Hi All!  I started writing this chapter and it seemed to go on and on! This might be one of my longest posts ever. Hope you like it. :)

Concerned about me disappearing in my sleep, Rygar had a hand on my shoulder and Nebula held my fingers in hers. I couldn't help smile with the two of them trying to protect me as I drifted off to sleep.

Exhausted from the day, sleep enveloped me almost the moment I lay my head down. My thoughts spiraled like leaves scattering on the wind. In the distance, I heard someone say my name. I recognized Kellan's voice when he said my name again. It drew me in like a magnet until I found myself standing in his room staring at a girl draped over his bed.

"You weren't kidding..." Rygar said from behind me. "Now that beats portal travel any day."

"Rygar," Nebula whispered scolding him. "Not now..."

I dragged my eyes from the beautiful girl in the emerald gown to Kellan, who was facing a window overlooking the ocean below. The two Acklemarian moons shone high in the night sky in front of him as he finished flipping a t-shirt on over his tanned skin.

"Ah..." the girl said clearing her throat. "Kellan, you have visitors."

The girl stood up and clasped her hands behind her back.

Anger rose and bubbled through me as I stared at her. Last time I was in his room, he shoved me under the bed to hide me. Who the hell is she?

"Wren!" Kellan said like he was excited to see me.

He started to walk over in my direction until I threw up my hand in front of me.

"Sorry. We didn't know you were—busy." I turned to leave, and Rygar and Nebula started to move toward the door.

"Wren, what are you talking about?" He looked over at the girl. "Oh geez—you don't think, Elena and I..."

He grabbed my shoulder and turned me so I could see his face. "Elena's my sister. We were just talking about you and I being partners."

The girl waved a delicate hand, then held out her dress and curtsied. "Nice to see you again Wren. I might be a little taller than the last time you saw me."

"Sorry." I cringed. "I thought you and—"

"Kellan?" She wrinkled her nose and giggled. "No way. He's a moody, cocky, overbearing, and a pain in the butt." She held up four fingers in the air. "But as far as big brothers go, I guess that's expected."

"Hey, you forgot handsome and thoughtful," Kellan replied, straightening his shirt.

"Thoughtful? You?" Elena said with a look of disbelief. "All you ever do is think up new ways to play practical jokes on me, getting me in trouble."

"See how much I love you?" Kellan wrapped his arm around her, undid her hair tie and messed up her auburn locks with his hand. "Don't undervalue how much time those take to come up with."

"See what I have to put up with?" Elena said throwing her hands into the air. "How soon can you take him off our hands? Maybe you can teach him some manners."

I loved how Elena was so willing to pull her thick-headed brother in his place.

"Not likely," I said.

"What?" Kellan held a hand over his heart. "Is that you'll not likely take me off my family's hands or that you can teach me some manners?"

"The manner thing is definitely up for debate." I pulled the collar of my shirt down enough to exposed his ring.

Elena's eyes went wide when she saw it and immediately looked at her brother.

"As for your knotted ring, unless there's some way of erasing it that I don't know about, I have a feeling I might be stuck with you."

Elena gasped. "Kellan!" she said, swatting him. "You never told me you exchanged a knotted ring. But what about the Fire—"

Kellan's eyes went an icy bright. When she saw them glow, she pursed her lips and smoothed the skirts of her dress. "Sorry, sometimes I forget myself."

"It's all right." I chuckled, taking her hair tie from Kellan. "You're not the only one wondering that," I said, looking over at Rygar then back to her. "Here." I passed her the ribbon.

"Rygar, Nebula!" Kellan said like he just realized they were in the room. He slapped Rygar on his shoulder like an old friend and shook Nebula's hand.

"You took my advice," Nebula said, giving him a warm smile.

"And risk tempting fate if I didn't?" He grabbed a dress shirt from the back of a chair and started to button it over his white t-shirt. "I know some people question the abilities of Seers, but I'm not one of them."

"Good to know. Then you won't mind if we join to at tonight's banquet."

"Nebula—" I whispered, feeling embarrassed that she'd just invited us to Kellan's function.

"When you're as old as I am, there's no point waiting around for invitations, especially when you already know the answers." She was so freaky weird that she made my forgotten understanding of Acklemarian rules look normal.

Kellan chuckled making his eyes sparkle as he laughed. "Nebula, you're always welcome in court. I'm sure Elena can help you and Wren find something suitable to wear."

"Rygar, how about a game of Calept. I think I'm a game up on you from the last time we played at the Guild. With any luck, I can add another win to the score before the ladies join us." He lifted my hand to his lips and kissed the top of it.

Rygar cracked his fingers and dusted his hands off like he was getting warmed up to give Kellan a butt kicking. "No offense, but that's not going to happen."

