A soft rustle of rich fabric brushing against the polished floor broke the silence in the room as Skylar spun in a slow circle, head twisted over her shoulder to check the back of her dress in order to make certain everything was smooth and in place. She had spent weeks searching for the perfect dress, and when she'd seen the vintage gown in the window of a tiny boutique she knew it was perfect.
Tiny sparks of light winked and flashed as hundreds of small crystals caught the light, swirling among the patterns of the applique and spilling down the skirt to create a subtle shimmering effect that somewhat resembled frost patterns.
She had put in quite the effort to look nothing like herself, and now, as she studied her Skylar couldn't help feeling like a different creature entirely.
Of course, that was the whole point. They weren't invited or probably even welcome at the Mid-Winter Ball, and if their plan was to be successful they had to look as posh and elegant as anyone else down there.
"You ready?" Another rustle of silk as Belinda exited the bathroom, eyes already flashing with excitement that Skylar wholeheartedly shared.
Snatching up the delicate, creamy mask laying on the vanity Skylar tied it into place, took a deep breath, and nodded.
"Let's do this."
Magic.
Captivation.
Enchantment.
It was all Skylar could think of as she stepped through the glass doors into the ritzy banquet hall that had been turned into a ballroom for the evening. No, not a ballroom, a magical place of silvery light, festive music, and a host of people that were no longer who they were, but who they had always dreamed of being.
Glistening chandeliers hung from the vaulted ceiling, casting golden light throughout the room and spilling out the tall, curving windows. From a distance it had looked like a golden snow globe, glistening and intriguing with the idea of what might lay within once the snow settled after being shaken. But in this case the snow was outside, and all the warmth and richness captured inside the dome.
Belinda's hand gently grasped Skylar's arm, guiding her out of the doorway before someone took careful notice of them. The plan was to sneak in undetected, not cause an entrance scene that prompted the types of questions they would fail to answer properly.
"I'm going to see if I can find Louis before he disappears again," Belinda told her, brushing a bit of hair off the edge of her dusty blue mask. Effortlessly lifting a goblet of sparkling liquid from a passing waiter she handed it to Skylar with a mischievous grin, "Sip on that until I get back, and remember, tonight is for us!"
Tonight
was for them. A daring, indulgent treat that they had decided to do one night two months ago, when they realized that Christmas would soon be here and neither of them had any special plans of their own. No family. No parties. No other friends that wouldn't be visiting their own families.
It was then that they had found the announcement for the Mid-Winter Ball, tucked in the pages of a fashion catalog. They had ooh-ed and ah-ed over it before wistfully declaring that the thirteen hundred dollar price tag for an 'invitation' was far beyond them.
And then Belinda had had her brilliant idea.
She knew a friend, who knew a friend, who somehow had connections with the brother of an acquaintance . . . or something like that anyway, Skylar never could keep it straight. What it boiled down to, though, was that if they could find costumes good enough to fit in, and show up late enough that no one would notice a couple extra people slipping in, this acquaintances brother could sneak them in with a pretty good chance of not being detected.
It was extravagant. It was thrilling. And it was probably stupid.
Even now Skylar had a few faint twinges of guilt as she mingled amongst the other immaculately costumed party goers, smiling and nodding when anyone glanced up to see who was in the vicinity. But it was very, very faint, and she consoled herself with the fact that they would not be staying for the supper. What harm was it if they came to dance and see how the upper class spent their time during the holidays, as long as they weren't taking someone's seat and devouring a meal that cost more than a month of rent?
A slight smile curled the corners of her mouth as she took a sip of the delightfully sweet, carbonated beverage, staring out the window and down the hill toward a pretty little ice rink. Soft bits of fluffy snow drifted through the air, caught in a dance of their own as miniature people spun and twirled on the ice. So this was how the other half lived. High above and looking down, content to watch the rest of the world while comfortably nestled in their luxury. She highly doubted half of them knew how to appreciate it as much as they should.
"Would you care to dance?"
A deep, resonating voice cut through her thoughts, a blurred figure appearing in the reflection of the glass. Even his bow was smooth and elegant, a gloved hand outstretched in a relaxed manner, waiting for her to either accept or decline, eyes shadowed behind a gilt mask of pewter grey.
Setting her glass on the windowsill and giving the ice rink one last look, Skylar accepted his proffered hand, eyes aglow with the possibilities of the evening.
"I would love to."
