Free Mortal Enchantment by Stacey O'Neale

right?”
    “Yes,” she said, patting my shoulder. “It is imperative that they see you as the princess you are.”
    It only took a moment to remember their distaste when I spoke at the council meeting. To them, I was nothing more than what they saw—a halfling, covered in muck and blood. The dinner was important. I had to show them I was one of them. I had to earn their trust so they would help me. But how?
    When Ariel was done, the hair at the crown of my head had been pinned up with tiny white flowers sewn within. Loose curls hung down my back. Without a doubt, this was the most stylish my do had ever been.
    As I reached for one of the strands, my chair spun around. “Not so fast,” Ariel said. “Let the artist work.”
    Ruffling through a silver pouch, she pulled out brushes of every size and lined them on a small glass table. In no time at all, she had applied glittering make-up on each eyelid and cheek. With the tip of her finger, she slid a gloss over my lips. The grin across her face gave me the impression she was pleased with her efforts.
    “What do they typically discuss during these dinners?” I asked.
    “I can't say for sure. Only members of the royal family, the council, and high ranking knights are invited.” Ariel bit her lip. “I would guess you can learn quite a bit about the inner workings of the court by attending.”
    If she was right, this dinner might provide all the answers I had been looking for. And at the very least, I could get to know some of these council members. Perhaps even make some alliances of my own. My chest burst with hope.
    Ariel turned my chair to face the mirror. I suddenly felt like I was on one of those make-over shows. Hardly recognizing myself, I stepped closer to my reflection. My brain couldn’t accept what I was seeing. This was about as polished as I could get.
    And for once in my life, I actually looked like a princess.
    “I can’t believe it’s me.”
    Ariel’s expression turned serious. “Not so fast, Cinderella. You’re not ready for the Ball just yet.”
    “What could be left?” I asked.
    “Princess training; the crash-course version.” She pulled back on my shoulders to straighten my posture. “When you enter the dining hall, look straight ahead. Never lower your eyes. You must exude confidence.”
    “Anything else?” I didn’t mean to sound rude. After all, she had done nothing but go out of her way to try to help me. Truly, she was the first and the only elemental friend I had. Rowan didn’t count. I had no idea what the hell he was.
    My impatience for the situation got the best of me. None of this should have been necessary. The council should be on my side because I’m their princess. Whether they liked me or not was irrelevant. Helping me meant getting their king back, unless that wasn’t what they really wanted. I pursed my lips. Could Dad have been taken without help from someone within our court? Is there a traitor amongst our council? I quickly shrugged off the thoughts. No, it wasn’t possible. My irritation toward their behavior made me suspect them without any proof.
    Ariel cleared her throat. “It’s important that you wait until your chair is pulled out before you sit. Once seated, thank everyone for joining you for the evening.” She glanced out the window, letting out a defeated breath. “Unfortunately, we don’t have enough time to go over food etiquette.” Her tone turned harsh, I wondered if she was internally cursing Rowan for not telling me about the dinner. “When it’s time to eat, follow what everyone else is doing. No large bites. No talking with your mouth full.”
    “This is lame. Are you going to tell me to keep my elbows off the table next?” I crossed my arms. “If you really want to help me, figure out how I can get the council on ‘Team Kalin’.”
    “It may seem lame , but proper manners will help them see who you really are. This may not be power training, but it’s just as important.” She