46

In Daybreak, I was a lady—and the Ice Princess.

At the ball, I would be representing my pack as a woman I never could be in Daybreak itself.

“What do you think, milady?” Rue asked as she fastened the ribbon on the back of the corset. It tied at mid-back, so when I removed my cape, I could reveal an expanse of my pale back if I so desired.

“I love it.” I stepped out from behind the dressing screen and back in front of Aerika’s discerning gaze.

She hummed thoughtfully, then instructed me to twirl. I did so, lifting up on the ball of one foot to spin in a smooth circle; the skirt swept out around me in a rush of pale tulle and white like sea foam. Aerika tutted to herself, then held her hand up for me to stop. Then she made some minor adjustments on the dress, pinning the skirt here and there and adjusting the corset.

“Good,” she said, “just minor fitting adjustments.”

Amity and Rue ushered me back behind the screen to carefully peel me out of the dress without disturbing Aerika’s careful pinning. I pressed my lips together. There were so many things I wanted to ask Aerika, but I didn’t know how to formulate the questions. None of my etiquette lessons had covered how to ask someone if they had Fae heritage. For all I’d known, the Fae hadn’t even still existed!

What was I supposed to say? And how could I raise the issue without risking making Amity and Rue suspicious?

Rue dressed me back in my own clothing. As she did, Amity brought my gown back to Aerika, who laid it back in the box.

“Wonderful,” she said. “I’ll have the staff bring the dress with the accessories by lunch tomorrow.” She closed the box and picked it back up. “Wait,” I said.

She paused at the door and pinned me with her huge brown eyes. Her silver hair framed her face and seemed to move with a strange kind of weightlessness, almost as if she were underwater. Under that serious gaze, I couldn’t seem to wrangle the questions I wanted to ask out of my mind.

“Thanks,” I said meekly. “It’s a beautiful gown.”

“Of course, Lady Reyna,” Aerika said. She swept out the door just as quickly as she had arrived.

The questions turned over and over in my mind as Amity and Rue guided me through the evening rituals to prepare me for bed. My curiosity kept me awake until it was late, and as the sun broke over the horizon, I longed to sneak back down to the room in the basement. If I looked carefully through the ledger, I wondered would I see something with Aerika’s name next to it? I’d hoped I might have a free hour or two to myself that day, but as soon Amity and Rue threw open the curtains and laid out breakfast, they informed that I’d have no such luck.

“Preparing for the ball is a day-long affair,” Amity explained, like this was obvious. “Aren’t you excited?”

“I sure would be,” Rue said dreamily. “This is the biggest event the court has held for ages.”

The morning was taken up by the longest bath I’d ever been subjected to, then lunch, then ages at the vanity while my handmaidens combed and dried my hair and styled it into an elegant series of plaits wound into a bun at the base of my skull. The style would allow for me to show off the pale skin of my back if I wanted, a hint of beauty and desirability I’d never had in Daybreak. It sent a small thrill through me.

As promised, the dress was delivered as I was finishing a light lunch and coffee, eating carefully as to not disturb my fine hairstyle or the thin layer of makeup I already had on. Amity and Rue didn’t rush me through my meal, but I could tell they were eager to see the dress on. So I finished quickly, and let them corral me back behind the dressing screen.

Somehow, the dress looked even more gorgeous than it had yesterday; it was so light and fit so perfectly. The eggshell fabric had a faint warm hue against my pale skin, and the blue tulle caught the light when I moved. With the dress, the tailor had sent a pair of low heels in the same color, so it was like another flash of waves whenever I took a step.

“You look so beautiful, milady,” Rue said with a sigh. “You represent Daybreak marvelously. The king should be honored to have you in the Choice.”

I flushed. “Aerika did all the heavy lifting. All I’m doing is wearing it.”

Rue fixed my deep blue cloak over my shoulders, while Amity fastened the necklace at my nape. The jewelry was just as elegant as the dress: a thin strand of silver with three pearls right at the hollow of my throat. Small, unobtrusive, just a glimmer of finery.

Finally, the girls stepped back and looked over me discerningly. They both smiled, pleased.

“Sometimes I think you two enjoy this more than I do,” I said.

“There aren’t too many balls in Efra, normally,” Amity said. “And usually, we’re in the kitchens preparing for big parties like this. Getting to see the gowns up close is a little more fun.”

“It’s time,” Rue said. “Unless you’d prefer to be late.”

“Absolutely not,” I said. Nerves crawled into my throat. I had the sense that this trial was going to the hardest of all of them. I was much more comfortable in the arena with a sword in my hand. But facing the council, arguing my ‘case’ for why I was the right choice—maintaining my pack’s dignity while ensuring I didn’t sell myself better than Fina or Adora—felt like I was walking a tightrope with a bucket of water in each hand. I took a steadying breath. “Lead the way.”

My handmaidens led me through the manor, which bustled with activity of both guests and servants. We garnered no attention, though, not until we were standing in front of the doors to the great dining hall. Amity was in her human form while Rue was in her wolf shape at my side. Rue nudged her nose into my palm, and I took another breath.

Amity opened the door and led me inside. She swept into a delicate curtsy and announced to the room, “The Lady Reyna of the Court of Daybreak.”