Jasmina shifted on the bed as loud, persistent knocking shattered her sleep.
“Who is there?” she called out.
“Lady Jasmina, it is already ten in the morning. You are late for breakfast, and your mother asked me to wake you,” Ava, her maid, replied from beyond the door.
“I am coming,” Jasmina said, rising to her feet.
“And also, Lady Jasmina,” Ava added, “Lady Amar has arrived for breakfast. She has waited two hours for you.”
Jasmina muttered under her breath, “What does she want now?”
“I will be there soon.”
She dressed quickly and went downstairs.
Breakfast had already been served.
“I am sorry for keeping you all waiting,” she said before taking her seat.
As she sat, her gaze met Lady Amar’s.
The two women stared at each other in silence.
Amar and I had once been close friends — until the day she started suspecting me of not being a normal human, cause she once saw my eyes glowing sliver the day I was angry.
And since then she have tried everything in her power to prove her theory right,and the more I try to avoid her, the more it brings her closers,no matter how I try to shake her off my trails.
I never imagined she would come here.
We were meant to meet today at my mother’s fashion shop.
My mother was a renowned designer; her shops were scattered throughout the kingdom.
Yet though she was famous, our family remained simple.
“I must go now,” my mother said, rising from the table.
“I shall see you tonight. I will be quite busy today — with the youth festival tomorrow, many will come seeking cloth.”
“Very well, Mama,” Onxy and I replied in unison, watching her depart.
“So, what are you two going to do today?” Amar asked, her smile too bright.
“Onxy, dear, would you care to be my partner for tomorrow’s event?” Amar asked him, her voice dripping with sweetness.
Jasmina’s hand tightened around her fork.
“Do not call him ‘dear,’ Amar,” I snapped.
“As a lady, you ought to know that only when a man is courting you may you address him so.”
“Not every soul is like you, Jasmina. You must learn to accept that,” Amar replied with a small, victorious smile.
“Of all the women in our kingdom, why would he choose you?” I asked, unable to hold back.
Amar gaze at me, but she brushed off my question, focusing her attention on my brother once more.
“Onxy, did you hear? The Council Leader has summoned all nobles for an address after tomorrow’s festival,” Amar said, changing the subject.
“Yes, word reached me as well,” Onxy replied.
“Do you know, by chance, the reason why?”
“I don’t know, I as sure we are going to get to know ,once the youth festival is over .
“Then, ladies, we must see to our garments,” Onxy said, standing.
“You to yours, and I to mine. Let us go.”
We rose, ready to leave, as Lady Amar moved toward the door and Onxy strode after her.
“Meet me,” he whispered to me as we parted.
“Do not be angry, Jasmina,” he added softly.
“What she said does not matter.”
“Then what did she mean — that not everyone is like me?”
“It doesn’t matter, so let that not spoil your mood,” he replied, his voice low and urgent.
“Keep your aura in check. I can feel it — we cannot risk being exposed,” he said, ruffling my hair gently.
“Let it go,” he urged, taking my hand and drawing me toward the door.
He led me to where our carriage waited in the dusk.