Chapter Twenty Six - Bloom Before The Storm
LIORA
The sky outside the palace had begun to darken, not with storm clouds this time, but with the deep navy hue of twilight. Inside my chamber, golden candlelight danced along the walls, casting a warm glow on the ornate mirror in front of me. A soft hush lingered in the air, only broken by the gentle swish of silk and the quiet hum of Iris’s voice.
“You truly look like a dream, my lady,” Iris said, her fingers deftly smoothing the silken layers of my deep sapphire gown. The bodice shimmered with a subtle thread of silver embroidery, delicate patterns that mimicked vines curling around moonlight.
I sat still, my breath catching softly as Iris dabbed a hint of rose blush onto my cheeks. The girl’s hands moved with precision, careful not to overwhelm my already porcelain-pale skin. My dark curls had been swept partially up, soft tendrils falling down the sides of my face, framing it with a gentle kind of wild elegance.
“You have the sort of beauty that people write poetry about,” Iris said with a playful wink, reaching for a pearl-tinted balm. “No wonder the palace’s most brooding soul has been walking around like thunder these days.”
I blinked at my reflection, unsure whether to laugh or flush. “I think he walks like that all the time.”
“Well,” Iris grinned, “maybe tonight you’ll give him a reason to smile.”
Before I could respond, a knock echoed from the door.
“Enter,” Iris called out, brushing a final curl into place.
Kaira stepped in, already dressed in her ball gown—ice blue with tiny crystals sewn into the fabric like captured stars. Her eyes immediately swept over me, then widened with awe.
“Stars above…” she breathed, stepping closer. “You’re—goddess, Liora—you look like one of the old stories. A moonborn enchantress.”
I smiled softly, brushing a hand against my gown. “You’re one to talk. You look like you walked out of a beautiful painting.” I said
Kaira beamed, then glanced at Iris. “But her hair—wait, I have an idea.” She swept over to a small chest by the vanity and pulled out a delicate hairpiece: silver pins shaped like crescent moons, with tiny sapphire drops that matched the deep hue of my dress.
“Let me,” she said excitedly, taking the pins from Iris with graceful authority. “Just a little more sparkle… here.”
She tucked one of the pins into the braid that circled the back of my head, her fingers careful and confident. “Perfect. Like the moon and the stars crowned you herself.” She was full of excitement.
I turned my head slightly in the mirror, seeing the final transformation. My eyes shimmered under the soft kohl lining, my lips dusted with rose. The pins caught the light like frozen raindrops.
“I’ve never dressed like this before,” I said quietly.
“Then tonight,” Kaira said, touching my shoulder gently, “You become someone unforgettable. The first time is always the most magical.”
There was a pause before Kaira leaned down and whispered, “And I hope he sees you the way I do.”
I glanced up.
“Like you were meant for this place,” Kaira smiled.
Iris moved toward the door, her voice cheerful. “The ball is about to begin. I’ll let the guards know she’s ready.”
As the chamber emptied, I stood slowly, taking one last look at myself in the mirror. My heart fluttered with nerves—but also something deeper.
Anticipation.
And just beyond the mirror’s reflection… the memory of black eyes flashing in the darkness.
I turned from the mirror, banishing the thought, and reached for courage.
It was time to step into the ball.
The grand double doors of the ballroom stood tall and imposing, their ornate gold handles cold beneath the palms of the guards standing at attention. Music floated softly from within—strings and flutes blending into a graceful, lilting melody that seemed to echo off the marble halls like a dream waiting to begin.
I stood just beyond those doors, my gloved fingers clutching a small silver fan more for comfort than for use. My heart thundered inside my chest, louder than the orchestra on the other side. I was radiant, every inch of my dressed in elegance, but uncertainty still clung like a shadow beneath the fabric.
Kaira stood beside me, her blue gown sparkling like snow beneath starlight. The young princess smiled, reaching to gently squeeze my hand.
“Don’t look so nervous,” she whispered. “You look like a vision. Trust me, the moment you step in, they’ll all forget how to breathe.”
I gave a tentative smile. “You make it sound like I’m walking into a battlefield.”
“In this palace?” Kaira raised a brow, grinning. “It’s exactly that.”
The guards gave a small bow, then moved in sync to pull open the towering doors.
A hush fell over the ballroom.
All at once, conversation paused, glasses were lowered, dancers froze mid-step. Heads turned—nobles, foreign envoys, lords, ladies, ambassadors—every eye in the grand, opulent room shifted to the entrance.
And there I stood.
In my deep sapphire gown threaded with silver, moonlight gleaming along the edges of my silhouette. My dark hair was woven with glimmers of starlight, pins nestled into my braids. Candlelight from a hundred golden chandeliers caught the shimmer of my gown and haloed her in a pale glow. I looked ethereal—like something not meant to walk on mortal ground.
Kaira stepped forward first, head high with royal grace, a mischievous smirk tugging at her lips as she surveyed the stunned expressions. Her gaze swept over them with pride, as if silently daring anyone to speak against what they saw.
Then I took a step forward.
Each click of my heel echoed into the silence. There was no tremble in my stride, only the softness of someone trying to tame a storm within. But I walked with my chin slightly lifted, my eyes forward, every movement regal and fluid.
Whispers started, like the flutter of feathers.
“Is that her?”
“The second prince’s bride?”
“The slave”
“She’s… beautiful…”
“Where is the prince?”
But none dared speak too loud. Not when I passed by like a breath of moonlight shining through the windows.
Kaira leaned toward me as we made our way toward the center of the room. “Told you,” she whispered, pride dancing in her voice. “You’ve completely stunned them.”
The gazes went back to what the were doing.
“I feel like I might faint,” I murmured back, smiling stiffly through my poise.
Kaira laughed softly, wrapping her arm around mine. “Good. That’s the spirit of a princess.”
We reached the base of the grand staircase where the royal family would soon be seated on their elevated dais. Darius raised a glass toward them from a nearby table, giving a flirtatious smile—though it faltered slightly when I didn’t return it.
My eyes subtly scanned the crowd.
He wasn’t there.
Kieran had yet to arrive.
A breath left my lips, one I didn’t know I was holding. I hadn’t expected to miss him amidst the attention, but now that I was standing beneath the full weight of a hundred stares, I found myself longing for the grounding presence of his storm-colored gaze.
Kaira, ever perceptive, leaned in again. “He’ll come, since he said he would,” she whispered. “He’d be mad to break his promise.”
I gave a small nod, my eyes lifting to the ballroom’s crystal chandeliers.
I was still catching my breath from the weight of her entrance when Kaira’s eyes suddenly lit up, her expression transforming with sheer delight. Without warning, she let out a joyful gasp and darted forward, her silken gown flowing like a wave behind her.
“Renese
!” she squealed, her voice echoing slightly above the music.