Chapter Thirty Three

Aerilyn

Aerilyn felt numb as Marianna ran a comb through her knotted hair. It had taken her several washes to get the blood out of her white locks. It had been severely stained with a red color. The blood from the people she cared so deeply about. After over an hour of scrubbing her hair and body, she was left with raw skin and a pestering headache. The lack of the cuffs around her wrists had felt odd at first, but she was thankful for their absence the moment she had slipped into the bath. She had assumed they’d been removed when she was unconscious. The maid didn’t speak to her, able to realize the pain in her expression. She continued to see the light drain from Brinley’s eyes playing in her mind. All the blood. Her severed leg. It was all too much to process and it became overwhelming. Her hands began to shake so she pressed them against her thighs. She wasn’t entirely sure what emotion was right to feel at that moment. She wanted to be sad about the loss of her friend, but she felt a powerful anger lingering in her mind. Azazel would pay for what he had done.

“The king chose a special dress for you tonight. I know you’re upset with his actions, but I think you’ll look stunning in it,” Marianna whispered, breaking the silence that Aerilyn had begun to cherish. “I refuse to do anything that the bastard wants,” she snapped, instantly regretting it as the small maid flinched. Aerilyn hated that she’d caused the girl to be afraid. She wanted to apologize, but the words were stuck on her tongue. “I think wearing the dress is more to pay back to him than anything. He changes when he’s around you, I’ve seen it. You can be his weakness,” she spoke worriedly, her eyes darting around the room to ensure nobody was listening to the things she was saying.

Aerilyn had to admit that the girl was right. She didn’t want to comply with anything the king desired, but she could use it as his weakness. “What does the dress look like?” She questioned, turning to face the other girl. Marianna flashed her a smile before rushing to the wardrobe and grabbing a sparkling light blue that matched her eyes. The gown was slit up both thighs and the neckline dropped dangerously low. The dress was a weapon itself. She was a bit uncomfortable with the idea of so much of her body being exposed. She knew that the neckline would expose her breasts to anyone who desired to glance in her direction.

A thought ran through her mind as she studied the gown. She had to think through a plan entirely, but she could easily use her looks to seduce the king. In a dress like that, she knew she could make any man go to his knees. The king included. If she could just get him alone, maybe even intoxicated, she could use her dagger on him. The idea was rough around the edges and didn’t account for anything that could go wrong, but it was a start. The thought of his blood staining her hands was enough to solidify the idea of attempting to go through with it. He was the reason she’d lost two people now. He deserved to die.

Marianna helped her into the gown, lacing the strings up in the back to cinch in her waist. She gasped as the air seemed to be taken out of her lungs. She wasn’t used to wearing gowns yet, it still felt odd to her. She had become too comfortable in slacks or leathers that any other clothing was foreign. Though, when she looked in the mirror before her, she had no words for the way she looked. The exposed skin was enough to take her breath away again. She could feel her cheeks warm as she studied herself, finally seeing some beauty.

“You’re going to every man on their knees the moment you walk into that ball.”

Aerilyn couldn’t help but agree with Marianna. She had never noticed the curves of her body. She hadn’t considered the fullness of her breasts or the way her waist curved. The lack of food throughout her life had left her skinny most of her life. The recent intake of food led her to look healthier than ever before. She almost smiled at her reflection.

“I plan to do just that. I’m going to bring them all to their knees.”

Aerilyn declined Marianna’s offer to walk her to the ballroom. She wanted to have a moment of peace by herself before being surrounded by a room of people. She still didn’t feel mentally stable enough to survive the entirety of the night. She had to mask all of her emotions to hide any pain in her expression. Nobody would see her as weak. Especially after the citizens had seen her break into the arena after killing Brinley. She refused to be a target.

“Aerilyn?” His voice was weak, lacking the usual playfulness that filled his tone. She turned to face Blaise, her stomach rolling with guilt when she met his puffy eyes. He had been crying. His expression showed all of his pain, unable to mask it the way she did. Brinley’s words spoke into her mind, reminding her of the promise she’d made to her dying friend.

“Blaise, I’m so sorry.”

“I didn’t get to say goodbye,” his voice finally broke as he took the few final steps to close the space between them. Without another word, he wrapped his arms around Aerilyn and tucked his face into her neck. His entire body shook as a cry escaped him, letting his emotions go. She froze, unsure of how to provide him comfort. All she could feel was guilt for what she had done.

“I don’t blame you, I know this wasn’t your choice.”

“She had been attacked. She asked me to get rid of the pain. I didn’t want to, Blaise.”

He went quiet, trying to process what she was saying. She hated that she had to give him any details, but she was grateful that he didn’t see the aftermath of how horrifying her death had been. If he had seen the bloody mess, she didn’t think he’d ever be able to return from that level of pain.

“I loved her. I was falling for her and I never got to tell her how I felt,” he slowly let go of Aerilyn, rubbing his hands over his eyes as he tried to compose himself. “She knew. She knew exactly how you felt. Don’t doubt that for a second,” she gave him a weak smile. He sniffled, his watery eyes feeling like a stab to her own heart. “I don’t know how to do this without her. Now we have to go celebrate as if we haven’t lost two friends.”