My eyes bounce from the dark colour of her hair to the angular structure of her face. I’m searching for traces of Calista, for hints of beauty and traces of playfulness hidden within the mask of Maleficent’s expression.
Smooth undertones frame her high brows and dark lashes, but not even the application of makeup can soften the blade of a cruel-looking woman. Her thin lips remain frozen in theirposition, a smile that’s a far cry from the pouty lips that taunt me every waking minute of every day.
The father must be a looker.
“I heard there was a new thief in town.” She flicks her eyes down my body, assessing and dismissing me all in one glance, “But I did not realize he was quite so rugged.”
“Don’t worry, darling. You’re a little too refined for my taste as well.”
Somewhere in the distance, a fork clatters to the floor.
“Melody, there you are!”
Relief fills Erik’s voice as the stifling silence comes to an end, “Come meet the Deville family. This is Cruella and her son – Christopher, isn't it?”
“Yeah, you got it.”
I lift a brow in Cruella’s direction but she pretends not to see.
“A mayoranda loving father? What a lucky woman you must have waiting at home.”
Erik coughs gently, “Actually, I’m a widow.”
She gasps, clasping a dramatic hand to her breast, “You poor soul! I’ve been there, you know. My last four husbands left me stranded on this earth with no one to care for and no one to hold.”
“Is that your car in the driveway?” Interjecting before Erik can melt from embarrassment, I save him the trouble, “The old Honda?”
“Sure is. I know it’s not much but,” He smiles sheepishly, lifting a shoulder, “It’s four wheels and gets the job done.”
“Oh.” Disappointment and a shred of disgust creeps along Cruella’s face, “You own that thing?”
“Melody does now, but she still lets me borrow it upon occasion.”
“How... transferable.”
She does a poor job of hiding her grimace.
“As I was saying, the last of my four husbands left me sad and alone. Were it not for the Colonel – that’s my new husband, Mr. Hellman – I wouldn’t be able to sleep at all.”
Amusement flicks past Maleficent's face.
“Well, now that we’ve got that settled, how about we proceed to dinner?”
The Dragon takes the lead and we all fall in step behind her. Our reflections glitter and merge together as the foyer seamlessly transitions into an extravagant dining hall.
Funnelling around the rectangular piece of glass standing in the middle of the room, we each take a seat. Within seconds, waiters dressed in black start filing out of an unseen door, silver trays stacked high on their hands.
Food starts to materialize in front of us and wine glasses are miraculously filled. I watch the staff work silently and tirelessly to ensure every penny of the Drache fortune is on display.
“Christopher, I hear you’re taking a few of the same classes as Melody.” Lifting his glass, Erik casts a smile across the table, “How are you liking the college?”
“It’s alright, I guess.” My shoulders lift in a shrug, “Never been one for school, honestly.”
“Your generation has adopted a lackluster attitude towards education.” The Dragon lifts her brow, “It’s common to hear of young people throwing away their opportunities for the sake of exploring the so-calledrealworld.”
Offering the waiter a quiet thanks, Erik clears his throat, “Admirable really, that youth today are embracing their futures whole heartedly. Wish I could have done the same.”
“I couldn’t have said it better myself.” Cruella jumps aboard the pause in conversation, “In fact, I remember when I was young-
