(Huge chapter ahead- lots of information to take in)

10.

I had yet to see the outside world and yet the workers that rushed around me showed me more than could be seen in the light. In the dark, the world of the Fae came alive. Their obscure and fantastical features highlighted by makeup, extravagant dresses, and revealing clothing showed every inch of their peculiar bodies. Their prying hands had ripped me from the performance studio in the late afternoon to beat my face with makeup and pull my hair into a variety of curls and twists, leaving half my hair down.

Vanessa was no where to be seen, but I could hear her annoyed cries from the next room over, yelling at the "elves" as they pulled at her own hair. I scratched my palms anxiously as I waited to see the finished product of my face. Nothing could have prepared me. As a Faerie shoved an oval mirror into my hands, I could not recognise the woman who stared back at me.

Flawless skin and contoured cheekbones made me look like one of them with their sharp chins and angular faces. My thick eyebrows framed elegant smoked eyes with sharp cat eyeliner and gold glitter upon the lids. The front of my hair was pulled back in a series of elegant and extravagant braids while the rest of my hair was left in its normal mess of curls. If it weren't for my amber irises, I wouldn't have recognised myself.

"LYRA!" Vanessa's scream could be heard from down the hall, where in their own private rooms, the rest of the team were being prepared.

The vine doors curled open and she stormed in, paper held high in her hand. The Fae girls were quick to disappear out the same door, not saying a word. She was almost as unrecognisable as myself; hair pulled into an elegant bun atop a angular face with purple lids and blinding highlight. Even more incredible was her dress; a waterfall of blue and purple skirts which fell loose from beneath her swollen breasts. It was the one thing I was missing as the blue skinned ladies refused to remove me from my white clothes.

"Pixies..." She muttered under her breath before turning her gaze upon me. "You betta be ready to give one hell of a performance, because we are the closing number." She slammed the piece of paper on the table in front of me, biting her fingernails as soon as it was from her grip.

My breath hitched as I saw that we were indeed last on the list of performers. That meant that not only did we have more time to build the internal skyscrapers of anxiety, but it also meant that we had to make a lasting impression. Whoever closed the show always got either the least attention or the most in my own experience of performing, and I got the feeling we were about to have every Fae eye in the kingdom upon us. There was no room for mistakes, only elite and professional success.

"We will be fine." I said more to myself than to Vanessa, stopping myself from raking my hands through my delicately made hair.

"You are right." She nodded and clasped her hands together dramatically; "We just have to pretend like its practice... although the cello guy keeps stuffing it on the bridge... Yeah! We will be fine." She was muttering as she finally stopped and took in my appearance.

"Okay but why are you not dressed?" She cried out and ran over to the closet in the corner of the room.

"I don't know." I shrugged and clutched the necklace I had refused to give over to the Faeries. "I think they want me in this. They haven't told me about any dress."

"That's ridiculous! They match everyone's makeup and hair to their dress!" She threw her hands up in the air and began to rifle through the clothes locked away in the closet.

"Not me." I muttered, staring at my hands in my lap. I didn't understand why they would embarrass me like this. Everyone else would look so beautiful in their dresses and tuxedoes, while I'd be performing lead in the 'human pyjamas' I had worn for a day and a half.

"My lady?" My heart knew who the voice was before my eyes did.

My lips parted as I soaked in his appearance. Alvar stood by the door, draped in a perfectly tailored white suit and a black tie. He had abandoned his cape, but not his sword that hung from a simple belt around his waist. His curls were gelled away from his face so I could finally see every piece of him. His face was a beautiful as an ancient oil painting; skin flawless, eyes as dark as liquid ink and a small smile curling his plump lips upwards. And then there was the scar, a mark that made him all the more beautiful. For scars tell stories and his told of a never ending battle, one that was written not only by the memory of violence but also by the deepness of his eyes and the unease of his smile.

"I'll leave you two alone." Vanessa said quietly as she slipped past Alvar, shooting me a lasting look of concern.

