A Court Of Nightmares

Chapter Thirteen Starlight

"How much time did you have?" I asked wide-eyed, toward the trunk full of dresses Ignes hauled into the middle of my room. She insisted that we all go to my room to get changed for the night she had planned. Even though it was early afternoon at best and the sun was far from setting.

"Don't worry about it," Ignes replied, popping open the lid of the trunk. Where there were an infinite amount of simmering gold silk dresses. Mia took a step closer, her face scrunched up in amazement. Ignes kneeled in front of the trunk, fully aware that both of us were staring. Her hands shuffled through it looking for a certain piece. Her eyes lit up with excitement when she pulled out a rather elegant dusty rose floor-length gown. It was a chiffon sleeveless v neck that seemed to have the appearance of a thin fabric that was perfect for the May heat.

Ignes pressed the dress to Mia's small frame inspecting her work against her model. Mia's eyes widened looking back and forth towards Ignes and the dress.

"Tell me you didn't Ignes," she mumbled, touching a piece of the chiffon fabric in awe. I smiled as I examined it myself. It was a perfect color for her skin tone. It seemed to make her stand out compared to those bland uniforms she had to wear.

"I did, and you're wearing it tonight," Ignes said, pushing her towards the bathroom to change. Slamming the door shut behind her before Mia even had the chance to protest.

"Seriously! Why do I even have to go?" Mia yelled through the wall annoyed. Jiggling the door handle trying hard to open it. But Ignes held tight, keeping it shut, making the knob turn bright orange. Leading to a prominent shriek on the other side of the door.

"Ignes Alexina Athia! Did you just burn the knob?"

"No! Of course not!"

But Ignes grinned to herself saying otherwise on the matter. "Alexina?" I muttered to myself with a slight smile of my own. Brushing the knots out of my wet curls at the vanity. In a tightly wrapped navy blue robe.

Ignes sneered at me at the mention of her middle name putting a hand on her hip. "Not a word from you," she warned, turning back to the door. I put my hands up in surrender chuckling softly as I continued to work on my hair.

"You know I've never seen you once look at yourself deeply in the mirror. It is like you are avoiding your own presence," Ignes stated out of the blue, squinting her eyes at me. Looking towards the mirror behind me.

"Must you always observe so closely?" I asked, putting the brush down. Standing up from my chair to grab another book at my white bedside table. Sitting on the normal crisp white sheets of my bed.

"I'm just saying, it's like you are afra-" Ignes stopped mid-sentence. Dropping her hand away from the golden doorknob in realization. "You're afraid of your own reflection."

I rolled my eyes, going back to my book ignoring her completely. Ignes sat on the other side of the bed gently as if she was trying not to scare me off. She opened her mouth to say something, but Mia busted right through the bathroom door. Wearing the dress Ignes made for her which seemed to fit like a glove.

"It's perfect," Mia smiled, going closer to my vanity to stare at herself in the mirror. She had put her hair in a small low bun. With some of her bright ash-blond strands framing her face. Ignes stood from the bed, observing every inch of Mia. Full of pride in her work.

"This discussion isn't over, Nyx," Ignes said deeply, her eyes still trained on Mia. Then snapped her fingers making a Night court colored black mini dress appear next to me. For once the action didn't surprise me. It had a deep v neck with ruched detailing on the top. Making it appear as a tight corset top with a normal skirt at the bottom. My eyes went wide at how much the fabric reminded me of some dresses at home. I've never seen a person in Velaris ever wear something so short. Even though it was completely normal to me. It was scandalous to them and bound to turn heads.