"That's what you think."

Elena linked her arm through mine and squealed. "We're going to be sisters," she whispered with excitement. "I always hoped Kellan would get up enough courage and ask you. Sure took him long enough."

"Yes, it did," Nebula said, rolling her eyes so only Elena and I could see. "Men never do things the easy way, do they?"

Elena giggled and pushed the heavy wooden door open. The stone hallway beyond the threshold glowed with the warmth of torchlights ready to light our way toward where ever Elena was leading us.

***

With a small army of helpers, my transformation from dusty camper to runway girl seemed to take mere minutes. I stared at my toes inside silver shoes that sparkled when I walked. My floor length dress lifted just enough in the front so I could walk without tripping and kill myself. Which I was sure Elena's four-inch heels would accomplish if I had to walk very far in them.

Kellan's ring seemed to have a mind of its own and moved around me like it had to be seen above the dress' sky blue bust line. I tried to ignore the blazing heat warming my ankle reminding me of my promise to Jaxon.

Nebula walked out from behind the dressing screen wearing the wine colored gown Elena had a servant pull from her mother's closet. The strapless bodice hugged Nebula's curves, showing off her figure. With her ebony hair swept over her shoulder, her insignia, a cluster of stars with a thin band below them was easily seen.

"Wow, Nebula... That dress is fabulous on you," I said, meaning every word.

She smiled and spun around, showing off the full skirt of her dress. She gave her finger a twirl like I should do the same.

"Stunning," Elena said, clapping her hands as I turned. "Kellan is going to love you in that."

"If you don't mind me saying, you've never looked more yourself than now," Nebula commented.

What's that supposed to mean? With Nebula, I was almost afraid to ask. "Sorry?"

She looped her finger around the black lock of hair that Elena refused to hide when she styled my hair. She insisted on pinned it up, so it swept across the rest of my blond hair for everyone to see.

"You're not hiding. This dark lock of hair marks you as a Weaver. On Earth, it's common to see people dye their hair like this, but not on Acklemar."

"That and the beautiful metallic colors in Kellan's ring," Elena added. "All eyes will be on you when you walk through the court's door."

I lifted my foot, letting the fabric fall away exposing Jaxon's ring. "Yeah, especially when this is still around my ankle."

"Oh ya—" Elena nodded. "Good point."

She walked over to a table with glass jars covering it. She picked up a white container, opened the lid and the smell of roses filled the room, then she ran her fingers through the flesh-colored cream.

"There," she said dabbing the last bit of the ring's flames from sight with her fingertips. "Just don't rub your ankle against anything or the cream might come off. Council members won't react well if they find out that ring contract's still valid.

"To say the least," Nebula said inspecting Elena's work. "But it's not like anyone has seen two rings on someone before, so I don't think they'll be looking for Jaxon's ring." Nebula gave my hand a squeeze.

I'm sure council members aren't the only one that would freak if they found out just I covered up Jaxon's ring. I took a deep breath to steady myself.

"Got it. Keep it hidden." I looked down at my ankle again. "Maybe this is a bad idea. I could just stay here and not go."

"Let's check, shall we?" Nebula smiled, closed her eyes and slowly exhaled. The charms on her necklace lit off and on. "It seems that's not an option. The council already knows you're here. They'll expect to see you tonight or will see your absence as an insult."

"Nebula, that talent of yours is creepy. Useful, but creepy."

Elena stood there with her mouth hanging open staring at Nebula. "You know that for sure?"

Nebula nodded then shrugged. "I prefer the term, insightful, but you're not the first to mention creepy."

I slipped my necklaces back over my head when Elena went put a few things back on the table. Nebula motioned I should hide dekarta stone in the bodice of the dress.

"Ready?" Elena asked.

When I peered over my shoulder, Elena had already opened the door. As I'll ever be, I guess. I sighed, lifted the skirts of my dress and made my way to the door. I couldn't shake the feeling that this was a bad idea.

Elena and Nebula chatted about Earth customs and led the way keeping a quick pace through the maze of corridors. With little hope of escaping back to the room to hide, I listened to our shoes echo against the stone floor as we walked. The sound of each footstep reminded me I hadn't landed on my butt, despite my inability to walk in heels. Left, right, I watched my feet wobble forward while praying this whole affair tonight would mostly involve sitting.

"Wren..." Nebula said lifting the train of her dress from under my foot. "Watch where you're going."

"Sorry," I whispered back. "I didn't notice you'd stopped. These shoes are a mile high. How on Earth do you walk in these things, Elena?"

Elena giggled then said, "That's because we're not on Earth, and dinners in the Acklemarian Circles are formal, so you get used to it pretty quick."

