Chapter 23

CHAPTER 23

A fter seeing a healer and taking a bath, I am placed in a room and told to stay there until someone comes for me. Oryn and Xavier, the other competitor to make it to the top three, were brought into a separate room. But all I can think about is what Sloane told me and how I can try to get to the end of the bridge without the guards noticing me. And if it sits just outside where the block on Caligo shadow jumping starts, it can't be a coincidence.

It makes me wonder how far the block goes. I've never been in the Caligo town, but it might cover the entire side of the mountaintop with all the Caligo homes.

It would explain why the guards, or whoever is taking these women, need to get to the end of the bridge before moving them.

I also need to go down and check on the dark creature in the cavern before my visit with the royals. Hopefully, this will all not have been for nothing and they are unaware of how corrupt and vile their Caligo guards are.

Though if they are truly unaware, it still leaves me with more uncertainty and doesn't give me any confidence in their ability as royals.

They should know what is going on in their kingdom. They should be vigilant and able to safeguard their people.

It is a fine line between knowing and not knowing. I just hope to come out of it with some form of help from them. The Sidus town will not last much longer should we keep up the way we are going.

The door is thrown open with a flourish, pulling me from my thoughts.

Visha walks in with Isolde by her side. Both are wearing wide smiles, and each has an armful of colorful gowns and jewelry.

"First, congratulations are in order. Although you are not the first woman to make it to this stage, or become a guard for that matter, you are our favorite and, as an added blessing, a Sidus."

I grow completely still at her words, my mind still trying to comprehend what she means.

"You think me being a Sidus is a blessing?" I ask.

"It is a gift . One you should cherish," Visha says with an intensity I do not fully understand.

I'm stunned silent by her words, but it doesn't seem to deter either of them as they set about organizing the items they brought with them.

"I've never seen anything more beautiful than the light of a Sidus. It is magical," Isolde says as she lays out the gowns, matching up jewelry with them, and then starts to choose footwear.

"I don't understand…" I tell them. I know not all the Caligo hate the Sidus. And after spending my time in the palace, I know for certain that the prejudice stemmed more from the guards than anything else. But I never thought they would think of the Sidus and our powers as something beautiful.

Visha turns and gives me a sad look. "The guards fear what they do not understand. Your power, your light, draws people to it. It has a…" She frowns, wearing a contemplative expression. "Warmth that is pleasant. It can make those who come near it complacent."

My back straightens. "I didn't realize many others felt it, the warmth."

"The minute you entered the palace, I felt it. But it disappeared, only to be felt once more again yesterday." Visha glances down at my bracelets.

"The guards?" she asks, the question needing no further explanation.

I nod my head. "It seems they do not like that warmth."

"No. It seems they do not. But it is their loss." She turns and picks up a bloodred dress. "Now let's find you the perfect dress to wear."

"Dress?" I glance around at the array of colors and sparkles, the fabric luxurious and not something I ever thought I'd see, let alone wear.

"I don't usually wear dresses, and these shoes are not something I'd ever choose, as the heel is too high. Though they make a good weapon should I need it."

Visha takes the shoes off me and places them aside. "No fighting tonight."

I share a knowing smile with Isolde.

"Here, try this one." Visha hands me a blue floor-length tulle dress. I hide a wince at the huge layers threatening to engulf me. "Come now, I'll help you try it on."

"I—"

Visha drags me behind a changing screen and starts pulling at my clothing, attempting to strip me.

I pull back from her, covering myself. "I think I can manage by myself."

She places her hands on her hips with a sigh. "So be it, but be quick. We have many others to try on before tonight." She moves around the screen and mumbles something to Isolde. It's too low to hear, but I'm more focused on her words I did hear.

Many … I wince. It's going to be a long day.

The blue tulle dress is beautiful, but I can't move in it. And if I can't move in it, I definitely can't fight in it.

I don't tell either woman my reason for not choosing it, but they don't question my decision and easily move on to the next.

A tight cream wrap dress that gives me far too much movement but even less coverage is the next one I try on. It looks more like a cloth of soft bandages than a dress. The slit goes right up past my thigh, and the top wrap barely covers my modest cleavage.

"It is beautiful," Isolde says, standing back to admire it.

"Yes, but where is the rest of it?" I ask, wide-eyed and in shock that anyone would wear something like this. There is no place to hide any weapons; everywhere is on reveal.

Visha chuckles at my expression before telling Isolde to pass me the next one.

This one isn't too bad. The color is a dusty pink, and the simple fitted bodice has built-in underwire but is extremely comfortable. The skirt has enough volume without it being too big, and the slit and length reveal my leg without being too provocative.

