City of Solis (Beta Read)

Chapter 2

I was awake long before Resa stepped into my room, but I shut my eyes to feel the comfort of her hand to wake me. When she did, she went through her routine of pulling open the curtains. Instead of the colors of dawn, rain streamed in quick droplets over the pane of glass. Lightning casted its webs through the dark clouds. Solis was known for its colors at dawn and the extravagance as the sun made its way into the sky, but I loved it when the thunder growled and ran spilled more than any morning.

“I have breakfast ready downstairs, and please wear a coat at least if you won’t wear the dress-” As she went on about my appearance at the ball I watched how the droplets collected and raced down the glass. I turned over on my back to stare at the ceiling. Last summer didn’t compare to the night I had. The awkwardness after the dance still made my stomach twist. The thought of having to see Killian after last night made my palms sweaty. The way I dipped into my room as he leaned in to kiss me still soured my face. There was no clearer way I could have said ‘no’ besides just saying it out loud. I squeezed my eyes shut, feeling the remnants of embarrassment.

On top of it all today was council. And after the night’s encounter with Neheve, it would be just as dreadful as feeling her icy hands on my skin. I pushed myself up and out of bed. The cool floor boards stinging the bare of my feet as I stood. Today, I pondered on the dress she lay folded on the bed and fingered the light material. The color like the green that grew in mossy patches on the forest floor. I didn’t love the idea of sitting in front of the council in a dress. They were itchy and made me feel vulnerable. But this one reminded me of the freedom and safety I felt in Ambrosia. It was free flowing like the creekbed. 

Still, I reached for the blouse and breeches, slipping them on quickly. I dug in my dresser for my only waistcoat. The garment was worn, and the navy blue had faded. But when I pressed the material to my nose, it still smelled of my Dad, earthy, and light . I smiled against the cotton, then slipped it over my shoulders. I paired it with the same colored overcoat he would wear to match. Resa eyed me as I buttoned the sleeves. She gave a soft sigh of what sounded like displeasure. I decided maybe next time I’d wear the dress if it would make her smile. I sat in the wooden chair she had pulled out from the vanity facing the mirror, and I let her work a brush through my hair. The long brunette strands catching on every bristle. I was never a fan of the nearly uncontrollable length of my hair. But my Mom’s hair had been just as long. And I couldn’t bring myself to ask for it to be cut. Resa wouldn’t have done it anyways, she loved creating updos and styling it. She created a neat braided bun and pinned it to my head. And just when I thought she was finished, she took extra time to pull strands and create the illusion of a frame around my face. I would complain about it and tease her for it. But in the end, I appreciate her effort in my appearance, where I lacked any care at all. 

The rain had stopped by the time the carriage pulled in front of the council building. It was nothing extravagant. A dingy building in the middle of Solis. The mansion overlook the town just above, the sun now peering from behind the clouds, reflecting off the glass dome. Resa ushered me forward, and my view turned to the daunting doors of the unkempt townhouse. While stepping up the concrete steps, I brushed a hand over the dying plants. This is where Neheve stayed while she visited.

The door was held open for me.

It looked just as ghastly as it did on the outside. The furniture was covered in dust, from the shelves to the sofa before the fireplace. A musty scent of age mixed in with the strange smell of a burning fire twisted my nose. Neheve had servants when she visited, yet this place always looked so dejected and mistreated. There was a time when the plants were replaced, and the fireplace was lit. But that was when it used to be home to four council members, and not just one. Since the war began, Lemuran of the North stopped showing, and there was no Lord of the South anymore.