"Would you like help with your hair, Miss Luna?" a quiet voice asked from the door. She was dressed like a maid, but I hadn’t seen her in the castle before. She waited there until I gave her permission to enter. I noticed her light green eyes shining as the sun from the window caught them. She had blond hair with streaks of white that made me think she was older, but I was sure she was at least my age. Her skin was light, almost like she had never stepped out in the sun. She was petite, at least three or four inches shorter than me, and skinny, but she wasn't skin and bones or anything close to that. I was thin like her, but thanks to the training that I had been through, I was also toned, especially in my arms and legs.
"I haven't seen you before," I said as I motioned for her to join me. "Are you new?"
"Yes, she answered, her voice small just like the rest of her body. "This is my first day on my own."
"Please forgive me for not welcoming you properly," I told her as I stood up from the chair to face her. I realized then that she had to be more than five inches shorter than my five-foot-seven. "My name is Luna, daughter of Theodore, alpha of vampire territory."
"There is nothing to forgive," she smiled in return. "My name is Ivy. I should've introduced myself before I asked you if you wanted help with your hair."
"Water under the bridge." I flipped my hand towards her as if to tell her it was no big deal.
I sat back down and handed her a brush from a drawer underneath the counter. I was still trying to work through everything that'd happened in the short time that I’d been awake. It wasn't until I looked up at Ivy and saw her smiling while she messed with my hair that I felt the need to know more about her.
"Are you from around here, Ivy?" I asked as I avoided eye contact with her. I wanted to know more about her but making eye contact with people was just awkward.
"I'm from the other side of the territory," she said as she tugged a little tighter on a strand of hair. "My father had a farm out there."
"What brings you to this side of the territory?" I asked, wondering why she would come so far just for a job.
"My father passed away six months ago, and even though I tried, I just couldn't keep up with everything that comes with having a farm," she explained. My heart broke for her when she spoke of her father's death. I felt her energy change when she brought him up. She still found a way to smile, but I could tell she missed him. "Another girl from my village was visiting from the castle and said I should try to get a job here. Coincidentally, our neighbor approached me about buying the farm the very same day. It just seemed like fate."
"I'm sorry for the circumstances that brought you here but we're glad to have you," I told her, trying to be comforting even though I wasn't very good at it.
"Thank you, Miss Luna," she nodded as she wrapped a band around the tail of my hair.
She did one more check to make sure nothing was out of place and then she was finished. I stood up, holding on to the towel, which almost fell to the floor. I glanced at each side before turning towards her and thanking her for doing such an incredible job. She curtsied and started to move towards the door.
I stopped her before she could disappear. "I want your opinion on something."
I motioned for her to follow me into the closet, where I showed her two different dresses that I had laid out last night. "My mother wants me to wear this dress to the ball, but I would rather wear this one."
My mother's choice was long-sleeved and cream-colored from the waist up, covered in gold jewels with a V-neck that went down to the middle of my breasts. From the waist down, it was white, made of soft lace material, giving the dress a free and flowy vibe. The second dress was my choice. It was actually similar to my mother's choice, but instead of cream and white it was red. The sleeves had flower cutouts and the torso and chest were decorated with silver jewels. The V-neck went down farther than the one on my mother's pick, stopping just above my belly button. A belt wrapped around the waist with similar silver jewels, only these ones followed the direction of the belt while the ones on my torso and chest were pointing towards the floor.
"They're both very beautiful," she acknowledged.
"Do you prefer one over the other?" I asked, hoping she would pick the red dress over the white and cream.
"No," she answered honestly. "I can't say that I do."
"Well, I would really like to wear the red one," I told her. "But I would hate for my mother to have had this other dress made and it not get worn, so I insist that you wear it to the ball."
"Oh, I couldn't," she protested. "I wasn't invited, and I could never wear something of yours."
"That is complete nonsense," I argued with a smile. "All of the staff is invited to this ball. Did no one tell you that?"
She shook her head no and waited for me to continue. "Well, you're going to the ball just like everyone else, and you're wearing this dress because you would look absolutely stunning in it."
"Thank you." She smiled again, although I could tell she was uncomfortable with the idea of wearing the dress that was probably nicer than anything she had ever owned. My father paid the staff well, but luxurious clothing was not a priority. Food on the table and everyday clothes on their backs came first.
"When you are dismissed from work today, I want you to come right back up here and get into this dress. I want you to use whatever you need in here to make your hair look better than mine, and then I want you to enjoy the party."
"Thank you, Miss Luna." She smiled again, only this time she didn't look uncomfortable. She looked grateful and happy.
I couldn't believe no one told her she was invited to my birthday. The staff was always invited to whatever event the alphas and their families were having. It was why everyone worked so hard in the days leading up to the event to make sure everything was set up and ready to go. Once the event started and everything was laid out, there was no one around to bring out more of something or fix whatever went wrong. I actually enjoyed having the staff at our events; they were much more down to earth than the council and their families. I couldn't stand talking to the council; they actually thought the villagers were beneath them, and they talked negatively about others they had never met. The other alphas hated dealing with their councils as well, although it might be for other reasons. I wasn't sure how they got to be so big headed. The alphas and their families were above all of them rank-wise, but we never treated them the way they treated other people.
