Ember
I stood in the middle of the room. My heart was a drum. I looked at the dress on the bed. It was so pretty it made my eyes sparkle. It was dark blue like the night sky. The maids were moving fast. They touched the silk with soft hands.
"Leave," Evander said. His voice was like a low growl. It wasn't mean. It was just heavy.
The maids bowed and ran out. The door shut with a loud thud. Now it was just us. I felt small. I picked up the dress and went into the small bathroom. I tried to put it on. I pulled and I pushed. My arms felt like they were going to break. The zipper in the back was a tiny silver snake. I couldn't grab it.
I'm just a kitchen girl, I thought. I don't belong in silk. I belong in the dirt.
I walked out. My face was hot. "I can't do it. It's stuck."
Evander was by the window. He turned around. He looked at me for a long time. His eyes were silver. They were glowing. He walked over. I could smell him. He smelled like rain and wood. He stepped behind me. I felt his heat. It made my skin tingle.
His fingers touched my back. They were cool. My wolf inside me let out a happy sound. Purr. She liked him. She wanted to lean into him. He pulled the zipper up slowly. His hand brushed my skin and I felt a spark. It was like a tiny fire under my skin.
I turned around. He was right there. Our noses almost touched. I looked into his eyes. I felt a weird ache in my chest, It wasn't a bad ache. It was sweet.
Oh no, I thought. I'm falling. I'm falling for the King.
"Sit," he said. He pointed to the chair. "You need paint for your face. And gold."
"No," I said. I looked at the floor. "I don't know how to be fancy. I'll look like a mess. Call the maid back. She knows how."
"No maids," he said. He picked up a small brush. "I can do it." I looked at him. I wanted to laugh. "You? You're a King. You fight and you growl. You don't paint faces."
He didn't smile. But his eyes went soft. "I used to do it for my mom. When she was sad. Before the silver madness took over my head, She liked the way I did it."he looked abit down.
My heart felt like it was melting. Like butter on hot bread. I sat down. "Fine. But if I look like a monster, I'm telling Kaelen it was you."
He let out a tiny laugh. "That idiot." He leaned in close. I held my breath. He was so careful. He painted my eyes. He was so quiet and looked like he was painting a masterpiece. I just watched his face. I saw the tiny lines near his eyes. I saw how much he was trying.
I love him, I thought. The thought scared me. He is a King of Umbra. I am nothing.
"There," he said. He stood back. "You look like a Queen."
"Thank you." I smiled starring at myself at the mirror.
He left to go check the guards. I stayed there for a bit. I looked in the glass. I didn't see the kitchen girl. I saw someone strong.
The Council Room
The big room was full of old men. They wore white robes. They looked like vultures. Princess Isadora sat there. She looked like a goddess. She was decorated in jewelry made of gold.
"What's she doing here?" one of the council leader asked.