“Why did you run if nothing was chasing us?”
“I just felt like running.”
A silence fell between us as I looked at him and laughed at his pitiful attempt to lie. “You just felt like running,” I let the words swirl around my mouth as I thought them through. “I don’t know what’s going on with you but if you felt like taking a leisurely jog you’d have left me behind.”
“You’re right,” he nodded, before leaning closer to me, “you don’t know what’s going on with me so stop sticking your nose into my business.”
“Is the real answer so horrifying?” I asked, trying not to laugh again at the insanity of our conversation, “afraid it’ll give me nightmares?” I turned my back to him then. “Fine, I’ve no interest in your business but you’re not my husband. You can’t tell me what to do or where to go – even if you were.” I walked away, my strides matching the beat of my hammering heart.
“Ava-”
“See you at the next troublesome event.” I waved without looking back.
The front door slammed behind me. Outside, the weather had clouded over and, from what I could hear, Roan wasn’t home. Big surprise. I went to the sitting room, lit the candles and fell back against the chair thinking back to what I saw in the forest: a splash of red against the green. I shivered.
They looked like eyes.
CHAPTER SIX
WETHERDON WAS BUSTLING with life as I crossed the bridge into the city. I couldn’t believe that it was the first time I’d ever been to town on this day. The Equinox celebration was a legendary event and brought people from lands as far as the great seas. Some people rode for days, even weeks, just to attend the celebration. After learning that, I felt somewhat selfish that in seventeen years I’d never even ventured into town. I’d always done as Father instructed and ignored the festivities. Around the Equinox was when we had the most intrusions on the farm: people knocked at the door for shelter for the night or pitched tents on the fields without permission. Of course, Father had always sent them away or chased them off.
I’d managed to sneak away just after midday. Roan was patrolling the perimeter when I gathered my things and left the house. If he returned before midnight, which I doubted, he would find my note on the kitchen table telling him where to go. I smirked at that. It had been a busy morning on the farm as the ewes began lambing. My favourite ones were Thief’s twins without a doubt, as they shared the same patterning as their mother. I smiled at the thought and felt guilty about leaving them alone.
No, I can’t feel guilty about wanting to go. I’ll be back before midnight.
The streets pulsed as I pushed my way through the crowds and found the tailor’s shop. Outside was a small collection of people and Kaela was waiting among them, a smile on her face. “Daeus above, Ava, I can’t believe you actually came,” she laughed, and hugged me tightly.
“I need to rebel a little bit in my life, even if my father’s not here to get the brunt of it.” I smiled beside her.
“Well said.” A mischievous glint sparked in Kaela’s eyes and my suspicions suddenly started hammering. “What’s that look for?”
“I can’t help but think you’re up to something.” I raised an eyebrow.
“Not so much up to something as doing a little rebelling myself,” Kaela chuckled, and pushed me into the shop.
The next hour consisted of inspecting, feeling and trying on different dresses for the main event that evening. Eventually, to the tailor’s joy, Kaela had chosen a beautiful, pale pink gown, its bodice adorned with lines of pearlescent beading and a gentle, white lace lined the interior, peeking out against her breasts and ankles. I was completely alien to this world of silks and chiffons. The only dresses I owned were plain, simple things I didn’t mind getting dirty.
After complaining for the third time that I didn’t need a fancy dress, Kaela forced me into a dark green gown…and I was in love, begrudgingly. The top of the dress sat wide on my shoulders, exposing the peak of my breasts in a way that was still decent. Its bodice was embroidered with different sparkling beads and threads that made it look like my waist was wrapped by silver vines. Its skirts fell from the waist in layers-upon-layers of different greens and the material was light enough that it flowed freely as I walked.
“Alright,” I said, “this is the one.”
Kaela cheered and waited patiently as her dress was pinned and tailored to her fit. “It’s about time you had a good dress on hand.”
“I’ve never needed one.” I lifted my arms as people began pinning and fitting my own gown. “Life on the farm doesn’t exactly cry out for sparkly things and chiffon.”
“Even so, your brothers are perfectly capable of running things up there. It’s always useful to have one just in case,” Kaela said, spinning around so the back could be fixed.
“It’ll make a nice burial dress when Roan murders me later for disobeying him,” I half-joked.
“Not funny,” she sing-songed.
“And when exactly are you going to tell me about why you’re trying so hard for the festival?”
Kaela thought for a second before answering. “I’ve met someone.” She smiled. “I want his attention to stay on me, selfish as that may be. Though maybe I shouldn’t have helped you pick out something that would make you look so beautiful,” she joked.
I laughed. “You’ve got nothing to worry about. I’ve no doubt you’ll be a diamond in a room full of coal tonight.”
“We’ll find you someone eligible, even if your father doesn’t want you to be Matched.”
“You can try.” I stepped out of the dress and handed it to the tailor. “Perhaps it’s not just him being stubborn.”
Kaela mirrored my motions and turned to me, the mischief was back in her eyes. “You can still have fun with someone. Most of the people here will be travellers so no fuss, no commitments…” she turned away and turned back with two masks in her hands, “just a night of romance and mystery. It’s every girl’s dream, right?”
I’d never thought about it before. My entire life I’d fought so hard to keep a lid on anything even remotely feminine but what about tonight? For the first time in my life I’d be allowed to feel hands on me, to feel goose-bumps rising as men grazed my skin with their fingers. It was a bit frightening.
“I…I think I might be sick,” I said, suddenly overwhelmed. The seamstresses looked about ready to throw me out the door.
“Don’t worry.” Kaela handed me a mask of silver and green. “I’ve got something that’ll help.”