The Prophecy ( The Replacement Trials #1)

Chapter 22

Aura's POV

They're telling me that we just got back from fighting right after a ball which we now associate with the death of one of our best friends and now they're planning a celebratory ball? That just doesn't seem right. They didn't think through their plans and now, I'm going to make them feel awkward about it.

            Wasting time in my room is easier than I thought. Picking up a book on Druvolain's history, I spiral down the hole of gods, betrayal and eventually a race to work for and praise the gods because they felt the need to boost their egos. Every other sound fell away as I immersed myself in books from the ancient section of the books I'd taken out of the Academy's library before we'd left.

            Now that I knew what my team and I were going to be facing, these tomes were more important than I had originally assumed. There were facts on demons and fallen gods that were going to be useful if we ever come across one of them.

            Looking up, I check the time and notice that I'm already an hour late. Pushing off the couch, I pull open the closet the older students are granted and survey my clothes. Finding nothing fancy enough to wear, I stalk across the hall to find Catarina, she seems to have a better eye for these things than I do.

            Knocking on Aura's door, I hear crashing from inside and then the door swings open to reveal a dishevelled elf and a blushing witch.

            "It appears I've caught you at a bad time." A sly smirk forms across my lips and their blushes deepen. Pushing into her room, I sit on the bed and quirk my brow. Collin, Menidise and Reina are nowhere to be found so these two were left alone in a closed space. Their clothes were rumpled, and Cat's hair was mussed. What on earth were they doing before I interrupted them? Wrestling with each other while making out?

            "What do you want Aura?" Nimue snips at me, irritated that I'd interrupted her time with her girlfriend.

            "I need Cat's help with finding a dress to wear. We're an hour late and should get going." Crossing my arms, I can feel Cat's gaze snap up to scan my face for signs of lies and when she finds none, she bounds over to the trunk she'd magicked in earlier. Opening it, she pulls out dress after dress, muttering to herself with each one before she tosses one in my direction. She declares that it's the only dress that work on me for an event like this.

            Thanking her, I wink at them and leave them alone, warning them not to take too long getting ready. I could hear Nimue mutter a few of her modified curses at me and I laugh.

            Shutting my door behind me, I strip out of the black fighting leathers I have on and unlace the back of the cyan dress Catarina threw at me. It was as fancy as the one I'd one last week, but I wasn't worried about it. This event was a technicality and I wasn't going to make them feel any better about celebrating the danger we'd barely survived.

            Tightening the laces at my waist, I adjust the long-fitted sleeves and swirl the skirt a few times, revelling in the feel of the fabric whispering against my calves. There weren't any embellishments decorating the fabric. It was just straight blue with a simple band of gold around the middle. Grabbing my sandals, I strap them on before splitting my hair into three sections and braiding the length of my tresses. Glancing at the mirror, I deem myself presentable enough to attend the ball and pull open the door. Catarina and Aura are leaving their room and I watch with a smile on my face as they give each together a quick kiss before they're joined by Collin, Menedise and Reina.

            I couldn't help but notice the slight ridge at Cat's middle that stuck out from the rest of her skin. There had to be a bandage around her scar to prevent the fabric of her dress from irritating it. Her smile was deceiving; there had to be some nightmares that came with spending that much time in the Under Realm. Even Collin doesn't spend that long down there.