Page 144 of Nightshade

46

Farryn

Mouth hanging open, I stared at the costume Anya had picked out for me in the tall mirror. The neckline of the ice blue, tulle dress plunged down to my stomach, revealing an obscene amount of cleavage. Silver details on the bodice matched the delicate silver metallic choker at my throat. The skirt of it, cinched at my waist, showed off the slits where my thighs peeked through, all the way up to the ice blue panties that happened to be in the same color as the dress. Turning around showed silvery gossamer wings embellished with gems, which stretched a good half-foot above my head.

Surreal.

One of the maids had added long and lazy, delicate curls to my hair, clipped back into a jeweled, silver barrette. Long tresses cascaded over my shoulders, drawing focus to whatever glittery substance another maid had rubbed into my skin.

I hardly recognized myself.

A gentle prod beneath my chin snapped my attention to Anya, who stood beside me pressing my jaw together. “Forgive me, the dazed look isn’t really fitting for something so enchanting.”

“A blue fairy?” was all I could muster, still in a state of shock.

“I believe the seamstress called that particular shade celestial, dear. Never heard of fairies in Heaven, but no matter. Brings out those flecks of color in your eyes.”

Tendrils of panic snaked over me at the thought of the costume drawing attention to me. “I can’t wear this. I look … well, I look …”

“Stunning, is the word I believe you’re looking for.”

“Yes. No. I look too loud. The point was to go unnoticed.”

“Oh, well, little chance of that now.”

“You think?”

Hands crossed over her apron, Anya huffed. “You asked me to find you something fitting, and I did. And as it is an autumn costume ball, after all, the pickings were slim this late in the game.”

“Believe me, I appreciate your efforts. I do. In another world, under different circumstances, you’d have won an award for this truly miraculous transformation. I was just hoping for ... subtle?”

“Well, I’m sorry, miss. You’re about thirty minutes from showtime. This paltry thing will have to do, I suppose.”

I nabbed her arm. “Wait. Please don’t think I’m ungrateful. I’m …”

“Nervous. As you should be. From what I’ve heard, these sordid soirees are not for the young and innocent.” She handed me an antique-looking, metallic-silver purse with intricate carvings. “Just in case, I’ve packed some homemade deterrent spray for you.”

“Homemade?”

“Yes. Causes momentary blindness, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Nasty stuff.”

“Well, hopefully I don’t accidentally inhale it.”

“Yes. Be sure to spray and run. Particularly around the Dark Ones.”

“Dark Ones?” It wasn’t until then that I considered the possibility that Anya might know of their existence, after all, in spite of the fact that she’d teased me the first night when I’d asked about men with wings.

Maybe they didn’t have wings in Nightshade.

“Shady types. You’ll know them by the way they give off a rather sticky aura.” Wearing a grimace, she rubbed her arm. “Feels a bit unnatural on the skin.”

“I see. Like the jerks who try to cop a feel as you pass by. That kind of shady?”

With a smile, she shrugged. “Cop a feel. Drag you away to a dark cellar somewhere and chain you to a wall. Same thing.” Her gaze dropped to my exposed birthmark, and instinct told me to pull my arm away. “Oh, that is quite an unusual mark.”

Wriggling my arm in her clutch set me free of her studying it. “Yes, it is. Another reason this dress is a bad idea.”

“Fret not, my dear. I thought of everything.” From the chaise beside us, Anya lifted what looked to be a matching tulle shawl and wrapped it around my shoulders, covering the mark entirely. “There. You’ll also have a cloak to shield you against the snowfall expected this evening. Now, Master Van Croix is still in his chambers, last I checked. Not one to arrive too early. Therefore, you might want to get on with hiding yourself.”