A Tale of Stars and Shadows

Chapter Five

The three girls walked into the ballroom commanding power. Each of them looked completely stunning, each seeming to sparkle with elegance. Amaya broke the formation first, practically running in. Her raven black hair falling in waves, some bits were braided, flowers weaved in. She wore a sheer, sky blue dress with small, lacy flowers stitched into each side. Her shoulders were bare, her collar bone on display. Amaya seemed to glow.

Rhea walked in next, wearing a dress of sage green, clear, billowing sleeves adorned with large flowers that fell at her sides. A dark green ribbon was tied around her waist letting the rest of the skirts fall around her legs. She looked stunning with her hair pulled half back, curled to accentuate her sharp eyes and cheekbones. She left the group of girls second, in search of food.

The last to walk in was Astrea. Her dress was that of the night sky. The dark blue fabric fell to a deep v neck, fitted until her waist where the skirt flared out ever so slightly, a slit climbing up her leg. The sleeves were loose on her arms but cuffed around her wrists as to not restrict her movements. But the most beautiful part of the dress was the stars that decorated the fabric. Small gems sparkled in the light of the chandelier, accompanied by large stars that looked as if they had been plucked straight from the night sky to be sewn onto the dress. Her hair was pulled back into a low bun, held in place by two deceptively sharp brass pins. People's eyes widened as she walked by, not just at the exquisite dress but by her skin, and her power. She had lifted the glamor she wore daily, just slightly for tonight. Her skin seemed to sparkle along with the stars on her dress, and power leaked off of her in waves. Normally she reigned it in, kept it close at all times, but tonight she let her power roam the walls of the ballroom.

The room itself was grand, to say the least. The polished wood floors gleamed with the light of thirty crystal chandeliers hanging from the vaulted ceiling at least fifty feet above. There was a large space meant for dancing, and a section set aside for tables and food. The most impressive part however was the staircase that led to a small platform meant for an orchestra. The stairs were twenty feet wide, looking as magnificent as ever. The railings swooped downwards, urging her to slide down them, Astrea resisted, looking instead towards the people already dancing.

She took her place off to the side, on the opposite side of the room to the tables and platters of food. She leaned against the wall, watching the people dance. Their movements were so fluid, so graceful. Each step was calculated as they waltzed. All at once, they spun, Astrea closed her eyes listening to the steady sounds of the orchestra. She hadn't come to the ball to dance, no, she had come to make a statement. She was here purely for an alibi so that no one would notice when she eventually slipped out.

She stood against the wall for what felt like hours watching her friends dance, even Rhea and Amaya had joined in. She smiled at the two from her spot away from the dance floor. The music was fast-paced, cheerful, each note echoed around the hall, begging the rest of the students to join the dance. Then it stopped.

When the music began again, it was no longer a fast, happy beat, but a slow, dark song. One of darkness. Astrea smiled to herself. This was the music she had learned to dance to growing up. Songs of drama and darkness. She looked out upon the sea of students closing the distance between them and their dance partners, and she almost felt sad. She quickly recovered and returned to her post, a watchful eye zipping around looking for signs of trouble.

It happened all too soon. The trouble. One moment she was gazing out upon the dancers, the next her nostrils were flaring, her ears heating up. She quickly looked around searching for the source. The source of the smell. The smell of stars and shadow. It was getting closer now. Too close. Astrea closed her eyes for just a moment. A moment to collect herself. A moment to ready herself for whatever was about to happen. When she opened them a man was standing before her, head slightly bowed. He was dressed in all black, a tailored suit that fit him perfectly, he was quite beautiful she realized. He lifted his head and Astrea lost her breath. Those eyes. Those damned eyes. She would recognize them anywhere. The dark blue that seemed to reach into her soul. She looked him up and down, finally noticing the shadows that seemed to pour off him.

He reached out a hand, "care to dance?" Three words. Three words that scared Astrea more than anything.