I helped Iliya into the gown, carefully maneuvering it around her feet and tightening it at the back. I had never worn anything like this; the weight surprised me, but Iliya seemed unbothered. I finishedlacing up the corset and tied it into a beautiful bow.
The train trailed behind her, pearls sparkling in the sunlight. She looked like a princess. She took one glance in the mirror and squealed. “Oh my gosh, I’ve never looked better! You’re a miracle worker, darling!”
She bounced on her toes, making the fabric billow at her sides. “How much do I owe you?”
My heart skipped a beat. I was nervous she might think I charged too much. I truly wasn’t sure, aside from Bells telling me my price was fair. A lump formed in my throat as I handed her a sheet of paper detailing the breakdown and the final amount.
She didn’t even blink. Instead, she skipped across to her suitcase leaning against the wall and opened it. She pulled out a leather pouch heavy with coins and brought it back to me. “You’ll find a bit extra in there. I thought it would be more.”
“Oh, you don’t have to—” She cut me off.
“You deserve it, darling. Your work is remarkable! I’ll make sure to tell everyone in the Bursuc House we have a new seamstress.”
I walked her to the front doors, where we exchanged heartfelt goodbyes. I was surprised to see that Isabella, Enso, and even Catina had come out to bid farewell as well. Clearly, Iliya had made an impression. A smile threatened to break across my face at the thought. Maybe we would remain friends beyond this. I could picture us gossiping in the garden and curling up in the library together, and her witty comebacks to Sorin’s comments. A carriage arrived to pick her up, and she turned to give one last wave before allowing the driver to assist her inside.
“Goodbye! I’ll see you soon, I promise.” She winked, and just like that, she was gone.
The others departed shortly after, leaving me in silence as Iwatched her vanish over the hills. A bittersweet ache settled in the pit of my stomach where her light had been.
Back in my sewing room, I finally dared to open the pouch and spill its contents across my desk. The gold and silver that poured out stole my breath away. She had overpaid significantly. Tentatively, I picked up a gold mark, cradling it in my palm.
There is something revolutionary about holding money for the first time. The golden surface bore the Koraki House crest, cool to the touch and heavy with promise. My fingers tightened around the coin as tears began to fall.
I carefully piled the coins by mark—myeverything. Vindication for every time I was told it was impossible for acolytes to escape. My airy dreams of freedom found solid footing atop that small pile. I could do it.
But if I had succeeded, why did I feel so hollow?
Chapter 30
ESTRELLA
Iawoke to the sound of my bed creaking. My eyes snapped open, and before I could scream at the red eyes looming above me, my airways were blocked by a cloth. A sharp chemical scent invaded my nostrils, sending my head spinning. Within moments, darkness enveloped me.
When I regained consciousness, I found myself in a windowless hallway bathed in the light from purplish sconces. I could barely see, but a dreadful sense crept over me that we were goingdown. My head throbbed, and my mouth felt as though I had sucked on cotton. I groaned, the violent swaying threatening to make me vomit.
“I see you’re awake,” said the gravelly voice of my kidnapper. His tone dripped with menace, and though I didn’t fully grasp the situation, I knew I was in grave danger. I squirmed against his unyielding grip, kicking my feet in desperation.
“Stop resisting. I’m bringing you to meet His Majesty.”
My groggy mind struggled to process his words. Whoever ‘His Majesty’ was, he certainly wasn’t Roman, and thatrealization made my heart race with fear. I needed to get out of here. I aimed a powerful kick at his stomach, and pain shot through my foot as it collided with his stone-like flesh.
The man cursed, and I was thrown to the floor. Pain surged through me from the impact, but I had no time to dwell on it. I had to escape. I scrambled to my feet, slipping across the slick stones, but his arm quickly encircled me, yanking me back against him. I threw my head backward into his jaw, and though it made my head throb, I enjoyed the thought of bringing this monster some semblance of pain.
“You bitch,” he snarled. Even through the haze of drugs, I couldn’t suppress a smile.
He grabbed my wrists and shoved me forward, forcing me to keep up with his relentless pace. The air was stale and damp, the oppressive weight of the earth making it hard to breathe.
We entered a circular throne room draped in black. The obsidian floor gleamed ominously, leading to a dais with a spiked throne jutting from it. On that throne was a slim man, suited in all black with an iron badger mask covering his face. Red eyes glowed from that mask, savage and filled with hate, smugness, and entitlement like torches ready to set me aflame and revel in my screams.
He stepped off the dais with a lithe grace. His hands rested casually in his pockets, as if he hadn’t just kidnapped me. My gaze shifted to his arrogant smile just visible under that mask twisted into something sinister. He stopped inches away, his breath warm against my ear as he inhaled my scent. I fought to suppress the shiver threatening to betray my fear. Instead, I stood tall, gathering what pride I could in my nightgown. He took my arm and spun me to face the room, where vampires seeped from the shadows like demons of the night. Their eyes glowed first, followed by feral grins.
“I’d like to introduce you all to the lovely Estrella. Isn’t shebeautiful?” His hand slid up my back, and I recoiled from the touch. There was something familiar about that voice tugging on the drugged edges of my consciousness. “She is the fake tsar’s acolyte—his only acolyte.”
Murmurs rippled through the crowd; their hungry gazes fixated on me. It took all my willpower not to cower. Instead, I met their stares with defiant hatred.
Those glowing eyes returned to me. “His only chance at an heir. Some even say his true love.” He let out a harsh laugh, echoed by his followers.
“What will he do if we destroy her?”
