The sun bathed the courtyard in its warm light. The air was still and peaceful, and the gentle flutter of butterflies added to the atmosphere. Emily sat on one of the benches in the courtyard, holding a book in her hand as she quietly read the content. A maid escort stood by her side, watching her silently and standing at perfect attention.
Emily glanced sideways at the maid, feeling uncomfortable with her standing there doing nothing.
"You can leave," Emily said softly. "I don't want you to feel like you have to stand all day."
"Are you sure, my lady?" the maid asked politely.
"Yes, I know my way back to my quarters," Emily responded reassuringly.
The maid bowed politely before leaving Emily alone in the courtyard. Emily sighed as she watched her go, her gaze lingering on the entrance. Soon enough, someone else entered, and Emily flinched, quickly averting her eyes.
A man walked up to her and quietly seated himself beside her. Emily pretended to read her book, stealing glances at him. It was the same man who had attacked Lucas and Diana in the forest—the one she had defended from King Ronan, which had led to her punishment. A wave of anxiety washed over her. Did he recognize her? The thought gnawed at her, worrying that he might ruin her plans.
"You're that lady from the forest, aren't you?" he asked quietly, his tone calm as he kept his eyes on the flowers.
Emily froze at the question but chose to remain composed. "I... I don't know what you're talking about," she tried to sound confused.
"No need to pretend," he replied honestly. "Even if I told the King, he wouldn't do anything. He needs you for his mission."
Emily nodded, understanding the gravity of his words. "Where is your second?" she asked, curious about the taunting lady who had been with him in the forest.
"She's busy right now," he answered.
"So, you work for Ronan. Since when?" Emily inquired, her hand slowly dropping the book onto the bench.
"For a while," he admitted, his voice quiet. "He helped me back in the day, and he still does."
"Helped you by wanting to kill you?" Emily asked, her voice surprisingly calm, a hint of disbelief creeping in.
He hesitated, his gaze finally meeting hers. "It's complicated," he said.
"I have siblings I need to care for. He promised me he would provide a place of peace for them, and he did," he elaborated, his voice softening. "And now I'm indebted to him, so even if I were to be killed, my siblings would still be safe."
Emily sighed at his words, understanding the weight of his situation. "He should respect what you've done for him. You also helped build these islands."
"I did," he admitted honestly, a hint of pride mixed with resignation. "But he had the courage to start it."
"He did," Emily said, acknowledging the almost impossible feat the King had accomplished.
"Thank you," he said.
"For what?" Emily asked, confused.
"For defending me. If not for you, he might have actually done something terrible to me. And I'm sorry for any punishment he inflicted on you," he added, a small smile barely visible on his face. "Especially considering I tried to hurt you before."
Emily smiled brightly at his words. "Of course. We're both alive and well, and that's what matters."
His expression grew serious. "I know you may have an idea where Diana is, but I also know you won't tell me."
"I don't know where she is," Emily answered, lying smoothly as she kept her composure. "We got separated."
The man nodded at her words, his face giving no sign that he had caught her lie. "Name is Asch," he introduced himself.
"Emily," she replied with a smile.
Asch smiled as he stood up from the bench and quietly left the courtyard.
"That went well," Emily muttered as she picked up her book.
"Time to get back to my alone time," she said with an exaggerated sigh.
"My Lady."
Emily sighed in annoyance at the interruption and turned her head toward the entrance. A guard stood there, his face serious and calm.
"The King requests your presence," he said. "I will lead the way."
Emily's face turned pale at his words. She stood up slowly, bracing herself mentally for yet another meeting with the King.
✨🌙✨
As Emily entered the room, her eyes scanned the unfamiliar surroundings. Her gaze wandered over the weapons and maps of the island that were plastered on the walls. The room was rarely decorated, with only a few windows letting in minimal light, creating a solemn atmosphere.
She heard the door shut behind her, noting that the guard had left her alone. Emily turned her face towards the door, bracing herself for King Ronan's presence. Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm her nerves, preparing herself for whatever the meeting might bring.
The door opened, and King Ronan walked into the room, a smile on his face as he approached Emily.
"Good day, Emily," Ronan greeted her, walking past her and causing her to turn around, not wanting to keep her back to him.
"Trevon told me you were able to communicate with one of the voices," he remarked.
"Y... yes," Emily responded. "It didn't really have anything to say, though."
"Well, at least you are doing well," Ronan said. "We need your powers, after all, for the new moon."
"Yes," Emily replied with a forced smile.
"Actually, I didn't call you here for that," Ronan said calmly, raising Emily's eyebrows in surprise. "There's a ball coming up soon."
"A ball?" Emily repeated, puzzled.
"Yes," Ronan confirmed. "After you help us during the new moon, we'll need to focus on expanding our domain." A smile spread across his face. "All magic users can't live on these islands forever. The resources won't be sufficient."
Emily's mind raced as he continued. "The ball will host some important figures who can aid us in this effort. There's even another island filled mostly with Westerners," Ronan added, his tone suggesting the significance of this event.
"Okay, is there a reason you're telling me this?" Emily asked calmly.
"Well, if you're able to get the Goddess to help us with the mass elimination, we can actually move thousands of magic users to the mainland," Ronan explained, his tone growing more intense. "Meaning you can't fail, no matter the cost."
