27. Chapter 27

Chapter twenty-seven

B right light filtered in through the balcony doors. After rustling around for probably an hour, determined not to get herself off to images of Nik, Haven had finally fallen asleep. The aches and pains combined with exhaustion in her body told her she hadn't gotten to sleep for long.

Sliding out of bed, Haven began undressing, wincing as the fabric of her dress brushed past her ears. The aches in her body were becoming more and more frequent. Rea had told her it was her body changing into that of a fae and that she'd likely start to see some major changes over the next couple of weeks.

After showering and drying off, Haven wrapped herself in a towel and went to her armoire to pick out an outfit for the day's festivities. She was supposed to be able to come back and change before her tests tonight. So right now, she didn't have to worry about dressing appropriately for her tests, whatever they may be.

Just as she pulled out something she thought suitable for a royal fae festival, there was a knock on her door. Expecting it to be Rea, she called for the fae to come in, having unlocked it earlier in expectation of her friends arrival. It was not Rea who stepped through the door.

Haven gasped lightly. Turning to view the uninvited guest, she recognized him as the fae who'd interrupted her and Nik last night. She didn't know if she should thank him, yell at him to go away or pretend like last night never happened.

Choosing ignorance, Haven offered him a smile and introduced herself,

"Hi, I'm Haven. I'd say it was nice to meet you but since I'm not sure what you're here for, I'll have to hold off on that assumption."

The fae standing in her doorway smirked before holding out his hand and saying,

"I'm Delroy. I came here to talk to you about the events of last night."

Haven blushed and took his outstretched hand. Scanning his features, Haven found light brown skin with hair shaved on the sides and slightly longer on top. Accompanying his dark brown eyes and short pointy ears was a smile that raised the skin on Haven arms. Where Nik appeared harmless at times, even though Haven knew that was definitely not the case, this man was the exact opposite. There was no doubting that a predator had just stepped into the room. Tension bracketed Havens shoulders while she quickly took her hand from his, slipped into the bathroom and covered the towel she was wearing with a bathrobe .

"What can I do for you?" She asked as she exited the bathroom.

"I want you to stay away from my friend" He responded plainly. If Haven didn't know any better, she'd think he was discussing something as simple as the weather. Tone of voice aside, the look on his face told Haven there was definitely a threat not so well concealed in his words.

"Maybe you should tell your friend to stay away from me" She bit back. Delroy huffed a laugh in response, the sound entirely animal.

"Please, if you hadn't been in his room, practically throwing yourself at him I'm sure Nik wouldn't touch you with a ten foot pole"

Haven scoffed at that, "Well I can assure you, the only pole Nik was touching me with was hanging between his legs" Delroy's eyes flared with anger at her response. He was clearly pissed. Why she thought provoking him was a good idea, Haven didn't know but she wasn't about to let some random guy come into her room and walk all over her.

Delroy didn't get a chance to respond because Astrea came breezing through the slightly open door carrying a garment bag.

"Oh hello" She greeted, obviously thrown off by Delroys presence.

He nodded to Rea in response, cast another scathing glare Havens way and exited her room. Rushing to the door Haven called out to him,

"Make sure to tell your little friend not to take things that don't belong to him!"

Slamming the door behind her, Haven turned to Rea.

"What was that about?" She asked

"Don't worry about it." Haven smiled, attempting to focus on something else by grabbing the garment bag in Reas outstretched hand.

"Alrighty then," Rea started, "Let's get you dressed. You're going to love what I have for you!"

Haven smiled, "I'm sure I will! Let's do this!"

After hanging up and opening the garment bag, all Haven could do was gape. The dress was gorgeous. Rea had been right, she did love it, just maybe not for herself.

Keeping with the darker color theme was a cinched waist, halter top dress with black and gold lacing, a keyhole back and a high low skirt that Haven all but drooled over. It truly was a gorgeous dress but it also showed a lot of skin. Rea had brought elbow high matching black gloves and black boots but the upper part of her legs, a large part of her back and most of her shoulders and collarbones would be showing thanks to the cut and tightness of the dress. Haven was mostly self conscious about the thickness of her legs and the soft rolls on her sides. This dress would do nothing to hide those things, especially her legs.

Usually she tried not to let her insecurities bother her but she was going out in front of the entire kingdom today. Combining her anxiety about that and a dress that highlighted some of her main insecurities sounded like a recipe for disaster.

"Just try it on and if you don't like it we can find you something different alright?" Rea spoke softly to Haven, sensing her nervousness.

"Alright" Haven nodded and slipped the dress off its hanger.

"I want you to wait to look at yourself until I'm all done with you, okay?" Rea asked with a smile

"Agreed" Haven timidly smiled back

About an hour went by and Haven hadn't looked into the mirror once as she'd promised Rea. The dress fit perfectly and was actually rather comfortable despite its tight fit. Dressed in the gloves, boots, hair and makeup done along with the small dagger Binah had given her strapped to her thigh, Haven felt like a total badass. All that was left were the few finishing touches currently being put on and then it was time to take a look in her floor length mirror.

Taking a deep breath, Haven stood from where she sat at her desk while Rea did her hair and smoothed down her dress. Rea secured a delicate tiara at the top of her head and a black choker necklace with a small gold charm dangling from it.

"Wow you look amazing" Rea told her, tears brimming at the edge of her eyes.

Haven looked down at herself. She had to admit, even though she hadn't seen herself in the mirror yet, she already knew that her anxieties might have gotten the best of her earlier. She may have more weight on her lower body than Rea or some of the girls she'd gone school with but that didn't mean she was any less beautiful. Both girls were wearing their best dresses, Rea having gotten ready before coming to Havens room, and entirely ready to step through the door and have a blast at todays festival.

Stepping up to the mirror, Haven revealed to herself exactly what she'd already known;

She truly looked like a queen.