Chapter 33
THIRTY-THREE
A fortnight later, I find myself once more at a crossroads. My anxiety is at an all-time high as we step inside Sigmore Palace for Duchess Rhea’s birthday.
Maledo is by my side, holding on to my arm and leading me inside the ballroom as our names are announced. He is the spitting image of our father, with his light blue eyes and dark hair. He is a handsome male and he is well aware of his appeal, his eyes immediately drawn toward the females present, who bat their lashes suggestively at him.
Our parents are a pace behind us, the voice announcing them reverberating loudly in the ballroom.
Molokai once more excused himself due to a previous engagement. It’s not irregular for him to miss out on social events. After all, it wasn’t him who was personally invited by Duchess Rhea to the party.
The ballroom is the size of an entire training field. It is almost double the size of the ballroom in our palace, which in itself is quite a feat. Rumor has it that Sigmore Palace might be the most extravagant in Aperion, not only because the Sigmore family is one of the wealthiest but also because over time, the family has supplied the largest number of Supremes from any one lineage.
Their connections are legendary, too. It is said that the great Lispera herself was a close friend of the Duchess of Sigmore and a frequent guest at the palace.
For a moment, I let myself absorb the history of my surroundings and imagine what it might have been like seven thousand years ago when Lispera had been alive. As the youngest person ever to become Supreme, she’s the role model for a lot of fledgling deities. But it’s not only because of her impressive career. She represents the struggles of females against the archaic practices of Aperion.
No one thought a female could achieve what she did, and rumors say her power was so great it couldn’t even be measured with the normal level system. She not only became a Supreme, but she also sacrificed herself to seal Tartareia so the Sons of Tenebreis could not leave their realm, thereby ensuring a relative peace in the universe.
If she were still alive… I wonder if Commander Azerius would have such a monopoly on power in Aperion.
I force a smile on my lips as I turn to the crowds forming in the middle of the ballroom.
There are several hundred people if my estimates are correct. I am not particular to such crowds, but perhaps they will provide a shield for me as I get lost between the countless faces.
The entire room is surrounded by runes that inhibit the use of spiritual energy. All large gatherings implement this rule so deadly conflicts are avoided. Aperion might seem united as a whole against demons, but inside there are numerous factions always fighting for supremacy. Without these safety runes in place, this would turn into a bloodbath, especially since most of the rulers of the Houses are present—the best time for an attack, from the outside or from within.
Some faces I recognize from other official functions in the past. But I am not familiar with most of the nobility. My eyes scan the crowd in search for Cerenios, knowing he will be watching me, but so far I don’t spot him anywhere.
A small reprieve.
The duchess and the duke are at the end of the ballroom, greeting their guests one by one.
My parents, Maledo, and I head to where they are to pay our respects.
“Happiest of birthdays, Duchess Rhea,” my mother intones as she drops into a small curtsy as a sign of respect, though she technically outranks her. I do the same, avoiding looking her directly into her eyes.
“Welcome, welcome. Thank you for your presence.”
“We brought you a special gift,” my father says, manifesting a platinum necklace with a light blue stone accent. “It is made from our specialty, the eternal ice.”
“Oh, how wonderful. Thank you,” the Duchess murmurs, accepting the gift.
“This is our son and heir, Maledo,” Father introduces my brother. “And this is our daughter, Minerva.”
At the introduction, I glance up. The duchess is startlingly beautiful. Her bright red hair is coiffed up in a bun atop her head, with multiple jewels adorning the updo. Her skin is a warm caramel shade, her eyes a deep green. She looks nothing like Cerenios.
I glance at the duke. He, too, does not resemble Cerenios in the least with his dark hair and black, slanted eyes.
Even more surprising, both the duke and the duchess are warm, pleasant people, whereas Cerenios is downright terrifying. If before I would have given Commander Azerius the title of the scariest person in Aperion, I think I’m slowly learning to reconsider the hierarchy.
According to the research I’d done into the Duke and Duchess of Sigmore, they aren’t the most gifted deities, although their line is a rather famous one, who’s yielded a number of legendary Supremes. Yet the most interesting thing is that two rather average individuals could have produced such a powerful offspring. It’s not just because the Sigmore family is influential in Aperion that Commander Azerius took Cerenios under his wing. It’s due to the male’s abilities, which he displayed from a very early age.
“Pleased to meet you,” I murmur.
“I hope you will enjoy the festivities,” the duchess mentions. “I have to go around to greet the other guests, but we shall have to find the time to converse,” she mentions to my parents.
Once the introductions are over, my parents find some of their acquaintances and they strike up a conversation. Maledo has surreptitiously disappeared from our side, and as I scan the crowd, I see him a distance away, talking to a couple of young ladies.
I roll my eyes.
A servant carrying punch glasses stops by my side and I take one glass, planning to nurse it for the rest of the evening.
As my parents continue to get lost in their conversation, I slowly move to the side, hiding behind a pillar to avoid detection in case Cerenios is looking for me.
Tapping my foot against the floor as I wait for the time to pass so we can finally head home, I find my mind drifting to Mine once more. It’s been days since I’ve last been able to survey him. The mirror simply stopped working one day. It was already only working a few minutes per day, but now that it’s completely out of power, I’m left not only speculating the worst but also bored out of my mind.
