GABRIELLA'S POV
Adria and Freya holds up the big mirror as Catrina tries on every dress in her big closet.
"I am assuming that you have come up with a solid plan to help me pass the test." She says to me in a frigid tone while trying on a strapless red dress. It fits her perfectly, and she smiles at her reflection. But she will have to wear something else to make the plan I have come up with work.
"I do have a plan, but I need you to wear this dress," I say, selecting a grey dress with an elegant, long tail from the pile she had set aside. She had already tried it on and hated it.
"That dress looked awful on me! It makes my waist and arms look fat. No way am I wearing that!" she insists.
"Then it sounds like you don't really want to pass the test," I reply.
"What?"
"Lady Calypso said you'll have to give your blood at the spot, which means we need somewhere to hide my blood so that we can swap." I explain.
She raises an eyebrow in disbelief. "You want to hide blood under my dress? Are you serious?"
"Yes I am. There is no other way for us to hide the chalice with my blood unless I carry it under the veil of your dress," I answer.
"You can't just switch chalices of blood in front of a whole room full of people watching you," Adria points.
"You can if there's a distraction," I explain. "My friend Eliza is a servant to one of the kings, she will help us by creating a distraction right at the time we will be needing to switch the chalices. I will also ask her to provide a chalice like the one the oracle will use, but we'll need to pay her well."
They all fall silent, thinking about what I have just said.
"You better be right about this, otherwise you will have ruined my whole life." Catrina warns, striding past me to return to her bedroom.
Adria and Freya spend the rest of the night re-styling and decorating the grey dress to match Catrina's taste while also making sure it would help our plan succeed.
******
GABRIELLA'S POV
The dreaded morning has come, and Catrina is ready long before Lady Calypso arrives. Adria and Freya have styled her hair with golden ribbons and used white powders to give her skin a pale, flawless look, making her almost unrecognizable.
The necklace that the vampire kings gifted her matches really well with the dress.
There is a resounding knock on the door and I quickly hide the chalice containing my blood. It is similar to the one the oracle will ask Catrina to put her blood inside, hopefully. Eliza had stolen it from the palace while helping prepare the hall for the test.
Freya helps me hide the chalice under the veil of Catrina's dress as Adria opens the door.
"Are you ready?" Lady Calypso asks as she steps inside. Catrina nods eagerly.
"Follow me." She says, turns back to leave and we follow her towards the palace hall. Catrina walks gracefully beside the woman, her head held high and an enchanting smile on her coloured lips.
The alluring scents of my three mates hits my nostrils as soon as we walk through the front entrance and every nerve in my body prickles in response.
They are indeed here. I am not sure I can act accordingly in their presence. It's not just their scents affecting my senses, our mate bond will make me feel an unneeded attraction towards them. I must act like I have never met them, like I am not their mate.
All eyes turn to stare in our direction as Lady Calypso leads Catrina into the exquisitely decorated hall full of royal Vampires in their best attires. Seems like every ally and official of the kings arrived early, eager to meet the vessel and witness the test. The kings sit around the central table with the finest wines laid out before them while their officials watch from another overly crowded table. The great Oracle sits alone by the raised stage. A dark veil with shinny pearls on the sides hides the her face.
We follow to the stage still holding the veil of Catrina's dress and the chalice with my blood under it. My body gets in full trembling mode from all the watchful eyes and I am afraid I might drop the chalice I am holding.
"Welcome, Lady Catrina, bearer of the most special blood and chosen queen of our mighty Kings," Lady Calypso proudly announces.
The kings and their guests applaud.
"Bring forth the girl! Only my test will decide if she is truly the vessel," the Oracle suddenly declares in a commanding voice as she rises from her seat.
Lady Calypso leads Catrina to the Oracle. It's getting difficult to keep up while still holding onto the chalice under her dress.
"Your hand," the Oracle orders, and Catrina immediately offers her right hand. The mysterious witch examines it closely before speaking again. " Bring the knife!"
Her assistant steps forward with a sharp dagger and another chalice before stepping back. The Oracle passes Adria the chalice to hold beneath Catrina's hand while she clasps Catrina's wrist firmly.
This is it. I glance across the hall and see Eliza carrying a tray full of wine glasses toward the kings' table and breath in relief. Everything is going according to plan so far.
Catrina gasps as the Oracle slices across her palm. Blood drips into the chalice below until it is the right amount. The oracle relinquishes Catrina's hand. Just then louder gasps ripple through the hall. Eliza has pretended to trip, sending an entire tray of wine glasses crashing down onto the kings' table. Everyone has turned to look at the commotion.
"Adria," I whisper moving closer while keeping the chalice of blood hidden beneath Catrina's veil. We quickly manage to swap our chalices without anyone noticing.
"Guards!" Lady Calypso calls out sharply. "Get this reckless servant out of the hall!"
The two guards by the entrance quickly move to grab Eliza and escort her toward the exit.
"I promise you, my lords," Lady Calypso addresses the kings, "I will see to it that the human servant is punished for her disruption."
Two cleaners rush in to clear the broken glass from the kings' table as Lady Calypso turns back to the Oracle.
"Please forgive this distraction," she says. "Let us proceed with the test."
The Oracle nods slowly and takes the chalice with my blood from Adria. She raises it high, and the hall falls silent, all eyes on her as she tilts it to her lips and takes a slow sip of the blood.
"Now, we shall see what the blood reveals," she intones before beginning to chant lines of strange words. A dark smoke begins to rise from the chalice, swirling and twisting into shapes above it.
"Show us the truth!" the Oracle commands and the smoke swirls faster now.
Suddenly, a loud crack echoes through the hall as a burst of light erupts from the chalice, breaking it into pieces.The Oracle gasps, stumbling back.
Is my future that awful to have scared her that much?!
"What did you see?" Lady Calypso demands immediately.
"Is she or is she not the vessel?" King Aston questions.