Deciding Skies (Fate's Intent Book 2) (6 page)

“We’re talking about how many people in the city Darius has slept with.” Troy smiled.

“Oh.” I sat on the edge of the pool and jumped in. “So, what’s that like half?”

“It’s not half! Do you know how many people half actually is?! It’s a lot! It’s not half!”

“Okay, it’s not half but it’s still a lot.”

“All right, I won’t lie. It’s a lot but don’t make it seem like I’m the only one that’s been with a list of women taller than they are. You two aren’t that innocent.”

We sat through a pause and Adele and Jaylyn looked at Troy and myself.

“Okay.” Troy said, trying to get away from the conversation now. “What’d father want with you, Zayden?”

“Oh, just that I was right.”

“Was I right?” Darius asked.

“Pretty much. He felt he needed to make sure that I remain focused on my future and not let myself get attached to things that might affect the proper outcome.”

“You mean me?”

I looked at Adele and even hated myself for giving the answer. “Yeah, he’s forbidden it because you’re not—well, never mind.”

“A Princess.”

“Correct.”

“Well, not yet anyway.” Ruby smiled. “Did you tell him that?”

I laughed, trying to keep the situation happy because it really wasn’t. Nothing was happy about my future. “Oh, yeah. I’m definitely going to do that. Not only would he find out that we lied but just mentioning from where she’d be Princess of would still cause it to be forbidden and you’d all be killed!” I sighed from it to calm myself and started to get up. I didn’t mean to get stressed about it but it was always a stress I thought of. “All right, come on. We should probably be getting out of here.”

“Why?” Jaylyn asked.

“Dinner is in thirty minutes and my father has requested your presence.”

“What?!” Adele looked up at me with extreme worry. “Tell me you’re not serious!”

“That’s what I was thinking but it’s at his request, you have to go. If you don’t, it would be seen as a great disrespect and that’s the last thing we need while we’re trying to get him to like you.”

“No, the last thing we need is having to spend quality time with the King! What if something happens?”

“Don’t worry. This is dinner. It will be just us and him so just watch your mouth and everything should be fine.”

She sighed and put her head down like she didn’t believe a word I said. “This is going to be bad.”

“Think positive.” I climbed out of the pool for the very last time. “First things first, we have to get ready. We don’t have much time now. We’re heading upstairs to change again and you three need to do the same. There will be someone waiting for you in your room to dress you for dinner.”

“Dress us?” Ruby asked. “You mean in like actual dresses?”

“Yes. It’s dinner with the King and you’re expected to look elegant for such an occasion. Everything you need will be provided. Just say the word and you’ll have it but you should hurry because now we only have about twenty minutes.” I turned with Darius and Troy and we walked out of the bathhouse to leave them to get out with privacy.

“You really think this is a good idea?” Troy asked.

“No but what can we do? It’s what he wants and he’s really doing it for you.”

“What do you mean?” Darius asked.

“He said he wanted them to join us to know why his sons are so intrigued and I doubt he was talking about me.”

Darius laughed. “That’s not obvious?”

It may have been for us but the truth of it didn’t make me laugh. “He’s seen something with you even though he hasn’t been around us when we’re with them. Do you have any idea what that could mean?”

I let it sink in and watched Troy’s expression change first. “He’ll ask them to stay.”

He was right. They made them happy and my father already knew that. He would ask them to stay here and as much as that sounded perfect, they never could. He could never find out who they are. It would be the death of us all.

Chapter 10

Adele

“Good evening, my lady.”

I looked up when I entered the room and a maid was standing inside just like Zayden said. She was older with medium brown wavy hair and blue eyes much like my own but she was beautiful too, almost unusually for being Senian.

“Shall we get you ready for dinner?”

I sighed and put my stuff down on the floor, still not up to the idea that we had to join the King for dinner. “If we must. What’s your name?”

“I’m Kathryn. I usually assist the King but he requested that I dress you tonight, my lady.”

“Oh, please don’t do that. Just call me Adele. I’m no lady.”

“You shall be tonight.”

She opened up a large case by the bed and pulled out a black dress of silk with a train behind the skirt. It had a strapless corset-like top, covered in blue jewels. I couldn’t believe it. Was I supposed to wear that?

“Nothing says evening like black. You’ll look ravishing in this one.”

She set it on the bed and my eyes were on it. I wasn’t blinking, I was just staring. The dress was gorgeous.

“Even enough to impress the young Prince.”

My eyes snapped up and my voice was inconstant. “What? Oh, I don’t know. I mean, he’s—well—and I’m just—”

Kathryn laughed. “It’s all right. Tonight you shall put it aside as love will hold you to his right arm.”

“Love?” I was paralyzed as that one little word consumed my mind. Was that truly what it was? The reason I needed to have Zayden around was because of love? Deep down I’ve thought of it from seeing him in my dream of my test mission but was it real? Here? Now? Did I really love him?

“Let’s put this on. There’s not much time.”

I slowly nodded and dropped my towel. Kathryn approached me with the dress and helped slip it over my head.

I stood in front of a mirror while she was lacing up the back and couldn’t believe I was wearing this. “This is amazing.”

Kathryn smiled and held out a pair of black heels. “You look beautiful and with these shoes, you’ll look even more.” I smiled back and balanced myself to step into the shoes placed in front of me. “A perfect fit. Now we need to get your hair done and with a dress like this, you’ll want to show off your shoulders so we’ll put it all up.”

“Sounds perfect.” I picked up the dress at my sides and walked over to a chair sitting in front of the vanity mirror.

