Sevastian stood in the corner, his patience waning as he waited for Rohan to return from his discussion with their father. It had been a few minutes, yet there was no sign of him. Surrounded by faes, he felt their eyes on him—some curious, others brimming with disgust—but he paid them no mind.
Lyra had gone to fetch them a glass of juice, but she seemed to have vanished in the process. Sevastian couldn't decide whether he was annoyed or relieved. He wasn't in the mood to entertain anyone, much less strike up conversation. All he wanted was to retire to his chambers and leave the ballroom behind.
From the corner of his eye, he caught sight of Lyra moving through the crowd with two glasses in hand. "Forgive me," she began, her tone sharp with annoyance as she approached. "I was held up by a marriage prospect who thinks I care about his love for plants," she scoffed, shaking her head.
"Here," she said, handing one of the glasses to Sevastian. Their fingers brushed lightly as he took it from her.
Not bothering to ask what was the greenish looking liquid in the glass, Sevastian drowned it down in one gulp. The strong burn made him press his lips into a tight line, his expression tightening.
"I was going to tell you to drink it slowly, but I guess you were really thirsty," Lyra remarked, her voice laced with amusement as she raised her own glass.
"What was that?" Sevastian tilted his head toward her, his brows drawn in slight suspicion.
"Mint juice," she replied nonchalantly, taking a measured sip from her glass before swallowing smoothly.
"Where is Rohan?" Sevastian asked.
"I think he is still talking with Father. I can only imagine how heated the tension is going to be between them," Lyra murmured, her voice tinged with unease.
Just then, both of their gazes shifted toward the King and Queen entering the ballroom, their smiles fixed as they graciously accepted congratulations from their guests.
"He is not with them," Lyra whispered, her brows furrowing as she scanned the room, the absence of her brother making her chest tighten with worry.
"I'll go look for him," Sevastian said, already setting his glass down on a nearby table. Without waiting for her reply, he started toward the exit.
"Wait, I am coming with you," Lyra called out.
They looked around the ballroom thoroughly, scanning every corner for any sign of Rohan, but he was nowhere to be found. With growing concern, they left the ballroom and checked the palace corridors, and every other possible location. Still, there was no trace of him.
It wasn't until they neared the spot Rohan had shown them days ago that they spotted him. He was seated on a large rock, his shoulders slumped, lost in thought.
"Rohan!" Lyra's voice rang out as she sprinted toward him, relief flooding her face. She bent down, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck in a hug. "Are you alright?" she asked softly, her voice laced with concern.
Rohan returned his sister's hug, letting her ease some of the tension weighing on him. It felt good to have her comfort, her presence always brought him a strange sense of peace. He drew in a deep breath and finally murmured, "I will be."
Lyra pulled back slightly, her worried gaze meeting his as she placed a hand on his shoulder, trying to soothe him. "What did father say?"
"Everything wrong as usual. He wants me to become King, or he will sell you to a vampire family," Rohan said with a hollow chuckle, but is was void of any emotion.
Lyra stiffened, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Surely he is bluffing, Rohan. He would never do that. He just wants to scare you." Her voice was calm. She had spent enough years under their father's rule to understand his methods. She knew how far he would go, and she was convinced this was one of his empty threats.
"I do not really care if he is bluffing or serious, Lyra. The fact that he even said such a thing to force me into accepting the crown is concerning." Rohan's voice was loud, his frustration barely contained. All he truly wanted was to find whoever was behind the black magic corruption and leave Luminae far behind.
"All will be well, Rohan," Lyra said softly, her hands massaging his shoulder. She glanced between her brother and Sevastian, who stood a few steps away with his hands buried in his pockets, she added, "Can we go inside now, or do you plan on spending the rest of the night out here?"
Rohan exhaled, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly. "I need to sleep. Tomorrow morning, we can talk about the new information on the Rynis." Rising from the rock, he adjusted his coat and began walking back toward the palace. Lyra fell in step beside him, and Sevastian followed silently behind them.
They walked in silence, the sound of their footsteps echoing in the quiet halls. They climbed the stairs and moved down the hallway until they reached Rohan's chamber. Pausing at the door, Rohan turned to face his sister.
"I will see you tomorrow. Sleep well." He placed a soft kiss on Lyra's cheek before turning to Sevastian. But as he leaned in to kiss his friend on the cheek, Sevastian quickly moved his head backward, a sharp look in his eyes.
"Do not make me throw you out the window, Rohan," Sevastian growled, his voice dropping with venom.
Rohan chuckled, a familiar mischievous smirk appearing across his handsome face. "It is not my fault, Sev. You look so dashing tonight."
Lyra gave Rohan a disgusted look, clearly uncomfortable with the exchange between her brother and Sevastian. "If you two are going to make out, can you at least warn me first? I would rather not ruin my night with that," she said, her tone sharp.
Rohan chuckled at her words, his grin widening. "I'm off to sleep, Sevastian is all yours." He waved them off before shutting the door behind him.
After a long pause of awkwardness, Sevastian finally spoke up. "I think I should retire to my chambers too, princess."
"Retire? Are you not going to escort me to my own chamber? You cannot possibly leave me to walk there on my own," Lyra suggested, crossing her arms over her chest, her eyes narrowing at him.
Dear goddess! Sevastian arched his brow at her. "This is your home, princess. I'm sure you can walk to your chamber on your own."
"You are wrong! Are you not a gentleman? I could be slaughtered by a random beast while walking by myself."
Sevastian pressed his lips together, this princess always managed to surprise him every single time. "I..."
Lyra moved to his side and wrapped her hands around his left arm, glancing up to see him staring at where she was touching him. "Are you uncomfortable with me touching you, Lord Sevastian?" she asked, observing his reaction. He lifted his eyes from her hands to her face, and Lyra swallowed at the intensity in his gaze.
"I would appreciate it if you refrain from touching me. It brings back bad memories," Sevastian replied, watching her pull away, rubbing her hands up and down her arm. He didn't like the way her touch made him feel, so he lied.
"I am sorry about that," Lyra offered a small smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. She had once again made a fool of herself.
"I will escort you to your chamber, princess," She heard Sevastian say, breaking the silence.
Lyra nodded, too embarrassed to meet his gaze. She kept her hands clasped behind her back, maintaining a few feet of distance between them as they walked in silence.