𝔅𝔢𝔞𝔲𝔱𝔦𝔣𝔲𝔩 𝔓𝔞𝔦𝔫

ℭ𝔥𝔞𝔭𝔱𝔢𝔯 𝔉𝔦𝔣𝔱𝔶-𝔬𝔫𝔢

Black Beauty—Lana Del Rey
𝔎𝔯𝔦𝔱𝔞𝔫𝔞'𝔰 𝔭𝔬𝔳

      "This is so stupid," I tell myself quietly as I look at myself dressed in the outfit Tom got for me.

      The dress is even more beautiful on me than it was when laid out on my bed. The bodice is cinched around my waist, showing off my curves, and the train is nearly three feet long.

      But the sparkles...

      Even in the dim lighting of my shared room, my dress sparkles like the night sky. As do the jewels on my neck and ears.

      I run my hands down the dress, feeling the soft fabric on my skin.

      "You look beautiful," a male voice says, and I jump slightly, startled by the sudden noise.

      I look away from myself in the mirror and find Rhysand a few feet behind me in a black tuxedo, his hair tied back.

      "Thank you," I breathe, still taking in his attire. "You're attending the ball?"

      He nods. "With Walburga."

      I find myself slightly surprised at his answer. I knew that they were interested in each other, but I did not know how close they were getting.

      "Does that bother you?" he asks.

      I quickly shake my head. "No, not at all. I was just a little surprised."

      He nods.

      His gaze goes from my face to my dress, and he asks, "are you going?"

      I swallow and look back at myself in the mirror, observing myself in the dress and the jewels. "I don't know."

      In truth, wearing this makes me feel like something I'm not. Yes, it's beautiful, and it makes me feel like a princess, but that's not who I am. I'm not a princess. I'm on the run. Putting on a pretty dress and some expensive jewelry is not going to change that.