Mark of Betrayal (Dark Secrets #3)(75)
Author: A.M. Hudson

“Man, could this be any more revealing?” I ran my fingers over my stomach and turned slightly to see myself in the mirror.

“It’s supposed to be, so your people can read the runes of your promise as you head toward the Walk of Faith.”

“But I feel so naked.”

“You look amazing.” She stood behind me and swept my hair back. “When we get outside, I need to get a picture, okay. David wants to see how it looks.”

I laughed. “He was relieved when I told him I wasn’t doing the coronation as close to nature as Lilith did.”

“Well, nakedness wasn’t taken sexually back then. It was a thing of beauty, of perfection.”

“I know. That’s what the Council tried to tell me when they argued with me about it.” I touched my hand to my collarbone, wishing I could grab my silver locket. “I just wish David was here to actually see me like this.”

“He is.” She reached around and placed her hand over mine. “In here.”

“Even that’s still too far away.”

“I know.” She nodded. “When I was dating him, even I found it hard to be away from him. He’s…for all his darkest depths, he’s something pretty special.”

“He’s not just special to me, Morg. He’s my soul.” I dropped my hand to my side, feeling the emptiness of his not being there to catch it.

“Do you mean soul-mate?”

“No. I mean—he’s my soul. He’s just the part that broke away.”

Morgaine studied my eyes for a second, her chocolate gaze stealing my emotions to decipher them. “Well—” She cleared her throat. “Then, let’s hope we catch Drake soon, so you and David can be together again.”

“I think, at this point, I’d happily kill Drake just to have David back.”

“Which scares me,” she said. “Don’t lose who you are, Princess, for the sake of heartbreak. You never know what the future might hold.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I said, spinning around.

“Nothing,” she said, looking back at me from her distraction, then cupped her hands on my arms and made me sit on the dresser stool, facing her. “One more thing. Remember how we chose that dress for the crowning?”

“Yeah, the black one.”

“Right, well, you need to be wearing that when you come out of the forest. I know it’s tacky, but you have to change in the bushes before you emerge.”

I nodded. “It’s not tacky. It’s just like a ballet concert. We had to change on the side of the stage sometimes. It’s what the crowd sees that counts, right?”

Morgaine smiled widely. “I love how agreeable you are.”

“Agreeable?” I scoffed. “You’ve got to be the only person who would ever say that.”

“That’s not true. Your people love you, Amara—all of them.”

I rubbed my nose a few times to get the itch of Morgaine’s musky perfume from it. “So, the dress, does it just slip over this one?”

“Yep. It’ll hide it perfectly. Then you just have to walk to the throne, smiling, and sit in the chair all day for your first Court session. Once that’s over, you can knight the Guard and you’ll be free for a few hours until the ball.”

“Okay.” I nodded, picturing the events ahead. “So, how did it look—the crowning dress? Is it like the picture we drew?”

“Even better.” Morgaine’s eyes lit up.

“Great. I think I’m most excited about that part.”

She stood up and leaned over the dresser to dash on some of my lip-gloss. “And what are you most scared about?”

“Um…I think the whole enchanted forest thing, you know. People say there’s evil out there, and that if I don’t get out before dawn, I’ll be stuck in there for eternity.”

Morgaine’s shoulders dropped. “Um. Look. I know you want reassurance, but…well…just finish the walk before then, and we won’t have to find out.”

“Thanks.” I rolled my eyes. “I feel better now.”

“Sorry, but there’s not much I can say. I don’t know if those rumours are true, and I’m not willing to test them on you, Majesty. Just don’t fail us.”

Feeling a deep rumble in the pit of my stomach, I inhaled the wafting, savoury scent of chickens being roasted in the kitchen. Morgaine looked up from straightening her dress and focused on the tight clutch of my hands over my stomach.

“Ara, the sun has barely touched the Earth. You still have a whole twenty or so hours to get through before you can eat. Are you going to be okay?”

“No,” I scoffed. “I wasn’t designed to go without food. Especially knowing my faithful subjects will be feasting in my absence. Those chickens smell great.”

“I know.” She smiled. “But the feast at the ball tomorrow night will be even better. Trust me—it’s worth the starvation.”

“I don’t see why they’re sticking to the fasting rule.” I rubbed my tummy. “I feel weak enough as it is.”

“Like I said, we love our rules and rituals around here.”

The golden sun, setting around the world outside, sent its pink light into my room, warming the walls with the soft kiss of twilight. I shuddered. “It’s nearly time.”

“Yep.” Morgaine took a step back and grabbed her cape off the bed. “Five minutes.”

I took a deep, jagged breath, then smiled. “I like your hair that colour. Is it naturally brown?”

“Yep. But the purple streak is dye.” She grinned, touching it. “It matches my dress for tomorrow night’s ball.”

“And the cape, too.”

“Yeah,” she said. “I’m going for a whole purple theme.”

“I like.”

She fastened her cloak over her long, fitted black dress and smiled at me as my deep breath turned into a yawn. “You tired already?”

“Mm-hm.” I yawned again. “Will I get any sleep for the next two days? I mean, I’ll be up all night tonight, walking, then all day tomorrow on the throne, doing queenly duties, then the ball—”

“Nope. Welcome to being queen. They expect you to be super-human. Oh, wait—” she touched her fingertip to her chin, “—you are.”

“I don’t feel super-human.”

“Well, you look super hot.” She elbowed me gently. “And I actually think that dress is more perfectly close to nature than being naked.”