Chapter 259
It turned out that the reason why El had ghosted on the day of my return from Makeh’s abode was because she was in recovery. She had only spoken in Makeh’s land because of the high magic energy level of that place.
It had taken two extra days of Laura’s magic-infused foods to kickstart my Other into active service again. Right now, she was commenting on the fluidity of my foster mother’s magic as the latter made the finishing touches to the dress I’ll be wearing to the queen’s party.
Diana’s dress laid beautifully idle on the table beside her, admired by its beautiful owner.
“Diana, be careful not to touch it,” Laura snapped at her for the second time in the past fifteen minutes she had allowed us to enter this part of her workshop. We hadn’t been allowed in since she started the creation—and I could see why.
Beautiful wouldn’t even begin to describe the dress I was seeing.
It shimmered under the low light—silver-threaded fabric adorned with diamond-like beads that caught and fractured the glow into a thousand tiny stars. The gown seemed to breathe with the room, the way moonlight dances when a breeze stirs the leaves. Every bead, every stitch, whispered a secret of the hands that made it.
The skirt flowed in soft ripples, as though it had learned the language of water. Its feathered sleeves—soft as dream-clouds—shifted faintly in the air, releasing the faint scent of fresh rain on stone. A subtle, almost imperceptible hum of magic clung to it, brushing my skin like warm breath.
This was no mere dress. It was an enchantment given form. A promise of awe. The kind of creation that could make the queen herself pause mid-step.
It was breathtaking.
’Really magical,’ El agreed.
“But Mom, I promise not to spoil anything. I just want to feel it,” Diana whined, breaking into my thoughts.
The feel it was breathed in awe, her eyes running along the dress similar to mine, in reverence.
I laughed. “You can feel it this evening. Just a couple of hours more, and we will make the community proud of Mom again p>
Laura smiled. She had been smiling a lot since I took to calling her Mom
“Listen to your sister, Di. And if it is so tempting, then wait in the sitting room. Your father will be all too happy to have your time. You both have been scarce for a while p>
And that’s right on the money. My grounding punishment had been lifted the same day we had returned from Makeh’s abode, and the next two days—when El came back—we visited the forbidden library.
So much for waiting till the queen’s party was over.
We were lucky not to be caught because, as I told Diana earlier, the queen was benevolent with the library. We had even met some elders of the community. It had taken El and the invisibility cloak to save us.
We couldn’t divulge the matter to Laura; if not, we would have confided in her our thoughts—that the queen was trying to win back the graces of the leaders of the community with forbidden knowledge.
Who didn’t want a taste of the forbidden? It was the best tool the queen had come up with.
I wondered who had given her such an idea. The Lycan King?
“Diana, let’s go outside. We are distracting Mother; I don’t want anything slowing her down,” I suggested, getting up from the chair.
Really, I just didn’t want to fall into the same category as Diana; the dress was calling on me: touch me, touch me. Fortunately, Diana followed me outside.
“We are going to be the stars of the night. I don’t think the queen or her family will be happy about that,” Diana started as we walked toward the hut which served as a sitting room.
“That’s none of our business now, is it? There’s no ban against looking more chic than the royal family. But to be honest, I think the queen will outdo herself. She is the queen, after all, with better magic than us all p>
“Yet Mother has made the most effort p>
Poor Diana. With time, she will understand that sometimes the one who has made the most effort isn’t always the winner. How would she know, though, that the queen wasn’t making stressful efforts—even as we speak—to be the fairest of all?
At the doorpost of the hut, we realised we had visitors. Voices, though thin, filtered through the door and touched our ears.
Who could be visiting at this hour? People were meant to be at their homes fussing over the party and what to wear.
I exchanged a cursory glance with Diana. Should we knock, or just stroll in?
We were saved from either action when the door opened and Peter’s brother, Dim, walked out—permanent glare on his face, as usual.
