As Vladim moved to turn the locks, I heard Genya whisper. "You definitely owe me a kiss after all this, Don't think I won't hold you to it."
I laughed lightly. "We'll see."
"There is no seeing, you will, if I have to be the one to do it then so be...
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ONE QUIET AFTERNOON WHEN THE OTHER GRISHA had ventured out of Os Alta, Genya convinced me and Alina to sneak into the Grand Palace, and we spent hours looking through the clothes and shoes in the Queen's dressing room.
Genya insisted that I try on a pale pink silk gown studded with river pearls, and when she laced me up in it and stuck me in front of one of the giant golden mirrors, I had to look twice. I'd learned to avoid mirrors in the past because of my eye color and how much I really looked Fjerdan, but since my time here I've gotten to see two different versions of myself.
The tracker girl who was born in Fjerda and whose parents had abandoned her for something I still didn't understand, but then there was this newer version, I almost looked like a stranger if I am being completely honest, my cheeks a pale pink, sharp cheeks, sharp jaw, glossy beautiful golden blonde hair that stopped at my hips, and fairly slim for her age.
I could only stare at this new version of myself, not knowing exactly what to think about her. But then I was shaking my head and caught Genya's gaze in the mirror, and she grinned.
"Is this why you dragged us in here?" Alina asked, with a pair of golden heels, in hand, "whatever do you mean?" Genya asked innocently.
"You know what she means." I said, smiling at Genya in the mirror, "I just thought you might want to get a good look at yourselves, that's all."
I swallowed the embarrassing lump in my throat and gave her an impulsive hug, "thanks." I whispered. Then I gave her a little shove. "Now get out of the way. Your distracting me." I said and Genya smirked, "that's my job."
❂♕
We lost track of time, and Genya had to help me and Alina scramble out of two different aquamarine ball gowns and back into our Kefta so that we could hurry down to the lake for our evening lesson with Baghra. We ran all the way giggling like little girls until we were at the hut. We were late though, and she was furious.
The evening sessions with Baghra were always the hardest, but she was practically tough on both of us that one night.
"Control!" She snapped as the weak wave of sunlight that I'd summoned flickered on the lakeshore, "where is your focus?"
On Genya, I thought but didn't say. We had gotten so caught up in the distractions of the Queen's wardrobe that we'd forgotten to even attend dinner, but I didn't mind, I wasn't hungry.
I centered myself next to Alina and the light bloomed brighter with both of our power, reaching out and over the frozen lake. "Better," she said. "Let the light do the work for you. Like calls to Like."
