Storm On The Horizon, a paranormal Regency romance novella (Vallen) by Meredith Bond

Storm on the Horizon
    G uilt poured from Trina’s eyes, along with her tears. She had paused, her hand on the railing, and was looking back at Tatiana.
    “Where are you going? Shouldn’t be in your room getting dressed for the ball?” Tatiana asked in surprise.
    “I’m going… I’m going downstairs. Or… out. Yes, out. I’ll be back.”
    Trina was too far away for Tatiana to stop her flight. Tatiana hesitated, and then held out her hand, using her magic to put an invisible wall between Trina and her escape route.
    “No, you are not going anywhere.”
    “Let me go, Tatiana. I have to get out of here. I can’t do this. You know I can’t.”
    Tatiana caught up to her twin. Smoothing the tension from her thin face with her thumb, while pushing through as much love and confidence as she could. “You can and you will.”
    She took Trina’s overly warm hand and gently led her back to her room. Oh, how she hated being the enforcer here! But she had no choice. “I told you, I will be with you at both your presentation to the queen and at the ball afterward. You won’t be alone. I promise.”
    Trina continued to look miserable; her brown eyes were dull with reluctance and dismay. It was all Tatiana could do to keep herself from folding her sister into her arms. She wanted to do so badly, but she knew that if she did, Trina would start to cry. Then her eyes would turn red and puffy, and she’d be in no state to go anywhere. She couldn’t do that to her beloved sister, so she just gave her hand a comforting squeeze as they walked back to Trina’s room.
    She really did hate being in collusion with their parents against Trina. It had always been the two of them against everyone else. They’d always stood together, from the time they could both stand at all. But this time… this time, their parents were right. Tatiana hated that almost as much as she hated forcing her shy, unwilling sister to make her curtsey to society and to place herself in the market for a husband.
    Trina started to shake her head, but Tatiana cut her off as she opened her mouth to protest. “You can do this, and you will. You’re stronger than this, Trina.”
    “No. I’m not. I’m terrified. No one is even going to look at me at the ball. They never do.” The tears were coming back. Tatiana could feel the heat of her sister’s fear radiating off of her.
    She had to do something. Something big. Something dramatic. And something fast. Their grandmother was going to be calling for them any moment. She pulled her sister to the standing mirror in the corner of her room. Firmly placing her in front of it, she said, “Look, Trina. Look at this gorgeous dress! How can you say that no one will look at you?”
    Trina fluffed out the heavy silk overdress with no enthusiasm. “Well, at least I am stylish. I’m glad Grandmama allowed me the most recent fashion. I like it à l’Anglaise, without panniers. I don’t think I could have stood having a dress that extended further out than my arms.”
    Tatiana laughed. “You are not only dressed in the first stare, you look beautiful!”
    That comment made Trina’s face begin to crumple once again. “No. That I am not.”
    “Oh, yes, you are,” Tatiana said. And that is when she had the idea! The brilliance of her inspiration made her almost laugh out aloud in delight, but she controlled herself. Instead, she narrowed her eyes a little and focused herself inward. She gathered her magical power into her core and allowed a slow smile to spread across her face.
    In her mind’s eye, she saw her sister’s dull, brown hair shine with vibrancy. Her eyes lost their brown coloring and instead glowed a brilliant green. She made her lips and cheeks ever so slightly more plump, and filled out her bust-line, giving her a more womanly figure.
    “Oh!” her sister gasped. She stared into the mirror, stunned at the woman she was seeing.
    Tatiana then focused her attention on herself. She dulled her own rich, dark