Maureen Laskovic:The soft rustle of fabric was the only sound for a heartbeat after the dressing-room curtain parted.Nyxara stepped through.“Oh my goodness…” The words slipped out of me before I could catch them. “You look beautiful, Nyxara.”She really did.Her dark skin caught the warm, diffused light in a way that made it look polished, almost luminous—like midnight stone kissed by starlight. The long dress clung and flowed at the same time, every subtle shift of her body sending tiny ripples across the deep charcoal fabric. A thin silver thread had been woven through the neckline and along the sleeves; it caught the glow and shimmered faintly with each breath she took.Gods…She was breathtaking.Nyxara offered a small, shy smile—the kind that began in the crinkles at the corners of her eyes before slowly blooming across her lips. “Thank you, Maureen.”Her voice came quieter than usual, almost hushed, as though the moment itself demanded reverence.I blinked hard, fighting the
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