I turn, ready to tell them this one is fine, when I find Visha standing in front of me, a dress in hand.

"I can see that you may be set on that one, but for an old woman, I beg you to try this last one." Visha hands me the dress and chuckles quietly at the expression I give her. She must know now that I can't deny her my trying it on. Not when she's been so kind to help me and let me borrow one for the meeting with the royals.

But the minute I slip the dress on, I know that it is the one. A glittering white fabric with strings of black lines woven into a tight bodice that drips down the skirt like black rain. A juxtaposition of my Sidus light and Caligo shadows.

The bodice conforms to my body shape, giving my cleavage some support while also not being too revealing. The skirt is floaty and light enough that I can fight in it should I need to. Though with how beautiful it is, I would hate for anything to ruin it.

The slit climbs up my leg, stopping mid-thigh, and gives me room to hide a small dagger.

"This. This is the one," Isolde says as she claps her hands, and I have to agree with her. It's stunning.

"It's perfect," I tell them both.

"The black could be the Caligo shadows and the white glittering fabric, your Sidus. It will help let the Caligo know that you accept their side as well as your own," Isolde says.

"Yes." Visha nods. "It is good to show them you are willing to bend to some of their rules. But remember never to bend so much that your shape, your being, molds into something different from what you are, because what you are is perfect. And anyone that tells you otherwise is wrong." Visha steps forward and cups my cheek as I try to get my foolish emotions under control.

Clearing my throat, I glance down at the dress to see what Isolde sees. The black lines and shimmering white, each a representation of the Sidus and Caligo but also, what I am.

I am both Sidus and Caligo. Both light and dark. That is what this dress represents to me. My secret. And even though I will never truly fit in on either side, tonight it will be on display for all to see.

"Now sit down and I'll do your hair," Isolde says with a warm smile.

The minute I sit down, Isolde gets to work, detangling my knots and leaving it silky soft with whatever creams she uses. She then curls my hair, leaving it down and sweeping the right side up, pinning it with a hairpiece that matches the dress.

She moves on to my face next, using other creams to make it look like it's glowing, dark dyes to define my brows and lashes, and a brush of brown powder on my eyelids to make my sea green eyes stand out. And lastly, a shimmering pink lip cream to finish off the look, only making my lips seem fuller than they are.

"Are you a witch?" I ask her, only half in jest. Surely some of her creams are actual potions crafted through spells and witchery.

Isolde chuckles at me. "I doubt any of the Caligo will be thinking about what you are after seeing you tonight. Neither male nor female will be able to resist you like this."

"And the finishing touch." Visha sets down a pair of shoes in front of me. They are completely see-through, as if made from glass. Drops of rare white gems sit neatly all over the front, back, and outside of them, with even smaller gems crawling up the sides.

They are the most beautiful pair of shoes I have ever seen, but my eyes immediately fall on the heel and how high it is. High enough to break my ankle should I fall, but sharp enough to use should I be without a weapon.

I look to Visha, not knowing whether to thank her or ask her if I've insulted her somehow that she now wants me injured.

She gives me a wicked smile, as if already knowing where my thoughts have gone, and pats my shoulder.

"Your feet will regret it by the end of the night, but you will manage."

"I wasn't planning on dancing," I tell her. One small mercy, I suppose.

But both women freeze on hearing my words and turn to me with wide eyes.

"You have to dance," Isolde says, and Visha nods.

"I don't know how. I've never learned." I wince. Sidus don't have many celebrations, and those we do have are usually full of drunken Sidus men who need constant reminders of where their hands should be.

"I've never needed to," I tell them.

"Well, we can't have that now, can we? What if one of the royals wants a dance?" Visha says.

"I doubt?—"

Visha moves over to me and quickly helps me into the shoes before pulling me to a standing position and taking my hand. I stumble a little but quickly steady myself, getting used to the new height.

I'm not a complete stranger to heels. Jarek somehow found a pair and made me wear them to ensure I didn't miss out on the experience, saying all women needed to try it at least once.

So of course I made him wear them with me, and we never had so much fun or laughter as we did that night.

Visha places my hand on her shoulder, and her matching hand takes my waist. She then takes my free hand in hers and looks at me with nothing but warmth in her eyes. With the heels on, I am a half a head taller than she is, and with her leading the dance, it makes it a little awkward, but we manage.

"It's very easy," she says as she begins to sway, at first side to side before attempting to twirl me around.

I duck and bend, laughing as I bow under her arm. We practice a bit more, and I find the dance steps to be simple enough.

"Let your dance partner lead you, and he will be too busy being lost in those eyes of yours to wonder about your dancing skills."

