CORRUPTED FILE [Lumina Chronicles Past Drafts]

Level Twenty-Two: Princess Dress-Up

My month as the Abandoned Order's captive; my month with Faye, and Carlyle, and Serpina, and Kindle... it would all end tonight. It was hard for me to grasp the fact that I'd really been in the Shadow Realm for that long. It just didn't feel right.

I sat at in my usual spot at the kitchen table, picking at my Casimir Candy Crisps with little interest. Everything was going to be over tomorrow. All of the things I learned, all of the hours and hours of dance practice and etiquette training, after tonight, would mean absolutely nothing. I was going to go back through the door and attempt to return to normal life— as if the memories of this place could dissipate so easily.

"Is something wrong?" Kindle asked, his expression worried. He'd been worried about me since the night of Faye's birthday, when he came back to the room and found me curled up on the bed crying. Even though Carlyle insisted I tell Kindle what happened in the hall with Seraphim, I couldn't bring myself to do it. That whole ordeal was pretty much my fault anyway, so I simply told Kindle I was nervous about the impending ball and that it was nothing. Of course he worried anyway, because Kindle was just that kind of person.

It was funny, actually, how much I'd misjudged Kindle when I first met him. I'd seen him only as the person who'd killed me in the game, and the horrible person who'd stolen me away from Elle's house in the middle of the night. In truth, he wasn't either of those things. "Nothing's wrong," I said with a smile, watching as his face relaxed. "I was just thinking."

"Fascinating! Do elaborate," Kindle smiled, leaning forward in his chair as if I was about to tell the most interesting story in the world.

I suddenly felt very self-conscious. I didn't want to tell him my thoughts about how this was ending tonight. For some reason, I felt like telling him that would make it final. Like after those words left my mouth they would become real and solid, and whatever this strange and delicate thing between Kindle and I was would disappear completely. I wanted to hang onto that for at least the rest of the night, and so instead of talking about the end I said, "I was just thinking that, when I first met you, I thought you were a shallow, arrogant jerk."

Kindle nodded slowly, his eyes glinting with humor. "Is there a but?"

"I'm getting there," I laughed. "But now that I've really gotten to know you, I've realized that... I must be more messed up than I thought." Because you're just my type. I stopped the end of the sentence before it could escape my lips. I couldn't say that. I knew Carlyle told me Kindle had feelings for me, and I knew I had feelings for him... but it wouldn't be fair for me to say that now. This would be the last time I sat with him like this, possibly the last time I'd have a conversation with him at all that isn't goodbye. And so I let the words die on my tongue.

Kindle raised his eyebrows expectantly, the smile still on his face, not saying anything.

"I'm more messed up than I thought... because you're one of the best friends I've ever had." I finish lamely, looking back down at my cereal. oh my god, I just friend zoned Kindle.

Kindle's eyes darkened the tiniest bit, and he nodded. "Yeah," he said, running his fingers through his hair. "You're a good um, friend too, Blondie."

"So, tonight's the ball." I said quickly, jumping to the subject I'd been avoiding earlier, trying desperately to diffuse the awkwardness. "Any last minute advice, oh great instructor?"

"You're only job is to get and hold the prince's attention. Say whatever you need to in order to make him like and trust you. Basically, you have to lead him on," Kindle shrugged. "It should be easy enough for you."

Ouch. "Kindle I—"

Faye busted into the kitchen, cutting me off with an excited chirp, "Are you ready to be beautiful?" She smiled brightly, but her smile fell as she glanced back and forth between Kindle and I, who both sat silently. "Did I interrupt something?" She whispered, shuffling back toward the door, "I can come back later...?"