Page 134 of The Call of Crimson
“Close your eyes.”
I feign reluctance before finally obeying. Soft brushes glide across my lids, cool fingers lining my eyes with kohl. When I open them again, I barely recognize myself.
The reflection is me, but sharper. Bolder.
Brown and cream shadows smudge my eyelids, the black kohl winged softly at the corners.
“His outburst at the council meeting was inappropriate,” Rowina says casually as she brushes color onto my cheeks, “but Aurelius was right.”
“About?”
“The gown. The black really does look better on you. Gold doesn’t suit your skin tone.”
“As much as I’m loath to admit it, Aurelius is right about a lot of things.”
She smirks. “Don’t let him, or Ayden, hear you say that.”
“I wouldn’t dare. Their egos are far too fragile,” I say with a giggle that she matches.
Rowina completes the look by applying a pale pink lip stain.
“There,” she praises. “Now you are ready.”
I stare at myself in the mirror. My eyes meet hers—a perfectly golden color that shines underneath dark lashes and the kohl rimming them.
Not a pawn. Not a girl in a gilded cage.
“You’re dangerous like this,” Rowina whispers, her voice a caress against my ear.
“I look presentable,” I say lightly, breaking the spell.
“Presentable?” she scoffs. “Darling, you look good enough to eat.”
I blush, breaking our eye contact.
“I love the shades of pink you turn for me,” she whispers, leaning in to brush a kiss against my cheek. “Gods, I detest both of my brothers right now.”
I dare to voice the question I’m not sure I want the answer to. “Why?”
Her answer is surprisingly sincere: “One because he’s had you, and the other because he gets to keep you.”
“Such a strange princess you are,” I say, trying to shake myself out of the trance she has me in.
“The same has been said about you, Princess,” she quips right back.
“Yes, but for very different reasons.” I turn away from her, moving to stand.
Her hand catches my shoulder, holding me in place.
“If you let me in, if youreallygot to know me,” Rowina says quietly, “I think you'd find we're not so different.”
“I want to let you in,” I admit, surprising even myself. “I just don't know if I can trust you.”
“Do you trust Ayden?” she asks, her tone unreadable.
“Maybe with some things,” I reply slowly. “But overall, no. I know he’s hiding things.”
“And yet,” she presses, “you trusted Aurelius when he was hiding things from you.”
