I placed my hand in his and the other on his shoulder. His free hand wrapped around my waist and pulled me in closer. As the music built, so did the speed at which we danced. Some people glanced our way, most likely wondering why I was dancing with someone who reported to me. In these circles, what I was currently doing was beneath me, but I didn’t care much for following tradition over things so insignificant. For so long in these halls, I had been an outcast, sidelined and looked down upon. Now I wanted to be seen as a woman in their eyes, a woman who owned every molecule of her power.
As we danced, Visarous nodded toward the far left corner of the hall. Turning my gaze as he spun me, that was where I saw him. Demir Vjeran the Crown Prince of Morgad was leaning against the wall, his ankles crossed with an ease that only came from growing up in a world that never said no to him. He was tall, taller than most, with olive skin and short brown hair that looked as though he had just raked his fingers through it. He had one arm crossed over his chest while he held his drink in the other. The sleeves of his simple white tunic were rolled up to the elbow, exposing his muscular forearms. His suit jacket was thrown over a nearby chair. He was carefree, and it was that nature that acted like a magnet to those around him. He was sure of himself, and it was effortless. He raised his gaze to the dance floor and locked eyes with me. His eyes were the colour of honey. He stared at me for a good while as I danced. I didn’t dare balk and instead held his gaze while Visarous spun me around the dance floor. He shifted his gaze to the partner I was now dancing with and smirked as his eyes lingered on the red mark my lipstick had left on Visarous’s collar. I silently cursed myself for the lapse in judgement. Demir returned to his conversation with Everett without looking back.
The song came to a close. Looking around, I couldn’t see the other half of my party.
‘Where’s your sister? Where is my Master of War?’ I asked.
He shrugged, not knowing where she was. After he left tolook for her, I stepped towards the long buffet table of food and drink that lined the right side of the hall. There were golden trays filled with pastries, fruit, and cheese. I ignored all of it, instead opting for another glass of wine. I have always had an incredibly high tolerance for alcohol. Behind the table of food, there was a door. It used to be a storage room, but as the door opened before me, I realised it served another purpose. Vivianna walked out, fixing her hair and looking around as if to check whether someone had noticed. When her eyes met mine, she looked crestfallen and then embarrassed. She panicked and glanced behind her, hoping that whoever was there would not follow, but it was too late. Prince Acheron, the first heir to the Cazina throne and Lejla’s brother, walked through the door. I almost dropped my wine, not believing what I was witnessing.
Acheron was tall, with reddish hair pulled into a bun. He had blue eyes like his sister’s, but they were kinder. As he redid the buttons of his navy formal jacket and looked up to see why Viv had not moved, since she was blocking his path, he saw me standing there—ever the dutiful Queen—not showing a lick of surprise or shock on my face.
‘Prince Acheron, it’s a pleasure to see you again.’ I said. He smirked while looking between Viv and me. He could see the panic on her face as she stepped away from him and took her place slightly behind me.
‘Believe me, Queen Skylar, the pleasure is well and truly mine,’ he said, grinning at me. I raised an eyebrow at the sheer forwardness. He laughed as he walked away, immersing himself in the fray of the ball.
I turned on Viv in an instant. ‘Explain.’
She looked at me with a touch of fear and hesitated, clenching and unclenching her fists before finally finding the words. ‘I, we… I don’t even know how to say this. While you and my brother had your fling at the Academy, I had mine. Acheron and I are… compatible.’
It took everything within me not to convulse and retch atthe thought of them together the entire time.How had I been so blind? Was I so self-absorbed that I had never noticed what was happening right in front of me?
‘That arrogant prick? Please, Vivianna, where are your standards?’ She flinched at my words before I continued, ‘How did you manage to keep it a secret?’
‘It happened not long after your father became sick with the rak. After that moment, the world and all those around you disappeared from your view. You were consumed. You stopped asking about what was going on in my life, so I never lied, and the eternal flame never alerted you.’
Viv was right; that time in my life was a blur. It felt like I was in a never-ending fever dream. I don’t know when or how I started functioning again; I just know that for a long time I was in a world of my own, wallowing in grief and despair. She wasn’t wrong that I checked out of all my relationships beyond what I immediately needed from the people around me.
‘He’s the enemy, Vivianna. He’s King Tiberias’s son and heir to Cazina’s throne. The same realm that has allied with Morgad throughout our history. How fucking could you?!’ I spat, disgusted by her choices.
‘He’s not my enemy.’ She said looking away.
‘Are you fucking stupid?! Your swore an oath! My enemy—our land’s enemy—will always be your enemy,’ I all but screamed, trying to contain the rage that seared within my bones. She betrayed me, betrayed our people.
‘You can’t control who I love,’ she said, looking at me unflinchingly now, challenging me to push her on this. Little did she know she had already pushed me five steps too far.
‘Have you lost your fucking mind?!Love? You think that man loves you? He is using you, you stupid girl. Get the fuck out of my face before I draw blood. I am done with you. You’re absolutely worthless to me now,’ I seethed before turning away, ignoring the whispers of those around us who had overheard, and stormed back out onto the balcony. Once on the balcony, Ithrew myself at the bannister, breathing deeply and quickly. I clenched the stone as grains of sand fell to the garden below from beneath my vise like grip.
A voice called from the shadows behind me, ‘Having a bad night, Skylar darling?’
I whirled, instantly recognising that deep, timbred voice.Demir.
‘Leave.’ I didn’t turn back. Instead, I kept my eyes focused on the sea of light in the garden below praying to the spirit realm that it would open me up and swallow me whole so that I did not have to deal with this mess.
He walked up to the edge of the balcony and stood behind me, staring out at the garden below. Placing his drink on the bannister, he turned toward me.
‘You look… different,’ he said as his eyes traced the contour of my gown, the black mark that lay on my chest and the piercing blue eyes that he had never seen before.
‘You look like the same piece of shit, princeling,’ I sneered. Though that was a lie. He had always been breathtaking in the most infuriating way. In Maureia, to call someone by their name was a sign of respect; I would never call him by his name. Grabbing his glass of brandy, I downed the whole thing in three large gulps. He looked at me, bemused, and when I threw the glass over the balcony in frustration at the night I was having, he laughed. I had never heard a genuine laugh escape his lips before and I wanted to hear it again. In that moment, all I could recall were the sneers he would throw my way at the Academy. I turned to leave without so much as another word. But Demir stepped in front of me, blocking my exit.
‘That’s not very kind of you, Princess.’
‘That’s Queen Skylar to you, swine,’ I bit back. He smirked at my challenge, unperturbed.
‘Would you rather I get your plaything—Visarous, was it?—to come and comfort you?’ he said, mocking me. I rolled my eyes at the sheer gall.
‘That is quite rich coming from someone who kept Lejla’s bed warm all throughout our Academy days. A ground worm has a bigger brain and would be far better company. Would probably be more hygienic too.’ His eyes flashed with amusement as he gave me a crooked smile.
‘Is that a note of jealousy I detect? Well, I must concede you are right about her, but as you know, I love giving back to charity. For example, after what you did to my underling Blake, I have decided not to slit your throat where you stand.’ All traces of amusement faded from his face as he became cold and ferocious in his demeanour. ‘Jealous? I think you’ve hit your head one too many times during your sparring sessions and as for Blake, you would have done the same,’ I added, meeting his gaze in solid defiance.
