She removed the leather gloves from her hands and tossed them on the table. I remembered how displeased and upset she was when she heard what happened with Balgaur last week. She was pretty distressed that Ashkan got hurt. "The King and Queen have requested you three to visit the palace. I will accompany you there."

I blinked, unsure if I heard her correctly. "Why do they want to see us?"

Her expression turned frustrated. "I do not know. It wasn't my place to ask. If I had to guess, I'd say it is about the happenings last week." She gestured to us to follow and the four of us left the stadium.

Snow fell gently from the sky and birds chirped in the distance. As we walked down the main pathways, I noted the abnormally low numbers of people outside – maybe a third of what was normal. They were likely afraid of another attack. The streets of Nelorismel were always bustling with life; it was jarring to see anything otherwise. I felt horrible. The townspeople didn't ask for this. But what could I do to stop it?

"Oh my stars, look at the market..." Shaye muttered from beside me. I turned my gaze to see the plaza farther away. The repairs were complete, and most of the merchants' booths were up and running again, but it still had only a fraction of its previous crowds.

I lowered my head, pressing my palms against my cheeks. "I feel so guilty."

"Don't talk such drivel!" she exclaimed, her tone incredulous. "It was absolutely not your fault. If we want to get technical, it was me who ran out there in the first place, so don't you dare blame yourself for any of this. Your quick thinking is what helped us escape."

"Thanks, Shaye." I leaned my head on her shoulder momentarily. She pulled me in for a quick side-hug. I supposed she was right, as usual. From her opposite side, Ashkan eyed me with a hint of concern. I bit my lip and stared at the ground as images of him standing in that dark cellar, bloodied and battered, resurfaced from my memory.

I remained silent and distracted as we entered the royal castle. Maids and servants milled about, busy with their daily tasks. Knights and guards could be seen in the courtyard outside. Despite this being their job, the staff was always well-dressed and lively. Footsteps, voices, and soft music filled the air. The smell of freshly-baked bread floated into the hallway as we passed the kitchens. I felt slightly more at ease.

The King and Queen were already present when we set foot into the throne room, looking over some documents together. Kadia bowed, and the rest of us followed suit. We stood in a row while she stayed behind.

"Thank you for arriving on such short notice," Queen Valanche spoke up. "This won't take much of your time. We simply need to notify the three of you of some changes."

King Typhis nodded in agreement. "Firstly, we must discuss the occurrence with the Inkbloods. Many of its members have been arrested since then – and before as well – and we are continuing to imprison them as we pursue them. For the stragglers attempting to flee or hide, including Balgaur himself, we have deployed a highly skilled team of scouts and knights to hunt them down for good. The Rime Guard security, sentinels, and patrolling officers have been increased threefold, and I strongly advised the other realms' leaders to do the same."

Damn. The King means business.

The Queen laid her hand on her husband's, giving him a look that said, 'That's enough, dear', before turning to us and smiling gently. "What we would like you to know is that we consider your safety to be of superlative importance. Thus, we must offer our sincerest apologies for neglecting to provide you three with ample protection. It seems our expectations for when your public appearances would become problematic were woefully underestimated."

From the corner of my eye, I saw Shaye's eyebrows raise in shock. She was thinking the same thing as I was. The Queen is apologizing...to us?!

"We wish for each one of you to feel secure at all times," the Queen resumed. She sounded heartfelt. "So, on each public outing you make, you will now have two personal guards each. They are all masters of combat and will stand by your side to defend you. Depending on the situation, they may alternatively watch over you from a distance. And if you wish to draw the least amount of attention possible, we ask that you conceal your identities, as well as your faces, and become as ordinary as possible. Captain Lowell will also be your chaperone at all times – no excuses – at the bare minimum when you are undercover. In short...you are all hereby prohibited to go out without appropriate safety measures. Understood?"

The three of us nodded. This was a pivotal moment in our story. The way we'd been living before was now scrapped. I felt like a piece of my independence and freedom was destroyed. But there was nothing I could do because this was for the best.