Formal? All of them? No wonder I had a closet full of evening dresses back at the Guild.

"We'll see you inside," Elena said turning to leaving me at the main entrance.

"What do you mean, inside? Aren't we going in together?" Panic bubbled through me as I looked at the doors flanked by two guards.

Nebula shook her head and pulled me into a hug and whispered, "You're promised to their Circle's First, and this being your first appearance, they'll want to announce your presence."

"Good God, you're kidding me."

She adjusted my necklace and smoothed the skirt of my dress. "Quit being so dramatic. You'll be fine."

Easy for her to say. She didn't have to walk into a room with everyone staring at her. Just walking in Elena's heels should be considered a suicide attempt, forget trying to look graceful too. I linked my arm through Nebula's.

"You're coming with me as my official escort." I gave her a big toothy smile begging her not to go.

Nebula slid her arm out of my grasp. "No, I'm not."

"You can't leave me here to face everyone by myself. Please..." I said drawing out the word.

Elena was still off to the side waiting for Nebula to go with her.

"Oh yes, I can." She gave me a stern look, and I knew she meant it. "You're the one that said yes to that boy, not me."

"That's when he was just Kellan—not this," I said gesturing to my dress, the guards and palace walls.

"Oh, sweetheart." She squeezed my hand. "He always has been, just Kellan. He might be the most down to earth person in there, probably because none of this has ever mattered to him."

Her reference to earth made me smile. "You'll be waiting inside?"

She gave a short nod, smiled and disappeared around the corner with Elena. I fiddled with a pleat on my dress, trying to ignore my heart in my throat.

Nervous? Kellan asked in my thoughts.

Whatever gave you that idea? I said trying to make light of the situation.

Your emotions are soaring, he answered. There's nothing to worry about. I'll wait for you at the bottom of the stairs.

I could hear someone from behind the closed door announce my arrival over the murmur of voices. "The court welcomes, Wren Delacroix, Traveler, and promised of our Water Circle's First."

I inhaled a deep breath in and let it out slowly as the guards opened the golden double doors in front of me. I managed my first teetering step forward toward the terrace overlooking the ballroom floor below.

Hey, can you hurry it up a little? We're getting hungry down here, Kellan said throwing my focus.

Hurry it up? You walk in these shoes! If I made it downstairs alive, he'd be lucky if I didn't make him eat one of my shoes for dinner.

When I saw the grand staircase that circled nearly the entire room, I smiled trying to hide my terror at the sight of the gazillion stairs I still needed to descend.

I could hear Kellan chuckle in my head. Don't you think you're being a tad melodramatic? They're just stairs.

Have Acklemarian's ever heard of elevators? Seriously. Who the hell puts a mile of stairs in one room?

I was honestly considering riding the banister down, thinking it would probably be less dangerous.

You're enjoying this—aren't you? I voiced to him in my thought. When I rounded a turn, I spied him at the bottom, still a couple of floors away.

Every second, he answered with a big fat grin on his face.

I felt his ring shift again on my skin like it was trying to be the center of attention.

That's it, left, right, left right, he called out like my own personal drill sergeant.

Shut up. I'm busy trying not to roll down these stupid things.

It might be faster. Kellan covered his mouth like his was trying to hide a laugh.

Woo, that's it. I was going to punch him. Every ounce of me wished there was a faster way to get down. The stones around my neck lit up and the room vanished into an array of colors.

A moment later, I reappeared standing next to Kellan and the room erupted into cheers and applause.

What the? I looked around at the tables circling the room, trying to figure out what they heck were cheering for—but they were all staring at me.

"Now that's an entrance they'll never forget," Kellan said, picking up my fingers in his. "They'll be talking about that for months."

He bowed and brushed a tender kiss to the top of my hand.

I responded with a curtsey but debated punching him still. You made me mad on purpose.

He grinned, intertwined his fingers with mine and walked toward the head table. You can't be mad at me. I granted your wish.

Oh you did, did you?

I smiled knowing everyone was still watching us, then feigned interest in the waterfall that tumbled into a narrow pool behind the head table.

Yeah, not to walk all those stairs. Kellan looked amused. Don't look now, but here come some of your fans. Kellan gestured to his sister, Elena and a couple of girls she had with her.

Elena shrieked jumping up and down. "That was incredible! You should've seen everyone's faces when you disappeared."

"Forget that, it was your reappearing right next to Kellan that made my heart stop," said the brunette girl with freckles.

Elena's other friend pushed between the two of them and nodded in agreement. "So romantic!" she said, fanning herself.

"Yeah, that's it romantic." I laughed and looked over at Kellan who was trying to hold back a grin.

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