Twin's Luck by Kelsey Hunsdon (great novels txt) 📕

went and sat on the arm of the other couch.
" She didn't say anything? At all?" He was trying to appear calm but I could tell something was bothering him.
" No Puck, why does it matter?" He watched me for a moment with the same fake expression.
" I just need to make sure that nothing made her unusually angry." I sighed.
" She was not unusually angry, ok?" His mouth was set in a stern line but he slowly nodded. I could see him analyzing my face slowly, going over every detail. I sighed and looked away, anywhere but at his face. I was agitated and I didn't try to hide it. I got up and walked to my room, when I turned to close the door Puck stuck his foot in it.
" What?" I asked.
" What are you doing?"
" Getting dressed." My eyes were narrowed and he withdrew his foot. I put on a pair on jeans and a tank top. Then I found puck standing a few feet from my door waiting for me.
" What are you doing?" He followed me as I walked back away.
" Going for a walk." I tried to keep my voice calm, monotone but I could still here the agitated edge.
" Ok." He said. he was all to happy as I tried to close the door but he ducked out after me. I stomped through the hallways blindly. I randomly turned and didn't care where I ended up. Someone cleared their throat behind me and my anger boiled. I spun around with my fists clenched.
" Look, I don't need a babysitter!" I growled it through my clenched teeth. Puck didn't react he simply just starred back at me. I stood there glaring at him without him showing any sort of emotion. I counted to ten in my head and then turned back around. I started walking again, alittle more calmly. I kept telling myself that it wasen't a big deal and then a thought came into my head. I stopped and I heard his footsteps do the same.
" Why are you here?" I asked without turning.
" Watching you." He was calm, completely in control.
" But why?" This seemed to take him a minute.
" Because...I was asked to." Anger boiled again and I did my best to control it.
" By who?" He was silent for a moment and that's when I knew the answer. I closed my eyes and gritted my teeth against the sudden red wave of fury.
" Why does he even bother?" I spun around not waiting for an answer. "He didn't want us anyway, remember?" I stepped towards Puck until I was merely inches from his face. "He told her to kill us!" I stood there breathing hard as Puck starred back quietly. He waited until I had calmed down and then he took a small step back.
" Many people here wish you harm, he asked me to protect you." His words were coated with sooting but I was past comfort.
" Well you tell him, that we don't need protecting, not from him not from anyone." I shoved past him and I was satisfied when he didn't follow. I found the way back to my room mostly out of luck but I stormed in and locked the door. Oliver was laying on the couch passed out with food across his face. I grabbed a piece of bread and walked to my room slamming the door. I sat on my bed and nibbled on the tasteless bread. I felt a tear streak down my face but I wiped it away with anger. I threw the food on the ground and slouched under my covers. I pulled them to my chin and ignored the anger that was still bottled inside of me. I closed my eyes and prayed for rest.
The Ball

In my dream there was a black door and from the other side I could hear knocking but I couldn't open it no matter how much I struggled. I finally grabbed it with both hands and put all of my body weight behind it. My hands slipped away and I fell backwards into a never ending darkness. I woke up sweating and I could hear the knocking from the living room. I wrapped the robe around myself and ran a hand through my mess of hair. Goats rushed in as the doors burst open under my touch. Eilan followed behind them but ignored me completely. She bustled through and I saw her open Oliver's door. The goat's woke him and then she had the goat's shove me into the shower. They scrubbed my skin red with foamy sponges. Eilan sat me down at the makeup table and complained about the redness. She set to work covering my blemishes and I could hear the water running for Oliver's shower. She plucked my eyebrows and splsyed diffrent powders and creams across my skin. I felt tugging and saw the goats brushing out my long hair. Oliver tried to sneak by in his pajamas but Eilan sent two goat's running after him. I stayed quite and silent while they plucked and pulled at me. Finally she stood back and took a long look at me before feeling satisfied. She held out a hand and one of the goat's placed a tube of lipstick in it. She applied the bright red color to me and then briskly walked away. I could hear her telling the goats something and then a few bustled out of the room. I listened to their hooves in the hall and then tried to find something reflexive to look in. I found Eilan trying to fix up Oliver and I heard another knock on the door, a familiar one. No matter how mad I was at him I still had to let him in. I waled over but Eilan bustled past me and opened the door a crack blocking my view.
