A Court of Fire and Sun

chapter seven

*Esther*

Taryn woke me up with a gentle shake. I sat up quickly drinking in my whereabouts. I had been so lost in my sleep I forgot where I was. She was holding a comb and some hair pins. "Come on. You have to get ready." The woman was wasting no time. I hardly had time to wipe the sleep away from my eyes when she seized my wrists and pulled me up into a sitting position.

"For what?" I let out a rather loud yawn and followed it with a sigh.

"The High Lord of the Night Court has requested texts from Lord Helion's libraries. He will be coming to collect them today and Helion wishes you to be at his side." Taryn was not gentle as she pulled the knots through my waist length hair. "Cauldron boil me, Esther. We need to trim this down."

"So trim it." I stayed still, letting her do her work. Rhysand was coming here? What sort of texts? And what libraries? Surely Taryn had not meant the smaller one in the palace. It was full of books but it didn't look big enough to hold answers for a powerful High Lord such as Rhysand.

"Right now?" Her hands went still.

"You're the one who wants to cut it. You're also the one rushing. That's for you decide."

Within seconds Taryn was out of the room and back with a small pointed pair of scissors. She instructed me to sit at a chair on the far side of my room and I did. The sound of my locks being chopped off sounded like freedom. Every inch was a weight lifted from my chest. Different is good. Change is good.

I waited without saying anything while she finished cutting then styling my hair. In the floor around me was stacks and stacks of red strands. I looked in the mirror and my hair now sat above my shoulders. There was one large intricate braid that started in the front and weaved it's way to the back apex of my head, pinned there by a golden snake hair piece. It matched the cuff Helion wore on his arm.

I slipped the velvet yellow dress over myself that Taryn held out for me. It was a soft yellow, and it clung to my curves like the other dresses I wore here did. The slit at the neck stopped right between my breast and belly button. "Must he always pick stuff so elaborate?"

"Him? He doesn't have taste like this. I made this for you. Your hair pairs perfectly with it. I had to walk all the way to the fabric store at the edge of town for this."

"I didn't mean it in a bad way! It's just, revealing."

"It commands respect. It's intimating and it shows your features nicely. Rhysand and his court are all about first impressions. They have also been known to have an alliance with Eris. You must play the part. Lord Helion is the Sun personified and you must be the flames that gives his sun light."

I wanted to ask questions, asked what part I was supposed to be playing but I only nodded. "The dress is beautiful. Thank you."

Taryn finished getting me ready without another word. She escorted me to the main room where Helion waited, reading over a letter. "Hello," he murmured without looking up from the paper.

"Lord Helion, your full attention would be nice," Taryn's word were sharp. She wanted the male to behold her work and offer her praise. I couldn't blame her for that.

"My apol-" he looked up now, his face going slack. Was it shock? "Her headpiece?" He must have meant the snake that matched his arm so I spun around, letting him see the back of my hair. The air shifted and when I looked back to him his jaw was tight. "Beautiful work. Such a lovely color choice. Thank you, Taryn."

The woman nodded curtly then made a swift exit. "She's a viper," I groaned.

"You look stunning. You've also cut your hair. I like it."