The Hidden (Shadowed Wings #1)(46)
When she told me the trade that she wanted from me for the clothes, I wasn’t sure how hard it would be to pull off. But Tysa introduced me to their metalsmith, Mison, and he said he would make all the tools and things I needed if I agreed to get hot water to his house too.
“The rest of the row is going to be so envious, I’m telling you, Falon. When they hear that you pulled it off, they’ll all be looking to trade for you to do the same thing for their houses,” Tysa tells me, and I shrug.
I start packing up the few tools I was able to explain to Mison well enough for him to make, and give the tank and pipes one last look to make sure nothing is leaking or has come loose.
“You are coming tonight, aren’t you?” Tysa asks me as I finish up my inspection.
“I wasn’t planning on it.” The last thing I want to do is to go to some stuffy event with a bunch of people who can barely stand the sight of me.
“Oh come on, Falon, it will be fun! The seasons only change three times a year, and this celebration is the best. Everyone drinks and dances all night in thanks to the warmth and all it gave us, and to welcome the cold. Which will be so much easier to manage now that we have hot water!” She squeals with excitement again, and I can’t help but laugh. “I still have that other dress I made you that you haven’t worn. It would be perfect for tonight.”
“Could help you with that rutting problem you say you’re having,” Moro announces playfully, and I shoot him a glare.
“Fine,” I grumble and then yelp as Tysa starts pulling me toward the house.
“I have an iron I’ve been dying to try out on your hair,” she announces, and I look back at her mate, my eyes begging for help. Moro hold his hands up in surrender and chuckles, his loving eyes alight with happiness for his mate and her excitement.
“Tysa, I can’t wear this!” I insist as I take in the deep teal, satin-like fabric that barely covers any part of my body.
“Why? You look gorgeous!” she argues, confused by my incredulity.
“I’m practically naked,” I point out, and she just rolls her eyes.
“It will be hot tonight. There will be fires and dancing. You will thank me later. Other women will be wearing similar styles; just look at my dress.”
I look over to where she has her clothes laid out on a chair. She has a long silver skirt and a band of fabric that looks like it’s the top. I release a sigh and then return my stare to the mirror Tysa just parked me in front of. The dress has spaghetti straps that hold up the triangles of teal fabric that cover my boobs but display a lot of cleavage. There’s about four inches of smooth satiny fabric that fits tight to my waist, and from there, it’s basically a long panel of fabric covering my crotch and another long panel of fabric covering my ass.
Aside from my hard nipples being very obvious, if I don’t move, the dress doesn’t look that risqué. The issue is, as soon as I do move, the high slits that go up to the bottom of my ribs on both of my sides are very obvious, and if the wind decides to get frisky, it won’t take much to be flashing pussy and ass to everyone.
“I just don’t want the whole awkward overdressed thing that happened when the alarms went off to happen again,” I tell Tysa, and she gives my arm a squeeze before combing through my now straight white hair.
“Trust me, tonight, all the women get dressed up and celebrate, you’ll see. And I will say, if ever there was a dress that would solve a rutting problem, this would be the dress.”
I laugh and take one last look in the mirror. The color is gorgeous, and as worried as I am about standing out in a bad way, I do feel sexy as fuck. I brush my thick white hair back over my shoulder, and it almost hits my lower back. I take a deep fortifying breath, turn away from the mirror, and give Tysa a nod.
“Okay, let’s do this,” I concede.
Tysa squees and then proceeds to get dressed in her two piece flowy silver number. She takes the band of fabric and wraps it around the back of her neck, crosses it at her chest to cover her boobs, and ties it off behind her back. Her skirt only has one slit up the side, but I instantly feel better seeing that she’s showing a lot of skin too.
Moro takes in his mate as we step out of the room. His gaze grows heated, and I get the distinct impression that if I weren’t here, he’d move that slit in her dress over and fuck the shit out of his mate. Tysa blushes from his approving gaze, and I once again rub at my chest in an effort to banish the ache.
“Shall we?” Moro asks and extends his arm out to Tysa. She takes it, and he leans down and whispers something in her ear that has Tysa giggling and nuzzling into his side.
I follow them out the door, and goose bumps rise up all over my body from the cool breeze that brushes past me. I put my hands down to make sure my crotch and ass flap of fabric don’t go crazy and start flashing my bits. We join a group of other people who are all making their way out into the forest for the celebration. Their jovial conversation washes over me, and I stare up at the stars that are just starting to wake up in the sky and twinkle their hello. Gentle wind plays with the leaves in the trees, and shadows stretch out in our path like they’re trying to join us for the party too.
Our group crests a hill, and I see three large bonfires that are spread throughout the clearing. There are long tables spilling over with food, and casks filled with different drinks speckled all around. Some people are already dancing. They’re gathered in a group between the large pyres, weaving in and out of each other as they play tag with their smiles and laughter. There’s a lightness to everyone that I haven’t experienced yet while living among them, and it feels contagious.