FORTY-NINE
The Maganthian Chronicle released a special edition that covered the previous day’s events, but when Diamond dropped by with a copy, Quin and Layla refused to look.
“Why go to all that trouble?” Layla asked. “The whole city was there.”
“Some were outside,” Diamond explained. “The coliseum can’t hold us all.”
“Did you watch?”
“I did. Only because I was worried about you, but after watching you work, I don’t think there’s anything to worry about.”
Layla sipped her coffee between stuffing her face with the breakfast Diamond delivered. “Where do you guys get bacon? I haven’t seen a single pig down here.”
“Imported,” Quin revealed. “The seafood is the only meat that’s local.”
“That makes sense.”
Layla looked at Diamond, who lingered near the exit. “Sit and eat with us,” Layla insisted. “Are you going to the gala?”
Diamond sat across from them and poured a cup of tea. “Oh, no. My family hasn’t been invited to a gala in years. Just as well. I have no interest in them anyway.”
“It’s a stuffy event, huh?”
“Yes. Rich people who care more about their clothing than they care about people. That’s how my grandfather described the galas. My grandmother loved them, though. She adored getting dressed up and letting Grandpa sweep her across the ballroom, but she did always say it was a damn shame one had to be filthy rich to enjoy such a treat.”
Layla puckered. “That is a shame. How does the rest of the city celebrate the equinox?”
“Low-Tier will be busy tonight, street parties and pub crawls, stuff like that, but even if I’m not stuffy, I’m too old to be a party animal, so I’ll just stay home. The girls will probably share a meal with me before they go out.”
“That will be nice. But why don’t you just have your own gala? You have a mansion.”
Diamond laughed as her cheeks brightened. “That would be lovely, but I don’t know that many people.”
“I don’t know the people hosting the Equinox Gala, but I’m still invited. I bet if you asked people to come, they would. They’re probably all wishing there was a ball they could afford to attend.”
“I don’t have the funds for that, honey. I’d like to leave the girls a little something when I go.”
“I have the funds. Didn’t I hear someone say there was prize money for running the gauntlet?”
“Oh, yes.” Diamond unrolled the Chronicle and pinpointed the section discussing Layla’s success. “Here it is.”
She showed them, but it was in Maganthian currency, so Layla looked to Quin for the conversion. “It’s over a hundred thousand,” he revealed.
“No, shit?” Layla mumbled. “How much did we win by betting on me?”
“More than twice that.”
“Cool.”
He laughed and kissed her cheek. “It was a good wager.”
Layla returned to her meal while motioning toward the article. “There you go. You can use the gauntlet prize to throw a party. It’s the city’s money anyway. Let’s see it returned to them. Are you willing to host?”
Diamond set her tea on the table, flustered as she fidgeted with her necklace. “I can’t possibly put together a party in one day, and no one has planned their attire. There’s simply not enough time. It’s impossible, but it’s a sweet offer. Thank you.”
Layla smiled and winked. “Hey, Quin.”
“Yes, love?”
“Does the word impossible apply to me?”
“Not even a little bit.”
Layla refilled her coffee while taking a bite. “What about Jade and Emé? Couldn’t they invite people?”
“Sure,” Diamond replied, “but it won’t be much of a ball without gowns.”
“What if I can get a selection of gowns for the women to put on when they arrive? You can invite as many people as we can dress.”
“I fear people won’t bother, and I’d hate for you to waste the funds.”
“They’ll come if you tell them I’m here. The gala starts at nine, so we’ll set this one for seven, and I’ll spend at least an hour here before going to the other one. All you have to do is say yes and host. I’ll have the Crusaders plan and execute the details. There are hundreds of them and plenty of funds. Give them each a task, and the party will be ready to go in a couple of hours.”
Diamond’s lips crept into a smile as she realized it was possible. “Why would you do this?”
“Because it’s a damn shame one has to be filthy rich to enjoy such a treat.”
As her grandma’s words bounced back at her, Diamond’s grin stretched. “Yes, it is.”
“So we’re doing this?”
“Yes,” Diamond approved, but she already looked stressed as she cleaned her mug and rose. “I have to tidy the house.”
“No, you don’t,” Layla disagreed. “You need to go home, relax, and think about getting yourself ready. I’ll send over a team of Crusaders to clean and decorate. Just leave the main level open for us.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. Now stop worrying and go call Jade and Emé. Tell them we’ll have invitations ready in a couple of hours, but I want the three of you to have the final say on who comes, so you’ll need to distribute them.”
