sorcery and science 04.5 - masquerade Read Online Free PDF

Majesty, please allow me to show you my home,’ and at that point—”
    “My home? Isn’t it our home?” Jason countered.
    “Yes, you nit-picker, but that’s just how the ritual goes. And stop interrupting, or they’ll have come and gone already before I’ve gotten through all of this with you.”
    Jason sighed.
    “At that point,” Father began again. “Lana will escort Prince Davin and King River inside to meet us in the winter garden, while you show Queen Lyrica and Terra the grounds—and don’t say they’ve seen them already,” he added quickly.
    “I wasn’t going to.”
    “Good, so then you bring them back—”
    “I was just going to point out that you forgot to refer to her as ‘Princess Terra’,” he said, struggling to keep his face straight.
    “Jason,” Father sighed.
    Jason chuckled.
    “Oh, I give up. Just follow your sister’s lead and hope for the best.”
    Great, so he was supposed to imitate his seven-year-old sister. Yet more evidence that they should have betrothed her and Davin.
    “They should be almost here by now,” said Father.
    “Actually, they already are,” Jason told him.
    “You heard them arrive?”
    Jason nodded. “A few minutes ago.”
    “And you didn’t say anything?”
    “You seemed so engrossed talking about your silly ritual,” Jason replied with a shrug.
    “ Our ritual, Jason. It’s part of Elition culture,” he said. “Ok, go now with Lana. Greet them on the front lawn. And try to keep your clothing in presentable condition until the ritual is complete. After that, you’re free to go swim in the mud to your heart’s content.”
    Father took a velvet box from the dresser and set it into Jason’s hands. “After we’ve all finished our tea, you’ll ask Terra to take a walk with you—walk, not run, not roll in the mud, not swim in the lake—and you’ll give this to her, under the Rose Queen, as a symbol of your betrothal.”
    The Rose Queen was the oldest and tallest rose tree at Chrysalis, dwarfing all others. Jason and Terra had climbed it many times—and had been cut by its thorns many times.
    Father opened the large, flat box, revealing a silver-chained sapphire pendant, then tucked it away in his inside jacket pocket. “I’ll just hold onto it for you until then. Now, go to meet them.”
    Jason got Lana from the other room, then the two of them traversed the massive front lawn of the house. Four figures stood at the edge of the woods, waiting. On any other day, they would have just walked to the house, but apparently that was taboo today. Jason was growing more convinced by the moment that this ritual was long overdue to be killed off.
    Jason and Lana stopped before their guests. King River appeared tired and strained, yet happy, as he smiled at his wife upon his arm. However, it was Queen Lyrica, or Jasmine as she always insisted that Jason call her, who was clearly leading the party.
    Her gently-curled hair of flaxen blonde, intertwined with the occasional streak of warm auburn, fell in cascading layers to her elbows. A short sweep of hair feathered across from her side part, framing the platinum band on her forehead. It was the crown of the high queen, set with two diamonds hugging a center purple-blue iolite gem that complemented her vibrant ultramarine blue eyes. Her gown, a weave of white and silver, had capped sleeves adorned with beaded strings and a low v-neckline. It tucked in around her hips before it flowed out in three layered tiers of fabric. The last of these tiers swished against the ground as she walked. She moved with such grace that she seemed to be floating.
    Terra, dolled up as Jason had never seen her, looked like a miniature of her mother as she walked beside her. Her golden hair, brushed back straight and smooth, had been braided and pinned up on her head in a style much like Lana’s. Her dress was a close imitation of her mother’s—with a little more on top and a little less on the bottom. It fell to halfway