Page 113 of Shadow Kissed

She looks great, if not a little pale, considering she almost died last night. Raegal comes back in, and I convince him she’s still recovering and too tired for his questions. Saveya plays along and yawns and says she needs rest, and he reluctantly agrees to leave her in peace for now. He returns me to my rooms before anyone notices I’ve been gone all night.

“You’re never going to tell me how you got beyond the walls, are you?” he asks me as his shadows disperse, and he holds me prisoner by my waist.

“No,” I reply honestly. “Raegal, without the pendant and the absence of the amethyst, will my night magic reveal itself? What if it comes and I can’t control it?”

He tucks a loose lock of my hair behind my ear, never taking his eyes off mine. “I won’t let you lose control, terror.”

“You can’t be here all the time and I suspect it’s happened once before when I was annoyed,” I confess to him.

“When Shalia was screaming about rats everywhere in the sparring ring?” he asks me, and I nod my head. “And what emotion were you experiencing?” He smirks. “Jealousy, perhaps?”

I scoff. “I’m not jealous of her!” I protest. “She was just annoying me with the way she was fawning over you. It was pathetic.”

He fights a smile. “Whatever you say, Terror. I must go. Until tonight.”

“Raegal, before you leave. There’s something that has been playing on my mind,” I share. “If my mother is truly a princess of the night realm, then why did the night mutt attack her and why did the venom kill her? Surely, if she is of the Night Borne, then the mutt’s venom wouldn’t have had a fatal effect.”

Raegal nods his head, frowning as he considers my question. “I think—and I could be wrong, Terror, because I don’t know enough about your people—but I think the mutt reacted before realising who she was. It ran into your mother, and it appeared as though the mutt’s reaction was a defensive one.”

He’s probably right. The mutt was retreating into the safety of the forest, away from the threat of Raegal and his men.

“As for the venom,” he continues. “I honestly don’t know. You would, as you say, assume the Night Borne aren’t affected by the venom of a creature from their realm, but clearly that isn’t the case. Unless your mother’s Night Borne magic has weakened after so many years here on Asen, therefore making her more susceptible to the poison. I am sure there will be an answer to your questions somewhere in the great library. Now I really must go,” he says, gently brushing his thumb across my cheek. “Until tonight, Terror”

I smile at him, grateful for his thoughts on the matter. “Until tonight.”

He is right though, only a Night Borne can answer my questions and regardless of the answer, it won’t change the fact my mother is no longer here or that a creature from her own realm killed her.

43

REYA

Istare in the mirror at the girl looking back at me. I don’t recognise her. Despite the seamstress having already made me a dress, a soldier delivered another dress to my rooms tonight. As soon as I opened it; I knew it was from him. The skirt of the dress is black organza layered over a plum satin with layers of tulle underneath, and silver sparkles glistening through. The bodice is fitted and made from a black lace floral design that dips low into a deep neckline between my breasts with an open illusion back. It contrasts against my almost white-blonde hair and brings out the lighter shades of my purple eyes. Orna has done an amazing job with my hair, curling and pinning it so it falls over one shoulder, glistening with small diamante star clips through the back. The dress also came with a jewellery box, which held a small amethyst and obsidian tear drop necklace and matching earrings. Even I have to admit the finished result is beautiful. Tonight, they will announce the top five girls. We haven’t been privy to our scores for the last week, so I don’t know if I’ve made it, but thanks to Raegal and SaveyaI have aced my dancing and sewing tasks these last few weeks, and I always come out on top in our combat classes. Every girl here is vying for a top five spot, well everyone apart from the two girls who were kidnapped. Despite their lack of preparation for their new roles and their lives in the shadow realm they will still be part of the reaping and will take a husband.

I make my way to our communal lounge, and smile when I see my fellow dorm mates. Saveya is wearing a pink ball gown which accentuates her small waist, and her hair is flowing loosely in waves down her back with a pretty tiara adoring her head. She squeals in excitement when she sees me.

“Wow, wow, wow!” She gushes as she rushes over to me and, taking my hands in hers, she steps back to get a good look at my dress. “Reya, you resemble a deity. Tyria, doesn’t she look stunning?” she asks our friend, stepping backwards and allowing Tyria to see me.

“Girl, you are divine,” Tyria grins. “I’d one hundred percent choose you at the reaping if I was a Shadow Borne male.”

“Everyone looks so gorgeous,” I say, glancing over at Imrie in her silver gown, and Alora in her lemon-coloured dress.

“I’m so excited!” Saveya grins. “I can’t wait to see everyone in their finery.” To everyone in the room, she looks like she’s excited and hopeful to likely be in the top five, but I know different. Behind the smiles, she is a bundle of nerves about being in the top five, because now, of course, it’s the last thing she wants. Her beau, Eryx, has applied to be one of the shadow men who can choose a wife at the reaping. They put those of the lower casts of their society into a draw, and it really comes down to pure luck if he is selected or not. Despite this, she is still smiling and still one of the most uplifting people I know. It’s hard to stay in a bad mood when Saveya is around, as she instantly makes you smile.

“Just wait until your handsome commander sees you in this dress,” Saveya whispers in my ear, giggling.

I roll my eyes at her but can’t help the smile that breaks out on my face. “The dress is a gift from him.”

Saveya swoons, fanning herself. “My, he knows how to dress a woman to show off all her best assets. You will be the most beautiful woman there tonight.”

“Stop,” I say, batting away her comment with my hand. “Will Eryx be there tonight?” I ask her and her smile drops, and she shakes her head.

“Sadly not. He’s not of high enough rank to attend.”

I pull her into my arms and hug her as tightly as I can without messing up her hair. “I’m so sorry, Saveya.”

“Oh, there’s no need for you to be sorry. We are going to enjoy ourselves tonight, drinking and dancing.”

“We should get going, we don’t want to be late,” Tyria suggests, reaching for her purse and ushers us all towards the door.

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