I wanted more.
Chapter Fifteen
Tressa’s ball took my breath away.
Near the entrance, ferns framed a quiet waterfall as a breeze wafted the scents of water and earth to the rest of the cavern. A table ran the length of an entire wall, laden with dainty refreshments. Chairs lined the other walls. Music filled the air, light and happy, the musicians hidden from view. Nobles chatted, nobles twirled, nobles made a swirl of color throughout the room.
The Lights, though, they made the evening enchanting. Unlike most caves, the ballroom was natural, and Lights dangled like chandeliers at the end of stalactites. Thin colored paper wrapped each Light: lavender, blue, pink, and gold. Crystals dangled from each orb and scattered the light into tinted rainbows.
Crystals to heal the spirit.
Potions and magic took care of the body. The First One, according to the Speakers, created rainbows to heal that which man could not.
Tressa—or maybe Jerroth—had made a thoughtful gesture with the crystals. After all, most of the nobles laughing and drinking tonight would leave in the morning for war. The Dragonmaster had increased his requirement from two Flights to three. That took most of our mages.
As I stared at the Lights, they began to blur. The vision, again, only slightly different. The crystals dangling under a blue Light melded together…
Inside a crystal box, a smudge of deep blue. My fingers open the lid and reach for the shard of sapphire inside...
“Adara, welcome!” Tressa’s voice cleared the vision away.
“You’re beautiful,” I said. A sleek maroon gown gripped her body until mid-thigh, where the skirt flared and gave her the illusion of floating. Gold rings on her hands connected to her sleeves with delicate chains of gold, and her hair had been coiled on her head in millions of braids. A lattice of gold chain dotted with garnets held her hair in place, and garnets glinted at her throat and ears.
I’d never thought of buying jewelry. Half of my stipend had gone to this dress, one of deep blue with delicate black trim. The rest had gone to the outfit I’d worn at her gathering, and on my secret desire: the green gown, cheap and likely unfashionable, but something I loved.
I should have at least bought a silver chain. I touched my bare neck.
Tressa noticed my gesture. She linked her elbow with mine. “Don’t be embarrassed. Everyone knows you’re a Threepines. Your dress is lovely.”
I mumbled a thanks. But as I glanced around, I saw that everyone wore gems. Even the men wore rings. If I had a sapphire to match my gown—no. Never sapphires.
We bypassed the dancers and Tressa began to introduce me to so many people that I lost hope of remembering anyone. At least no one seemed to care about me beyond being Tressa’s friend. I stood beside the jewel of the party, but I was utterly alone.
But it is good to be alone. Until I figure out my Gift and master being a noble, lonely is better.
The rush of introductions slowed; the room stopped churning and settled into clusters. Tressa and I stood with Jerroth—of course—and a cloud of others. Most were young, like us, or too old to do much fighting anymore.
“May I present Adara of Threepines, my particular friend,” Tressa said to the latest man to join us. “The sweetest girl.”
The young man wore the Kyer’s uniform of close-fitting dark green trimmed with silver. He kissed my hand. I’d been kissed by so many that it no longer gave me the flutters. “Not too sweet for war, I hope.”
Tressa waved. “Posh. You’ll end this spat before Adara and I have a chance to bond.”
An older woman in a silver gown lifted her glass. “To victory.”
Glasses clinked. I pretended to sip my champagne—if I drank every toast, I’d be unable to walk within a Sphere.
An awkward pause settled over the group. Tressa had spoken lightly, confidently, but the fact remained: the first Flights of dragons had failed to end the war.
The older woman coughed. “Harthin. Tell us where you’re bound.”
The soldier beside me spoke. “It seems that Carthesia has made it as far as the County of Tworivers.”
I choked on a sip of champagne. The soldier—Harthin?—was at my elbow in a second, steadying me, and Jerroth handed me a handkerchief.
Tworivers. Carthesia is attacking Stoneyfield.
“I’m fine,” I managed. “Inhaled wrong.”
“You should take more care,” Harthin said. He smiled in a way that should have made my heart beat faster, but it didn’t. Especially after hearing about Stoneyfield. “Though I must say, I’m thankful for the opportunity to gaze into your eyes. Such a lovely deep sapphire.”
Tressa gently tilted my head to the side. “Next event, come to me beforehand. I have some sapphire drops that will do quite nicely.”
“So kind,” a woman murmured.
Someone snorted. “You’ve never been to court.”
I missed the next line of conversation. Had Tressa insulted me? Her offer to loan me earrings seemed genuine.
“Frankly, I am amazed a group of outcasts and renegades are giving us such trouble,” the young soldier was saying. “I expect the Carthesians to dissolve into their squabbles any day now.”
The older woman shook her head. “You never knew Thorkel. Ruthless. A genius. Only a red, but he can match a black in battle.”
Harthin snorted. “Really? Well, if I see him and that crimson dragon of his, I’ll blast them out of the sky.”
He shot me a flirtatious smile, but I didn’t return it. Crimson dragon. Of course the First One sent me visions of Thorkel’s dragon. Why should I be surprised?
The conversation turned. I rubbed my glass’s stem between my fingers. Now that they had mentioned the crimson dragon, I couldn’t banish it from my memory. All around, men and women laughed and danced. Dark green uniforms overwhelmed the other colors. That dragon would tear them limb from limb, never mind how much they’d trained, for I couldn’t imagine anyone surviving its malice.
And yet…
The war simply isn’t real. Tworivers, invaded? I can’t see Garth as a foot
