Evenfall
Chapter 11 - The Invitation

Isa was out of air and wheezing by the time they stopped. She was laughing so hard she could barely breathe, and the fact that Nikolas had made her run almost a whole city block didn’t help matters in the slightest. He seemed just as fazed as she, turning to glance back the whole time they ran, checking that she was still behind him. As if the fact that he had her hand in a vice grip wasn’t enough.

They paused to catch their breath just inside the entryway of what looked to be a park, set right in the middle of the ring they were currently in. Isa glanced up to study the intricate stonework of the arch, flinching as a drop of rain fell on her nose. She hadn’t noticed, but in the short time since dusk had left them clouds had covered the sky. The stars were hidden behind a thick smog, only the clouds blocking the moon providing a small semblance of light as the celestial body stubbornly refused to be dimmed.

She giggled as another drop landed near her ear, and then another and another. Soon she was drenched in raindrops, cold as an icicle, but impossibly elated. She loved rain. She playfully stuck her tongue out, catching a few drops. When she remembered that she was with Nikolas she turned to replace him staring. He had a funny look on his face. She blushed red as a tomato, looking to her shoes as she shuffled to join him under the cover of the arch. He was barely wet. She let out an involuntary shiver as the adrenaline began to ware off.

“Cold?” Nikolas asked, bringing an arm around her shoulders to hug him to her. Isa giggled.

“A little,” she chattered. “But it’s nothing to worry over. The inn I’m staying at shouldn’t be too far from here, I could get back before I get even a glimmer of a cold.”

Sheepishly she pulled herself out of his embrace. A flicker of disappointment passed over his face as she widened the distance between them, but it was gone before she could glean anything from it. A smirk danced across his lips as an idea flickered to light in his eyes.

“I have a better idea,” he said, glancing around. He seemed to spot what he was looking for and reached for her hand again. She eyed it suspiciously.

“What now?” She stared.

“Trust me,” he said, shaking his hand, prompting her to take it. She bounced uncomfortably on the balls of her feet, debating. She bit her lip and took his hand.

He grinned and stepped out from under the arch. She shrieked as she was pulled along, once more subjected to the freezing rain.

He pulled her across the street and under the overhang of a shop. Closer inspection revealed it to be a dress shop, and an elegant one at that. Nikolas raised his burnt hand to knock on the door, the other still clutching hers to his side. He flinched, regretting his decision, and shook his hand out. An elderly woman came to the door, though it seemed the years had done little to degrade her beauty. She was stunning and carried herself with a grace Isa could only hope to achieve. She also looked familiar somehow.

One look at Nikolas’ expensive clothes and drenched state saw the woman hurrying to unlock the door, and promptly invite them inside.

“Goodness me,” she said. “look at the state of the two of you. You could become seriously ill, prancing about in that maelstrom out there!”

She hurried them over to a sitting area, seemingly unfazed at the fact that they’d soak her expensive cushions. Before either of them could get as much as a word in, she pushed on.

“Let me get you some tea!” she said, shuffling through another door. “I’ll be but a minute.”

Isa puffed out her cheeks and looked to Nikolas, seeing a very mischievous look on his face. She narrowed her eyes and let out her breath.

“What’s that about?” She said in a low tone, gesturing to him.

“I just heard a little someone say a little something about another little something sometime ago, and I figured you’d enjoy attending said something,” he said cryptically. “But you’d need a decent dress.”

Isa gaped at him. “Alright, first of all: I love this dress, and second, I can’t afford any of these!” She gestured wildly about to the dresses hanging off rails or mannequins posed in flattering positions.

“Oh, you don’t have to afford it at all,” Nikolas said, eyes twinkling. Isa was about to interrogate the menace further when the kindly shop owner shuffled back into the room with a tray clasped between her wrinkled hands, weathered by years of cutting and sewing.

“Here you go, dears,” she smiled and placed the tray on the table between them. She lifted two cups of tea and handed them to the two shivering friends.

“Thank you for your kindness,” Isa smiled and took the tea, interrogation forgotten at the prospect of warmth. Nikolas nodded and did the same.

“Oh, it’s my pleasure my dears. I’m Cindy.” She smiled.

“Isabelle, but you can call me Isa.” Isa returned the smile. “And that’s Nikolas.”

“Pleasure to make your acquaintance,” Nikolas smiled charmingly.

“Likewise. So what were the two of you doing out in that storm?” Cindy asked, lowering herself to sit on one of the chairs and taking the third cup for herself.

“Oh, we-” Isa started, but she was cut off.

“We were on our way to the masquerade at the palace,” Nikolas interjected, shooting Isa’s gaping expression a smirk.

The woman raised an eyebrow. “Aren’t the two of you a bit young for that?”

Nikolas chuckled. “We only look young.” He said bitterly.

Isa frowned, puzzled. What did that mean?

“Yes, well,” she smiled tightly as the conversation lapsed to an awkward silence. “It seems we won’t be able to make it tonight. Thank you so much for your hospitality, but we really should be going.” She went to get up.

“My dear you can’t!” Cindy said, rising quickly with Isa. “You two will catch your death in that storm. At least let me give you a set of dry clothes and shelter until the storm wanes.”

Isa was about to object, but Nikolas interrupted her once more. “Thank you, we would greatly appreciate that.” He frowned slightly. “But I’m afraid we have nothing with which to repay you.”

The woman waved her hand dismissively. “Oh, don’t worry about that!” She smiled. “I’ll be back in a minute.”

