Chapter Seven
If Evil, Why Hot?
As expected, I didn’t hear a word from Ezra.
I had a feeling he would seek me out at the ball, mostly because he was the kind of man who did things on his terms. Except this time, I was forcing him to do things the way I wanted, so he would control it the only way he could.
By making me wait until the last minute.
I knew he’d be at the ball. Imperial invitations were hard to ignore as a noble, and one had to have a very good reason to miss something as major as all the spring festivities.
I had no desire to spend any more time than necessary at the palace tonight. I really did only intend to stay for an hour or so before going home. Aside from how exhausting the whole thing would be for me, there was another reason.
This was the ball where, in the original story, Alicia and Kalon first met.
It was imperative to my plan that this event did not come to pass tonight.
Perhaps I would hide behind Vivi all night. She was fierce enough to scare off anyone I didn’t want near me, although I wasn’t quite sure how she’d feel about me thinking of her as my own personal guard dog.
Hmm.
Maybe spending the night flirting with one of her brothers would be another good plan. After all, I was looking for a husband, and any of the young Trelawney lords would be more than acceptable as far as my father was concerned.
Only the eldest was older than me, though.
I wasn’t sure how I felt about a younger man.
Hmm.
Ugh. I was too tired to play politics.
“If you cannot get along tonight, stay away from one another,” Father warned, looking at us all as he offered my stepmother his arm. “Vincent, Michael, you are to keep an eye on your sisters.”
“Yes, Father,” Vincent said, holding his hand out for me.
I rested my hand on top of his. “Don’t worry. I won’t cause any trouble.”
“I wasn’t necessarily talking about you.” Father’s gaze flickered over my shoulder to Sophia.
She’d been in a foul mood ever since she’d heard that my dress had been a gift from Vivi. Father had kept to his word and had taken care of it ever since it had arrived, and that had thrown me for a loop.
In the book, he never would have done such a thing.
Then again, in the book, I don’t think it was ever stated that Alicia stood up to her stepmother and sister the way I had.
She’d merely taken their cruelty sitting down, and since Father himself had admitted he was unaware, it was quite sad to think that things could have been different for the original owner of this body if she’d just grown a backbone.
It was more proof that I was changing the story as intended. If I could get my father on my side even just a little…
“Introducing the Marquess and Marchioness Vermillion and their children; Lady Alicia, Lord Vincent, Lord Michael, and Lady Sophia!”
The announcement of our arrival boomed through the ballroom, and for a moment, all eyes were on us.
Specifically, me and Vincent.
Vincent shuddered. “I feel like a piece of meat.”
“Ignore them,” I muttered to him. “They can sense your weakness. If you carry on like this, the young ladies will eat you alive.”
He side-eyed me. “What about you? Half the men in this ballroom are undressing you with their eyes,” he whispered, leaning in. “Want me to challenge them to a duel?”
I fought back a laugh. “It’s quite all right. You just go on a search for a nice wife.”
He groaned. “Shouldn’t you get married first? You’re the eldest.”
“Ah, you’re the heir. You’ve got more responsibilities than me.” I grinned, scanning the ballroom. “I see my friends. Walk me over there, would you?”
“Mother is glaring at us.”
“I don’t really care.”
“What happened to you? You used to shrink away from her.”
“I hit my head so hard it knocked some sense into me,” I answered lightly. “Vivi!”
Vivi turned around and beamed at me. “Allie! I knew that dress would look stunning on you.”
I blushed. “Thank you. Oh, let me introduce you—this is my brother and the future marquess, Vincent. Vincent, this is Lady Vivian Trelawney.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lady Vivian.” Vincent kissed her hand.
She smiled. “And you. This is my fiancé, Lord Ivan Leavitt, the future head of the magic tower. Ivan, this is my dear friend, Lady Alicia Vermillion.”
Lord Ivan offered me a warm smile as he took my hand. “Lady Alicia, I’ve heard so many good things about you. It’s an honour to make your acquaintance.”
Look, I was well aware he was my friend’s fiancé, but I was only human, and my heart fluttered a little bit.
The man had silver hair, blue eyes, and a jaw that could cut glass.
It was a deadly combination, and I was a weak, weak woman in the face of a handsome man.
“I’ve heard a lot about you, also,” I replied, accepting the kiss he brushed against my fingers.
“Ivan, you aren’t flirting with another woman right in front of my sister, are you?”
Lord Ivan laughed brightly. “I would never, especially not with her best friend.”
Best friend?
That was new.
“Best friend?” The new man’s eyes twinkled. “I didn’t know she had friends, never mind one close enough to be her best friend.”
Vivi wrinkled up her face and smacked him on the arm with her fan. “Leon, don’t be rude.”
Ah.
The eldest Trelawney and heir to the dukedom, Lord Leonard Trelawney. He was the spitting image of his younger sister, but infinitely more masculine.
I was in handsome man heaven.
God bless fictional universes and the authors who created the men in them.
“Aren’t you going to introduce me, sister?” He turned to me with a smile playing on his lips, and Vincent tensed beside me.
Oho. Did he want to be the protective little brother?
How cute.
Vivi sighed. “I suppose I did promise you I’d introduce you. Allie, this is my eldest brother, Leon. Leon, this is Lady Alicia Vermillion.” She snapped her fan open. “There. My work is done, and you owe me a new pair of shoes.”
It was quite clear who was in charge amongst the Trelawney siblings.
