Chapter 47: Perfume, Pretence, and Peril
When the sun had set, Ruelle and her friends found themselves in the west wing’s room—where the past lingered. Furniture, trunks, and dust filled the space, the air heavy with the scent of time and neglect. Every creak of the floor seemed deafening in the otherwise stifling silence.
Ruelle’s fingers trailed over faded wood as she opened a trunk, pulling out the curtains first, beneath it was a deep blue fabric. It was an Elite’s robe. She wondered if it belonged to a past student.
"I can’t believe we are doing this," Kevin whispered, glancing nervously towards the door. Because this storage contained Elite’s things, and a human had no business here. "How do we know the person who gave you that potion isn’t setting you up to be someone’s midnight snack?" His voice was low, but the worry in his tone was evident.
Ruelle placed the Elite robe at the side and asked, "How long does this vampire perfume stay?"
"Three hours," Hailey replied, her arms elbow-deep in another trunk before standing straight. "I have never been to one of these things. I’ve heard about the gowns, the lights, and the music. I just wanted to see it once." After a pause, she asked, "Do you think this is a mistake? Maybe we shouldn’t..."
Ruelle saw the longing in Hailey’s expression, a yearning that mirrored her own. Despite the danger, the allure of stepping into the forbidden world tugged at her, too.
"We came here for clothes," Ruelle said gently. "And I’m sure Kevin’s curiosity isn’t letting him leave. I think at this point it is safe to say that somewhere we all want to go."
"Curiosity isn’t always a good thing," Kevin muttered. But then, with a resigned sigh, he held up a set of masks he had found in one of the trunks. "But it looks like we are all in."
Curiosity was the key that opened forbidden doors, but once inside, it was often hard to step out of it.
Ruelle’s gaze drifted to a rack tucked in the corner, barely visible under layers of dust and forgotten garments. As she sifted through the hangers, her fingers brushed against a black dress with delicate lace sleeves. She carefully lifted it from the rack and asked,
"What about this one?"