The King chimed in after an instant of silence. "We've also adjudicated that your travelling necklaces are of significant value and should be protected as well. The decision has been made that for every occasion you are in public, especially for an extended period of time, your necklaces shall be locked away in the soldiers' barracks. They will be heavily guarded there. You may retrieve them afterwards if need be. It would have been foolishly obvious to hide them in the castle. This will ensure that those precious devices don't fall into the wrong hands."

They went on for a bit longer, also explaining the reason behind the absence of guards during the explosion. Apparently, shortly before, a separate group of Inkbloods tried to break into the castle. The attack was supposedly serious enough for them to call in backup soldiers from the surrounding areas, which included the market. However, no damage was done and it appeared to be an attempt to drive the guards out of their target zone. They assured us that this type of mistake would not happen again.

We were finally dismissed ten minutes later. Kadia led us back to the arena, where we changed clothes and training began as normal.

----------------------------------------

"You three get to have tomorrow off, so you're all working twice as hard to make up for it. Except for Ashkan, of course," Kadia stated. "Brielle. You first."

I tightened my ponytail, narrowing my eyes. "Why me?"

She shot me a glare. "One more word and I'll throw you out myself."

"Are you still mad about last week?"

"I was never mad at any of you," she sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "But you, Brielle, have an impressive talent for making me anxious."

I shrugged, quickly re-laced my boots and positioned myself at the start of the obstacle course. Every other distraction in my mind was cleared. My focus had finally returned.

The course had everything imaginable – beams, bars, ropes, walls, ledges... We didn't do these very often because they were so physically taxing. It tested all our skills simultaneously, from speed to strength to agility and more – which made them efficient from multiple aspects. Shaye and Ashkan stood on the side of the mostly horizontal course, observing from the benches.

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

I sprinted, vaulted, and climbed my way through each obstacle, rarely taking a breather. I wanted to give it my all, just how I always train. Not just to appease Kadia or meet the requirements, but also to assess my own capabilities. I finished pretty quickly, with only a couple of blunders.

"Three minutes and nineteen seconds," Kadia concluded as she stopped her pocket watch. "Better than last time." I was so out of breath I couldn't say anything. I just nodded in response and chugged my flask of water.

"I'm in awe," Shaye spoke up when I joined her and Ashkan on the bench. "You were great!"

"Ah, I messed up a few times. But that's sweet of you to say," I replied, fanning myself with one hand. Sweat was causing my shirt to cling to my torso.

"You can be so rugged and tough; I can't wait to put you in a dress tomorrow!" She nudged my shoulder as she got up to have her turn at the course. I simply laughed and stuck my tongue out at her. She giggled and walked off.

Ashkan turned to me. "Nice work out there, De Mavset."

"Thanks," I said, flashing him a quick smile. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine, really. I wish Kadia would let me practice, but she insisted earlier that I'd be putting too much strain on the wounds and I'd risk reopening them."

"Well, with all those climbing sections..." I brushed loose strands of hair from my face. "She's just being cautious. Better safe than sorry."

He quickly changed the topic. "Excited for tomorrow?"

"I think so," I shrugged. "You?"

"I suppose it should be nice."

"Yeah." I took another sip of water and leaned back against the wall. Whatever the Festival had in store for us, I was eager to get a whole day to relax and have fun.

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On Saturday afternoon, I planned to travel to Emiarhia at two-thirty so I could shower at Kadia's and be at Shaye's house by noon. By now, I had adjusted completely to the time difference. The Festival started at six p.m., so I wasn't sure why she wanted me there so early. Nevertheless, she made sure to insist on having as much time as possible – probably because she was also firm on wanting to do my hair and makeup. It wasn't like I had much else to do that day.

Earlier that week, while I was out shopping with my mom, something caught my eye. In a jewelry store display window, there was a pair of dainty little gold and ruby earrings. They immediately reminded me of Shaye, so I bought them for her as a thank-you gift for all the hard work she had done preparing me an outfit for the Festival. I grabbed the velvet box they were in from my nightstand and stashed it in my sling bag.