Lord Leon wasted no time at all in taking my hand and kissing the back of it. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lady Alicia. May I say how beautiful you look tonight.”
I blushed. “Thank you, Lord Leon.”
He looked up, and his honey-brown eyes met mine. “I’m afraid I have some business to attend to for now, but I’d be honoured if you’d save me a dance later this evening.”
My heart skipped a beat.
Welp.
I was in trouble.
“As long as you find me before I leave.” I smiled, taking back my hand. “I won’t wait all night.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” He chuckled, bowing his head to me. “Ivan, shall we go?”
“Yes.” Ivan kissed Vivi on the cheek before saying goodbye.
“Where did Vincent go?” I said, taking two glasses that were offered to us by a servant. “When did he leave?”
Vivi accepted the glass I held out. “He was smart and left when you were flirting with my brother. I almost followed him.”
My cheeks flushed.
“Don’t worry. I introduced you for a reason.” She grinned, and the smile in her eyes matched the one on her face. “Father is pressuring him about marriage since my wedding date was set, and Leon’s interested in you.”
Ooft.
My cheeks could fry an egg.
“Goodness, you’re so cute when you blush.” Vivi bumped me with her shoulder. “Oh, there’s Georgina. Over here!” She raised her fan to catch her attention.
Lady Georgina caught sight of us, and I realised she was with Lady Blair and Lady Sasha from the tea party.
“You’re here! Gosh, you both look beautiful,” Lady Georgina said as she joined us.
“Indeed. Lady Alicia, that colour is divine on you.” Lady Sasha smiled.
Lady Blair huffed and shuffled her voluptuous skirt. “I’d rather be wearing my training outfit. This dress is so heavy.”
“Has anyone seen Lady Elisa yet?” Lady Georgina asked. “We’ve only just arrived.”
Right. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I’d heard their announcements shortly after ours.
“Yes, she’s with the count and countess,” Vivi said. “They’re formally introducing her to their circle. I spoke with her shortly after she arrived and told her to come and find us when she’s able to escape.”
After that, the conversation drifted into more mundane topics. Questions about Vivi’s wedding, Lady Blair’s sword training, a garden party Lady Sasha was planning, and the upcoming spring hunt were all a part of the discussion.
I was soaking up as much information as I could. After all, this was a period not explicitly covered in the novel, so I needed to gain as much knowledge as I could to ensure that I would be one step ahead.
“Is that everyone? Won’t the Imperial Family be here soon?” Lady Sasha asked, looking around.
“I think—”
“Introducing His Imperial Highness, Prince Kalon, the Grand Duke of Stein and the First Prince of the Sada Empire!”
Thump. Thump. Thump.
My heart was going haywire at the mere mention of his name.
Oh, no.
I did not need this right now.
“Gosh, he’s handsome,” Lady Georgina muttered. “It’s a shame about the rumours.”
Don’t look, Allie. Don’t look. Don’t look. Don’t—
As if it were a compulsion, my gaze rose to the doors at the top of the stairs. If I thought I’d been surrounded by handsome men earlier, it was nothing compared to the overwhelming presence of this man.
He was mesmerizingly gorgeous.
He was tall, standing well over six feet, and his broad shoulders were the kind that were made for hooking your legs over.
His black hair was parted to the side, and the ends of his fringe just tickled his vibrant purple eyes, casting shadows over his intense gaze.
Every inch of his face was perfection personified from his square chin and prominent jaw to the way his lips curved down with annoyance as he surveyed the room.
He was dressed head to toe in black, and he looked exactly how I imagined a dark fairytale prince would look.
The adornments were all silver; the fastenings on his jacket stood out like diamonds, and the rope that hung across his chest from his shoulder to his underarm kept his green-lined cape securely in place on his shoulder.
His gaze swept the crowd and found mine, almost as if he could sense me staring at him.
I couldn’t move.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
My eyes were locked on his. I couldn’t look away no matter how badly I knew I needed to. His expression didn’t change, even as he descended the staircase. The stoic, cold air that wrapped around him was ever present in the harshness of his gaze, and to me, it was almost suffocating.
A thick, cloying reminder of what my future would be if I didn’t look away now.
“Is he looking at us?” Lady Blair whispered.
“No,” Vivi said, slowly turning towards me. “He’s looking at—”
“Excuse me. I need some air,” I said, quickly ducking away before she could finish that sentence.
Me.
He was looking at me.
I pushed through the crowd and slipped out onto one of the terraces. Thankfully, it was empty, and I drew in a deep breath before letting it out in one big go.
This was not good.
This was not in my plan.
Why had I looked at him? Why hadn’t I turned away the second I’d realised I was unabashedly staring in his direction? Why had my thirsty arse studied him as if I were memorising every inch of his body?
Idiot. I was an idiot.
His attention was the last thing I wanted. I might as well have jumped up and down on the spot and begged for his attention with the way I’d carried on just now.
He was the kind of handsome I felt in my panties.
That man was going to haunt my dreams, I was sure of it.
“Stupid, stupid Allie,” I murmured, gripping the balustrade.
“Ah, yet another poor woman destined to have their heart broken by the Grand Duke.”
I jolted and turned at the unfamiliar voice, almost dropping my glass. “What in the world are you talking—”
Scarlet-red hair.
Light purple eyes.
A cocky smile.
An air of arrogance that could only come from deep-rooted power.
“I hear you’ve been looking for me.”
Ezra Alansia.