Isa opened her mouth to protest again but shut it reluctantly and sat once more. Who was she to refuse kindness, especially from a stranger? To do so would just be plain rude. And Isa wasn’t in the habit of being rude. She glanced to Nikolas, remembering how she’d been afraid to help him at first, what felt like months ago, and caught him staring. She blushed.

“What’s the matter?” She asked sheepishly, twiddling her fingers in her lap and avoiding his gaze. He simply smirked.

They sat in silence for a few more minutes, until Cindy returned with a bundle of clothing in her arms.

“Here you go,” she said, handing Nikolas a bundle of satin-black fabric. “You can change in that room over there.” She nodded towards a closed door. He nodded in thanks and walked off, sending Isa a wink as he disappeared through the door. Isa blushed again.

Cindy took notice and laughed. “You two are adorable. I so enjoy seeing young love.”

“Oh – what – no!” Isa’s eyes widened. “I mean, no, we aren’t in love.” She chuckled awkwardly. Preposterous.

Cindy simply smiled a knowing smile. “Here,” she said, holding out a silver-white garment. “You go try this on for size.”

Isa was amazed at the texture of the fabric as she held it. It was light as a feather and smoother than silk. She wondered what it was.

“Thank you,” she said, getting up. She walked into the room Cindy had gestured to and placed the garment on the bench she found inside. Three of the four walls of the room were mirrors, allowing a full view of the garment a customer would be trying on. Once Isa had peeled her faded blue, sopping dress off her lithe figure, she struggled to pull the silver one over her wet skin.

She was terrified out of her wits that one tug too hard would tear the precious garment to shreds, and thus took unusually long to pull it on. The zip was at the back, and she could just barely reach it.

She stared, breathless as she admired the dress in the mirror. The sleeves were long and tight-fitting up to her elbow. There they were cuffed with a midnight satin, and then they flowed freely to the floor. Her collarbone was uncovered, save for the cloak-like attachment that gripped her shoulders and neck to her chin in a soft embrace. It flowed to the floor, along with the sleeves and the skirt. The dress fit snugly around her waist and chest, draping delicately over her legs to the floor. Her waist was cinched with a belt made of the same midnight satin that cuffed her elbows.

The cloak, dress and sleeve hems were adorned with intricate black patterns, twisting and spiralling around each other as if caught in a dance. The dark satin were adorned with silver embellishments of similar patterns.

“Uh, Cindy,” Isa said, still staring at her reflection.

“Yes, dear?” Isa could hear the smile in her voice.

“I can’t take this,” she sighed, reaching for the zip.

“Nonsense!” Cindy said. “Come out and show me.”

Isa grimaced and sighed, reluctantly turning to face the door. She froze when she opened it, however, as did Nikolas. It seemed all they could do was stare at one another. Isa was struck speechless at the sight of Nikolas in a tuxedo, and he was struck speechless at the sight of her in her figure-hugging dress. Isa blushed bright red and started to close the door.

“Wait,” Nikolas said. It was barely a word, spoken so quietly it was a wonder Isa could even hear it at all. It was a plea. She paused and met his eye.

“Come to the masquerade with me,” he whispered.

Isa started to protest, but then thought the best of it. She smiled sheepishly and nodded. Nikolas’s face split with a grin. He held out his hand to her, and carefully she took it. He tucked her arm into his and they turned to look at Cindy. The poor woman was smiling so wide Isa thought her face might crack.

“Beautiful,” she said. “You two are ready for the ball.”

“How are we going to get there?” Isa asked suddenly, remembering how far they were from the center ring and the storm that still howled outside.

“Oh, don’t you worry dears,” Cindy smiled devilishly. “I have a few tricks up my sleeve. I’m not just a seamstress, you know.”

She winked at their puzzled expressions and waved them after her. They followed her into another room, although this one was completely empty save for the two stone pillars that stood in the centre of it. They stood the width of two door apart, and intricate runes and symbols wrapped around their lengths. Isa recognized them from copies of ancient tomes she’d read on magic.

“Glyphs,” Isa whispered, gazing in awe at the intricate patterns. She looked to Cindy. “You’re an Elder, aren’t you?”

Cindy’s eyes twinkled as she smiled. “Yes, dear.”

Nikolas looked confusedly between the two of them and the pillars. “An Elder?” He asked.

“The most powerful race in all of Aesorion,” Isa said. “The Chosen is prophesied to come from one of their bloodlines. They can manipulate the very laws of the universe; their power is unspeakable. If Rhazien ever found out about her she’d disappear without a trace.”

Nikolas raised an eyebrow. “And you trust us so easily?”

Cindy smiled at him. “I know your secrets, I figured it’s only fair you know one of mine.”

Nikolas fidgeted uncomfortably. Isa frowned. “Something the matter?” She asked, glancing at his expression.

He gave her a tight smile. “Nothing at all. I’d just like to get to the ball before we’re no longer considered fashionably late.”

Cindy smiled knowingly at the two of them and then turned to the pillars. She began to chant under her breath, hands raised, and palms stretched towards the gap between the pillars. Her palms began to glow a bright white, and glyphs identical to those carved on the pillars began to draw themselves on her bare arms. They, too, glowed. A white crack in the air began to cut itself between the pillars, widening slowly as Cindy continued to chant.

Eventually it reached each of the pillars and stopped growing. The white of it dimmed to something more akin to smoke, tendrils of inky air weaving through the negative space now between the pillars.

“A portal,” Isa breathed, staring at it in awe. Nikolas seemed just as dumbstruck as she was. Cindy smiled at them, but she looked tired. It must have taken a lot out of her to open a dimensional rift. Isa could only imagine.

“You’d better get going,” Cindy said, stepping to the side. “Party’s already started.”