Soul Mates: Magic (Soul Mates Series) (20 page)

I patiently waited, closing my eyes as she applied a light foundation, eye shadow, blush and lipstick and then dusted my face with powder. The whole process took more than half an hour. I had never taken such care with my make up before. It felt kind of nice to have someone going to so much trouble for me. My eyes were still closed, but I felt the chair spin around and tilt back up.

“Now for your hair,” Linna said picking up a brush and running it through my straight red hair.

She parted it on the side and then proceeded to French braid it around the frame of my face, drawing it back past my ear. She pinned it in place and began another braid on the other side. I worried at my lips, wondering exactly what I would look like when it was all finished. I shouldn’t have.

“Are you ready to see?” Linna questioned stepping in front of me. “Oh, Princess, you’ve bitten off all of your lipstick,” she said with a smile. “Just a second.” She reapplied the brilliant, deep red crème to my lips and whispered an enchantment. “There, now it will not come off until you are ready to take it off.” She spun my chair back around and I gazed into the mirror. “What do you think?”

I stared at the woman in the mirror, because she looked nothing like me. I blinked, she blinked. I raised my hand to my hair and so did she. I smiled, realizing I really was looking at myself.

Linna had dusted my skin so that it shimmered even more than normal. And the eye makeup, oh my!
She had outlined my eyes in a deep dark blue, and starting in the corner of the inner part of my eyelids she’d used a glittery gold, then a fuchsia and then wrapped a brilliant blue around. And just below the outer corners, on both sides were three tiny diamonds.

My eyes moved to my hair and I turned my head this way and that, trying to see it from all angles. It was gorgeous. She’
d created a French-braided elaborate bun and used jeweled clips to hold it all together. I looked like a Fae supermodel and I thought maybe I could give Felicia a run for her money tonight in being the most beautiful creature at my ball. Of course I’d never win that sort of contest, I thought with a chuckle. Felicia was insanely gorgeous. But I looked amazing and it was all thanks to Linna.

“Well? Do you love it?” she asked.

“It’s incredible! Linna, I love it.”

Linna clapped her hands and smiled. “I’m so glad. Now you had best hurry. Not too much longer before your guests start to arrive.”

I nodded and stood up to find Tatiana waiting for me. “Tatiana, what do you think? Linna did an amazing job, didn’t she?”

Tatiana walked around me, staring at me from every angle. “Beautiful, simply gorgeous,
love. Now we must hurry, Anna is waiting for us.”

I followed Tatiana out of the spa and through the hallways back to my chamber. Anna was waiting inside, already dressed for the ball.

“Abbey, you look
très magnifique
!”

“
Je vous remercie
, Anna,” I said with a smile. I slipped into the sparkly, blue dress and heels, added diamond earrings and a pendant to complete the ensemble.

Anna handed me my mask and pronounced me ready to go.

Chapter Twenty-five

I stood with Auberon, Tatiana and my brother as the masked Nobles and warriors were announced. We greeted each family formally before we moved to the four thrones to the right of the ballroom. I took my seat to the left of Tatiana, the first time I’d done so in public.

“Greetings, Nobles of the Light. It is my distinct pleasure to introduce Princess Abbey Fergus, sister of Prince Max Fergus. For the past sixteen years, Prince Max has full-filled the duties of heir to the throne. It is now time for him to step away, to pursue his true calling and for his sister
, Princess Abbey Fergus, to take her rightful place as heir. Please join me in welcoming her to the Light,” Auberon said with a smile. “Abbey, if you would step forward.”

I rose from my seat next to Tatiana and stepped up next to Auberon. He pulled a diamond tiara out of Never Never and
placed it on my head. I felt a shimmer of magic come over me and realized that Faerie, too, was welcoming me. The tiara was now woven with holly and decorated my hair.

The Nobles, knowing this was my
debut, were not too surprised to hear that Max was indeed stepping down. They greeted me with enthusiasm and welcoming smiles. “Thank you all,” I murmured, my eyes connecting with Daire’s from across the room.