" Eilan?"
" You know better Goodfellow, you'll just have to wait."
" But..." I knew that look, the puppy dog eyes.
" Do I have to turn you into a jacket again." I could almost hear Puck shiver and then nod no. She nodded and then closed the door. She walked past me as if nothing had happened, and I followed. She went back to Oliver and made a goat run a comb through his hair one more time. The few goats reappered carrying a long white bag and several boxes. I was jostled into the make shift dressing area where I was stripped and then they made me close my eyes while they put me in a dress. I felt the jewels clasp around my neck and they had me sit down as they slipped the shoes on my feet.
" Alright, let the girl look." I opened my eyes and the goats were all around me, there eyes wide with envy. They parted and Eilan brought out a large mirror. I starred back at the girl in the mirror knowing the woman was watching for my reaction. She had long dark hair that cascaded around her and grey eyes that seemed to beem away from her face. She was a beauty with sharp cheekbones and gracefully pointed ears. Her red lipstick merely matched her doe-like eyes. She was dressed in a cascading piece of fabric. It was strapless and silver. The top was sequins and it faded into a train with embroidery. White diamonds hung from her neck and clear stilettos graced her feet.
" Wow." Satisfied, Eilan set down the mirror and disapeared after Oliver. His eyes were huge when he saw me and then he looked in the mirror. His Mangy blonde hair was brushed away from his face an his chocolate eyes shown brightly. His features were intensified as well and I felt as if I were looking at an alien rather than my brother. He was wearing a black tux that made him look exeptionally, un-Oliver-ish. I smiled at our reflection and then Eilan removed the mirror and ordered us to follow her. She checked the clock and then dashed into my room. When she reappeared she was dressed in a long purple dress that hugged her figure and I was almost jealous, almost. She took the lead and Oliver and I followed behing the goat's. I felt butterfly's invading my stomache and I snuck a few glance's at Oliver but he seemed calm. We were led through a few back corridors and then she turned towards us.
" Good luck." She hadn't said much but I knew that she meant it.
" Thank you." She checked our outfits once more and then left us. I took a deep breath and rounded the corner. There was a line of fey waiting to be announced into the ballroom. A guard saw Olvier and I and ushered us to the front as all stared at us in awe. He whispered in the man's ear and I instructed Olvier to take my arm. Our names were announced and the giant doors before us opened. My throat tightened and my eyes swelled at the amount of fey starring back at us. I briefly saw Oberon and Tatiana at the back of the room and I felt Oliver pulling me directly towards the huge crowd. I was beginning to judge his sanity when I saw that the fey had indeed parted for us. The room was humming with excitement and I kepy my eyes forward. I could almost feel the hate from Tatiana but I refused to meet her gaze. Oliver just quietly pulled me forward and I was so thankful that he was there. I met the gaze of Puck who was standing by Oberon's shoulder. He was dressed to kill in a powder white tux with his usually crzay hair tamed. He looked handsome in his own way and I thought that his eyes were abnormally large. I dropped my eyes and then met my father's as we were about halfway across. They had just announced another name but all attention was still on us. Oberon was starring down at us emotionless but when I met his gaze I think I saw him flinch slightly before regaining himself, but I could have been wrong. Oliver steered me left and waited for me to sit in my throne before he sat next to me. I thought that it was entirely un-normal of him to ac this way and I starred at him in awe. He was not himself and then I caught Eilan's eyes and I understood. She had explained it to him, told him how to act. I nodded towards her and she returned it before sipping from her glass and turning away. I felt many eyes on me especially from the area where many of the men were together. I even felt alittle protective when I caught a group of girls looking and gossiping about Oliver, although he didn't seem to notice. Puck appeared at my shoulder then.
" Hey." He was casually