“Yes, of course. Just send them over when they’re ready. I’m so excited.”
Diamond practically skipped from the cottage, and Layla quietly laughed at her while summoning a pen and a notepad. “I hope I didn’t just bite off more than I can chew.”
“We’ll make it work,” Quin encouraged. “It’s a sweet offer.”
“It’s ridiculous the city can pay me over a hundred grand for five minutes in the gauntlet, but they won’t spring for a gala for average citizens. So…” She sighed and looked up. “Where can I get fancy dresses that won’t kill our budget?”
~***~
Layla spent about an hour making lists and delegating jobs. Then she and Quin took a long and lazy bath while waiting for Brietta to hunt down hundreds of dresses.
By the time Layla donned a robe and ventured back upstairs, she’d gotten news that caterers had invaded Diamond’s kitchen, decorations were going up, invitations to the aptly named Diamond Ball were made, and Brietta had arrived with good news.
“Are you dressed?” she called into the cottage. Then she entered without waiting for a response. “You won’t believe this, but I got two of the city’s top designers to work the party tonight. Well… technically you got them to do it, but you get what I’m saying. They’re well established with the elite and want to expand into a more affordable market, and they think this is a good opportunity to show average Maganthians what they can do for them. Obviously, they won’t be putting them in custom gowns, but they’re bringing everything from their warehouse and will personally dress the guests and make alterations. They’re not charging for their time, and they’ll loan the dresses for free with the option to purchase at the end of the night. On one condition.”
“What’s that?” Layla warily asked.
Brietta perched her tiny butt on the armrest of the sofa. “Nothing strenuous. They want you to promote their brand at the first party. All the designers made you dresses for the Equinox Gala. They’ll be here in about an hour to show them to you and let you choose, but the two who offered to work the Diamond Ball say the custom gowns won’t fit in with those from their warehouse, so they want to dress you off the rack.”
“Oh. That’s no big deal. Sure.”
“Yay,” Brietta approved, popping back up. “They’re dressing me, too.” She walked backward toward the exit. “I’m going to let Diamond know how many invitations she can give out.”
“The kids,” Layla remembered. “What if they want to come? Will there be dresses for them?”
“The designers can alter the gowns to fit them.”
“Cute! Okay. Go. Those invitations need to go out ASAP.”
Brietta left, but Drexel stopped by seconds later to talk to Quin about security for the evening’s events. By the time they finished, the fashion designers had arrived, and the cottage seemed to shrink as they all gathered in the living room to unveil their offerings.
Apparently, feathers were all the rage this year given the gala’s guest of honor was an angel, and the celestial theme had made it into all of Layla’s choices. One actually had extended wings stretching at least three feet away from its corset, tempting Layla to giggle, but she somehow kept a straight face while passing it by. Another had a feathered cape that arched away from the shoulders like folded wings, and another had a spray of feathers coming out of the back of the collar.
Brietta stood in the background, biting her lip and twisting her hands, aching to give her opinion, so Layla asked her what she thought, to which she beamed and went down the row, picking out three for Layla to try on.
Using the upstairs washroom, Layla did as she was told, modeling each gown for her audience, most of whom agreed the third option looked best. Though it wasn’t the skimpiest of them all, it was the most risqué of the three, so Layla had saved it for last, but she couldn’t deny how well it flattered her figure. Or how good she felt when Quin shot to his feet and nearly swallowed his tongue in a rush to compliment her.
The bodice was made from Maganthian spider silk that took years to harvest and produced the softest material she’d ever worn. A thin ribbon of the exotic fabric circled her neck like a choker, but she could barely feel it, and the same was true for the material that branched off the back of the collar to cover her shoulder blades like resting wings. The silk in the front was thicker and consisted of two strips that split from the choker and stretched over her breasts to a point near her belly button. Her arms, shoulders and sides were bare, but her legs were hidden beneath a long, skirt that hugged her hips before flowing into layers of soft feathers, which had taken nearly as long as the silk to harvest. They were collected after being shed by the swan-like creatures exclusive to the Maganthian lagoon, and their black fronds naturally faded into a metallic-gray hue that matched the silver silk.
When most of the designers left, the two working the Diamond Ball stayed. Then they dressed her in a satiny, lilac gown with a sweetheart neckline and mermaid silhouette. Lace covered most of the bodice and sprinkled the skirt with floral designs, but it wasn’t much different than a prom dress until its creators topped it with a sheer cape that went over her head and drifted across her waist before trailing to the floor at her back. The purple tulle added a touch of modesty to her swelling cleavage while fluttering around her like an aura, and lace appliques on the collar and hem of the cape enhanced the elegance and individuality.
