Fate Breakers

Chapter 35

Lenore

The burn of bile hits my throat the second Juno drags me away from the others. I can't breathe, and standing is an equally difficult task. She had this planned from the moment we found out we were headed to Fíntan. The tailored dress that sells it.

It's everything I hate about court life and the Balor wrapped in one. The heart shaped bodice accentuates the curves of my breasts, the slim shape of the skirts outlining my curves. It's a silky fabric, that same dark grey muck that colors our uniforms. And my cloak. Never without the cloak.

Juno is buzzing with excitement. Her dress is similar in color, but her bodice dips down to her stomach, a slit on the side. She's been talking for what feels like hours. I've been more focused on keeping myself standing.

Then my eyes meet the mirror, and a new wave of disgust rolls through me. The red of my lips, the way the paint of my eyes makes them seem wider, the length of my eyelashes. Even the look on my face, the cool and practiced features. But my body isn't the same. The dainty frame is gone, replaced by muscle and scars.

"Gloves."

"H-huh?"

Juno turns to me. She always makes her eyes sharper. Really brings out her inner bitch. "You should wear gloves. Marcellus is going to freak out if he sees your hands."

Marcellus. I haven't thought of him in years. There's a set of dark gloves in my own room. I know they haven't bothered to remove it, out of hope or expectation, I don't know. Juno doesn't even bat an eye as I leave. It's like she was itching to come back, like this is all a game to her.

Stepping back into my room is like stepping back into a prison. They've stripped my shelves of all my books, burned likely, but some stupid part of me is praying Dolores got here in time to hide them. I don't want to look in the closet. I know I'll see the dress, and then I really will vomit. Sitting at the vanity is like stepping into someone else's shoes. I can still see that night. See the makeup, the hair, all the silver and red.

"You came back."

I stand up. "Juliet..."

Juliet looks the same, just without the bruise on her neck. Actually, she looks better. Her dress is wine red, and she wears emeralds in her ears. Wine red and green.

"You switched courts..."

Juliet shrugs. "You know my father."

"You're still..." I stop myself. Juliet still isn't married. Of course she's still following her father around. He's the most valuable asset he has. It makes me wonder, "Have... you gotten one of them?"

"Why are you back here?" A silent warning for me to fuck off. And, some concern, I guess. She walks into the room, picking up a corner of my cloak. Juliet just stares at it. "You found an out, but you kept digging."

"I didn't have a choice," I tell her. I don't know why I don't pull my cloak away. "Silverstine asked us to be here."

"He did?" Juliet scoffs, rolling her eyes. They catch the light from the hall. Still blue. A weight in my chest lifts. "Gods, what a fool. He'll really do anything to appease him."

The weight is back. There's really only one him that matters. "Is Elder Révas here?"

"No, Gods no. Ask the all mighty Elder Révas to attend a gathering he demanded? Now why would he ever do that? Now, a question for you—" Juliet turns back to the door, shutting and locking it. "Who's Gannon Ramirez?"

Can the Gods give that poor man a fucking break?

"Gannon's one of my sergeants." I don't want to give her much more than that. I don't know what she'll use it for.