“Now, let the dancing begin!” Auberon clapped his hands and an orchestra appeared. He took my hand and led me to the middle of the room and as the strains of the
Dark Waltz
began to play, we began to move.

I would like to think I did him proud. I dipped and swayed and spun with grace and style. When the waltz ended, a young Fae Noble approached me, and asked for the next dance.
I accepted, somewhat nervous since it was a quickstep, it was my least polished dance. I glanced at the orchestra as they began to play
Swing with Me
by Jessica Simpson. It was faster than some of the other quicksteps I’ve done and I hoped I would do all right.

“Princess, you are quite good,” he said about half way through. He directed me under his arm and picked me up and flipped me, then brought me back into his arms.

“Thank you-”

“Kelleran of the Durrin Nobles, Princess,” he replied as the song came to an end.

“Thank you Kelleran, you dance very well yourself.”

“Perhaps you would allow me to call on you sometime, Princess?”

I began to get a little flustered, but I was not going to let it rule me. “We shall see. Thank you for the dance, Kelleran,” I said with a smile.

“Princess, would you care to dance?” A tall Fae with dark hair and green eyes asked.

“That would be lovely,” I replied with a smile.

The evening wore on with me dancing with every unattached male Noble available. I had yet to see Gareth, the Goblin King, personally, but I knew when he arrived.
The Nobles made quite a fuss about it and it made me smile. Daire hadn’t asked me to dance either. I was pretty sure he didn’t want the Nobles to be aware of our relationship quite yet. There would be plenty of time to piss them off in the future, tonight was supposed to be a happy night, not for me, but for them.

I was drinking a glass of Trini
a’s berry punch when I felt a hand on my arm. I turned to find Gareth and Gretchen waiting for me. “Gareth, I am so pleased you came.”

“I would not have missed it, Abbey,” he replied with a twinkle in his eye. “Gretchen and I are having a nice time. The music could be better, though I suppose Auberon likes to stay with traditional sounds.”

I grinned. “Well, it is my ball…give me a second.” I went over to the band and asked for a song that I knew would suit Gareth perfectly. As they began to play
For Your Entertainment,
I snapped my fingers and made Adam Lambart appear. He looked slightly confused, but you just couldn’t have anyone else sing it. I turned with a grin and gestured for Gareth to meet me on the dance floor.

Gareth grinned and slowly made his way to the middle of the dance floor where I was waiting. He grabbed my waist and we started to move to the music, matching our hip movements to the beat of the music. He dipped me over his arm, snapped me back up and spun me around. As we danced most of the Fae Nobles left the floor, but more of the Warriors joined us. James and Gretchen danced their way over to us. She seemed to be having a much better time now that the music wasn’t quite so formal and she had the attention of a handsome Werewolf.

Gareth moved his hands over my body seductively and lingered on the scar from his bite. His grin turned even more roguish at the sight of it. “My bite looks good on you,” he said.

“Does it?” I asked, grinning happily.

“Are you sure I can’t talk you into being the Goblin Queen?”

“
I’m positive,” I replied, giving him another smile. “Have you thought about my offer?”

“An alliance? Yes, I’ve considered it,” Gareth said thoughtfully. “You’ve seen how your Nobles react around me, are you sure you wish to align yourself with us?”

“I have not changed my mind. I wish for us to be allies, Gareth. I think we would be a strong force.”

“I will make you a deal.”

“What deal?” I asked as the song came to an end. I glanced at the band and with a smile I flashed Adam back to the mortal world, with the idea that this was all a dream.

“You must come to the Goblin Palace
every other month for a visit. Let the Goblins see that you are not afraid to spend time with them. That you mean for us to be friends.”

“That is all?” I asked with a smile. “May I bring someone with me?”

Gareth narrowed his eyes and whispered, “You mean your
Guard
?” He sighed and nodded. “If you feel you must, but not until after it’s official. Until then, I wish to have you to myself.”

“You realize it will be official soon?” I asked with a laugh.

“Then you must visit before then, mustn’t you?” he grinned.

