hearts of metal

xxxviii. care to dance?

 Aedion tapped his foot impatiently while waiting in the living room. He tugged at the sleeves of his tux and glanced around at the others. His father and the cadre were all dressed in similar formal attire for tonight's event.

The charity gala was an annual event for their business. Both legal and illegal. Today was especially important as members from other mafias would be there, and they needed allies to go up against the Valg.

He sighed and checked his watch. "Where is she? We're going to be late."

As if summoned by his words, a figure appeared at the top of the stairs. His heart stopped as he stared. "She looks just like mom," he breathed.

His dad placed a hand on his shoulder. "She does."

There was no denying that Aelin had grown so much from the four year old girl she'd been. In looks, she was just like Evalin.

Aelin seemed to preen as she noticed their attention. The gown she wore was black and off shoulder with long sleeves. It flared out at the bottom in a skirt that trailed on the ground like ink.

But the most theatrical thing about the dress was the gold dragon embroidered in thread that wrapped its way around her body.

She made her way down the steps, heels clicking against the marble.

As she got closer, he noticed her golden hair twisted into an intricate braid on her head. Before she could say a word, Aedion and their father pulled her into a hug.

Aelin raised an eyebrow at them as they finally pulled away. When their dad whispered, "you look just like Evalin," her face softened. "You're beautiful."

"Thanks, dad."

"You've grown up so well, and I couldn't have asked for a better daughter. I'm proud of you."

Her Ashryver eyes glittered with tears, but she laughed and waved them off. "Your old age is making you sappy," she said. Blinking away the tears, she glanced around at everyone else. "You all clean up nice."

Fenrys beamed at her. "Some entrance you made there."

She smirked. "It's not my fault I turn heads."

"Vain until the very end," Rowan muttered, but there was a strange look in his eyes as he glanced at Aelin.

"The dress is gorgeous," Vaughan gushed. "Can I see the back?"

Aelin's smirk dropped as she nodded. She turned around, lifting the skirt as she did.

Aedion's heart stopped beating for the second time. The dress was backless, a low scoop of fabric all the way down at her waist. Revealing her thoroughly scarred back. The worst of the scars were three ragged ones trailing from her waist up to her shoulder.

All around him, there was stunned silence.

He felt the shock morph into anger at the men who had done this to her. Perrington, he recalled. He still hadn't managed to track him down, but he made a mental note to skin the man alive once he did.

Aelin turned back around, meeting their eyes reluctantly. "I can change if..." she trailed off uncertainly.

It was Rowan who said, "don't." Aedion sent him a surprised glance, but Rowan wasn't looking at him. "They're nothing to be ashamed of."

Damn right.

His little sister beamed. "Well, then. We should get going before we're late."