Their Hidden Princess (Zora) novel Chapter 51

**Where Sleeping Rivers Dream We Follow Trails Toward Tomorrow by Evan Milesa Cade**

**Chapter 51**

**Zora**

Two months had slipped by since I stepped foot into Alpha Academy, and the moment I had been waiting for had finally arrived: my first party invitation. Well, it wasn’t exactly an invitation directed at me. Loren had received the call, but she insisted she wouldn’t dream of attending without me by her side. So, Saturday night, after an intense morning of training with Maximus, I reluctantly agreed to let Loren work her magic on my face and hair.

With a flurry of excitement, she rummaged through her closet, pulling out seven or eight dresses, each one more stunning than the last, and draping them across my bed. She guided me to her desk chair, wheeling over her massive makeup cart, which looked like it belonged to a professional artist. Sitting cross-legged on a stool, she began transforming my face with an array of colors, as if I were a blank canvas awaiting her artistic touch.

“So,” she teased, a playful glint in her eye, “how’s Max?”

“Fine,” I replied too quickly, almost defensively. “He’s fine.”

Loren let out a giggle, brushing some powder onto my cheeks. “He is quite fine, but I don’t know if I’d use that word for him.”

“He’s hot,” I shot back, my tone deadpan. “You can say it.”

“Oh, he’s so hot,” Loren sighed dreamily, her eyes sparkling. “And really so sweet, Zora. Our sisters are friends. I can’t recall a single bad word she’s ever uttered about him.”

I bit down on my lip, a wave of anxiety washing over me. That was not the Maximus I knew. The Maximus I was familiar with was often harsh, sometimes bitter, and undeniably rough around the edges. Was Loren seeing something in him that I was missing? Was she somehow immune to the grudge I held against him for the way he treated me when I was wolfless?

“I bet he’d be really nice as a boyfriend,” Loren continued, her voice low and soft, almost conspiratorial.

Or perhaps a husband, my inner wolf chimed in.

I jumped slightly, startled by the sudden awareness of my wolf’s presence. It had been silent for so long, especially after the outburst at Valentin. Loren raised her eyebrows, her makeup brush hovering in mid-air, waiting for my response.

“What?” she pressed, her curiosity piqued.

“My wolf, she’s—she’s back,” I stammered, struggling to find the right words.

Loren dropped her hand, her expression shifting to concern. “What do you mean ‘back’? She left?”

I suddenly remembered that I hadn’t shared the details of my wolf’s earlier outburst with Loren. How could I, when every bit of that incident was tied to my royal lineage? I blinked at her, gathering my thoughts before settling back into my seat.

“Yeah, sorry,” I mumbled, feeling sheepish. “I guess I forgot to mention it. She went quiet for a while. Maybe she was just embarrassed about her abrupt returns.”

In my mind, I could feel her tail swishing, a sensation I had missed. I don’t get embarrassed, she insisted. And if I ever did, I certainly wouldn’t run away.

Noted, I replied, allowing a smirk to play on my lips.

She was back. I hadn’t realized how hollow my thoughts had felt without her presence. The swishing of her tail now felt more like a warm embrace than an irritating distraction. She scoffed in my mind.

Give it a day, and you’ll be annoyed again, she mused, her tone teasing. I couldn’t help but chuckle in agreement. My wolf was indeed a feisty one.

“Is she talking to you?” Loren asked, resuming her work on my face, her focus unwavering.

I nodded, feeling a sense of camaraderie with my wolf. “Does yours?”

“Sometimes,” Loren replied, tilting her head slightly. “She’s very energetic. Usually, she babbles, and I can’t quite make sense of it.” She switched brushes, bringing one to my lips. “My sister says our wolves are just our strongest personality traits, amplified. I know I’m chatty, but wow, is she chatty.”

I chuckled, giving Loren a friendly pat on the arm. “You are chatty,” I said, grinning. “But that’s why I like you. You bring out the best in everyone.”

Loren smiled back, her sincerity shining through. Then, with a huff, she dropped her brush into her case and placed her hands on her hips. “I think I’m done,” she declared, spinning me around to face the mirror. I gasped at the sight before me. Loren’s smile radiated as brightly as the sun.

“Ta-da!” she exclaimed.

My face was adorned in the most exquisite way possible. My cheeks were flushed and contoured, enhancing my bone structure to look high and elegant. My lips were glossy and pink, plumped and sparkling even in the dim light of our dorm room. She had lined my eyes with brown kohl, making the green-yellow hues pop beautifully. I felt like I was glowing.

Loren stood behind me, hands back on her hips, surveying her work. “What do you want to do with your hair?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” I replied, tugging at a stray curl. “It’s such a hassle; I’ll probably just braid it back off my face.”

Loren gasped dramatically, placing a hand over her chest. “That would not do justice to my work! How about I straighten it for you? Maja and Pietha left some awesome products for us.”

“You’d do that?” I asked, my heart warming at her offer.

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