Emily's face paled at his last words as she slowly nodded, feeling the weight of his expectations.
Ronan chuckled at her reaction. "No need to panic; you'll do great," he said. "But you'll also need to take some classes on etiquette and dancing."
"Why?" Emily asked nervously.
"Because you can't embarrass me," Ronan replied flatly. "You'll be meeting important people, remember."
"I don't see the need for etiquette. Aren't we getting together to discuss expansion?" Emily asked, her nervousness briefly giving way to curiosity.
Ronan raised his brows in amusement at her words, causing Emily to shrink back once more. "You're right, what's the use of it," Ronan agreed, though a hint of sarcasm lingered in his voice. "My mother always emphasized the importance of manners and grace, but perhaps it's outdated in these times."
Emily nodded at his words, her mind drifting to thoughts of Ronan's mother, noting how much importance he placed on her.
Her gaze shifted to Ronan's eyes, remembering how they had turned completely black, devoid of any white—a supernatural and unsettling sight that had sent a shiver down her spine, even though she had witnessed something similar with Lucas. Her eyes then drifted to his gloved hands, recalling their unsettling appearance.
'Is that why he wears a glove, to hide it' She thought
Ronan noticed her lingering gaze on his hands, a smirk curling at the corners of his lips. His eyes narrowed with amusement at her curiosity.
"Are you curious about my hands?" Ronan asked, snapping Emily from her thoughts. "It's part of my power."
"I... I don't think your hands are meant to do that," Emily said hesitantly.
"The darkening? Many have said the same," Ronan shrugged nonchalantly. "But I've managed so far. It only makes my power stronger than any other Easterners out there."
"I suppose we're similar in that way," Ronan added.
"How?" Emily asked, intrigued.
"We're both incredibly powerful. Your aura and my shadows are both formidable," Ronan said with a hint of pride.
Emily let out a breath of relief, contemplating whether to speak her mind. "The difference is that your power stems from anger, fear, and trauma. Your shadows will slowly consume you if you're not careful," she said, trying to sound confident.
Ronan's expression darkened with anger at her words. Emily flinched as his eyes began to turn black once more. He quickly covered his eyes with his hands and let out a sigh.
"Leave at once," Ronan commanded, turning away from her. "Trevon will fill you in on the details."
Emily hurried towards the door, relieved that he had calmed himself before things escalated further.
✨🌙✨
Emily sat at her desk in her room, her hand poised over a quill as she wrote silently on a piece of paper. The sound of a knock at the door made her glance up.
"Come in," Emily called out.
Trevon opened the door slowly and walked towards her. Emily set down her quill, folded the paper, and sealed it with a wax stamp before handing the envelope to Trevon.
"I've written another letter," Emily said.
"Alright," Trevon replied, accepting the envelope. "How was your day?"
"It was good," Emily answered, her tone flat and uninterested.
Trevon observed her blank expression and continued, "Well, Ronan asked me to inform you about the ball."
"Oh, right," Emily said, her attention now piqued.
"The ball is in two weeks from now," Trevon informed Emily. "You need to get your dress fitted and acquire new accessories."
He continued, "You'll also be having private dance lessons and sessions on etiquette and social interaction."
Emily sighed at the weight of the news, feeling more exhausted by the second. "What about the pastries? I can help with that."
"No," Trevon said firmly. "You're a special guest at the ball. You're not to mingle with the servants or chefs."
"Got it," Emily replied, rolling her eyes.
"Anyway, Ronan and I will also be attending the lessons to keep an eye on you," Trevon added. "Parts of the castle will be closed off, and everyone will need to be in the ballroom."
Emily's ears perked up at his words, her mind drifting to the map. This would be the perfect opportunity to sneak into the private quarters. Everyone would be distracted.
"Everyone will be at the ball?" Emily asked casually. "Even the guards?"
Trevon furrowed his brows, understanding her implication. "Not all. Some will be on duty at the ball, and a few will be patrolling elsewhere," he answered.
Emily thought to herself, 'I can still try to create a distraction at the ball to draw everyone's attention away.'
"That will be all for now," Trevon said, shifting the topic. "Any news on your power?"
"No," Emily replied, turning her attention back to her desk. Her mind was already filled with plans for her escape, which she needed to execute before the new moon.
"You seem distracted," Trevon observed, his tone tinged with concern. "You haven't been very attentive."
"You can tell me what's worrying you," Trevon added, his voice carrying a hint of empathy.
Emily laughed softly at his words, causing Trevon to look puzzled. "No thanks. I'm just bored and feeling alone. I haven't seen my family, so that's it."
"I'm here," Trevon said, his voice a bit shy. "You can still talk to me if you want."
Emily looked up, surprised by his genuine offer. "Well, I was assigned to look after you," Trevon added, his voice lowering with a touch of embarrassment.
"It's fine," Emily said softly. "I have nothing much to say right now. I'll just wait for another letter from Lucas." She smiled gently as her gaze shifted to the flower pot on the desk. The sunflower sprouts were already starting to appear, a small reminder of brighter days.
"I miss him," Emily murmured more to herself than to Trevon.
Trevon's eyes widened at her words, and his expression shifted. He furrowed his brows in a mix of anger and confusion, his mouth tightening. It was clear he was deeply affected by her sentiment, though his feelings were difficult to discern.