Slave to Destiny

Chapter 31

Billions of tiny golden orbs hung over head as I sat in the backseat of a familiar black SUV. Since becoming a slave I had only left the castle once and was severely punished for it, but apparently Blaire decided to change that today. It was the day before the grand ball where I would reveal my true self to Cole. Instead of being out on the castle lawns helping out with the sixth day of festivals, we had decided to go elsewhere. To be perfectly honest I didn’t understand how any of the nobles could stand them. They were cool for a day or two but now they are excessive.

“Tomorrow will have the most people,” Blaire explained to me as her driver turned off onto some random street, “A lot of them don’t bother coming till the last day. Who can blame them? My mother will be there.” Her mindless rambles were actually full of interesting information.

Daniel was seated securely in the passenger seat and constantly kept turning back to look at us. “Where are we going?” I questioned them. That morning I had barely finished breakfast only to have Blaire and Daniel drag me off, change my clothes, and shove me in the SUV.

“Well we have to get your hair done. I’m feeling a pedicure and manicure. Also I really want to get some ice cream from that one little shop on the square. Daniel you know what I’m talking about,” Blaire explained letting her perky attitude shine through.

“Yeah I love that place,” Daniel replied smiling fondly. Something told me that was the only reason he came along. That or he just couldn’t take the festivals anymore. Who could blame him for that?

Seconds later the SUV came to a halt and we all climbed out. “Please pick us back up in two and a half hours,” Blaire told the driver as she led us into a little hair salon. The place was tiny with warm creme walls, black tile flowers, and random comfy green couches. A girl about my age with wild green, pink, and blue hair was waiting for us with a smile on her face.

“Oh Tabby, I missed you so much,” Blaire yelped hugging the girl, “I brought you a new canvas,” she explained pointing at me. The word canvas made me entirely too nervous. The girl, Tabby, had most certainly used herself as a canvas. I noted the nose ring and double pierced ears. It was a strange thing to see. Humans were capable of getting a piercing because they didn’t heal as fast, but vampires and wolves healed right up the moment you take the ring out. Tabby must have pierced herself everyday. Strange.

“Well who is the gorgeous lady?” Tabby asked smiling brightly. She seemed to be a very nice person none the less.

Daniel responded for me with a mischievous grin on his face, “This is Gabby the love of Cole’s life.” Blaire giggled while Tabby gasped.

“No! You don’t say,” Tabby was grinning as she grasped my wrist and took me over to a chair, “I am going to doll you up like a princess.” Oh, the irony.

Blaire and Daniel took a seat lazily on the plush couches and waited. My hair seriously needed to be worked on anyway. Slavery had worked wonders on my appearance, and I’m not meaning it in a good way. “Well let’s get started,” Tabby muttered grinning as she clutched a thick hairbrush and a pair of shiny silver scissors. Oh crap.

Time flew. Every snip I heard made me shudder a lit on the inside, but other than that I was having a great time. Evidently Tabby was old friends with Blaire and Daniel. She went to the same boarding school as Blaire when she was younger. “Hair is my life,” Tabby giggled when I asked her why she chose this job.

“Oh yes, don’t you remember how you’d do every girl in the dorm’s hair before the dances. It was crazy!” Blaire gushed at her friends talent. I was not permitted to look in the mirror until Tabby was done.

Nearly ten minutes later Tabby deemed herself complete. “Look in the mirror,” she giggled spinning the chair around. I was shocked to say the least. My thick golden brown hair was loosely curled framing my face perfectly. Even when I was a princess I’d never seen my hair look so gorgeous. Slowly I touched my hair with a shaky hand. It was silky and smooth.

“A job well done,” Daniel announced grinning, “Let’s go get some ice cream.” Blaire nodded enthusiastically before telling Tabby, “Put it on my mother’s tab, okay?” Tabby grinned in response and nodded.

“Now my lovely Gabby, Cole will positively drop dead at the mere site of you,” Tabby whispered in my ear before ushering me out of the shop. As strange as she was, I really liked her. Upon seeing my collar, she didn’t say a single word instead she grinned knowingly.

Daniel and Blaire didn’t wait for the SUV to pick us up. Instead we walked down to a local ice cream shop that had the curvy word Bailey’s across the top. As we walked through the swinging front door a bell rang over head. “Get me the usual,” Blaire demanded of Daniel before plopping down on a floral couch, “I’ll reserve the seats.” Daniel rolled his eyes but agreed.

“What do you want Gabby?” he asked me.

I had never been so excited to get ice cream in my life. Today had been something I used to be able to do whenever I wanted back in my old life. I’d never had enough respect for it then. It had just been something I was accustomed to. Now I realized that it was something special. A goofy grin was permanently plastered across my face when I responded to Daniel’s question.

“Chocolate chip cookie dough please.”