“Does that mean you agree?”

“I agree,” he said, grinning. “Now, let’s dance.”

The music turned funky with Pink’s
Funhouse
and after that, the party got a bit wild. I finally got to dance with Daire just before eleven.

“Having a good time,
mo ghrá ach
?”

“I am,” I replied as I slipped in
to his arms and we swayed together. “Especially now that I get to be in your arms,” I said softly.

Daire grinned. “I would have to agree.” He leaned forward close to my ear and said, “I want to kiss you right now.” His voice was soft and husky in my ear.

“I wish you could,” I replied.

He practically growled in my ear. “It will have to wait. You have your gifts to open and then it will be time for the
Wild Hunt.”

I nodded, regretfully, and sighed. “Are you coming with me?”

“Yes, but I’m not the only one. Max will go too, and so will some of the others, James, Cale, Thane, Cole and some others.”

“Good,” I said relieved that I wouldn’t be completely on my own. The music came to an end and Auberon grabbed the microphone and disappeared the band with a wave of his hand. We turned with everyone else as he began to speak.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, my wife, Tatiana,” Auberon said with flourish.

Tatiana stepped forward and took the microphone. “Good evening, I hope everyone is enjoying themselves. I wanted to take this opportunity to
present Abbey’s calling card, a beautiful bloom, which only a true leader could create.” Tatiana gestured for a table to be brought forward and the crowd parted to make way for it. She gave the Brownies a nod and they lifted the cover off of my bloom.

“Oh how beautiful!”

“Simply lovely!”

“Excellent choice!”

“It signifies her royalty, her passion, her commitment and unity. Abbey will truly be a great leader when the time comes,” Tatiana said with a smile. “Now, Abbey if you will take your place…” Tatiana gestured to my throne and I did as she asked. “You may now present yourselves to your Princess.” Tatiana joined me and the first family approached.

“We are the Durrin family, welcome Princess. We offer you our allegiance and loyalty with this gift of fine jewels. And we would like to present our son, Kelleran as a possible candidate for your mate.”

I blushed. “Thank you, family Durrin, Kelleran. I accept your offer of allegiance and loyalty. And you honor me with your offer of Kelleran as a possible mate, however, Auberon has assured me that I may follow my heart and marry where I wish,” I said, my eyes catching Daire’s and I smiled. “And I have already chosen my mate.”

The Durrin family looked confused. “You have only just been presented, Princess. How is it your choice has already been made? Surely you have not met all of the Nobles and chosen already.”

I glanced at Auberon who smiled and shrugged. Tatiana frowned. “The man I have chosen is not a Noble. He is a Warrior, a Guardian of the Light and my best friend. I have loved him for as long as I can remember and I will choose only him to be my mate. Daire?”

There were gasps among the Nobles and murmurs of discontent as Daire stepped forward. I stood up and held my hand out to him. “Princess,” Daire said with a smile.

I turned back to the Nobles, holding Daire’s hand. “I have made my choice and it has already been approved by King Auberon. Daire will be my Prince when we marry in the spring. If you cannot place your trust in my choice, then trust your King. We will make a powerful team, especially with our new alliance with the Goblins.” I smiled at Gareth and Gretchen.

“Princess, we have heard much about Daire’s service to the Light. He is a wise choice. You have our loyalty and allegiance,” The Carvel family said stepping forward.

“And ours, Princess,” echoed several other families.

Things went a little more smoothly after that and the families all made their offers and presented their gifts of jewels and
magical items. My favorites were the diamond encrusted bracelet that turned into a shield when the large diamond in the middle was turned to the right, and a small Hellhound puppy that I named Atlas.

“It is almost time, Abbey, are you ready?” Auberon asked with excitement once all of the gifts had been opened. “Max?”

Max joined me and Daire squeezed my fingers and then let me go, stepping off to the side. I gave a single nod and took a deep breath as the goddess Diana and the horned god
Cernunnos
appeared in the middle of the room. “It’s time,” Diana said as they approached us.