31. Adrianna

ADRIANNA

Iadjust the straps on my dress, my mind elsewhere as Flora helps secure the fastening on the back. Apart from getting ready for hours, I've spent the day reeling over yesterday with Raiden.

He saw my sister and my father. No one has come barreling toward me demanding further details, so I can only assume he's kept his mouth shut. It's all I can hope for, but I don't like the idea of being indebted to him.

After I left the restaurant yesterday, he followed me back to the academy every step of the way, but this time I knew he was there. I just had the strength to pretend he wasn't, which felt like an achievement all on its own.

Flora meets my gaze in the mirror, pulling me from my thoughts as I run my hands over the tulle.

"Stop touching it. It's making you look nervous," she states with a pointed look, and I roll my eyes.

"I am nervous."

"Do you want them to know that?"

I don't know who she means by them, but the answer is still the same. "Obviously not."

"Then stop," she retorts, taking a seat at the foot of her bed to put on her heels.

"Easy for you to say," I grumble, turning from side to side in the mirror as my hands touch my dress again, but I manage to stop myself, balling them into fists at my side.

"Not really. I'm about to spend the entire night with my mother fawning all over Arlo's father."

"Ew."

She looks at me with a soft smile. "Yeah, ew."

"Maybe you should talk to Arlo about?—"

"Nope. No way," she interjects, jumping to her feet with her heels now secured.

"But—"

"No, Addi," she says with a sigh, giving me another pointed look, and I hold my hands up in surrender.

"Okay."

"Thank you," she breathes, exhaling as her shoulders relax.

"But I'm just saying if he doesn't realize how stunning you are in that dress tonight, then he's dumb. Like dumb dumb," I point out, and she rolls her eyes, but I don't miss the gleam of excitement.

Her dress is red, deep crimson, accentuating her auburn curls and making her skin look like porcelain. It swoops down between her breasts and clings to her body in what she explained as a mermaid style, revealing her curves before flaring out at her knees.

"Are you sure you don't want to wear the heels?" she asks for the fifth time, glancing to where I discarded them.

"I'm sure," I repeat, waving her off. I'm wearing my combat boots. No one can see them, and they offer me a little extra height anyway, so it doesn't make a difference. They're just safer if anything happens to go wrong.

"And do you really need that many daggers?"

It's my turn to give her a pointed look. "Yes."

My hands run over my thighs, feeling the outline beneath the material. There are twelve of them strapped perfectly in place. I was going to add two more until Flora told me I was going from overly cautious to insane.

"And you definitely want everyone to see the kiss of amethyst?" she asks, nodding toward where the purple gem glistens under the light.

"One thousand percent." It was one of the additional reasons I opted for this dress. It may make me look weakened to those around me and show the kingdom that I've been restrained, but it only serves to prove to everyone that I can and will rise above it.

"You're badass, Addi," she states, a mixture of awe and disbelief dancing in her words, and I grin.

"So are you. Now, let's go."

Flora grabs her bag, a shimmering gold to match her heels and jewelry, while I opt to go bagless. I don't need to carry anything; it's all on my body. A bag is just an inconvenience at this stage.

She glances at herself one more time in the mirror before opening the door to find Arlo standing on the other side, poised and ready to knock.

"Holy shit, Flora. You look beautiful," he gasps, failing to discreetly adjust himself beneath his pants. Not that I think Flora sees. She's too focused on gaping at him.

"You don't clean up too bad yourself," she mutters, cheeks blushing under his heated stare until he shrugs, breaking the moment.

"It comes naturally," he states, running his hands over the lapels of his jacket as he grins at us. The black suit frames his shoulders perfectly, and the pristine white shirt beneath makes his natural tan look even more golden.

"I'm sure it does," she muses, still gaping at him as he clears his throat.

"Ladies," he declares, offering his elbows out for us to link him. Flora doesn't waste a second while I wave him off, opting to take the lead as we head for the stairs.

There's a buzz in the building, a level of excitement in the air that I don't exactly like the feel of, but I'm a part of the whole event whether I like it or not. The communal area is busy with fae who are giddy with excitement, and I'm certain there's already a couple making out in the far corner. I have to admit, it's nice to see them feel something other than the usual doom and gloom that lurks over their heads.

Tonight, they get to mingle and experience the wonders of a ball, as do I and the other origins. It might even be fun, but I'm not getting my hopes up.

Opening the front door, I get one foot outside before I freeze in place, blinking at the four assholes standing on the pathway.

"What in the fuck," I breathe, glancing from one to another, before Raiden steps forward, fixing his jacket as he gives me an irritated stare.

"I was here first," he starts, but Brody shoves at his arm.

"Yeah, but she's my dance partner, so that makes her my date," he insists, appearing in front of me with a white rose corsage.

"I don't recall that being in the rules," Kryll points out, amusement flashing in his eyes as Cassian sighs from the back of the group.

"Are we going or not? You're boring the fuck out of me."