I sat down and Kathryn approached me from behind, brushing my wet hair. “If it’s not wrong of me to say, you have simply beautiful hair.”

“I suppose so. I’m just used to it, I guess. It’s always been long since I was a child but thank you. People commenting to my face isn’t really something I get.”

“Oh, I couldn’t believe that. Maybe they’re just scared to address such beauty in person.”

I laughed quietly but didn’t reply while I let Kathryn do my hair. I was never really one to talk about my looks but hearing it come from someone who didn’t even know me felt kind of nice. I didn’t know what else to say and waited, watching her concentrate on my hair. She seemed to know exactly what she was doing for someone who attended the King.

My hair was pulled tight and gathered high on my head, spun around in itself to make a beautiful large bun. She put a few pins around it to keep its fullness shape then wrapped a black wire with blue crystal beads around the entire bun, giving it an even more elegant look.

“There. It’s perfect. Now, let’s go see if your friends are finished.”

We walked to Ruby’s room and Kathryn knocked on the door. The maid inside came to it.

“Is she ready? The King is waiting.”

The maid only nodded and stepped aside to let Ruby through.

She was dressed in a black velvet dress with a ruffled skirt that was open in the front with a red silk ruffled layer underneath and was embellished with hundreds of tiny red jewels. The top of the dress had a large red silk collar wrapped around the shoulders and was also covered in hundreds of tiny red jewels. Her hair was left down but twisted back on the sides and pinned back with red flowers.

It was completely—not her. “Wow, Ruby. That’s nice.”

“Except for one thing.” Ruby glanced up at the light brown hair draping around her face and blew a breath at it so it moved away from her eye. “But other than that, I’ll have to admit that it looks good. Yours is nice too.”

“Now let’s see Jaylyn.”

“I’m sure she looks fabulous as always. She’s the dress-wearer.”

Kathryn led us down to the next door and knocked.

The maid inside came without delay. “Just in time.”

Kathryn smiled and the other maid moved from the door to let Jaylyn out.

Her dress was made of black silk with green velvet trim that wrapped around the front of her at the waist and was fastened by an emerald jewel and draped open on the right side. The top came down her neckline in a loose fashion and settled over her breasts. Her hair was put up into a small bun just at the back of her head and was pinned with pearls but a few of her curls were left out to hang down underneath it.

It was completely her, except for maybe the black. She was never really one to wear the color when her hair was blonde but it looked good now that her hair was black to match.

“I love that dress on you.” Ruby said.

“I know and look at this.” Jaylyn turned and showed us the back. The two inch straps were crisscrossed and lined with a variety of different sized emerald jewels, allowing a deep plunge down to the top of her tailbone that was also outlined in jewels.

“Wow! I know someone else who will love that dress.”

“You look great too. Where did they ever get such nice dresses?”

“These are part of the collection that had once belonged to the Queen.” Kathryn answered.

“The Queen?”

My eyes opened wider. “You mean, Zayden’s mother?”

Kathryn nodded.

“And we’re allowed to wear them?” Ruby asked.

“Yes, it was at the King’s request. Now, come. We must get you downstairs.” She started to walk off and we looked at each other before following.

We didn’t know much of the ways around here but knew well enough that Zayden’s mother didn’t survive his birth. We were still in awe that she was even mentioned and more so that we were requested to wear her clothing. It was an honor; a true honor. It made us feel welcome but also a little ashamed that we were hiding who we were.

“Stay here while I announce you to the King.” Kathryn said, stopping us just outside of what I would guess to be the dining hall. “And when you go in, I advise that you use different names.”

She walked in and Jaylyn looked over at me. “She knows?”

“I didn’t think anything of it but I did change right in front of her.” It was true. I didn’t think about it and she must have seen my marks.

“Why hasn’t she said anything?”

I just shrugged my shoulders. I didn’t understand just as much as she didn’t and why this attendant would be willing to keep our secret was a bigger mystery.

“I think she’s right.” Ruby said. “We should—”

“Shh!”

I leaned into the door and heard Kathryn. “Your majesties, my lords, your guests have arrived.”

“Very good.” The King replied, sending a nervous shiver down my spine. “Send them in.”

Swift footsteps came to us and Kathryn waved for our entrance. This was it. I took in a breath and held it deep in my chest. My shoulders were back, head high and I stepped inside. I tried to keep my look expressionless but then I saw Zayden. He was just staring at me with his mouth slowly start to gape open and I saw the beautiful polished gold crown on his head. It had an engraved design around it with a row of diamonds along the rim that I’ve read was to be worn only by Seni’s Crown Prince.

I couldn’t seem to turn away from seeing it on him but had to eventually when we reached the table and the King greeted us. “Welcome, ladies.”

We bowed our shamed, lying heads to the great King. “Your majesty.”

“Come, sit.” Izin held out his hand to his left at three chairs. “Forgive me, we’ve been too distracted that I don’t even know your names.”

I sat closest to the King and across from Zayden with a gentle smile, only falling deeper in this lie by speaking. “Oh, it’s all right. I’m Adriane and these are my companions, Rebecca and Jami. We’re truly honored to be here this evening.”

“And we’re honored to have you. I must say, I almost didn’t recognize you in those dresses. You clean up well.”

I smiled to the familiar charm. “Thank you, sir. I’ll admit it has been awhile.”

“As I imagine. We were just discussing the almost Kaluian invasion where you stumbled across my boys.”

“Oh, were you.” I looked over at Zayden for a moment, wondering what has been said while we were away. “Well, we didn’t get to actually witness the great victory. We heard about it when Kalu’s General was the only one to return and thought we’d—pay tribute to their glorifying success.”