Capes

Preface

| TRIALS |

     SHE was late.  Milana hurried up the many marble steps leading into the prestigious building she spent so much time in.  Her strappy high heels clicked a rhythm on the stairs as her long dark purple coat billowed around her in the wind.  The wind was something she would have welcomed on any other day, as it was refreshing, but today it only hindered her ability to keep her coat in check as she scrambled to get to her destination.

     The scarlet red hallways were empty as Milana walked the shiny marble floors with brisk strides aided by the long legs she had been blessed with.  The pair of large gold flecked wooden doors up ahead, Milana let free her tumble of wild brown curls from the bun they had been confined in and placed the mask over her face.

     She knew they didn't have to wear them- that in here they were about as useless as other ways to keep an identity secret- but part of her craved that side of herself.  The identity that came along with it, even if it was one everyone in the room would know.  Besides, it was something she had gotten used to wearing long ago.

   Back when there had been a reason to keep secrets.  Fixing the mask before striding in, Milana pushed open the white wooden doors dramatically and entered the cavernous room.  She had always enjoyed making an entrance.

   Something of a throne room formerly, the cavernous room was huge, but the space wasn't nearly used the way it likely should have been.  Only a long table with chairs scattered about it was in the room, leaving the rest to be in darkness because the only light provided was the chandelier above as well as a few candles lit on the table.

   Milana knew it had been a mistake allowing Nox to take over details like furniture and design.  The whole space felt gloomy and brooding- two things Nox definitely clicked well with.  But anger wasn't to be left out as Nox rose, his hazel eyes being just about the only thing Milana could see of him in the dark.  The rest of him, especially his dark brown curly hair, melded in with the dark.

    Milana ignored his sour mood and instead turned to everyone else in the room, the five other pairs of eyes that watched her warily.  Making sure to look at everyone, she sat down in the place at the table marked by a place card that had a lipstick stain on it in her favourite shade.  Blossom purple.

   Folding her hands delicately over the table, Milana smiled at her fellow heroes.  She was glad they had all listened to her call; this had been short notice, she knew, but it was of utter importance that they spoke about the situation.

   After all, they had a new player in the game.

   That wasn't something to be dismissed so easily as it had been assumed the only players were at this table and there could be no more, especially not one right here, in the hearth of it all.  Glass Heights.  Nox took his seat across from Milana and stared her down with his piercing hazel eyes that bore into her pale green ones.  His eyes flashed dangerously with a warning.

   Milana could hardly be bothered.  Resting a fingernail on her cheek, painted her signature purple, she opened her mouth to address the six people who had remained, thus far, under a blanket of silence.  "You know why you've all been called."  Her voice came out melodious as it always did, sweet and tinged perhaps a bit with entitlement.  "We've got a new-"

  "Player," Nox dared to yawn after interrupting her so rudely.  "Yes, we already got through most of the discussion while you were rushing to get here.  You know, to the meeting you organized and couldn't be bothered to arrive early to."