"Remember what I told you," Mom said when I walked downstairs. "Be polite and refined, and don't go wandering off anywhere. If you feel you're in danger, alert the guards."

"I know, I know. Be ladylike and all that."

Dad emerged from his office. "I can still recall my first Nyvar Festival. Everything was so fancy and expensive." He took a sip of his coffee. "Just have fun, okay? That's what it's really about. We'll see you in the morning."

I nodded. "No need to tell me twice."

After eating a quick snack, I went back up to my bedroom to change clothes. I took off my tank top and shorts and began sifting through the back of my closet. That section was reserved for 'Emiarhian' clothes – namely, garments that either Kadia had bought me, or ones that didn't scream 'I'm not from this planet'. I settled on a dark green sweater, grey cuffed trousers, and my favourite leather overcoat.

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I stood in front of Shaye's house and knocked on the door. Although the building was definitely big, it was taller than it was wide. I was always so impressed at how clean and well-maintained it was, despite there being five people living inside – six when Cilas was visiting.

I knocked on the door again.

Maybe they're just busy?

Seconds later, I heard footsteps.

"Brielle! Always a pleasure." Shaye's mom smiled and motioned for me to enter. She bore an undeniable resemblance to her daughter, from her tidy hair to her rosy cheeks. "Come in, come in."

I was met with the very familiar, floral scent that wafted over from the garden out back. "Hello, Mrs. Onusch-Eires. How are things?"

"Oh, busy as always. But I wouldn't have it any other way. I've just been preparing the boys for tonight."

I looked past her into the living room, where the main commotion was coming from. Shaye's three older brothers were lounging around, disputing about something with each other, while their dad read the newspaper in an armchair.

I searched my memory, trying to remember each of the brothers' names. There was Cilas, of course, the oldest. Next was Kelton, who was two years younger, and then the youngest, Fenryk, who was three years older than Shaye. They all had hair that was either strawberry blond or some shade of red – not ginger, but literal red. I had asked Shaye days earlier why I couldn't have one of them as my partner to the Festival - and according to her, all three of them "dance with such ungainly movements you'd think they were convulsing". At the time, I couldn't speak to the accuracy of that statement, so I took her word for it.

"I believe Shaylie's upstairs, dear," Mrs. Onusch-Eires said. "Although, she hasn't been making much noise..."

I laughed. "I'll go see what she's up to. Thanks!"

She returned to chopping up vegetables for a stew. "Let me know if you need anything!"

My steps made little noise as I climbed the spiral staircase to Shaye's room. Oddly, her bedroom door at the end of the hall was shut. I pressed my ear against it but failed to hear anything at all. There wasn't any light coming from underneath the door either.

I tapped my knuckles against the wood. "Shaye?" No answer. I opened the door a sliver and peeked inside. It was pitch black. There were unidentifiable lumps of mess strewn about the floor. Amidst the darkness, I spotted Shaye's form curled up in her bed. She was fast asleep.

I stifled a laugh and approached her. She must've been out cold because she was snoring very softly. Not even daylight woke her when I drew back the curtains. Looking around, I realized what the clutter was: various heaps of fabric, thread, sewing tools, and other materials.

"Shaye," I whispered. "Wake up." She didn't stir. I shook her shoulder gently.

"Whichever brother this is – get out at once." She mumbled drowsily, kept her eyes shut, and rolled over.

I chuckled. "Wrong. Guess again."

With that, her eyes fluttered open. "Huh...? Brielle, what are you...?" She then gasped audibly and shot straight up, scarlet tresses flying over her shoulders. "Curses! What time is it?!"

"Twelve-ten."

"Ah, I overslept... I stayed up late last night making adjustments to the outfits. Everything needed to be perfect..."

I shrugged. "It doesn't start for another six hours."

"But it takes four hours to travel there."

"Two hours still seems like plenty! No problem at all."

She yawned and stretched, pulling her nightgown up her shoulder. "I need to wash up before anything else. Have you already done so?"

"Yep! At Kadia's. All clean!" I grinned, gesturing to my still slightly wet hair.

