Lexie's Choice

Scene 7

THE DAY OF PROM ARRIVED, and the Murrays treated Claire and me to the works. Appointments at a posh salon - hair styled, nails and toes polished, and cosmetics expertly applied. I relaxed in the massaging chair while my feet soaked in warm soapy water and thought, Oh yeah. Humans do just fine in some things.

Later, we unwrapped our gowns in Claire's room.

"By the way, I'm guessing your grandpa's geas about the dresses is over. I passed."

Claire slumped onto the bed, her dress a rumpled heap in her lap. "I'm so glad! I hated not being able to warn you. What happened?"

So I told her about my afternoon with the enchantingly handsome guy. "All in all, it worked out okay. Nothing bad happened. I got permission to wear the dress — and was duly warned about loaning it out. And I think I made a friend, though it's hard to tell with immortal faery types." I pulled the dress over my head and twirled experimentally in front of the mirror. Oh yeah. This dress was SO worth it!

"Wow." Claire slipped into her own gown. "He actually said you were worthy of the interest of Faery? Those exact words?"

I frowned, thinking back over the fateful conversation. "I think so. Why?"

"Well, it's just that those words are portentous, especially coming from an emissary of the king."

"Wait a minute. Jeff was an emissary of the king? I figured he was just some poor schmuck who got a lame assignment. I mean, checking up on me? How boring!"

Claire giggled. "You underestimate yourself, my friend...and my grandpa's weirdness. Jeff, make that Sir Geoffrey, is a member of the High Court and an emissary of the king. If he's taken an interest in you, well, anything could happen."

A chill ran down my spine that had nothing to do with the temperature of Claire's bedroom.

"Good anything? Or do I need to be worried?"

"Oh, no. You already avoided the bad stuff by refusing to eat or drink anything he offered. At this point, if anything happens, it'll be good luck."

"Uhm, about the food and drink thing. What would've happened if I'd tasted the cider?"

"You would've been transported to Faery and held as Jeff's captive."

I gulped and sat down hard on the bed. My ears buzzed and my vision darkened.

Claire pushed my head between my knees and intoned, "Breathe. It's okay. It didn't happen."

"But it might have," I whispered past painfully dry lips.

"Yeah. But you're forgetting...you've got me and Roddy. I knew you were being tested. If you'd disappeared, we would've found you."

I squeezed her hand and curled up on her bed, closing my eyes. Sometimes it's a good thing not to know how close you came to an abyss.

*~*~*

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This story is complete! Want to know more about Lexie's BFF, Claire? Read her story in Faery Unexpected - http://www.amazon.com/Faery-Unexpected-Deb-Logan-ebook/dp/B005WUE7Y8/

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