Total pages in book: 210
Estimated words: 200837 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1004(@200wpm)___ 803(@250wpm)___ 669(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 200837 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1004(@200wpm)___ 803(@250wpm)___ 669(@300wpm)
This dress is beyond my imagination, let alone my skill. It’s so much more than I ever expected. Especially with just one day to pull it together. I look at the couturier and bow my head as I dip into a curtsey. “Thank you. I am undeserving.”
She comes over and taps my shoulder, making me straighten up. And when I look her in the eyes, she says, “I think you might be the prettiest girl I’ve ever dressed. Everyone calls you a slut. Do you know that?”
My face goes red hot.
“Dear, do not be embarrassed. Do you know why they call you these names? It’s because your beauty is a threat. To women. To men. To entire power structures. Whatever it is you do in your private time, Jasina Bell, has nothing to do with the names they will call you. So I made the dress a little bit slutty, because all men like that. But I only did it because your body can pull it off. You like it too, right? It’s still elegant, don’t you think?”
I let out a breath, nodding. “I’ve never seen anything so beautiful in my life.”
She gently places her hand on my cheek and smiles. “Neither have I.”
I leave there a little bit confused by this last comment. Did she mean she’s never made a prettier dress in her entire career?
Surely not. I’ve seen the dresses the Spark Maidens wear. They’re all gorgeous.
But then… then she must’ve meant… she’s never seen a prettier girl.
I have never thought of myself as ugly. I have eyes. But… I don’t see myself as something that threatens power structures.
She must’ve just been being polite.
It doesn’t matter though. Because I am filled with the feeling that tonight is something meant for me, and only me. And even if everyone in that dorm hates me when I go home tonight, I won’t care.
If I must stand alone, I will do it with grace.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
At five minutes to seven I’m dressed and pacing the front room, waiting for Mitch to deliver Jasina Bell. I’m not nervous. I would not call it nervous. But… the fact is, I haven’t had a first date with a woman since Clara and I were fourteen years old and she asked me to be her escort to the Pledge Gala in her second year.
And it occurs to me now that we even talked about that night just before she went into the tower. It was her favorite memory with me.
But is this night with Jasina a date?
Or is it just a dinner with a down-city girl who won a Choosing contest?
I can’t decide.
It could be something more. If there was any sort of future in my future.
But at the very least, I’m gonna be seeing her for the next three months. I know this for sure, because I’m the one in charge of Choosing and I’m gonna make sure Jasina Bell makes it through every one of them.
If this place lasts that long, that is.
Because I don’t know what it means for the god to be dying. The only thing I took away from the Council meeting that day my father died was… hopelessness.
Suddenly, the doors open and I turn just in time to see Jasina’s face light up in surprise as Mitch escorts her inside.
She’s been here, of course. But only upstairs, not down here. And she’s impressed.
I walk over to her and Mitch backs off as I take her hand, kiss it, and smile. “Welcome. Welcome to my home, Miss Jasina Bell.”
She blushes, which is a nice touch if it’s fake and downright sexy if it’s not. “Thank you.” She curtsies, bowing her head. And this is when I notice how mature and refined she looks tonight.
It’s the dress. It’s gorgeous. And big. A gala dress, for sure. Not what I was expecting, but I can’t complain about the bare shoulders or the way the neckline plunges to reveal cleavage. “You look lovely.”
This makes her smile and draw in a big breath. “As do you. I mean.” She blushes again. This time it’s absolutely real. “Your suit is stunning.”
I turn to Mitch, find him leering at her cleavage, and shoot him a look when he finally manages to meet my gaze. “You can leave now.”
Mitch looks confused. “You want me to leave?”
“And you can take the cooks and servers with you.”
“But… Finn—I mean, Extraction Master—it’s five courses. Who will keep the food hot? Who will serve?”
“I’ve got it, Mitch. So please.” I pan my hand at the door. “Dismiss them and go.”
He lets out a long breath, wanting to argue with me. But he won’t. Not in front of Jasina. Instead he does a little bow, then retreats in the direction of the kitchen, barking orders as he walks.
Jasina and I look at each other. She’s nervous, but there’s a little bit of sadness in her expression as well. Why though? Because I dismissed everyone and we’re going to be completely alone?