The Zewitch royal ball was an illustrious affair. Everything was decked out in plated gold and shimmering emerald. It was screaming We're very rich, please pay attention.
The ballroom was the size of a marketplace with glittering marble floors that reflected the gowns of every fair maiden, and diamond chandeliers that hung from a midnight blue ceiling, shimmering like stars.
The tables at each end were covered in velvet cloths that made the wines gleam richly. Velvet cloths, almost impossible to get stains out of. It was a very loud, very pompous statement.
Sylas sighed from the corner of the room, watching his sister be twirled here and there by the handsomer men of the court. She really was weak for a pretty face. The traitor.
She'd abandoned him the moment Duke Roceles had offered her a dance. The Roceles family were known for their talent at modification magic. They all looked as though they'd walked out of a fantasy. Not that any of it was real. From their perfectly curved noses to their sculpted abs, it was all a mirage and when midnight hit you never knew if you were going to end up with a pot bellied gremlin or a subpar gentleman.
He sighed at the frivolity. What he would give to be back at home, feeding his bats and teaching Blob how to read, he'd just managed to get halfway through the alphabet.
Over the rim of his glass, his eyes caught that of the person of the hour. Helena Alphalm, sat at the elevated seats with the rest of her family. She'd turned nineteen this morning and her father was practically glowing with pride.
Maca had been right, she'd certainly matured as a woman. Her body now held curves rather than being flat and listless and she moved with the practiced manner of court ladies. Her smiles had become more reserved and her glances more impactful. He tipped his head to her in greeting and the corner of her lips twitched up.
Her face was the only thing that hadn't changed, still as snake-like as ever. With glinting jade eyes and pale ivory skin. She looked sharp and menacing at every angle. The Alphalms had claimed the Zewitch crown over a century ago, with not so much as a protest in all their years of ruling. They were brutish family who dealt with all forms of protest in the harshest manners and their magic was legendary. Beast-taming. A form of mind control and spirit bonding. From nixies and pixies, to dragons and leviathans. They'd turn everything into their pawn.
There was a saying in Centre, a bird flies into Zewitch and either comes back a dragon or in the belly of a snake.
He turned around, feeling his stomach curl in anticipation. This wasn't going to work. He was a wizard, not a seductress and he had as much interest in Helena as he did in watching paint dry.
He still remembered how she'd trotted after him during his time at the academy. Asking for every spare moment of his time. He hadn't felt like a man being pursued. He'd felt like a mouse being driven into a corner and now here he was, sacrificing himself on the chopping board and for what? A kingdom he didn't want. One he had no right too. He'd never be anything but the husband of a queen.
He glanced at the big gold-encrusted doors. Perhaps it was better to simply leave. He breathed in deeply, sending out a silent apology to his sister who would had to deal with Helena's wrath at his departure. He strode towards the doors, almost tripping as a large weight curled around his right calf. He looked down to see a ginormous boa, that had seeped out from under a table and was attempting him to hold him in place. Its body glittered in shades of blue and black and it's cold seeped into him.
He squeaked in a very unmanly manner and stumbled back, only for hands to correct him upright. He whipped his head around, there stood Helena. Her eyes gleaming green, her ebony hair pulled into intricate braids above her head. "Leaving so soon?" she rasped and he felt his spine stiffen.
He hastily pulled away from her and shook the boa off his leg. It hissed in complaint and slithered up Helena's form so that it could drape itself around her shoulders.
Sylas grimaced, "That's a handsome friend you've got there."
She smirked, tracing her fingers over the snake's head. "Yes, he's a most loyal companion."
He hummed in reply, glancing back to the doors. "He's quite adept at stopping discreet exits."
Her eyes sparked furiously. "No one's allowed to leave," she hissed and held out her hand, her golden rings twinkling under the chandeliers. "Until they've wished me happy birthday."
He took her hand as one would pick up a mouldy piece of bread. Wishing to be anywhere else, he slowly brought his lip to the top of her hand. "Happy birthday, Princess Helena."
He moved to pull away but the hand he'd kissed gripped his chin harshly and tugged his face up to hers. He could smell her jasmine perfume, it twirled around them, suffocating him. "That's such an informal greeting, for friends as close as us."
"I can't fathom what you mean."
She rubbed her thumb into his jaw, "Well, according to your sister, you've finally opened your eyes to the beauties Zewitch has to offer."
"A moment of great confusion on my part it seems. Zewitch appears to be exactly how I remember it," he sneered, "Rather plain."
He grip tightened until it was painful and her eyes glowed emerald. The boa moved from her shoulders onto his until the snake tied the two of them together. He felt the pressure between his shoulder blades and trembled under the hiss against his neck.
"Perhaps I should take the time to educate you then, as the royal jewels of Centre never fail to ignite a spark in me," she drawled provocatively.
"Not so royal anymore. I've been denounced."
She smiled coyly, "That only means you're up for the taking."
Her lips pressed against his, cold and icy to the touch. He flinched back but the snake only brought them closer together. The grip becoming painful now. It forced her chest to press against his and he flushed. A tongue pressed for entrance at his lips and a hand snuck its way to his waist. He shuddered and squirmed, eyes shutting closed. Her lips moved against his in a passion. His body froze as she pushed at him for entrance, her tongue forceful and prodding. Her nails were digging into his stomach. His lips parted.
The ballroom doors banged open and Helena pulled back in shock. She turned her head curiously to the new arrival, one horrendously late. A direct insult to her.
The snake finally released him and he breathed a sigh of relief. He turned to the doors in gratitude. Body immediately going rigid. There stood Emilia Vanis, her eyes glued to him. Her gaze a fiery blue. Magic pulsed out of her in vicious waves, turning the ballroom a few degrees warmer.
He sucked in a breath. She looked livid and his knees turned to jelly under her gaze. He leaned against the table for support, taking a hasty step back but there was no escape. And she was already approaching.