Page 54 of Vicious Kings
"Is it?" I lean back on my bed, trying to project an air of complete indifference. "Huh."
"How didyouget this?" She's holding the invitation like it's going to shatter. "I've been here all semester. Tallon Fairfax has never even looked in my direction."
"Ran into him outside the registrar's office. Literally." I pick at a loose thread on my comforter. "Not a big deal."
"Not a big deal?" Olivia shrieks, and I'm pretty sure they heard her in the next building. "This is the biggest of deals! Do you not know who Tallon is?"
"Some guy with nice eyes?"
She looks like she might have an aneurysm. "He's Prince Corvinus's familiar! Part of the Golden Triad! One of the three hottest, most eligible alphas on this entire campus! In the entire universe!"
"Okay." I sit up, meeting her wild-eyed stare. "So does that mean you want to go to the party or not?"
Olivia's eyes narrow to slits. "What's the catch?"
"No catch. He said I could bring a friend." I gesture vaguely at our shared room. "I don't have any friends, and you seem to be the omega who hates me the least on campus, so I figured I'd offer."
"Ihate you the least?" She wrinkles her button nose. "That's sad."
"Tell me about it." I stand, already regretting this entire conversation. "Forget it, I'll just go by myself."
"No!" She practically launches herself off the stool. "I'll go. Of course I'll go. Oh my gods, I have to get ready.Wehave to get ready. What are you wearing?"
I look down at my current outfit, a deep red dress that's probably the least offensive thing in my wardrobe by Fae standards. "This?"
The horror on her face is almost comical. "You cannot be serious."
"What? It's a dress." I spread my arms wide. "Everything I fucking own is a dress or a skirt. Against my will, I might add."
"You need something presentable!" She's already rushing toward my closet like a woman on a mission. "This is the biggest event we're going to get invited to all year. Maybe ever!"
I watch with mounting irritation as she starts frantically pawing through my clothes, tossing perfectly adequate dresses onto the floor like they've personally offended her.
"Nothing. You have nothing." She emerges from the closet looking genuinely distressed. "This is all trash."
"Gee, thanks. Really feeling the roomie love here."
"This is anemergency!" She starts pacing, hands fluttering like coked up butterflies. "The stores are closed, and it's not like you can wear anything ofmine. My boobs are way bigger than yours."
I roll my eyes so hard I'm surprised they don't fall out of my skull. "It can't be that big of a deal. Tallon just said to wear whatever."
"And you believed him?" She stops pacing to stare at me in disbelief. "Are you even an omega?"
"Apparently," I mutter, crossing my arms.
Olivia sighs like she's been dealt a great burden and retreats into my closet. After what feels like an eternity of fabric rustling and dramatic sighing, she emerges with a black dress from the Academy. It was one of the least frilly options available, which means it's still ridiculous by my standards but apparently not ridiculous enough for whatever Olivia has in mind.
"This might work." She holds it up, squinting at it like she's trying to solve a complex mathematical equation. "With the right accessories..."
Before I can protest, she's raiding her own closet, pulling out belts and jewelry and things I don't even have names for. The next thirty minutes are a blur of fabric and frustration as she transforms me into someone I don't recognize.
The dress, which had seemed perfectly adequate on its own, now clings in ways that make me hyperaware of every curve I usually try to hide. A silver belt cinches my waist, and she's donesomething with the neckline that makes my decidedly modest chest look... not modest.
The shoes are the worst part. Heels that could double as weapons if I angled them right, which is literally their only redeeming quality. Unfortunately, we wear the same shoe size.
I guess at least I can use the heels as a weapon if I have to.
"Stop fidgeting," Olivia commands, attacking my hair with a brush that feels like it's made of steel wool. "Beauty is pain."
