That morning, Kalina decided to relax in her bathtub. It was a special day in all of Sacra Terra. It was the Kandan Sacra. The day the people celebrate the empire's victory over the Savage Race threat.
And, of course, the guild members were also celebrating in style. Irion had bragged about contracting the capital's most famous group of acrobats. Therefore, all the members were extra excited about the promising show. Above all, they were expecting the performance of a certain well-known young dancer who was quite talented and beautiful.
Thinking so, Kalina's mouth twisted into a slight pout. She turned to the mirror on the wall closest to the marble tub where she was taking a bath. The mirror was huge, almost covering the entire wall with its gold-plated frames. Yes, luxury abounded even in the rooms of the guild and especially in the rooms of the most favored member.
Her boss had smiled expectantly as he told her the good news. Perhaps expecting some nod of approval from her.
Irion...
¿Was there nothing in her to tempt him? She looked again at her reflection in the mirror. The image there was not a singular beauty, but Kalina considered herself at least pretty. Eyes that ranged from gray to dull blue and pinkish blonde hair. ¿Who the hell had pinkish hair? Such a color was the object of strange looks and jokes since she had been little. At least the shape of her eyes was somewhat striking.
The reflection in the mirror cocked its head, frowning. A slightly oval face with boyish features was also not attractive to him. Yes, she was quite far from resembling the voluptuous and glamorous type he seemed to prefer. Kalina sighed. She didn't care about anything. She was no longer a teenager with complexes, and at that point, she had accepted herself just as she was.
Kalina carelessly dried her skin and, still half wet, approached her wardrobe. Her gaze slid over the leather outfits she usually wore until she came across some winter dresses in the back of the closet. Far from what everybody thought, she considered them pretty. However, even though they tempted her, she always decided on the usual.
So, Kalina grabbed a pair of tall boots along with her fanciest pants and a pretty blouse with a leather bodice. Once dressed, she combed her hair and, this time, decided to leave it loose on her shoulders. Without doing anything else with her headdress, she took her favorite dagger and sheathed it in her belt.
Later, Kalina was walking down the streets of Sacra Cita with Stef and Dante. Stef had chosen to wear a pretty dress that matched her golden eyes while Dante was in his usual dark gear, armed to the teeth.
"You look different. Your hair looks good like that." Dante had told her casually, but Kalina could feel the sincerity in his tone. "¿And what about the dress I gave you for the occasion, Kal? We were supposed to match." Stefanía had complained, on the other hand. Remembering this, Kalina smiled as she walked alongside her friends.
Then, she collided with someone who was walking in the opposite direction. ¡Damn! Kalina was not a fan of crowds. The festival was in full swing, and there wasn't enough space on the streets for the citizens and all the tourists who came to enjoy the festivities and the imperial parade.
She was about to continue when someone spoke, "A wolf or a cute rabbit." It had been the guy who collided with her before. On the day of Kandan Sacra, the participants in the parade wore masks. It was the tradition. This time, Kalina had let Stef put a white wolf mask on her. It had been her way of redeeming herself for not wearing her friend's dress.
Kalina had collided with a giant well over six feet tall. The stranger stood out above everyone as he was easily the biggest person in the entire damn capital.
"A wolf in sheep's clothing."
Kalina replied, maybe in a little too fierce tone. However, the stranger let out a soft laugh in response. Kalina could not guess the features behind a mask with monstrous features, but the individual had a body worthy of a god. She shook her head, wondering ¿where on earth had that thought come from?
"Be more careful, little wolf." The man advised her with a soft and caressing voice, and after tilting his head, he prepared to walk away. A strange, almost imperceptible tingling ran over Kalina's skin. Inexplicably, she felt so pissed off by his behavior that she got ready to release a small wave of her power at him. However, she suddenly felt the peculiar feeling of dreaminess, and she concentrated on it. So Kalina prepared to see a piece of her future. After all, she was a path dreamer.