"I have something for you." His voice brought a smile onto my lips as he pulled out a large box from behind his back.

I gently took the box from his hands and set it down upon the table. Curiosity hindered me from asking questions or thanking him for the gift. I had all too eagerly pulled the golden ribbon of the white box, but I still was not prepared for the sight before me. A beautiful golden sequined dress was carefully folded into the box, along with a black rope bracelet.

"The dress is for tonight and the bracelet... think of it as an apology." He said quietly.

"Alvar, I-I can't accept these—"

"On the contrary, Lyra," He waved a hand to silence me, "you will accept them. The dress is of no debate, you have to wear something tonight and I cannot return a tailored dress. And the bracelet truly is an apology for taking you from your home and everything else that has happened along the way. I know it is inhumane, but it is our way of life. I hope that my gift will bring you the comfort that has been taken from you. It is not for you to wear tonight, it doesn't match your dress, but all other days I want you to wear it." He took a step closer to me, and reached out to touch my arm. His hand fell short, falling to his side. "If you ever run into trouble, and I am not around to protect you, you give them the bracelet. It was braided with vine and strands of my hair. I know you do not understand my world, but understand that bracelet now fetches a heavy price. A price that may save your life."

I stared at the small rope in my palm with a wild mix of emotions. He had given me something that could place him in grave danger should it fall into the wrong hands. From the display Lucius showed earlier, I knew this meant a great deal for the Fae to willingly give another a piece of themselves, even if it were as simple as a strand of hair.

"Thank you, Alvar." I whispered, my fingers curling around the rope. I turned away from him quickly, angry at the prickling sensation that had wormed its way into my eyes. His gesture should not have meant that much to me, but somehow it had made me believe that I would survive the night, and maybe even the next few weeks. "Could you turn around? I want to put on this dress."

"Oh, of course." He said quickly and I heard his shoes squeak on the floor.

I slipped out of my white clothes and stepped into the dress. The material stretched around my body as if it were a second skin, no sippers or buttons to tighten it in places. I ran my hands down the dress in awe. The golden sequins twinkled under the light in the room, reflecting specks of gold onto the walls. The thin straps and low neckline failed to make me insecure about the smallness of my chest as the silky material hugged the rest of my body tightly. It fishtailed at the bottom, covering my bare feet and slightly trailing behind me. I didn't feel dainty or weak in the dress; I felt beautiful and strong.

I turned back to Alvar to find him already staring, a frown drawing a line between his brows.

"Is there something wrong?" I clasped my hands together, nervously awaiting his opinion.

"N-No." He said quickly, clearing his throat. "It fits well."

I frowned at his response, losing a small piece of my confidence with his lack of enthusiasm.

"I don't think the necklace goes with it. Hang on." He reached out and pulled the rope over my head, careful not to mess my hair.

"But—"

"Do not worry. I'll keep it right here." He smiled and dropped it into his suit pocket.

It was only then I noticed his matching sequin napkin in his suit. I raised an eyebrow at it and could not stop my lips from twitching. He saw what I was staring at and laughed, holding his arm out for me to take.

"Lucius has one two. All guards must match their lady." His words made my beating heart falter and my hand hesitate before his arm.

"Lucius? Is he better then?" I asked, finally pushing myself to slip my hand around his arm.

"Yes." He laughed and began to walk me towards the door. "The brute has been fine all day, he just loves the attention he receives from the ladies in the infirmary."

I stifled a laugh of my own imagining Lucius' never ending girl problems. I had no doubt many women would follow him for his looks, but his personality probably got him no further than a first introduction.

"Wait. Don't I need shoes?" I asked as we entered the hall where all the other performers were beginning to emerge from their rooms.

"No. Heels are frowned upon, considered a devastating mundane creation. The only people you will find wearing shoes are those visiting your world, as we need to appear normal." He said seriously, walking at a slow pace.

I shrugged in quiet understanding. I assumed it was normal for them to walk bear footed, but I did not want to endure another round of bleeding feet.