While Shaye stumbled off to take a shower, I decided to clean up her room as I waited. Soon enough, everything was picked up off the floor and put back where it belonged. There were three white garment bags hanging from her wardrobe door, presumably containing each of our ensembles. A few shoeboxes and other pouches sat below them. The bags were completely opaque, so I couldn't see what was inside, but I managed to control my nosiness.

Shaye came back shortly, wearing a long, pink silk robe. Her damp hair was combed and neat. "All right, now I'm awake!"

I perched on the end of her bed. "So, what's first?"

"Well..." She thought for a moment. "First, put this robe on. You can't be wearing regular clothes while I do your makeup because it might smudge when you change." She tossed me a silk robe identical to hers, except pale blue. It smelled like it was freshly washed.

I quickly stripped down to my underwear and slipped it on, knotting the ribbon around my waist. "You do makeup before clothes?" I asked.

She smiled. "Of course! Most definitely if it's a gown."

"I have almost no skill with this...stuff," I admitted, gesturing to her large vanity full of colourful tins, jars, and bottles. "Especially not in Emiarhia. So, just do whatever you want on me."

"That's what I was hoping you'd say!" She sat me down on a plush stool in front of her vanity. The square mirror before me was lined with tiny lightbulbs, but the sunlight that poured into the room eliminated the need for them.

Shaye turned on her small radio which started playing upbeat music in the background. She hummed along, picked up a gilded, white-bristled hairbrush and started brushing my hair. After the tangles were gone, she parted it cleanly down the middle. I watched curiously as she worked pomade through each strand. It was then sectioned and curled into big silk rollers that were pinned with long, metal clips. I kind of looked like one of those Old Hollywood divas.

Afterwards, I sat patiently on the windowsill while Shaye styled her own hair. "Ashkan is stopping by, right?"

"He ought to be. I didn't burn the midnight oil for nothing." She spritzed her hair with something that smelled vaguely like marshmallows.

"Maybe he's just late again."

"I wouldn't doubt it."

As if on cue, there was a knock at the door. "Shaye? Are you decent?"

She answered loudly, holding several hairpins between her teeth. "Yes, Ashkan, you reprobate." I couldn't help but snicker.

The door swung open. "Your mother sent me up with tea." He set down a silver tray on her desk, which held a teapot, a sugar dish, a little milk pitcher, and three mugs.

I was a little chilly in just my undergarments and robe, so I went over and poured myself a cup. "How's it going, Ashkan?"

"Good, good..." His eyes darted around the room. He seemed to be looking everywhere but at me.

I went back to sit on the windowsill and sipped my tea slowly, noticing how fluffed and tangled his hair was. "Is it still windy out there?"

He frowned, still never maintaining eye contact for any longer than a half-second. "Fair bit, why do you ask?"

"Because your hair is a windblown mess," Shaye interjected, "and she's too polite to mention it." She and I burst out laughing as I tried to deny it between breaths.

Ashkan huffed and flicked her on the head. "At least I don't burn after being in the sun for ten minutes."

I laughed more, admittedly entertained by their petty but lighthearted feuding, which I had come to learn was almost a daily occurrence.

Shaye gasped at his jeer. "I'm only teasing," she said eventually. "You just have tangle-prone hair. I'll be sure to neaten it up for you after I finish here."

Ignoring her giggles, he walked over to the three garment bags. "Which one of these is mine?"

Shaye glanced over. "Far left. Take the box and pouches underneath it, too. You may change in the guest bedroom."

Without another word, Ashkan left, shutting the door behind him.

It was only minutes later when Shaye completed her hairstyle. Parted to the side, it was tied back at the nape of her neck, creating a tousled, loose chignon. The strands that framed her face were lightly curled at the ends, and so was every other stray piece, giving her a delicate and romantic appearance.

I smiled. "You're like a magician."

"Gods, no. I tried to do this with magic once. It's highly impractical." She stood up and patted the stool. "All right, your turn!"

