CASSANDRA
Much to my surprise,
Kaleb didn’te searching for me until the next day, and even then, he didn’t meet with me in person. Instead, he sent Ms.
Benn, who arrived at the door of nly room with a garment bag in tow. The heal servant''s icy eyes were nk as they met mine,
and she handed me the bag without a word.
“What''s going on?” | wondered as | epted it hesitantly. “What is this?”
“The king sent me to invite you to a party tonight, she exined in her low, heavily ented yoice. “To celebrate the return of the
diplomatic corps. You wille alone while your maid and your son remain in the room.”
| wanted to shove the garment bag back at her and tell her to leave me alone, bt | knew that | didn’t have the right to turn down
an invitation from the king. Though we had our own chamber, we were still prisoners of a sort, so | needed to do as instructed.
So. | nodded.
“The king wants you to wear this tonight.” Ms. Benn continued, and after her strange eyes trailed over me, she gave onest
instruction. “And he wishes for you to wear your hair up.
The head servant turned on her heels and left, and once she was gone, | closed the door and then brought the garment bag over
to Erika. The maidid it down on the bed and carefully unzipped it, revealing a silk dress. The color was so dark it was nearly
ck, but when she held it up. | could see it was actually sapphire.
“Oh my,” Erika noted as she spun the dress around, and when she did. my lips parted in surprise. The dress was gorgeous and
much like the one I''d worn during the banquet back in Merliscire Pce, but it was much more revealing. It was sleeveless, with
a high neck, and the skirt was long, but it had an incredibly high slit, and the entire back was exposed. It was much more daring
than anything I''d ever worn before, though | wasn’t all that surprised.
Along with the dress came a pair of high heels, and | winced at the sight of them. | was quite petite, so | wasn’t a stranger to
heels like that, but | rarely wore things like that nowadays.
“This is a deliberate humiliation,” Erika said through pursed lips as she studied the garment. | wanted to agree. | didn’t know what
Kaleb intended to do. Though | was a prisoner with no hope of escape, | knew | needed to protect myself.
So, two hourster, after Erika helped me twist my long copper hair into an borate updo and applied some makeup to my tired
features, | put on the dress and hid two syringes of anesthetic and a long needle | could use as a weapon into my handbag.
Better safe than sorry.
Though the dress was revealing, it was quite beautiful. It hugged me tightly, but the color was a perfect contrast against my fair
skin and fiery hair
Ms. Benn came to collect me once the sun went down and she escorted me down the stairs and out of the side building of the
castle: | walked very slowly, as it was difficult to keep my bnce on a stone-pavedne, especially with it being so dark. The
night was so cold that | shivered and held my arms. This dress provided no warmth at all, and | felt chilled to my bones.C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.
The lights were sparse outside, and | couldn’t help but wonder if that was also a deliberate arrangement to avoid being found by
their war opponents. Things here were so strange and guarded that it seemed to make sense
Ma. He led me into the main building, and | was surprised to see that Kalebs was waiting for me outside of what 1 paruumed to
be the banquet hall. He straightened up at once when he saw me
11 wore a finely tailored suit, pa back, and lus shiny goldenrownu had been tied back with a ck velvet ribbon. His avy eyes
were bright, and when they trailed over a shiver traveled down my spine. The tall foreign king was incredibly mention but | felt
likeerof prey in his gaze
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11:45 Fri, Feb 23.
Ms. Benn bowed her head and retreated as Kaleb walked over and gestured for me to take his arm. | didn’t speak a word but
complied and followed him into the room
The banquet hall was veryrge, maybe asrge as the one of Merliscire, but the decoration of it was much simpler. The walls
and floors were white, but the stone glittered in the candlelight. It was like we were in a castle of ice, though the room. was
heated.
There were many people in the hall. Women were
sel just as sparsely as | was, their dresses exposing their lovely
frames. Heat spread to my checks at the sight. | wasn’t a prudde, just wasn’t used to things like this.
Some of the people in the room were tangled with their partners, their bodies and lips kissing and touching. It was almost more
like a mating party than a weing one. Was it mating season now?
Raven was right.
Things were more civil in the North.
| avoided eye contact with those lust-filled wolves and instead paid attention to the more polite ones. Kaleb was greeted by a few
people when we entered the hall and introduced me at once as an “excellent healer.
Though they all made weird faces, just as Raven had when they heard the word “healer,” they all showed their respect for me. It
was probably just for Kaleb’s sake, but | didn’t mind it anyway.
Suddenly. | heard a cheerful voice call to me, and | turned to see it was Raven. Her hair was shiny and fell in perfect waves to
her shoulders, while her tall, elegant frame was highlighted by a tight, burgundy silk dress. It was low cut, but her chest was.
modest enough not to show too much. Her full lips had been painted dark red, and at once, | thought of Adalyn, though Raven
somehow looked much more lovely.
“Hi Cas sandra,” Raven gushed as she reached me, and she gave me a big hug. “I knew he would bring you here.”
Her smile was bright and she gave me a mischievous wink. It was clear she believed he had a crush on me, but this was a huge
misunderstanding. But what else could | say? | couldn''t tell Raven that | was a pawn or a hostage. It would sound too pathetic,
and besides. | didn’t know if she could be trusted, even though she''d saved Finnick. Sure, she was hospitable and kind, but |
couldn’t let my guard down.
Before | could say something, an icy voice called out to Raven, and when a figure appeared behind her, | thought I''d lost my
mind. The woman had the same face, eyes, and hair as Raven’s, though there was a more serious expression on her features.
She was also slightly taller, and her muscles were more defined. | knew from her powerful, confident gair that she had to be a
trained warrior.
Raven’s twin bowed her head at Kaleh before turning to face me. Her stare was sharp, and | fought the urge to shiver as her
blue-
e-green eyes trailed over me. She was like a jungle cat, poised and ready to pounce
“Cas sandra, this is Roxy Carter, the king of Yurene introduced us, and then he nced at Raven. “And | see you’ve met her twin
Raven though I’m not sure how that’s possible.”
Just as | was about to exm, Raven spoke up first.
“Her son had been poisoned by the mist, she exmed “I brought her a cure and then showed her sorceries. She seemed quite
shocked
file continued to rande on until Roxy cut her off
That’s enough her tat sand harshly “We don’t need every detal
Sony Bases sald quietly and then she offered an apologetis jassion was just
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14 say so thing audire sur m
11:45 Fri, Feb 23.
“Wee back, Kaleb
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