Hall of Shadows [The Celestial Chronicles #2]

Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Beltane Ball ( Part I)

"In peace awhile, I sit alone;

Though soon, at the appointed hour,

I shall myself be gone."

- Walter de la Mare, "The Railway Station"

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Soundtrack of the chapter: Cannon in D Minor ( play it! It's the song which Cady and Eli danced to!)

Media: A digital painting I found on DA which looks just like Eli ( credits to omupied on DA)

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Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Beltane Ball ( Part I)

"Sit still," Jo ordered through a mouthful of bobby pins. "I can't do anything right if you're fidgeting."

Cady blinked apologetically, earning her another scolding for messing up her mascara. Jo had spent the past hour trimming Cady's hair and applying so much makeup on her she felt like a china doll, painted over by thick layers of color and glitter. Jo twisted a few strands of her hair up into braids, painfully, and tied them to the back. The rest of her hair cascaded down her shoulders like a curtain. Whistling under her breath, Jo slid a few bobby pins into place and reached for the headdress Cady found along with the dress.

The headdress rested on her head, cupping the sides perfectly. It wasn't too tight, just snug for her hair to breathe and the jewels to tinkle. Once the headdress was in place, she rose, but Jo stopped her with an alarmed hand. "Wait, I need to fix the blusher. You're too pale, Eli's going to complain."

"I'm not dressing to impress—" she broke off coughing when she accidentally swallowed some loose powder wafting from the palette Jo had thrown open.

The brush kissed her cheeks, putting color to them. Holding the brush between her teeth, Jo stood back and arranged Cady's hair once more before she stood back, her heavily shadowed eyes appraising her handiwork with satisfaction. "You look amazing."

Cady didn't want to believe her, for she often made a mess of herself when it came to cosmetics. But Jo, most apparently, knew what she was doing. The girl in the mirror wasn't someone Cady knew, yet it was her. Her red hair was blazing under the orange lights, her face glowing with a gentle radiance. She tilted her head, and the girl in the mirror did the same, taking on the air and grace of a queen. The dress trailed behind her, veils fluttering with every slight movement. She looked like a bride, an Empress, a princess—everything she never imagined herself to be.

She whirled around, catching Jo by the arm. "Thank you."

Jo shrugged and placed the brush back onto the dresser. "Eli's going to love you."

Cady aimed a punch at Jo's arm, who danced out of the way in a flurry of black and silver silk. Grabbing her purse by her bed, Jo slid out of the room and gave Cady a cheery wave, much to her astonishment. "See you at the Ball!" The door slammed, leaving Cady gawping like an idiot.

She composed herself by taking in large gulps or air, feeling it fill her lungs before she released them, slowly. That helped chase away a few butterflies in her stomach, but that was quickly replaced with roaring rhinos when she stepped out of her dormitory and made her way toward the gardens where they had agreed to meet.

The moon rose, heavily pregnant; a brilliant sphere pulling in the gathering clouds. It illuminated the gardens with a silvery sheen of light. Cady hitched up the hem of her lovely dress, afraid that it might drag some mud and ruin it. Eli was standing under a tall, whimsically designed lamp post. She realized that it was the first time she saw him without his staff. He stood with his thin back against her, his dark coat flapping in the night breeze. He was wearing a handsome set of dark jerkin and doublets, embroidered all over the sides with gold, singing patterns. His golden hair was combed back neatly, but Cady could tell that the curls were fighting to spring back to their unruly shape. He looked like an angel, fair and graceful amidst the falling leaves.