I shake my head at her, but she gives me a secret smile before attempting another twirl.

We dance for a bit longer, and I get used to the heels once more while we laugh at each other, and a lightness fills up the room with happiness and joy. By the time Visha and Isolde have to leave, I start to wish I could spend the rest of the day here with these two beautiful, funny women rather than meet with some hidden royals and their guards.

I make note to try to figure a way to come visit Visha and Isolde after everything is over, knowing I have made a lasting friendship with them both.

Once they are gone, I take off my shoes and leave them in the room while I sneak down to my cell to the hidden tunnel to check on the dark creature.

I pull my dress tight against me, careful not to let it touch the dirty walls should I ruin it and all the work Visha and Isolde have put into making me look and feel beautiful.

Moving through the passageways, I find the one I used to hide the dark creature in and head toward it. But when I come around the corner, my heart plummets, my stomach twisting when I find it empty.

Glancing around, I check that I am in the correct spot before moving to the next passage and the next, checking every path and room. Continuing my search, I find more rooms, passageways and caverns that open up to more paths than I realized was here.

It should be an impossible feat for the dark creature to escape those iron chains. But if it has, maybe it got lost among the underground maze of passageways and rooms down here.

But what am I going to do now? My entire plan is based on bringing the royals proof. The Caligo guards could easily deny the dark creatures' existence, but with proof, they will not be able to.

Damn it. It is too late to go hunt another dark creature now, but this is my only chance to meet with the royals.

I glance around the passageway I am in, not really seeing anything but my mind and despairing thoughts. I can't stay down here for much longer; the guards will eventually find me missing, and the celebration will start soon.

The only thing I can do now is go ahead with what I was planning to do. Meet with the royals but without the dark creature. Maybe I can suggest catching another and bringing it here as proof. It might be enough.

With a heavy sigh, I head back through the passageways and rooms, through the cavern, and up the tunnel. Resealing the hidden door, I listen for sound before moving through the cell room and back up into the palace.

I'm halfway down the hall from the room I was placed in after the trial when a heart-wrenching scream bellows out around me.

Without thought, I rush toward it, running through the hallways and down the corridors. Another scream sounds out, and my stomach drops when I realize it is directing me toward the servers' rooms and kitchens.

I push my legs twice as fast, and as soon as I'm close enough, I feel it.

The dark creature.

All my fears rush up inside me, threatening to choke me as I move into the kitchen and straight for it.

Grabbing a large knife from the counter, I lunge for it, kicking the dark creature off whomever it has cornered, and slam the knife into the back of its head. It drops to the side of the floor, disappearing into smoke before it hits the ground.

I turn to help whomever it attacked when I spot who it is, and my heart plummets, my eyes widening as I rush forward.

"No. No. No. No." I drop to the floor beside her, trying to stop the bleeding. But it doesn't stop. It spills out onto the floor around me, seeping into the ends of the white dress.

The dress she chose for me.

I push against the large open wound, but I know it is too late. I know it and yet I still try to stop the bleeding. It covers my trembling hands and arms, and the shock of what has happened finally hits me when I see them.

Visha is dead. She is dead and gone from this world. And it is my fault.

The guards come in a moment later, surrounding me with their swords. But I don't care. I don't see anything but Visha and her still body, her ghostly white face, and her open eyes as they stare upward in shock and horror.

Numbness seeps into my mind and body, an icy coldness following soon after it, clawing at the corners of my mind.

I don't feel it when the guards yank me up and shove me forward, moving me down hall after hall, stair after stair. I don't feel it when they shove me forward into a cell and lock it behind them, leaving me to the heavy silence that slams on top of me, mind, body and spirit, shoving me down.

The cold creeps further into my bones, and I curl up into a ball, trying to find some warmth inside me, quickly finding none.

Time moves in waves that drag before speeding up to crash against my chest as it grows tighter and tighter.

I have seen many people die and had to watch on as others lost their loved ones in front of them. I have seen it, but I have never truly felt it. My mother and those I love are all still with me.

My chest grows heavy as my eyes catch on something red. I lift it up and realize it's my hand. Her blood is on my hands. It's on my hands because it is my fault. My fault she's dead.

My eyes burn and cloud with tears, and a deep sob is ripped from my chest.

I brought that dark creature here. I brought it here, but I didn't think it through . I didn't think. And now she is dead. Gone.

She was a kind soul who did no harm to anyone and helped me when she didn't have to. She helped me and, in return, I killed her.

Her death is my fault, and I will forever?—

"Hello?" someone calls out, ripping me from the self-loathing and guilt attempting to swallow me whole.

" Ren ?"