88 - Feline
The imperial palace at night did not look real.
Mariana stepped out of the carriage slowly, her breath catching before she could even stop it.
The world before her shimmered-no, glowed.
Towers of ivory stone stretched toward the dark sky, their edges traced with golden light.
Countless enchanted lanterns floated midair like suspended stars, illuminating the sprawling complex in a soft, almost dreamlike radiance.
Water features reflected everything-light, movement, color-turning the palace grounds into a sea of liquid gold and silver. Music drifted faintly from somewhere deep within, elegant and distant.
"Wow..." She whispered.
It wasn't like the daytime grandeur she had seen before. This was something else entirely. Intimate. Enchanting. Dangerous in a quiet, suffocating way. Like a trap disguised as beauty. Her chest tightened slightly.
Of course it is...
"Your Highness."
Mariana blinked, pulled from her thoughts. She turned and froze.
Standing before her, clad in polished armor that reflected the golden lights, was a man she immediately recognized. Raven hair. Sharp, disciplined posture. Calm, unreadable expression. Sir Leonhard.
Her brain short-circuited for half a second.
That's him, Sadia's bias...
"Sir Leonhard." She managed, dipping her head slightly.
He bowed in return, precise and respectful. "I have been assigned to escort you to the Crown Prince's palace."
Assigned...?
Mariana's fingers twitched slightly.
Of course you were.
"... Thank you." She said.
Leonhard gave a short nod, then turned. "This way, Your Highness."
She followed.
The walk felt longer than it should have. Not because of distance, but because of awareness. Knights lined the path at intervals. Nobles moved in clusters. Servants passed swiftly, quietly.
And everywhere, eyes. Watching. Measuring. Whispering. By the time they reached the grand doors of the ballroom, Mariana's nerves were stretched thin.
Leonhard stopped. "We have arrived."
She nodded. The doors opened.
A knight stepped forward, voice loud, clear, echoing across the grand hall. "Entering, Her Highness Grand Princess Mariana Cherustine la Vernon."
Silence. Not complete, but enough. Heads turned, all of them. Mariana stepped inside. And suddenly, she was at the center of everything.
The ballroom was vast-larger than any space she had ever seen indoors. Chandeliers shimmered above like constellations. Nobles filled the floor in elegant clusters, dressed in silks, jewels, power.
And all of them are looking at her.
"That's her..."
"The Saintess..."
"The Grand Princess..."
"She's even more beautiful in person..."
"Is that the one the Crown Prince-"
Whispers spread like wildfire. Mariana kept her posture straight. Her steps steady. Even as her mind screamed.
This is too much...
At the far end of the hall, Zafiel, seated near the imperial throne, one leg crossed over the other, a glass of red wine in hand. He swirled it lazily, the liquid catching the light.
And through it, he looked at her. Not directly. But through the glass. Distorted. Filtered. Intentional. Her breath hitched.
He hasn't changed at all...
Before the tension could fully settle, a familiar voice cut through, "Mariana!" Relief.
Sadia!
Mariana turned just in time to see her approaching, silver hair catching the light, smile bright and genuine.
"You made it!" Sadia beamed.
Mariana let out a small breath. "Barely..."
Sadia laughed softly. "You look amazing."
"You too." Mariana replied honestly.
And she did. Elegant. Ethereal. Completely in her element. Before Mariana could say more, another presence entered. Heavier. Colder.
"Grand Chancellor Keiran Darcel Bellinor has arrived."
Mariana stiffened. Her instincts screamed before her mind caught up.
Don't look. Argh, too late...!
She felt it, a gaze. Sharp. Calculating. Watching her. Her grip on Sadia tightened slightly. "Let's go to the refreshments...!" Mariana said quickly.
Sadia blinked. "Oh... 'kay...?"
Mariana didn't wait. She gently-but firmly-pulled Sadia along, away farther to the side tables lined with delicate pastries and tea.
Mariana picked up a scone and ate. Elegant. Controlled.
Ignore everything else! Ignore him. Ignore the damne-I mean, the male lead! Ignore-
Movement. The music shifted. A hush spread again. Zafiel stood. He descended slowly, each step measured, deliberate. The room seemed to bend around him, attention drawn without effort. He stopped before the imperial throne.
"Thank you," he began, voice smooth, carrying effortlessly across the hall, "for attending." Simple yet every word held weight. His gaze swept the room and landed on Mariana, always. "I hope you enjoy the evening."
A pause. Then, music. The waltz began. Mariana's stomach dropped.
No...! No no no-
Too late, he was already moving through the crowd and toward her. People parted without realizing it, as if something instinctual told them to.
Mariana stepped back. One step. Two, a hand. Warm. Firmly wrapped around her waist. She gasped softly as she was pulled forward, straight into him.
Too close...! Far too close...!
"Your Imperial-"
He leaned down close to her ear, so close his breath brushed her skin. "Iana."
Everything stopped. Her heart. Her thoughts. Her world.
"A-Again with that...?" She whispered, barely audible.
Her eyes darted, desperate.
Sadia, help me-!!
But Sadia wasn't looking, she had turned away. Her gaze fixed somewhere else. Mariana followed it briefly, to Sir Leonhard, standing alone by a pillar.
Of course. Who am I even kiddi-
"Don't look away." Zafiel's voice, soft. Possessive right beside her ear.
Her breath hitched.
"I waited," he murmured.
Her body went still.
"For almost a decade."
Her mind blanked.
A decade...?
"That long..." he continued, voice dipping lower, quieter, "and even longer than that... I endured."
Her fingers trembled slightly.
What is he saying...?
"I waited until it drove me close to insanity."
Her pulse pounded violently.
This isn't normal...
"I prepared everything," he whispered. A pause. His grip on her waist tightened slightly. "Everything... so you wouldn't even think about running away from me." Cold. A chill ran down her spine. "You won't be able to."
Her breath caught, because she believed him. Not logically. Not rationally. But instinctively. She believed him.
His hand lifted slowly. Delicately. A loose strand of her hair slipped free. He twirled it around his finger, watching it like it was something precious. Something his.
Then, he leaned in and kissed it. Soft. But the look in his eyes, hungry. "... my feline princess."
Mariana shuddered. Her eyes darted around.
Exit...! Doors...! Distance-
No.
His hand moved again, tilting her chin upward. Forcing her gaze to meet his. Amethyst. Deep. Endless. Unyielding. Her golden eyes trembled slightly under the intensity. Her heart, faster. Louder.
W-Why...? Why is my heart reacting like this...?
Zafiel's expression softened just slightly. A rare, almost gentle smile. And that was the worst part because it made her cheeks flush. It made her breath catch. It made her admire him.
No... No, that's... he's the male lead...
The thought slipped in. Unwanted. Uninvited. But undeniable.
Of course he is... perfect... dangerous... irresistible... that it's unfair... everything the story built him to be...
Mariana swallowed. Her fingers curled slightly against his chest. Trapped. Overwhelmed.
And yet, she couldn't look away.