It was a coveted position that welcomed females and included a generous stipend and comfortable accommodations. With my aim, a high elf might consider me—so long as he or she didn’t learn of how I’d failed my deceased mate.
“A royal guard?” Mel wrinkled her nose. “But you are royalty.”
I glanced at my reflection in the mirror. I certainly looked like it. I’d learned to sit up tall and proud at the palace in Dahlquist. Holding my head high had become second nature, as natural as breathing.
“Not really, and no one needs to know that,” I said dismissively.
Title aside, I’d been more bodyguard than bride, which is why I should fit right in as one of the archers of a royal guard.
Mel frowned.
“I don’t want you to go off as part of a royal guard either. Can’t you sell off your jewels and gowns? We did it before and got by. And you have much finer things now,” Mel added. “We could buy a cottage back in Pinemist. I could grow our vegetables.”
I smiled, relieved Mel had said “grow” and not “steal.” I put my arm around her and gave her a gentle squeeze.
“You know, that’s not a bad idea. I have a friend who still owes me for a deer I brought him fifteen months ago.”
Mel giggled and I winked.
There was a loud knock on the door.
“Aerith?” Father called. “The witching hour approaches.”
I stood slowly then leaned forward and kissed Mel on top of her fiery red head.
“We’ll plan more after I return from the ball.”
One last night to be a fancy high lady and to steer clear of my father’s meddling. Ever since the ticket to the ball had arrived, he’d stopped showcasing me to the bachelors of Sweetbell. Maybe if I led him to believe I’d met a prospective mate at the ball, it would buy Mel and me enough time to sell off my trousseau and jewels and move before he had the chance to interfere.
It was only a matter of time before Shalendra made a match—what need did Father have of a grand estate and servants?
I stepped into my gold-threaded slippers and opened my bottom armoire drawer to pluck out a golden masquerade mask. If Liri attended, I didn’t want him to recognize me. At a ball filled with all manner of creatures, I was certain no one would raise a brow at an elf with a partially covered face.
No one need know I was ever at the ball.
My family walked me out to the courtyard where we stood beneath the dark sky filled with bright stars and a glowing moon.
Shalendra looked at my face and frowned. “I don’t remember reading anything on the invitation about it being a masked ball.”
I lifted my chin. “No, but it adds an air of mystique, don’t you think?”
Shalendra scowled.
Father inspected me from head to foot before resting on my eyes.
“Remember to mingle and make yourself available, but not too available. You might have to kiss some frogs before you find your prince.” Father’s eyes narrowed. “Just make sure it doesn’t go beyond kissing. Any prosperous male who is interested must wed you before he beds you.”
I rolled my eyes from behind my mask.
“Good to know you’re not pimping me out, Father,” I said sarcastically.
“I mean it, Aerith. Don’t go embarrassing this family or yourself.”
“With my mask on, who’s to know?” I asked cheekily. With my independence looming on the horizon, I didn’t feel compelled to stand silent and listen to this crap.
“Aerith,” Father said in a warning tone.
A flash of light cut off whatever my father was going to say next. I tried to look at Mel one last time, but brightness filled my vision, turning everything white. I blinked once, twice—a third time. The light faded into fog that settled around my legs. Light turned to dark and cool air caressed my bare arms, chest, and neck.
Two large towers flanked an open archway and just beyond them, an ancient gray stone castle appeared before me. I couldn’t see my golden slippers through the low-hanging fog as I stepped through the archway into a large, open courtyard. Misty fields flecked with twinkling purple lights bordered either side of the stone square.
I wondered what realm I was in. Certainly not the elfin one—powerful magic had spirited me away. Nor did this feel like Faerie. It was too dark. Too gray. Too ominous.
I gripped my silver ticket, my arms pressed against my sides.
“I am sunshine in the dark,” I reminded myself. “And I will burn anyone who means me harm.”
With a tight smile, I lifted my head and followed a stone pathway to the castle with its weather-roughened turrets, towers, and pointy spires stabbing into the night’s sky. A streak of red caught my eye in the gloom as a female in a long red cape and black hair approached the castle’s entrance. Two gigantic stone gargoyles guarded the arched entry. When the caped female stepped between them they transformed into large, dark-skinned males. One wore a shiny red suit jacket, the other wore a black one. I stopped in my tracks, swallowed, and watched as the caped female handed the male in red her ticket. Blue light shone from the castle’s entrance and the woman stepped into it, the edge of her cape moving wispily behind her.
Good to see I wasn’t the only one arriving stag. I could already imagine myself drifting along the outskirts of the dance floor, an outsider as I’d been in Faerie. At least all manner of creature was invited to The Monster Ball. I might even see some other elves.
By the time I reached the gargoyles, they’d transformed back into stone. As I stepped between them, the air pulsed and they shimmered into the two gorgeous dark-skinned imposing males—identical twins I saw from close up, though one wore his dreadlocks longer and they’d chosen different-colored suit jackets to wear over tight black pants.
I cleared my throat and extend my arm with the silver ticket, announcing myself.
“Aerith Elmray, of Pinemist in the elven realms.”
I no longer lived in Dahlquist, and Sweetbell didn’t feel like my true home, so I chose Pinemist. It would be true soon enough.
The twins looked at one another and smirked before returning their sharp, black-eyed gazes to me.
“Name and origin don’t make a difference here, sweetie,” the male in the matte black jacket with shiny black lapels said.
“So long as you have a ticket,” added the male in the shiny red suit jacket with an embossed rose print.
I looked from one twin to the other, eyebrows lifting above my golden mask.
The male in the black suit jacket grinned widely.
“I think we have a first-timer, Bronx.”
The male in red nodded.
“I’d say so, Lex. She even wore a mask. Isn’t that cute?”
Chuckling, the one named Lex patted me gently on the back.
“Fear not, you’re hardly the only newbie tonight. Let me take that ticket from you.”
As I handed my ticket over, the male named Bronx swept his hand toward the opening.
“Welcome to The Monster Ball, Aerith Elmray of Pinemist. Do try not to behave yourself.” He winked.
As I’d seen with the caped woman, a blue light shone outward, beckoning me into its glow. I stepped forward, entering a tunnel that dimmed with each footstep until I was plunged into darkness.
Chapter Five