She turned me around so I wasn't facing the mirror. I relaxed and listened to the radio beside me. After my face was cleansed, moisturized, and primed with various tonics and creams, she began to apply makeup. Brushes and puffs swirled all across my skin. Shaye explained – in detail – each step that she was doing, but I felt so at ease that I didn't pay much attention. She was finished before I knew it.

"Positively radiant..." she murmured.

I knit my eyebrows together in confusion. "Hm?"

In response, Shaye merely beamed and rotated the stool. Her hands rested on my shoulders. She leaned down and positioned her face beside mine. "Your opinion?"

My eyes widened as I stared at my reflection. I looked like myself, just...different. My complexion was smooth and dewy – even my under eyes appeared brighter. The apples of my cheeks, as well as the bridge of my nose, were given a dainty, rosy blush that matched the lip stain. The high points of my face shimmered elegantly as I turned my head. My eyelashes were long and dark in front of my eyelids, which were shadowed in shades of warm pink, then lined in the outer corners with thin strokes of black.

I finally managed to speak moments later. "Wow, I mean... You did an incredible job, Shaye. I didn't know I could look...like this."

"An artist's work is facilitated by a flawless canvas."

"Hah, you flatter me," I laughed wryly.

"Now, go get dressed! Your gown is on the right." She shooed me away with her hands.

I hastily unbuttoned my garment bag. My jaw dropped. "Oh...my god. Am I allowed to even touch this?" Speedily, I pulled the gown out from its bag and hung it on the nearby room divider. I didn't know what to look at first.

The entire piece was coloured exactly like rose gold – just as I had expected – but the silky material even glistened like metal under the light. It had a square neckline and long, fitted sleeves that extended to secure around each middle finger. The A-line skirt was cut into asymmetrical, flowing layers that added depth and dimension. The bodice resembled a corset that left my mid-back exposed. It also had vertical, lavender metal strips to simulate boning.

The detailing is what impressed me the most. Small, pale violet jewels were sewn on the edges of each skirt layer, at the ends of the sleeves, on the upper arms, and at the top of the skirt. On each shoulder sat an arrangement of larger, translucent crystals in the same colour. Each stone glittered as I shifted the gown in my hands.

Shaye paused from doing her makeup. "Are you content with it?"

"I'm astonished! The craftsmanship is stunning. Is there anything you can't do?"

She stopped to think. "...Archery, stone skipping, fishing... I can't whistle either."

"That was rhetorical," I laughed. "But you sure know how to sew."

It took me a second to step into the dress amidst all the layers. Once I did, Shaye helped me lace up the back. It fit me like a glove. She then took out the rollers from my hair and styled it with a serum to give it shine. I was so accustomed to tying my hair up all the time that I had forgotten how long it actually was. The S-shaped waves cascaded gently down my back. The final touches of the outfit included a metal choker of actual rose gold, several rings that followed the colour scheme, and a matching headband with lavender crystals.

I was worried about breaking the shoes, but Shaye assured me that they were infused with an extremely durable alloy – and were apparently surprisingly comfortable. Each high heel seemed to be cut from rose toned-glass and they were multifaceted like jewels. Their lavender crystal details matched those of the gown.

At long last, I was all dressed up. "This is by far the most expensive thing that I've ever worn," I said. I studied myself in Shaye's mirror, unsure of what to make of it all. "Does everything look okay?"

She looked at me with an expression of disbelief. "Do you jest?"

"I don't know." I grabbed fistfuls of the gown's skirt, shrugging. "I never wear stuff like this."

Her voice took on a silly, posh accent. "You are still a vision of beauty, darling."

I snorted, covering my mouth. "And so are you." I suddenly remembered the gift I brought for her. "Oh! Right, I have something for you." I retrieved the earring box from my bag in the corner and set it down beside her.

"For me?" She opened it carefully and her eyes lit up. "Oh, these are so lovely! You really shouldn't have..."

"I wanted to say 'thank you' for all that you did for me in these past few weeks. It's just a little something from Earth. The rubies kind of reminded me of you."