Spying on Mine gave me something to look forward to every day, even though it enraged me to no end to see him go about his days without sparing me a thought. He never once even glanced at the sheet of paper I left him with my seal.
My absence barely seemed to affect him. It’s almost like he completely erased me from his mind.
The only positive aspect is the fact that he never met with another female—as far as I’ve been watching. He spent some more time with that couple, but since that pretty female is mated and seemingly happily so, I’ve decided she is of no threat to me.
At least he’s been a good male in that regard.
I’ve also gotten a front seat to some of his missions and I’ve been watching his with pure astonishment and bated breath as he operated his airplane, skillfully evading any incoming flak or fire.
He truly is an amazing male. So competent.
I may be mad at him for not calling on me yet, but I must admit I have greatly enjoyed secretly watching him. Of course no one needs to tell me how great he is, but it is quite nice to see him in action, kicking Nazi butt.
If he were an Aperite soldier, I have no doubt he would have easily made general in no time.
I sigh dreamily as I remember his lips on my own, the taste of his blood on my lips… I’ve found myself craving it more and more. Perhaps this is why it’s so forbidden. Not only is the sharing of blood the height of eroticism, but it’s also the closest one can be to another being—bar mating, though I cannot speak of that. Yet.
I squeeze my eyes shut. When did my regard for rules crumble that I am now contemplating mating with that male at some point? But the truth is that I know it will happen once I see him again.
I want him. That much is clear.
But do I want him so much that I would forsake all the rules that have been drilled into my head since I was naught but a fledgling?
Yes!
My skin suddenly pricks with awareness as my entire body grows cold with fear. It’s immediate as if my body recognizes the danger before my mind can process it. Shaking myself from my thoughts, I look right and left, scanning my surroundings.
There he is.
Cerenios.
He’s staring at me from across the ballroom. Dressed in a white suit with his family’s insignia embroidered in golden thread across his chest, he is both handsome and terrifying as he holds himself completely still. His eyes are on me, and when he sees me take notice of him, his lips curve up in derision. He holds up a gobbet with punch and mockingly inclines it toward me.
My face falls.
He seemingly derives pleasure from my discomfort, his smile becoming wider. But it never reaches his eyes.
Looking for an opening, I seek to escape his unflinching gaze. But just as I move, he moves, too.
The room is surrounded by runes. He cannot do anything here, can he?
But it is his home. He may have hidden advantages I know nothing about. I cannot risk the encounter, though I knew it was going to happen the moment the duchess insisted on my presence tonight.
I wade my way through the crowd, keeping an eye on him as the distance between us dwindles. He’s on my heel, about to catch up with me at any point.
And I have nowhere to run to.
Unless…
I suddenly stop.
Just as he is about to get close to me, I turn in his direction, and as I walk toward him, I purposefully bump into him and spill my drink on him.
His eyes widen in shock.
The people around us stop what they’re doing to try to help him and engage him in conversation, at which point I take advantage of the limited time he’s not paying attention to me to slide away.
The moment the party started, the ballroom was sealed so no one can wonder the palace grounds without permission. But as I take a detour to the lady’s room, I find a small staircase that leads to an alcove above the ballroom.
It’s so narrow, only someone with my slight frame could fit up the staircase. And as I get to the top, I note the small ceiling of the alcove that requires me to pull up my gown and shimmy inside on my knees.
It’s darker here than in the ballroom, the lighting source shining away from this hidden spot—the perfect nook to hide into.
But just as I reach the railing to gaze down onto the ballroom, I note I’m not alone.
“Argh,” a small voice whimpers as I bump into a warm body.
“Who’s there?” I whisper.
“I should be asking you the same,” she huffs, though her tone is more bordering on amusement than annoyance. “This is my spot.”
“Mind if I borrow it for a while?” I ask as I get a closer look at her when a beam of light shines over her face. She’s young. Much younger than me. Her hair is black and lustrous, falling down her shoulders in rippling waves. Her eyes are a deep green with specks of gold in them.
She eyes me up and down. “You’re small enough to fit in here. I suppose I can make an exception,” she adds, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
“Minnie,” I introduce myself.
“Wyn,” she replies with a smile. “I gather you are not too fond of these parties.”
“Is it so obvious?” I chuckle.
“Why, though? It’s so magical and wonderful,” she adds with a wistful sigh.
“Then why aren’t you there on the dance floor?”
She pouts. “I’m not allowed. I haven’t reached my majority yet.” She sighs.
“You’re not missing much,” I tell her honestly.
“Oh, I am missing far too much,” she replies as she directs her attention to a cluster of people at the ball. She has a dreamy expression on her face as she gazes at one of the males deep in talk with a couple other people.
“I wish I could be there. Then I could dance with him and—” She stops herself as she realizes she’s said too much. “Sorry, you didn’t come to hear me blubber about my love interest.”
“Aethon?” I raise a brow, recognizing the object of her rapt attention.
Her eyes widen as she drags in a sudden breath.
“You know him?”