"I can sense what you're thinking. Your feet will be fine. The ointment I applied to them on our journey here hardens the feet and lasts on humans for a very long time. I doubt you will need shoes for at least a year."

"Oh." I replied, slightly disturbed.

"Now, before you go wait with the other performers there are a few things you should know." He said seriously, pulling me to the side of the hall before a set of large doors that all the other humans were filing into.

"Okay?" I said, unsure of what he was about to say.

"There will be many Fae here tonight, many so beyond human comprehension that their appearance may terrify you. But none of them will hurt you and none of them matter. That is, except the King and his Duchess. They will be seated front and centre of a semicircle of upper class members. Only a fair few will be seated and everyone else will watch or listen from behind them or in the courtyard. Glamour carries your voice and the bands instruments across the capital. You may look at the upper class members, but whatever you do, do not look in the Kings or the Duchess' eyes. It is seen as the highest disrespect, especially when a human performer does it. The King also likes to play games with human spirits that are sometimes stronger than our own. We want the King to like you, not too much, but enough to secure you a position as a performer for the next two weeks of celebration. I will be in the second seat on the left from the King. If at any point you are nervous, just look at me."

"Why do you sit so close to the King?" I asked, nervously avoiding all the other information that he had loaded onto me. If it were his goal, he had succeeded in making me twice as nervous as before.

"Lyra." He said softly, stepping closer to me.

His hand brushed my cheek, lifting my eyes up to stare into his own. If he was human, in that moment I would have lost myself in his eyes and allowed myself to succumb to the whirlwind of emotions stirring up inside of my chest. But as my eyes found his inhumanly dark irises, I blinked uncomfortably and pulled my face away from his.

"I am sorry." He let his arm drop to his side, and turned his face away from mine. "I did not mean to scare you. It is just something you have to know."

"I know," I said, breathing out a heavy sigh, "and thank you for telling me. The dress really is beautiful." I gave him a small smile and turned away from him, desperately trying to escape from the beauty of his eyes. I started towards the doors to the waiting room, but not before I heard the whisper of his voice:

"So are you."

It was hours of anxiety before my time slot began to creep closer. The humans in the waiting room talked only to their groups or bands and refused to acknowledge anyone else. One ginger haired boy was in a trance, playing what appeared to be air drums whilst sitting on a stool, hands and feet in perfect synchronisation as if there was music around him. Another brunette girl clad in a bright yellow dress warmed up her voice with a series of 'ooh'ing and 'ahh'ing. Vanessa chewed down one nail per passing act, and by the time we had been giving the queue to get ready, she had none left. I had resorted to scratching my neck, feeling naked without the familiar comfort of my sister's necklace.

"Alright, the last act? You're up." Said a green male pixie with a sharp and unforgiving nose.

The butterflies swarmed in my stomach, thousands of caterpillars blooming into large winged creatures that tickled my insides and nibbled at my confidence. Vanessa bit her lip and stood with the rest of the band. They all went out first, through the red curtain that led to the cheering and yelling band of Fae awaiting the final act. I stood an inch away from the curtain, my fingers passing over the silky material as I waited for them to set up. My heart felt as if it were about to punch out of my chest and strangle me before I could face the unknown world beyond the curtain.

My fingers curled around the material. Darkness fell over the room, and a cold and wet lump fell onto my shoulder. I whirled around, my fingers falling from the curtain, to face a creature like no other I had encountered on this plane. A scream never left my throat as I stared into the fiery eyes on an apparition writhing in the shadows.

A dark horse with a wet and tangled mane stomped on the ground before me, its body morphing and disappearing in and out of the shadows that surrounded it. Its muscular body appeared to be covered in a slimy substance, gel dripping off its mane and soaking into the shadows. But most unworldly were its beady red eyes which bore into my own, consuming every fear that was laced through my blood. My finger uncurled before its long snout, tempted to run my fingers through its long mane. I withdrew my fingers as it blew water from its snout, a strange smile lifting the corners of my lips.

