Heartlines ▹ Elena Gilbert [1]

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
GOLD

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

Rowan arrived at the Mikaelson Ball twenty minutes past the set time. She hadn't planned on being late, but her assumption that the entire town of Mystic Falls had been invited had proven to be correct. Despite a valet being available in the driveway and a large clearing being used for parking, the cars were backed up all the way to the main road. Rowan had arrived ten minutes early, technically, but she had to wait thirty minutes just to find a spot to park. She had avoided the valet entirely, but she had managed to park on a bit of concrete instead of grass, so thankfully her golden heels hadn't sunk into dirt or mud. Now she was walking hesitantly through the double front doors, looking around in mild awe. Fairy lights were strung up everywhere, giving off a delicate and regal look that made Rowan itch to paint it.

She was staring up at a glass chandelier, mind whirling with all the ways she could paint the light reflecting off the glass, when someone gently cleared their throat. Startled, she turned, only to see a man waiting to take her things and put them away in some storage closet. She was used to this, at least, from Lockwood parties. She handed over her champagne-colored wrap and her small clutch—which only held a very small wallet and lipstick—and then put down her name for him to catalogue her things. He gave her a small piece of paper to keep ahold of, and she held onto it as she walked deeper into the main foyer. The floor was marble, white and black, and twin staircases spiraled up to the second landing on either side. Ahead of that seemed to be the main ballroom, already streaming with people. But people were idling in foyer, making small talk, most of them waiting for their friends or partners to arrive. Rowan felt nervous, her palms sweaty. She resisted the urge to wipe them dry, if only because her dress was expensive.

The gold fabric draped over her body almost perfectly, like Rebekah had tailored it to her exact measurements. She had expected for the dress to feel heavy, but it was light and airy, comfortable. There was a slit up one side to reveal a good bit of her leg, and she had tucked her phone into a thigh holster on the side of the slit, though no one could see it. She'd made sure of that. She had kept her hair simple, curling it into ringlets and pulling the front back for a half-up look. The rest she had decorated with golden hair decorations. Her earrings and bracelets and rings were gold, too. The only thing that wasn't gold were her lips, which she had painted her signature red. Rowan clasped her hands in front of her, unsure of what to do. Bonnie had said she would arrive much later, with Elena to ensure Damon didn't physically stop Elena from coming, so Rowan was left to her own devices. She was about to walk toward Carol Lockwood for a bit of small talk when a finger tapped at her shoulder twice.

"You came," Rebekah said warmly, before Rowan could even turn to face her. Feeling oddly exposed in her airy dress now, she turned, then fell into silence. Rebekah's blonde hair was sleeked back, straightened with one side pulled back with pins. She was wearing a dark green mermaid dress that hugged her figure, and Rowan barely stopped herself from looking her up and down. She didn't know why she bothered. Rebekah was looking over Rowan shamelessly, a smug smile pulling at her lips. Despite the smugness, when their eyes met, Rowan could see that Rebekah was genuinely happy to see her. When she smiled, the dimples popped out in her cheeks.