Free Candescent (The Opalescent Collection Book 1) by Isabelle Gallo Page B

this for me.”
    “I wore that when I was killed.”
    “I know. That’s why you’re going to wear it.”
    He set the dress down beside me. “I’ll be getting our plans finalized and then I’ll be getting ready. I hope that once I return you’ll be ready too.”
    He left me alone with the dress. I took it in my hands, shook it out, and stepped into it. When I looked into the mirror, I saw the reflection I had last seen of myself. The once beautiful dress people and creatures envied now served as a symbol of my horrid death. Now my dress was ruined in all ways possible. It even had a bloodstain on its lace at my chest where I had been stabbed. I saw the matching shoes were fine, but the white fox shawl was stained as well. I touched my neck. When I first wore this dress, Pete’s chain bound me and I would have to say that tonight. I’m sure I had to say everything that he did wrong.
    Fitzray returned in a marvelous cape and beneath it resembled the clothes he had worn when Pete threw him over the Bridge. These clothes were just as bad as mine, also symbolizing death.
    He led me to one of the rooms in our palace where I had rarely visited. It was commonly spoken of as the meeting room. It was large and looked to me as though it resembled a courtroom. There was nothing there that did not consist of gold or marble. Even the benches where the witnesses of the Trial could sit were all crafted of marble and fitted with velvet cushions. The chairs where we sat were similar, but the chair that was at the very front of the room on a podium, overlooking the creatures, was more like a throne. It was made of silver and gold fashioned into the shape of a chair. It was studded with precious stones and laced in pearls. Its cushions were a few inches thick, probably filled with the down of the wild peafowl and the arms of the chair were large sculptures of lions with manes encrusted with thousands of small diamonds that continued down the legs of the chair and glittered at the feet of whoever stood there.
    The people of our palace and even some outsiders filled the benches to watch. An old, experienced vampire stood in the front of the room, almost like a judge. It was up to him to see if Pete was guilty or not. Together Fitzray and I took our seats before the vampire and so did Pete. The lead vampire took his seat at the head throne before us. He quietly introduced himself to us as Valon.
    He waited for the creatures to sit and then quieted them down. He said a few words to why all had gathered to witness this rare trial and then proceeded to start. He told the creatures the scenario, why we were here and that we wanted a Ceremony and then he turned to Pete and explained why he was being accused. The creatures all booed and hissed in his direction.
    “Pete,” he began, “you are here to be tried against by your brother and your own Eternal Mate. What you say will be held against you and if you are pleaded guilty your punishment will be decided.”
    He turned to us. “And you, Fitzray and Chenille, have issued this trial to break his bond. He has been disloyal and abusive toward his Eternal Mate, as Chenille will tell us. So let’s have this trial underway.”
    The creatures mumbled among themselves, a low roar of chatter echoing against the high ceiling. I swallowed hard as Valon turned to me. His hand was up to silence the creatures. I caught Pete’s glance as he rolled his eyes in my direction and then sank back into his seat. I sat tongue-tied as hundreds of eyes stared, waiting to hear what I would say.
    “Pete did many things.” The low mumble turned to silence as they eagerly listened. “He took me to a planet he called Verneil where he imprisoned me and attempted to perform the Ceremony by force. He made me forget my life with his poison. He ended the eclipses. He started the raid between the mortals and us because of his book. And he killed me without a thought.”
    “Tell him how he scratched you and he pushed you