After failing as a vampire hunter, 17-year-old Cleo is sent to an academy full of vampires as a false peace treaty. Her true objective is supposed to be finding the hidden heir to the dark world while befriending the current one, but the current hei...
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"Cleo!" Adora cried as she burst into my room, startling Felix, who sat at my desk looking at a blueprint of the ballroom building.
Although Claude, Felix, and I had explored it the week before, Felix wanted to know every nook and cranny. I didn't blame him— I wanted to know, too. There was too much riding on this to mess it up. We couldn't predict how my father would infiltrate the academy, or what he would do once inside the barrier. We could only plan and be prepared for multiple scenarios.
But with only the three of us, it made me uneasy. I wanted Kaz and everyone else to be involved, but Claude wouldn't budge. He refused to have Kaz present. To an extent it almost made me suspicious... but I knew I didn't fully understand the relationship between Kaz and him. I would respect Claude's decision.
"What's up, Adora?" I asked, watching from the corner of my eye as Felix quickly hid the blueprints.
She stopped in front of me and I frowned at the multiple garment bags in her arms. "Your dresses came in!"
"My dresses? As in multiple?"
"I wanted you to have options, so I just bought whatever," she said casually, laying them out on my bed.
Curious, I unzipped one of the bags and a rich emerald fabric met my gaze.
"I took your hair into consideration when I chose the colors," Adora said. "But honestly, it was kind of a hassle. Have you considered dying it back to brown for the ball?"
I shook my head, picking up a lock of my pink hair. "No. My hair has always been my small win against my father. The little bit of defiance I could get away with. It might sound stupid, but it gives me a little bit of courage. Especially with what I plan to do."
Adora pouted at me for a moment before she threw her arms around me. "You're so precious. Let's have San fix those roots before the ball, then."
"Are they that bad?"
"Just a little bit."
I looked accusingly at Felix. "Why didn't you tell me? The people who dye their hair have to stick together."
"Hey, didn't you think my hair was natural at first?" he responded with a shrug.
I didn't answer because he was right. Instead, I dug through the other bags as Adora let me go. "Try them on!" she urged.
"Well, maybe one," I said, picking the green dress up. "I'll go into the bathroom."
"Wait, Cleo. Take this one instead," Adora said, handing me a different garment bag. "I kind of bought this one as a joke, but now I'm thinking it might work."
Nodding, I brought the bag into the bathroom with me. Pulling out the dress, I smiled. It was pastel pink. And beautiful. Floor-length, A-line with some tulle at the bottom, but a deeper plunge neckline than I imagined myself wearing.