Once they’d gotten her approval, the designers revealed the dress’ final cost, which Quin translated into a few hundred dollars. Layla didn’t need the gown for more than an hour and may never again wear it, but she purchased it as a thank you to the designers for donating their time and resources to the ball.
They left to set up in one of Diamond’s upstairs bedrooms, and Layla changed back into her robe before sitting down to the lunch Quin insisted she eat.
Once she was full, she began doing her makeup, which she was getting pretty good at, but Quin distracted her by dressing in the menswear the designers made to match her feathered gown.
He stripped nude before wrapping protective bands around his ankles, calves, thighs, wrists, forearms and biceps. Then he pulled on a pair of black, silk dress pants while slipping his feet into matching shoes with leather soles. She lost the view of his abs when he buttoned a black, long-sleeve shirt, which he tucked in and topped with a double-breasted, brocade waistcoat that hugged his spectacular muscles. He wrapped his waistband in a broad belt encrusted with onyx and plated with silver discs that matched the buttons on his vest. Then he donned two amulets – the one she’d given him that morning, and the one from the ancient set of armor he’d worn the day before. He looked sharp and official, but it was nothing compared to the authoritative air he exuded when he put on the black and silver, brocade topcoat. The stiff collar nearly brushed his hard jaw; the taper at the waist accentuated his strong stature; the knee-length hem added a sense of nobility; and the custom, silver adornments on the thick cuffs and peaked lapels highlighted its elegance.
“Wow,” Layla breathed, watching his reflection in the mirror. “That’s sexy.”
He laughed while adjusting the fingerprint tag on his wrist. “Oh, yeah?”
“Yeah. You look powerful.” She grinned and raised her eyebrows. “And kind of dangerous.”
“Am I fulfilling all your bad-boy fantasies?”
“If I didn’t have them before, I do now, but I’d be all too willing to let you lock me in your dungeon.”
He walked up behind her and leaned on her backrest, playfully biting her neck before looking at the mirror to vanish his five o’clock shadow. “I won’t lie. Sometimes I do wish I could lock you up, but your cooperation wouldn’t last, and you wouldn’t be the woman I love if I stifled your free will.”
“I suppose, but it would be fun for a while.”
He smiled at her reflection then softly kissed her cheek. “Yes, it would.”
~***~
By the time Layla attended the first ball of the evening, dozens of guests had already flooded Diamond’s property, and smiling witches gracefully descended the foyer stairs in beautiful gowns. Servers flitted around with trays of hors d'oeuvres and drinks, a band played from one corner of the ballroom, and the conservatory had been turned into a dim lounge with cushioned floors and short tables topped with hookahs. The doors were flung open to the garden, which was loaded with romantic seating and floating lights. The lanterns continued along a flower-lined trail to the lake, where three manned rowboats offered rides to the base of the waterfall.
The black and white diamond theme ran through every vein of the party. There were starburst lights, quartz and crystal streamers, elaborate ice sculptures, glittery runners, and sugar everywhere – white cotton candy, black rock candy, and hundreds of clear, diamond hard candies toppling down a silver-dusted, five-tiered cake.
Layla found Diamond and her granddaughters gushing over the ladies descending the stairs, as if they were mothers to them all. Then they gushed over Layla while thanking her for sponsoring the ball. Despite the short notice, most of the people they’d invited had agreed to stop by, and they expected hundreds by the end of the night.
In the hour Layla mingled with the locals and promoted the fashion designers, attendance tripled, making the huge home feel smaller, and it made Layla’s security uncomfortable. Most of the Crusaders had been sent ahead to position themselves around the Equinox Gala, with only two teams staying behind – one to guard the guesthouses, and one to protect Layla. They didn’t have enough soldiers to station them in every corner of the mansion, so they had to follow her like bodyguards, making her feel guilty for merely crossing a room. The other guests didn’t seem to mind, but she was relieved when she needed to return to her cottage to get ready for the second party.
The relief didn’t last, however, as Jazmin, the makeup artist Layla had dismissed the day she entered Maganthia, waltzed back into her life, and this time, the snooty woman was getting her way.
