306
Lucy
I lunged out of bed and tumbled to the ground with a hard thud, and grunted. My phone chimed again with a message from Duke.
Everything okay? You weren't at the usual spot.
I grabbed my phone and texted back as I untangled myself and jumped to my feet to get dressed, hoping I wouldn't be too late.
I wasn't even sure if my shoes or socks matched. Was I wearing pants or shorts? Had I even put a bra on? Did it matter? I grabbed my bag, checked to be sure all my assignments were in there, grabbed whatever looked easiest to eat, and raced downstairs.
There was no way I was going to make it, was there?
I reached the ground floor of the stairs and groaned.
There was no way I would make it there on the bus, not even in a car. What was I going to do?
Running late? Duke asked. You still have your Moving Ring, right? I can meet you at the landing area.
I blinked. I'd forgotten all about it. I fumbled for it, trying to activate it properly. It took a few tries before the stairwell around me vanished, and I landed in a heap in the Moving Ring reception area.
Duke smiled down at me. "Rough morning?"
I sighed and let him help me up. "Rough night, but... Can we talk about it later? I have an attendance quiz to make."
He laughed, and we headed down the corridor with the last of the hurrying students. Duke slipped into his classroom across the hall, I skidded into mine, and then the bell rang.
Taking a deep breath, I hurried to my seat and started the quiz. My heart was still racing, but I'd made it somehow. After the quiz was over, Professor Eldwin's booming voice filled the hall with the lecture for the day, and I pushed the dream from my mind. The edges of it were fuzzy. I could feel myself forgetting a lot of it, but it didn't matter as I wrote three lines on the page.
Matt was in the dream. I took him to Shell Cove, injured.
He looked like Trent.
Do not put on the crystal necklace.
As I made my way through the rest of my classes, more of the dream faded until I had to add details to the three lines I'd written just to hold onto any of it. The more I forgot, the more uneasy I felt. Was this Selene's doing or something else? The day went by faster than I anticipated, and soon, I was getting ready to leave for the day when Stacy called.
"Hey, you ready for your final fitting?" She asked. "Gabriel is ecstatic."
I smiled. "That sounds great, actually. I'm just leaving campus."
"We're already here!"
I chuckled. Of course, she was. I headed to meet her. She hustled me into the car, and we were off.
Gabriel hustled me into the private fitting area at the back of the shop, looking like he'd drank far too much coffee to still be alive. He wiggled his eyebrows.
"You've been my most anticipated appointment."
I chuckled. The gown looked beautiful on the hanger. Every detail seemed more vibrant than I remember. Maybe there was a spell on it. I slipped into the gown and smiled at the way the fabric seemed to twinkle like stars.
Stacy cooed. "It's perfect.."
I turned to face her and smiled. "You... You really think so?"
She beamed at me. "I think the question you really want to ask is if--"
"I got it it, Stacy!"
She laughed as the bell of the door chimed, and I heard Trent's voice coming. I bit my lip. Stacy dashed out with a mischievous look on her face and ducked back inside.
"What's wrong?" I asked, my stomach jolting nervously.
Her eyes narrowed, and she pressed a finger to her lips and waved me over. I crossed the fitting area to her to peek through the slats of the privacy boards, and my blood ran cold.
Trent was there with Matt.
"I brought another customer," Trent's voice came. His voice was warm as ever. Matt looked nervous.
He wasn't wearing anything expensive for a change. His hair was a mess, sticking out from the hood of his hoodie. He looked pale and a little sick. Was he thinner than before? His clothes looked like they were a bit too big for him. His eyes were a bit sunken in. I bit my lip, wondering how much of my dream had been real. Then, he turned his head, and our gazes met. I was sure of it. He looked spooked and tore his gaze away. A flush on his cheeks as he ducked his head.
Maybe he'd changed more than I first thought.
My mind raced with questions as I heard Gabriel heading toward them.
"A last-minute customer? Let's hope you're not asking for--"
Matt gasped. "Gabriel?"
My eyes bulged. Stacy went still, and Matt burst into laughter. He stepped forward and threw his arms around Gabriel like they'd known each other their entire lives. Gabriel was frozen in place.
"How do you..."
"It's me," Matt said, pulling back. His eyes were bright with relief. "Matt."
Gabriel went pale, looking down at him. He looked around like a hunted animal and tried to pull away, but Matt held onto him.
"It's okay," Matt said softly. "I promise... He's... He doesn't know I'm here either. I never told anyone."
Gabriel was still stiff, but he nodded shakily. "We... We should... You came for a suit. Where are my manners? This way, please."
I watched them walk further into the shop. I could hear Gabriel talking. His voice had lost the cheer and excitement. He sounded nervous like he'd give anything not to be there. I got out of the dress. We went to the front counter to get the box, and the shoes repacked.
Trent turned back to look at me before gesturing to hurry out with a small smile. He typed something on his communication watch. My phone chimed as we left.
I'll explain everything. It said, but I wasn't sure what he could say that would make any of this make sense.
I shuddered. Did David know?
Suddenly, I really wanted to see David. My phone chimed with a reminder, and I grimaced.
"I have combat this evening." I sighed. How had I already forgotten about the extra sessions I'd signed up for?
Stacy wrapped her arm around me before speaking to the driver. "I'll drop you off and leave your gown and such in the Escort's capable hands."
She wiggled her eyebrows. "You are planning to get ready at the Blood Moon Estate, aren't you?"
I nodded.
Stacy dropped me off, and I hurried to the locker rooms, feeling safer by the moment. My mind was a mess, but I didn't feel in danger. There was something I was forgetting, something I was told, something about the dream. I pulled out the notes I'd been taking all day and frowned. Matt had been, in my dream, injured. Did he remember more about it?
I shoved my stuff in my locker, irritated with it all. I headed inside and plopped down beside Duke. He smiled at me.
"We talking about your rough morning now?"
"Maybe later," I said and sighed. "It's just... I'm a mess right now, I think."
He hummed. "How was the fitting?"
I smiled. "It's a perfect fit. You?"
He sighed. "I hate formal clothes."
I laughed, and soon, the rest of the class joined us. Duke grinned at me.
"How's your dancing?"
I cocked an eyebrow at him. "How's yours? Tom's going to be there, right?"
He scoffed. "I'm not putting on a dress or learning the waltz. Thanks."
Then, he jolted and looked up and behind me.
"Speak of the devil..." Duke said, nodding behind me.
My breath hitched in my throat – David, his eyes flickering like a kaleidoscope, scanned the room, finally landing on me. A ghost of a smile touched his lips. Beside him, Tom strode in, looking just as incredibly upbeat as ever. His gaze locked onto Duke within a few moments, and I looked at him.
"About that date, you and Tom were supposed to go on."
He scowled at me. "Hush it. Queen."
My face heated, and then I frowned, looking back at Duke, who smiled warmly at me.
"You're not the only one who had a... interesting night."
I scanned him, looking for a sign of distress, then I realized.
"You... saw your parents?"
He nodded. His eyes were misty. "And a few others... It was... nice. Peaceful. Shame about the storm thing, though."
"We'll... talk more?"
"Sure thing, Your Highness."
"Good to see you, Lucy," Tom greeted. "Duke..."
Duke shifted his weight, though the flush on his cheeks was a dead giveaway. "Hi, Tom. I thought... Well, I thought you were a bit too advanced for this class."
He grinned. "Think of me more as a... teaching assistant."
I looked at David, and he smiled at me. "We're here for you two specifically."
"O-Oh?"
He smirked, coming closer. "Oh."
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