I left the bathroom after Ivy helped me put on my dress, the clicking and tapping of my silver heels against the tile echoed throughout the room as I walked away from my new maid. I thanked her one last time for her help and then I was gone, making my way towards the door. In the hallway, I was greeted by my brothers, who had been tasked with making sure I made it downstairs without taking any detours. I hated that my mother knew me so well. I tended to get distracted easily and sometimes that meant I was not where I was supposed to be at the time that I was supposed to be there. Like always, my mother was on top of it.
"What the hell are you doing wearing a dress like that?" Levi snapped as I turned around to face the two of them.
"What's wrong with it?" I asked sternly, rolling my eyes at his overprotectiveness. I started to walk down the hallway to the round staircase, but Levi and Liam stepped in front of me.
"Your dress is too low," Liam said, glancing down at my breasts before quickly returning his gaze to my face. "Where's the dress that Mom picked out for you?"
"Will you two back the fuck up?" I pushed through the two of them, which was a lot harder to do than how it went down in my mind. Liam was six-four and Levi was six-five, both of them rock solid, impossible to compete with when training. They could've forced me back into my room, but instead they let me push past them, knowing the wrath I would get from my mother was much worse than anything they could do to me.
"The alphas are about to arrive and you're going to greet them wearing that?" Levi ranted as they followed me down the hallway. "Why don't
you make an announcement at the ball that you're turning into a harlot?"
"Levi…" Liam winced at the thought of questioning our brother. I was surprised he said anything at all, but the fact that he did told Levi that he went too far.
"This is the dress I'm wearing." I whipped around to face the two of them, my eyebrows burrowed towards the middle of my face. "It's my birthday and I'll wear what I want. If you two know what's good for you, you'll shut the hell up about it before I rip into both of your necks.
My fangs released. I tried not to show that side of me, as I didn't want my emotions getting the best of me. I used them to feed if I needed to, but for the most part that was unnecessary.
I continued to walk down the hallway with my brothers close behind me, my fangs slowly returning to their resting position. When we reached the staircase, I picked up one side of the dress so that I didn't trip over it as I walked down. Just like my brothers had said, the alphas and their families were about to arrive. My parents were waiting for us at the bottom of the staircase so that we could all enter my father's study together. My mother, looking up at me, seemed to be containing her horror that was surely scratching its way to the surface. She would just have to deal with it.
We walked quietly through the castle’s halls, careful not to say anything one of the council members could hear and then run with. It amazed me how they were able to twist the smallest detail into a damaging lie. Luckily, most people didn't believe what the council tried to spread, but there were some who listened and based their opinions on it. I'd become immune to most of the things they said about me. It's when they went after my father that I got defensive. What bothered me even more was that he didn't stand up for himself. He just took it and moved on. I knew it was the strength inside him that made him capable of ignoring it, but I still didn't understand it.
Once we were all inside of the study, I sat down on the couch farthest away from the door. I never understood why we all needed to be here when the alpha families arrived, but I never argued about it either. I couldn't wait to see them no matter what the occasion was. The alphas saw each other at least once a week, but the rest of us were lucky to see each other once a month.
A spark came from the middle of the room, telling us that the portal was opening. It startled me at first, but I quickly realized what it was, and my heartbeat went back to a normal rhythm. A swirling white circle appeared where the spark had once been, and after a moment, two figures started to walk towards us. I stood up from the couch when I saw the first person exit the portal, hearing the clunk of a trunk dropping on the ground, and footsteps heading in my direction.
Nova wrapped her arms around me before I had a chance to realize what was happening. When she pulled away, her lime green eyes and auburn hair were the only things I could focus on. It was such a beautiful combination. She was a wolf shifter, and the one who was most like me, except she thought about the things she said before she actually said them. I hadn't mastered that skill yet.
Nova's trunk was pushed out of the way so the others could come through, the two of us waiting impatiently. Kota was the next one to wrap her arms around me, the sorceress with bright red hair and amber eyes. She stood in front of us with such confidence that it was hard to believe she was so shy. She stood up for herself when she needed to, but she held back sometimes and hid behind everyone else in situations she wasn't comfortable in. That was when the girls and reminded her and everyone else that she was a badass.
Behind Kota was Deja, the fairy with electric blue eyes and platinum blond hair. Being a fairy already meant she was attractive, but the way she carried herself was what really got everyone's attention. No matter what the situation, she was calm and never showed her emotions—another thing I had yet to master. The last one to be greeted was Juda, the giant with dark brown hair and onyx-colored eyes, who stood above all of us. Her muscle that she built up from training showed a little more than the rest of us, but not enough that she didn't look feminine. She was still graceful no matter what she was doing.