Instead of wearing a traditional masquerade mask, Layla agreed to have a version painted on, and she had to admit the artist did a lovely job. The fashion designers had left behind a few black and silver feathers that matched her gown, and Jazmin blended them with makeup to give the illusion Layla wore a feathered mask. After adding miniscule crystals to the feathers and Layla’s lashes, Jazmin connected the masked eyes with a sprinkle of silver glitter above the bridge of the nose. Then she matched it with sparkly lips that flashed white, black and silver. She set it all with magic that was supposed to last until Layla wiped it away with special towelettes, and following a civil and sincere exchange of gratitude, she left with a skip in her step, thrilled she was finally able to do something about Layla’s enormous eyes.
A few Crusaders stood in the living room, so Layla went downstairs to change into her feathered dress. Then she emerged to find Quin trying on a full-face mask that reminded her of those worn for the Venetian Carnival, except it didn’t have headgear, feathers or neck ruffles. Thick, ornamental silver framed his chin and followed his jawline, merging into a teardrop onyx on his forehead, and the ceramic around his eyes was painted black to resemble a mask. But the silver coating on the masculine nose and lips was smooth, and the contrast made them looked real, as if he’d donned silver makeup and a partial mask.
He turned away from the mirror. Then he cleared his throat and removed the façade, letting his gaze travel from her head to her hidden toes. His aura raced as its colors intensified, and the way he stared made her feel like he was looking for the first time.
“Stunning,” he whispered. Then he shook away his trance and summoned a velvet-lined tray topped with an assortment of jewelry, including bracelets, rings, armbands and decorative hair combs. “The dress designers sent these over. They’re on loan from one of the jewelry shops.”
Layla approached and picked out an onyx bracelet and armbands. Then Quin tucked his mask in his satchel so he could help her don the jewelry.
He kept getting distracted by her face and figure, constantly glancing at her eyes, lips, breasts or hips, but he eventually succeeded, smiling at her humored expression as he pulled her sparkly cheek into a kiss. “Make fun all you want. There’s no denying how entrancing you are.”
She grinned and winked. “That dungeon scenario is looking better and better, huh?”
“Don’t tempt me.”
He linked his arm with hers. Then they turned toward the exit as Tristan walked in, his eyes widening on Layla before dropping to the floor. “Jantzen is here. Do you feel like meeting him while you wait for your ride?”
“That’s up to Layla,” Quin answered. “I don’t care either way.”
She shrugged while pulling Quin closer. “Take us to him.”
Jantzen sat on a bench in front of Diamond’s estate, dressed in masquerade attire as he chatted with Emrys, but when Layla rounded the corner of the house, they shot to their feet and bowed.
“You look beautiful,” Emrys offered.
“It’s intimidating,” Jantzen confessed, unable to keep his eyes off her, yet fearful of staring, and he seemed too ashamed to make eye contact with Quin. When he finally risked a glance, his gaze went right back to the ground. Then he cleared his throat and slid his mask through his hands. “I’m sorry about yesterday. I realize now that it was counterproductive to my purpose to challenge your bond, and I regret the manner in which I introduced myself. Ignorance is my only excuse. Please forgive me.”
Quin traded a look with Layla then returned his attention to Jantzen. “Did you know they planned to challenge me?”
“No. I didn’t even know she was supposed to have seven guardians, but when I heard the councilman mention the prophesy, all the confusion, the way I… the way I feel when I see her, suddenly made sense, and I couldn’t refrain from jumping up and riding that revelation straight into the ring. And right back out. I’m obviously not worthy of her. I can’t take your place by her side, and now that I have a better understanding of the situation, I wouldn’t want to try. But if you’ll extend me your trust, I will serve you both and strive to be a man worthy of your army.”
He finished by dropping to one knee and laying a fist over his heart, mimicking the devotion Tristan and Emrys had shown in the ring. Then all eyes turned to Layla, who peered back in confusion before realizing the decision was hers.
Figures.
Touching Jantzen’s shoulder, she motioned for him to rise. “You’re not required to kneel, but the trust will have to be earned. If your intentions are as good as Tristan’s and Emrys’, it won’t take long. As for yesterday, consider your participation in the challenge forgiven. The trap was sprung on us all, and everyone’s allowed mistakes. With this one, your saving grace was your perceived failure. Had you gotten a chance to attack Quin, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. Remember that if you ever consider challenging him again.”
“I understand,” Jantzen assured. “It’s been explained to me that sin committed against him is perpetrated against you, as well. If I had known, I wouldn’t have entered the ring. I’m wiser now and won’t make the same mistake twice.”
“Then we’ll get along fine. Will you be sticking with Tristan and Emrys?”
“Yes. I still have much to learn from them.”
Layla glanced at the men in question and smiled. “Most people could say the same.”