"Come with me, Umbra. The Shadow Plane awaits you." The creatures voice filled my head, but it did not speak aloud. Like the Gryphon, its voice was strong and angelic, and yet haunting all the while.

I shivered as the shadows extended from the horses body and curled around my arms, tugging me towards the creature. My heart calmed and the butterflies settled in my stomach; I wanted to go with the creature. I knew nothing of the Shadow Plane, or what wonders it held, but it called to me like the name Umbra.

"Lyra!" Vanessa's head poked in from behind the curtain and the trance I was under was broken.

I jumped away from the shadows and stumbled towards the curtain, glancing back to find the creature had disappeared, leaving behind only a cloud of shadows. Vanessa grabbed my arm and pulled me behind her as I stared into the shadows and wished for it to reappear and take me away from my fate.

"Compose yourself!" Vanessa hissed, stopping just before the curtain to face me, "What the hell is this?" She nearly screamed, pulling a lump of hair and slime from my shoulder, the remains of the Shadow creature.

I opened my mouth to respond but no sooner did she shove me through the curtain and out onto the stage. The stone ground was cool beneath my feet, a circular platform surrounded by a ring of chairs. The Fae were perched on their seats, the chattering coming to an abrupt halt as I slowly walked to the centre of the band with my head down. Only when I stood on the red X did I finally lift my head to stare at my surroundings. Beyond the circle, thousands of Fae littered the streets and the open courtyard, laughing, dancing and rejoicing with one another.

Their skin were alight with some kind of illuminating paint, making the streets look like a galaxy alight with stars. Directly ahead of me were The King and The Duchess. He was a sight to behold. Billowing brown hair spilled down his shoulders to frame a large angular face. Robes of gold were draped over his shoulders, but his muscular honey chest remained exposed. Atop his head was a crown of thorns, so spectacular and intricate it seemed as if they had grown from his temples and crafted themselves. My gaze travelled to his eyes, but I quickly dropped them remembering Alvar's words. This seemed to please The King, because as I stared at his chest I could see him shift in his seat and place his chin on his hands.

Thinking of Alvar, my eyes drifted down the line of people next to The King. But before I found the familiar and warm eyes of my guard, my gaze was trapped in the cage of another young man. His golden skin glimmered under the lights and his piercing blue eyes shone from across the platform. Clad in the same golden robes as The King, with white hair was cut short around his eyes, the man stared back.

Our eyes locked and the world around me fell away. I was back in the shadows, surrounded by a dark cloud of mist that swirled around my arms and legs, hugging my body like a blanket. My head felt heavy and I struggled to keep myself standing. I tried to look around the darkness but found myself alone. A light appeared at the corner of my vision and from the light came another version of myself, laughing as I pranced through the darkness. I tried to move my feet to get a closer look, but shadows curled around my legs and kept me rooted to my spot, watching the scene unfurl before me.

From the same light came a man, the same man with the golden robes, laughing as he chased after me, teeth flashing bright through the darkness. I watched as they chased each other around, laughing and giggling as they tagged one another. Finally, they stopped, falling to the ground together in a fit of laughter.

"Everything is falling into place." The other me cooed at him and swept an arm through the shadows to open up another scene.

The First Plane was covered in darkness, shadows enveloping everything. Fae ran from the shadows, only to be swallowed by them in mere seconds as the clouds flowed through the city. The man in the golden capes smiled and waved his hand at the scene, causing it to close. Back in complete darkness, the man played with my hair, twirling it in his fingers.

"It's time for the Shadows to take back what is theirs." He whispered, dropping the hair from his fingers.

The other version of me smiled and leaned in to feather a kiss upon his lips. And as their lips touched, I was taken back to the real world.

The applause was loud in my ears and I blinked rapidly. I was back on the platform, with the Fae laughing and dancing as the song came to a close. I had finished the song without flaws, as had the band, and yet I was somewhere else for the entire performance. I stumbled backwards, a tight smile on my face as I looked back to the row of Fae. The man in the golden robes was gone, an empty seat left behind.

I turned to see Vanessa laughing and