Her eyes teared up slightly. "Thank you, Brielle! You're too kind... I'll treasure them. I'll even wear them tonight!"

"You're welcome. Hey, don't cry now; you'll ruin your makeup." We both laughed.

Setting the earrings to the side, she closed the compact she was holding and returned it to her vanity. "I'm almost done. Would you mind checking in on Ashkan? He never asks for assistance even if he needs it."

I nodded and stepped carefully out of the room, holding my dress up. My heels clacked quietly on the floorboards. I made my way back up the hall and tapped on the guest bedroom door.

Ashkan's muffled voice replied, "Come in."

I cracked open the door and poked my head in. He was standing in front of a full-length mirror, shirtless. His back muscles flexed as he held up a silver-grey suit jacket. Above one toned arm, I could see two bright pink scars on his shoulder from weeks ago. I immediately tensed and turned around to leave, but it was too late – he had already seen me through the mirror.

His eyebrows raised in surprise. "Oh...! ...De Mavset."

"Um, sorry; Shaye was just wondering how you were doing..." I froze in place, forcing a casual smile. He didn't seem particularly bothered by the situation.

"I am currently trying to figure out how to put on all these layers correctly..." He rubbed the back of his neck. "It's different than normal suits. I feel like I might rip something."

"No problem, I'll go get Shaye!" I was itching to withdraw from the encounter.

"Wait." He squinted and took a few steps closer. We locked eyes. Even with me in heels, he was still a bit taller. "Are you all set and ready?"

I stayed put behind the doorframe, looked away, then back to him. "Yeah."

He smiled slightly. "May I see?"

"Uh, sure..." I wondered why he was so curious, seeing as we'd be around each other all night anyway. I clenched my teeth out of frustration before reluctantly entering the room. The hem of my gown grazed the floor as I let it fall from my grasp. I didn't know why I was less comfortable in something that was way prettier than my usual t-shirt and jeans combo.

Ashkan gazed at my outfit, and then directly at me. He just stood there for a moment. I was having trouble reading his expression. Some obscure emotion flashed across his face before it quickly returned to typical indifference. "Shaye really outdid herself," he said. "It looks nice."

"...Right! Definitely. Speaking of which, I'll go send her over here."

I practically ran out of that room. When I had evaded his line of sight, I visibly cringed. What was that? Why does he have to make everything awkward? Or was it my fault?

To my surprise, Shaye was just about dressed when I returned. It goes without saying, but she looked like a princess. Her eyelids shimmered soft gold and her cherry-tinted lips twisted into a pout as she concentrated on fastening her shoes. The reflective, golden high heels had pointed toes and ankle straps. White pearls of all sizes hung around each strap like little charms. The stones also adorned the vertical heel of each shoe.

"I think Ashkan's having some trouble with his suit– Wow, you look beautiful!" I exclaimed.

"Thank you!" Shaye stood up and twirled around, showing off her gown.

Not even in all of my mom's fashion magazines had I ever seen anything quite like it. The golden material glinted just like that of my dress. The neckline sat just off her shoulders and formed a subtle 'V' in the centre. That combined with its loose, champagne organza sleeves gave off a very polished impression. The bodice extended down into a golden overlayer that was cut into wide, pointed strips. Underneath, the flared tulle skirt was dyed matte champagne, and a third layer of gold fabric peeked out from under that. Naturally, the gown was embellished with lustrous pearls in specific areas.

I was happy to see that her new earrings matched her ensemble and hair colour. In a few swift movements, she topped off the look with a thin, gold and pearl necklace and gilded barrettes.

"Oh, Ashkan... Never hurried, that one. Couldn't tie an ascot to save his life..." She chuckled. "What was his reaction to your dress, anyway? I'm curious."

"Well, he said you did a great job and that it looked 'nice'."

"Ah, yes." She nodded knowingly. "That's his way of saying you look nice. He has an awful way with compliments."

Shaye glanced at the wall clock once more before leaving the room. We had to leave in just under half an hour to get there on time. I sat on her bed and waited patiently, watching the sun inch closer to the horizon.