We didn’t bother exchanging pleasantries. Diana and I just shifted to the left so that he could pass. But of course, he wouldn’t without making a statement.
“You must feel yourself to be above us all because of some magic we don’t even know where it emanated from. It could be cursed, for all we know p>
“I don’t,” I answered simply. “How is Chyra p>
A gloatful question, worsened by the smirk on my lips. The man would have grabbed me by my throat if Peter hadn’t been standing a few feet away.
“One day, you will be put in your place,” he gritted out, hands fisted by his sides.
“Well, not by you, or your daughter at least.” I smiled, standing my ground—not fazed by his rageful aura or the gnashing of his teeth. ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ.net
An ever-angry man. Since my encounter with his foolish daughter—which had gone past the borders of our community, branding her as a bully and a fool—the latter had been more of a pariah in school. Even her clique had disbanded from her, as if she were the source of their miseries.
Diana heard from one of her classmates that they were planning to send her away to some other school to finish up. I don’t think the wicked queen would let it happen though—unless Dim knew how to play his cards right.
“Mark my words, bastard. One day, you will be put in your place p>
“Stop threatening my daughter, Dim,” Peter growled, covering the distance between him and his brother. “One more threat, and I will have you thrown out of my compound p>
Dim laughed. “Adopting her won’t make her less of a bastard p>
“At least she is more valuable than a hundred of you,” Peter retorted, hands folded across his chest.
I smiled through the pain that had suddenly captured my heart. I might not have known my real parents, but at least I had people looking out for me now. Most people don’t.
Peter’s answer, meanwhile, had his brother’s nostrils flaring like a dragon’s.
“Well, enjoy it while it lasts.” Dim finally spoke after a tense silence. “And take note that you will be speaking at the queen’s party. She sent me here to tell you that. It is an order p>
“Approved by the cabinets?” I questioned, before Peter could speak.
“Of course. There’s no way out of it. A queen’s word is law p>
So the secret library had worked. Did she show them the beasts too?
“Okay then. Since you lot are bent on me speaking at the party, don’t cry later when I say something triggering tonight p>
Dim scoffed. “Who will let you speak your mind? You will be speaking what we tell you to speak. Your father already has the script. Memorize it properly—the whole length of it. Not one word should be missing, unless you want to be cooling your heels in the dungeon after the beautiful party p>
I nodded slowly. “We will see about that. Thanks for the heads-up p>
Dim frowned but said nothing.
Seeing I wouldn’t explain my statement, he hissed as a woman would—the cheek of him—and stomped out of our space.
“Finally, I can breathe clean air,” Diana muttered, making us laugh and breaking the tension in the atmosphere.
“Don’t mind him, Maya. You are not a bastard. Your parents are most likely alive, maybe unaware that you are alive. Else, how would they let go of such a gem as you—such beauty p>
Peter touched my cheeks with his hands, then pulled me close, making me dump my earlier feelings into a mental dustbin.
“And you are my daughter too. You are no bastard p>
“Thanks, Dad p>
He smiled and led us into the sitting room. On the centre table was the script I was to memorize for the party tonight.
“Is there a way out of this?” I pointed at the paper with a sigh.
“I’m afraid not, pumpkin. But whatever you choose to do, know that we have your back. Just let us know ahead p>
I nodded slowly, picking up the script.
Reading the first paragraph, I knew what it was—an attempt to put the queen in the good graces of the people, the common men and women and children; an attempt to downplay the foolishness of her family at the contest; an attempt to pervert justice.
“Can I sit with it for a while? Maybe give you feedback in the next hour p>
“Sure, take your time,” Peter agreed, ruffling my hair. “Take your time, pumpkin p>
That name again. I was in no way similar to that vegetable. I gave a sober nod to him and Diana, and then went off to my room.
’What do you think, El?’ I asked as I settled into my bed, legs crossed, script gripped tight in my hand.
’I think you should shove it up their ass p>