These were the sisters I wish I had with me every single day. Instead, I had my brothers who made fun of me and picked on me whenever they wanted to. I loved them more than anything, but sometimes they couldn't do for me what these four girls could.
I greeted the alphas and their wives—or, as I liked to call them, my aunts and uncles. When I was done with them, I greeted the heirs and their brothers who I had always considered my brothers as well. As far as I was concerned, I had ten brothers and four sisters, and whoever wanted to argue with me about it could come find me anytime to discuss it. We were one big, happy family even though we only saw each other once a month. In this moment, I didn't need anything else because their presence made me feel complete.
Chapter Two
Walking into the ballroom, there were people in every direction from all over the territory. Food had been laid out on tables sitting up against the walls, covered in white tablecloths, and several fountains containing different beverages scattered around the room. The most popular fountain contained red wine, and even though we weren't told we couldn't have any of it, we knew it was frowned upon for the girls and I to drink it, so we left it up to the guests to get a few drinks in for us.
We went towards the fountain that contained a juice that tasted like lemons, only slightly sweeter. Standing three tiers high and made of glass, the fountain was gorgeous. The flooring of the ballroom was black with gray walls. A diamond-covered chandelier hung from the center of the ceiling, shaped like a bowl with five dangling candlesticks, each of them representing a race. The tables set up for the guests were tall and round, each containing three white chairs. The tables, unlike the ones that held all the food, had red tablecloths that matched my dress. That must've been a last-minute change when my mother saw I chose my dress over hers.
I tried to stay hidden, wanting to prevent as much socialization as possible. I sat down at a table with the girls, who had dragged two more chairs over so that we were all together.
"Your mother is going to find you eventually," Deja pointed out as she watched me search for her. "And sticking your head up like that will only make sure she finds you faster."
"As long as you and Juda stay where you are, she shouldn't be able to find me as quickly as she usually does," I said as I ducked my head down.
"What makes you think she won't recognize us?" Kota asked quietly. "If she sees us, she knows you're somewhere nearby."
"Can you just go with it for now?" I begged, doing one more search before taking a sip of the drink Nova had brought to the table. It was just a small sip, enough for me to blend in with everyone else. "All these people are making me anxious. The longer I can avoid talking to all of them, the better I'll feel."
More people entered the ballroom, making it that much harder for my mother to find me. As I was scanning the ones walking in, I caught my father staring right at me. My shoulders dropped as I realized he was about to make me get up and do exactly what my mother wanted me to do. To my surprise, he raised his finger up to his lips and then walked away as if he hadn't seen me. My father saved the day once again. First, he brought me breakfast, and now he let me get away with not greeting the guests who had come to celebrate my birthday.
"The fairy council just arrived," Deja groaned as she turned away from the group entering the ballroom. I glanced over at them, trying not to be obvious. Their noses were in the air as they walked by the villagers. This was the one part I absolutely hated about the events the alpha families put on. Only the villagers from our territory were invited to attend the ball, but for some reason, all five councils were invited and were expected to be there. It was all for show. They didn't actually want to celebrate my birthday, which wasn't an insult or anything like it. I'd prefer they didn't say anything to me at all.
I watched as the council members broke away from their families and greeted my father, who graciously thanked them for coming. They greeted the other alphas, spending more time w
ith Uncle Gabe, the fairy alpha. I rolled my eyes as I forced myself to look away, Deja's smile catching my attention. She was looking at the families of the fairy council, and after a minute of searching I finally found the one fairy who was focusing on our table: Gavin, Deja’s brown-haired, purple-eyed obsession. He smiled, and at first, I thought he’d caught me staring, but then I realized Deja had waved at him.
My heart rate went back to normal just as the giant council walked in. It was hard to miss them. They weren’t as tall as our history said they used to be, but they were still taller than everyone else in ballroom. I couldn't watch more grown men giving my father fake greetings, so I brought up a topic much more awkward.
"Have we found a way to get out going to Execution Day yet?" I asked, watching the horror on my sisters' faces as I waited for an answer.
Juda sighed. "You choose now to bring that up?"
"This is what happens when I'm anxious," I lied, even though I do say and do stupid things when I'm nervous. The silence between us was killing me, so I had to say something. I admit, it was not the best conversation to have at a ball, but it would have to do.
"We're not getting out of it, Luna," Nova said apologetically. "I've been begging my father for weeks and he's not budging. We're lucky we've been able to avoid it this long. The boys started attending when they were twelve."
"I know," I groaned. "I just can't stand the thought of watching people die, even if they are guilty."
"What made you think of Execution Day?" Kota wondered as she glanced in my direction, looking at me like I was the crazy one.
"The councils remind me of death," I muttered as I watched the arrogant men keeping to themselves on one side of the room. They weren't even talking to their families. Were they too good for them too?
"That's actually a very accurate representation of the councils," Nova agreed after she watched the councils interact with each other.
Rise of the Assassin (Child of an Alpha Series Book 1) Page 2