face with loose curls framing around her face. It's perfect, every strand in place.
"Are you going somewhere?" I get up and collect the robe from the bottom of the bed where I'd left it last night and put it on over my pajamas.
She grips her hips, also wearing a robe as Cedar pops in behind her, sticking his head inside. "She isn't dressed yet?"
"What's going on?" I ask.
Rin sticks her hand out to me, her fingers wriggling for me to hurry up. But the sly grin she can't hold back is a dead giveaway. She's terrible at hiding her emotions.
"Did you invite me over yesterday for a girl's night just so you can—”
"Just come on," she interrupts me. "You don't have to spoil everything."
Curiosity pokes me, and I take her hand. She swooshes me out and right across the hallway then shoves me into the bathroom.
"Wash yourself, because we're already late."
I spin, giving her a frown. "For what?"
She playfully sticks her tongue out at me and shuts the door in my face. I huff and am half tempted to burst out here, but instead I turn to the tub that is filled with hot water and fresh soap I had brought Rin from the palace.
By the time I am washed, I put on the robe and pull it around myself, tying it up with the cord.
When I step outside the bathroom, Rin sighs loudly. "About time. Now quickly." She's flapping her hand and pointing to the living room farther down the corridor.
I take fast steps and swing into the main room only to skid to a stop.
All the furniture has been pushed aside and there are four women in deep blue dresses with the castle insignia of a golden crown in front of a moon on their sleeves.
I stare at them dumbfounded, still unsure what is going on. My gaze finds the large black bags they've brought with them, the chair near a full-length mirror, and a small fold away table filled with brushes and hair accessories. They are here to get us ready for a function?
"Did you do this, Rin?" I ask.
She shakes her head. "Courtesy of Prince Eryk."
"What's the occasion?" I turn to Cedar who has had his hair combed and jelled off his face.
"We'll find out when we get to the palace," he explains. "But you need to be fast as we kind of all slept in."
"Including us," the woman with gorgeous red locks says. "Now come take a seat and let me start with your hair, then Gen will fix your makeup, and lastly, we have to dress you."
Rin is clapping her hands, bouncing on her toes. I can't help but laugh as butterflies burst in my stomach, and the excitement carries me away. Even though I have no clue what I’m enthusiastic about.
"What do you think he has planned?" she asks as I take a seat and the ladies start working on my hair, while Rin sits next to me about to get her makeup done.
"I don't know." Which is the truth. Yesterday when I saw Eryk last, he spent the day traveling our kingdom. He and I scour the land with the army for hobgoblins, clearing it of the menace so everyone can live in peace. The funny thing is that the majority of the creatures had run away themselves, returning to the mountains where they live. The power in my veins is overwhelming when I think how quickly it listens to my command now. There's no more exhaustion, just unrelenting magic.
Eryk told me I am officially the most powerful person in all the kingdoms. I somehow doubt that since there are lands beyond the ones near us, but I'm slowly coming around to the idea of letting myself accept the compliment.
All I can think of is that Eryk is putting on a ball for everyone to celebrate after everything we've gone through... or is there more to it?
The butterflies spin and beat their wings in my gut at the idea that this party is somehow directed at me.
No, he wouldn't.
He shouldn't, as I hate attention.
A smile slides over my lips that my biggest worry is whether Eryk is throwing me a surprise party. More than likely, this is an event to impress his father, the king, or maybe gain a signed treaty from neighboring kingdoms.
By the time my hair and face are done, Rin and Cedar enter the room.
My mouth drops open to see my friends dressed up like royals. The black suit