Dragonslayer

Chapter Four

The girl in the mirror looks strange.

She's wearing a teal dress that frames her figure and makes her look older, somehow. Her long hair isn't tied up or unruly, but swept over one shoulder with a waterfall braid that makes it look beautiful. Her amber eyes don't look as dangerous as usual- they look softer, thanks to a little framing by make-up.

"I don't look like me," I say eventually.

"You do," Cherila tells me in a hushed voice. "You just never see yourself like this."

I frown. "Like what?"

"Like you have the potential to be beautiful." She wipes at the corner of her eye. "I'm going to get your shoes." Huh. Beautiful. Beautiful doesn't win you fights, and beautiful doesn't kill your enemies. Beautiful is a waste of time.

Elivia, the girl who did my hair, offers me a tentative smile. I return it. "My hair looks so much nicer. Thank you."

"You're welcome." She doesn't look much older than me, and she's much, much prettier. "I hope you have a nice time at the party." She tries to hide her wistfulness but I catch on immediately.

"Would you like to come?"

She looks up, startled. "With all due respect, Miss Sequetur-"

"Kai is fine."

"With all due respect, Miss Kai, I don't think you'd be able to take a hairdresser to a party like this."

I take one last glance in the mirror. "No, I wouldn't. But if we get you a nice dress, I don't think anyone would notice. You'd look far nicer than most celebrities."

She blushes and stammers. "U-uh. Um. I..."

"Find Cherila in the shoe room. Tell her I sent you, she'll find you a dress."

"Th-thank you," she manages in amazement. "Wow. Um, would you like anything?"

I think. "Something to eat," I decide. I really am hungry. "Like... toast. Yeah, I could do with toast."

"Right away."

She practically runs out of the room. Once she's gone, I take a few breaths to compose myself and look back into the mirror.

Tomus is gone. I've accepted that now- no, I haven't, but I don't have another choice. Instead of mourning him, I'm trying to carry on. That's not a crime, is it?

Maybe that's part of the reason why my eyes have lost their fire- I've doused it out with tears. I know it's crazy, but I miss it. I look pale and weak without it, even though I always hated having such angry eyes.

I look beautiful, and I don't like it.

I really am going crazy.

"Kai!" someone screams. "Kai, oh, I'm sorry, help!"

My instincts take over. The voice sounds terrified. I pull open the hidden drawer in the dressing table and sprint out of the room, barefoot, wielding a knife.

Thankfully, the dress isn't tight, and I can run in it.

"Elivia!" I yell, because I can recognise her voice now. "Elivia, where are you?"

It takes me a minute to navigate the confusing corridors I've never been in before, but I eventually get to the right door. I throw it open and stop short.

Elivia is cowering in a corner of the room, an arm thrown over her face which is pulled apart with fear.

Inching towards her like a hunter on the prowl is a toaster.