School for Good and Evil: The Successors Book One: Anastasia's Tale

Chapter Twenty Four: Take a Breath

Chapter Twenty Four

Take a breath

"Wake up!" Caleb scolded

Anastasia faced him with a hot glare.

"I've been awake Cal, waiting for you!"

Silence laid  over the room for a few moments until it was shattered by the bang of the door, as Caleb snatched an invitation hanging from it.

"What's that?" Anastasia questioned.

She pulled the covers over her chest, her corset hanging off, her butterfly straps torn, exposing skin.

"This my Anya, is our invite to our future murder sight," Caleb cackled.

Anastasia felt her position sink in the thin sheets around her, Caleb tilted her chin and brought her face to meet his. He was beautiful but frightening, with his icy blue eyes that seemed to swirl with color, a color Anastasia had never once seen in them.

"Get over yourself Anastasia, you knew this day would come since the moment you uttered those words from your lovely pink lips."

He moved closer to her and ran a hand down her neck.

"Those three simple words... I hate you," he whispered.

Anastasia shivered and flicked his hand away, Caleb flinched. His eyes got deeper with the color that swirled within them, turning almost to what seemed a dark crimson red, but they quickly returned to their icy blue state. Invitation still in hand, Caleb started to read with a smile.

"Beloved students of the School for Evil Edification and Propagation of Sin and School for Good Enlightenment and Enchantment. I, your former Dean and fairy-tale royalty, have decided out of the goodness of my heart that, I Sophie of Woods Beyond, should court you all with an exquisite masquerade ball. To honor the many mothers and fathers that are blessed to call you their children, and the many of you that are blessed to call them your parents. Tonight we shall celebrate with an evening of merry making, joyous laughter, and magnificent fun! I hope to see your smiling faces in the ballroom of evil on this cold winter night and maybe we shall drive the snow away with our jollification.

All my love and laughter,

Duchess Sophie of Woods Beyond

At the bottom of the letter was a list of colors, each family was assigned, so no one would be getting lost in the heat of the masquerade ball. Anastasia's color was emerald green, she sighed and glanced at Caleb.

"What will you wear then?" Anastasia said, puzzled.

Without a word Caleb pointed to the bottom of the card. The last color separated from all the others, white. "For those with no accompaniment," it read. Caleb didn't seem bothered in the slightest.

"Pretty joyful invite, for a woman who is getting murdered," Anastasia commented with a smirk.

At this Caleb grinned and ran over to her sending him on top of her.

"Caleb!"Anastasia laughed.

"I love you, more than anything," Caleb stuttered.

Anastasia furrowed her eyebrows.

"Well that was vulnerable of you."

She saw the crimson in his eyes cease and he smiled sadly as if he were about to leave her. A hard knock came to the door and the crimson swirled once more. Caleb shot off her violently and returned to the chair at the far side of the room. Anastasia steadied herself and went to open it. The door opened to a wolf, a box in his hands that was encrusted with pearls, a massive emerald in the center of delicate golden hardware. The box itself seemed to be trimmed with leaves, made of diamonds. Anastasia then noticed the gloves the wolf was wearing, this must be important.