Wind Wielder

Chapter 29 - Power play

Helion had given them an entire wing of the Palace, complete with welcome chambers for each of their private chambers, though none were as big as the High lord and Lady's, which in accordance with their title, had gotten the nicest, largest rooms.

Dinner was a formal, orderly affair. The excitement had been tangible in the air, though for the most part, all of Helion's courtesans and high ranking officials had been exceptionally well behaved. Although if any of the stories of what sort of revelries were occurring outside the palace walls that Zara's winds told her about where anything to go off of, it was clear Helion must have ordered those within this room to put on a good civilized show for the Night Courts first night in Day.

Helions eyes had positively glowed when he had laid eyes on Zara for the first time at dinner, with good reason.

Upon arriving at her chambers, Zara realized Helion had in fact left her plenty of options laid out carefully on her bed. And while initially Zara had been miffed about his arrogant presumptions towards dressing her how he liked, she found herself taking back any and all grievances with the High Lord.

Because those outfits were fucking stunning.

Zara supposed she shouldn't have expected anything less from Helion, who was notoriously a diva, and far more flamboyant than Rhys. It would only make sense he would leave her outfits as striking as his Court. With careful games inlaid in his showy gifts of kindness.

Helion had left her four dinner outfits to choose from. And while all were beautiful, he had clearly offered her a choice of two outfits that were pretty but polite, and two that were pretty but striking.

Zara had chosen the latter.

The dress was shorter than any Zara had ever worn in her life, though she figured that wasn't saying much seeing as her father had never permitted her to wear anything other than what was polite for a lady of the court back hom–in Dawn. The white, A-line dress barely went past her finger tips, leaving all of her long, bronze legs on display. It had a strapless sweetheart neckline, golden gold detailing at every hem, and white gauzy billowing sleeves. Paired with the bicep and wrist clasps and intricate golden detailing at her waist, Zara felt nothing short of beautiful.

But what she knew was the icing on the cake for Helion, was the fact that when Zara came late to dinner, she didn't even look at the Night Court, seated at a table to Helion's right. She strode right past them, and cozied right into the seat of honor Helion had offered her at his side.

And the entire Day Court emissaries and inner circle of the Night Court watched as Zara ignored Rhys'  and his inner circle entirely for all of dinner, and instead shook every single hand of Helion's inner circle, getting to know them on a first name basis. 

She felt Rhys tapping on her mental shields. Multiple times. She could feel his irritation, his embarrassment. But Zara raised her mental shields even higher. Blocking him out with walls thicker and stronger than The fucking Wall.

Helion gifted Zara a draping, intricate golden body chain right there at the dinner table, and Zara made sure to smile extra big, extra broad, as she unfurled her tattooed leg and donned the chain directly over top of her Night Court tattoo, as if covering a brand.

It was that same thigh chain that covered her Night Court tattoo that Zara could feel the rest of the Night Court inner circle staring at after dinner, as they all sprawled in various positions of comfort in the plush couches and chaises in their Day Court guest quarters after retiring from dinner.

The air was tense and awkward, thick enough to cut with a knife. But Zara didn't mind. In fact, she relished in it. She relished in the eyes that seem to cut back to her leg every few minutes, as if unable to look away from the gold jewelry covering the black tattoo.