“I know of him. He’s a general in Commander Azerius’ army.”
She narrows her eyes at me.
“And what do you think of him?” she inquires, though I recognize the underlying jealousy behind her question.
“I have no opinion on him.” I shrug. “I’ve heard he is a good soldier. Nothing else.”
A smile curves at her lips, making her seem dazzlingly beautiful. “Good, that is good,” she murmurs, more to herself.
She pauses for a heartbeat before she blurts out, “He is so wonderful, though.” She gushes. “He’s the most handsome male in the entire of Aperion. The sweetest too, though he would hate to be described as such.”
“How would you know that if you haven’t reached your majority yet?”
It’s common knowledge that unless a female has reached her majority and has had her come out, she is not allowed to meet any unattached males.
“He’s a friend of my brother’s. I’ve known him my entire life.”
“Isn’t he ancient?” I frown. From what I remember, he must be around fifteen thousand years if not more. He’s the star of the House of Pyros, the last surviving blue dragon. And although he’s said to possess great power, he’s never had great ambitions for himself, preferring to be a mere general when he could have been king or even a Supreme.
“Bah.” Wyn snorts and waves her hand. “Love has no age.”
“Does he know that too?” I giggle.
“Not yet, but he will. He’s going to come at my come out ball, and I already have in mind a gorgeous gown that will surely dazzle him. He’s going to look at me and see me as a female for the first time and then—” She stops midway through her passionate speech. “You must think me rather silly. We’ve just met and here I am rambling like a fool.”
I smile.
“On the contrary. I hope it all works out for you. I have my own person that I cannot wait to see.”
Excitement shines in her eyes and she suddenly grabs my hands. “Marlowe, right?”
I blink. “What?”
“His name is Marlowe. He is a very dangerous male, but he loves you very much.”
“I… I’m not sure what you’re talking about. I don’t know any Marlowe.”
Her brows knit together in confusion.
“I apologize. Sometimes I blurt things out without thinking.”
“No, it’s fine, but I don’t know any Marlowe.”
The green of her eyes flickers to a pale opal color.
“You will. Not now, but you will. He has faced death three times to be with you. And he has sacrificed much, much more. But his sacrifice is not in vain.”
“What are you talking about?” I frown.
“Your male. He is ill.” Her face falls. “It is an incurable illness, at least for now.”
“How… how did you know?”
Her eyes are glazed over as she continues.
“This will be his second death. But to rid himself of the core of the poison, he must die.”
“No, no, he cannot die.”
“He must. But he will come back to you, Minerva,” she adds in an ominous voice, and I realize I never told her my full name.
“W-who are you?” I ask in a whisper as a shiver goes down my back.
“When the time comes, you must make two visits. One to the House of Moirai and one to the House of Psyche.”
“Why?”
“That thread must be cut before a new one can replace it. If you do not cut it now, you will perish with him.”
“I don’t under?—”
“Blood will tell,” she mentions before her gaze moves past me, her head tilting to the side.
“You should not be here,” she states suddenly, but she’s not talking to me. I turn, but no one is there. “It is not nice of you to come here uninvited.”
The air thickens and a wave of pure electricity sweeps around us.
Suddenly, her eyes are back to normal and she jumps back, startled.
“I apologize again if I said something wrong,” she murmurs, her countenance withdrawn.
“What did you mean by that?”
She shakes her head. “I don’t know either. Sometimes I just… see things.” She gulps down. “There is someone after you, Minnie. Someone very, very powerful. You should fortify your mental shields.”
“Who—”
I don’t get to finish my question because she vanishes. One moment she’s there, the next she’s gone.
What… this room is supposed to be full of inhibiting runes. How did she do this?
Was she even real?
As I stare at the empty space, I wonder if perhaps I didn’t make her up.
But the things she said… How could she know Mine is sick?
Yet what she said about the House of Moirai continues to ring in my mind long after she’s gone. I’ve never given much thought to the fact that I might have a fated mate, someone other than Mine.
Fury grips me in a tight vise. No, that cannot be. There cannot be anyone but Mine for me.
Would doing what she said, cutting my thread of fate, allow me to be with Mine without worry?
More doubts spring to my mind. I don’t know whether I should pay attention to anything she said. But it wouldn’t hurt to investigate, no?
After all, I would do anything to be with Mine. Even cutting all the fated ties to my world.
The same pricking sensation washes over me, and as I gaze down the railing, I see Cerenios in the middle of the ballroom, dressed in a new suit, his eyes on me.
I gasp and fall backward. Scrambling out of the crammed space, I almost fall down the stairs in my attempt to flee. But as I reach the bottom, I come face-to-face with him.
“What were you doing with her?” he rasps out in a harsh voice.
I stare up at him bewildered.
“Who?”
“Arwyn. Why were you with her?”
The girl… She was real then.
“I—”
“Come.” He grabs my hand and pulls me away from the crowd toward a hidden door. As soon as he steps in front of it, the door opens and we’re out of the ballroom.
The absence of the inhibiting runes is immediately noticeable as a whisper of power tingles in my fingertips. But if I have my powers back, then so does he.
By the Source, he can and might kill me.