The Half-Giant's Guide to Seeing the Future

The Day I Was Touched By King Midas

As it turned out, less than twenty-four hours was not enough time for Moreno to teach me to fly. I'd only fallen three more times, but Moreno had caught me each time. By the time lunchtime rolled around the next day, I couldn't do much more than float.

Petra reassured me it was normal as she helped me with my makeup. According to Alana, I couldn't just wear concealer and flannel to meet the Prince of Jontun. Petra had volunteered to help me out, and the moment I walked into her room, I felt overwhelmed.

As it turned out, Petra was an artist. Every wall in her room was a different color. There were a dozen projects of all shapes and sizes going at once. Her desk was scattered with enough makeup to fill a Sephora. She'd spent two minutes just staring at my face and trying to decide how to compliment my newfound heterochromia.

I insisted she try something basic. Based on the edges of Petra's own eyeliner where she'd drawn butterflies in her own face, I knew whatever she thought was basic would still be extravagant.

I wished Jilly had been able to stay. She and Dylan left after a dinner break last night. My stepsister was looking forward to bragging to our brothers that I was learning to fly.

"You look lovely," Petra said, handing me a mirror.

She'd gone for a natural look with pink lipstick and subtle eye shadow. I was wearing more makeup than I usually preferred, but I still looked like myself.

The door burst open, and Gayle walked inside. She was carrying a jumpsuit that surely she wasn't about to make me wear.

"At least gold is your color," Gayle said. "Just imagine if it wasn't."

"And you're sure I have to wear gold?" I asked.

Petra sighed. "It's the color of the Nikone house. Every giant wears their house colors. You're nobility. In order to enter a giant household, you must act according to their customs. Just be glad Gayle altered the dress into pants."

I changed in the bathroom as quickly as I could. The sleeves were sheer gold, and a circular cut-out was in the back of the pantsuit above an embroidered golden eye.

The front was modest and all gold, with a small amount of white lace over the bodice. I zipped the back up and walked out into Petra's room.

"You did a good job," Petra said to Gayle. "You'd never be able to tell that was originally a dress."

"Where did you even get the dress to start with?" I asked.

"Your grandmother made it," Gayle said. "But I thought it was a little old-fashioned, and you couldn't fly in it."

"Well, let's pull your hair back, and you'll be ready to leave," Petra said. "Cause you'll want that out of your face when you fly."

She was right. I let the girls bicker as Petra pulled my hair into a braided bun. Gayle handed her some pins, and she tucked all the loose strands of hair away.

When they were done, I followed both of the girls to the sitting room, where we found Moreno without his uniform. He wore a formal silver jacket decorated with dark gray embroidered swirls. His pants were a dark gray with a silver stripe up the side, and his boots were plated with silver toes.

"Well, Moreno," Gayle said. "You look dashing."

He did clean up nicely. He was freshly shaven, and his hair was pulled into a neat bun. Cufflinks sparkled at the ends of his sleeves, and when he smiled, he looked like a prince.

"You weren't kidding when you said you altered that dress, Gayle," he looked me up and down. "Not exactly old-school nobility, but I like the rebellion."