Seventeen lingered at the edge of the dance floor, her mind whirling as the crowd continued to swirl around her. Her sharp sense of smell catching notes of sunflowers, patchouli, sandalwood, jasmine, musk, cinnamon, lily of the valley, cherry blossom, coconut, thyme, black roses, and bergamot in the ballroom. The scents were enough to tell the districts each of those present were from.
Claus smells like sunflowers, Light smells like cinnamon, Hunter smells like fresh bergamot, Amelia smells like sandalwood, Sablina smells like thyme. Her time around them had trained her nostrils, more than she already had on her own. Draco, on the other hand, has a scent of patchouli, citrus blossom, and wind in a rainy day, it calls for her more sharply than the others.
Her natural scent back in Serpentpire was that of rosemary, chamomile, and winter snow according to her best friends Joshua and Cassie, and her adopted parents Noah and Lilith. But she had always loved the scent of cherry blossoms and black roses the most, there was no such thing in Serpentpire, however. To match her role of Serena, the girl from the boring district of Cancer, she had gotten herself a fragrance with notes of coconut and almond blossom.
The coconut scent in the ballroom came from those natural of the Loveliar district. Jasmine came from Liberty Hills, the district of Aquarius. Musk was a scent from Starsh, the district of Pisces. Lily of the Valley emanates to those from Horn, the district of Taurus. While cherry blossoms were from Twinscott, and black roses from Scorpion.
Despite trying not to dwell on it, Draco's words echoed in her head, but she couldn't let them distract her. She had to stay focused—there were still moves to make tonight.
Claus reappeared by her side, his expression concerned. "Serena, are you alright? You look... tense."
["No shit? Don't you know your cousin?"] She swallowed the sarcasm that was engraved in her real personality and forced herself to smile, slipping back into character with ease. "Just a bit overwhelmed. The royal ball is beautiful, but it's quite the spectacle."
Claus's brow furrowed slightly, but he didn't press further. Instead, he offered his arm. "Would you like to step outside for some air?"
["That vulture better not butt in this time."]
Seventeen hesitated, glancing briefly in the direction Draco had gone. She could still feel his presence, lurking somewhere in the shadows, watching her every move. But she couldn't let him dominate her thoughts—Claus was still crucial to her plans.
"Fresh air sounds perfect," she agreed, taking Claus's arm. He led her out of the grand ballroom and onto a terrace overlooking the gardens. The night air was cool, a welcome contrast to the warmth of the crowded ballroom. Torches lined the pathways, casting flickering light over the meticulously manicured hedges and fountains.
Claus guided her to a secluded corner, where the sounds of the party faded into the background. For a moment, they stood in silence, gazing out over the gardens. The moon hung low in the sky, casting a pale glow over the scene.
"It's beautiful out here," Seventeen said softly, breaking the silence.
Claus nodded, but his focus was entirely on her. "It is. But I think... there's something else I find even more captivating tonight."
Seventeen turned to meet his gaze, her heartbeat quickening. There was a vulnerability in Claus's expression that caught her off guard, a hint of something deeper than the flirtatious prince she had come to know. She could sense the weight of what he was about to say, and it made her uneasy.
"Serena," he began, his voice low and earnest, "I know we haven't known each other for long, but I feel a connection with you. Something... real. You're unlike anyone I've ever met."
Seventeen's mind raced. This was moving faster than she had anticipated, and she needed to handle it carefully. Claus's feelings for her were useful, but if he grew too attached, it could complicate everything.
"I don't know what to say," she replied, her voice gentle but cautious. "You've been so kind to me, Claus. But... this is all so new."
Claus took a step closer, his hand brushing hers. "I understand. I don't want to rush anything, I know I'm two years younger than you and I'm hoping that won't be a problem, but I want you to know how I feel. I can't ignore it anymore."
["You're older than me."]
Seventeen swallowed hard, her carefully crafted façade wavering for just a moment. She had played many roles before, but this—manipulating someone's genuine affection—felt different. Claus wasn't an enemy. He was a pawn, yes, but also someone she had come to respect in a way she hadn't expected, he wasn't vicious or calculating like his parents, she respected that.
Before she could respond, movement in the shadows caught her eye. A figure stood at the far end of the terrace, barely visible in the dim light. Draco. He was watching them, his posture tense, and even from a distance, Seventeen could feel the storm of emotions radiating from him. She knew he would come around sooner or later, he seemed to be especially persistent in being a pain on her ass when she was alone with Claus.
Her pulse quickened, but not out of fear. No, this was something else. A dangerous thrill, the kind that made her blood sing. She knew she should have been focused on Claus, on keeping him close, but instead, all she could think about was the man lurking in the shadows.
Claus followed her gaze, frowning when he saw Draco. "My cousin can be quite the shadow, can't he? You'd think he's from Scorpio and not Libra," he said lightly, but there was an undercurrent of tension in his voice.
Seventeen forced herself to look away from Draco, returning her attention to Claus. "He's just... protective," she said, though she knew that wasn't the full truth. Draco wasn't merely watching to protect him of her—he was testing her, pushing her to see how far she would go.
Claus sighed, stepping back slightly, giving her space. "I suppose that's true. But I'd like to think I'm capable of protecting you too, Serena."
["As if he was protecting me of you and not the opposite,"] she mumbled to herself, uncharacteristically annoyed. As Serena, she offered him a small, reassuring smile. "I have no doubt you are."
Claus hesitated, then took her hand. "I won't keep you any longer. Just... think about what I said, alright?"
"I will," Seventeen promised, her voice soft. ["I will think of a way to avoid you from confessing your feeling to me, that's what I'll do. I can't have you actually falling in love with me, that was not in the plan. It wasn't supposed to go any further from physical attraction."]
Claus gave her hand a final squeeze before releasing it, bowing slightly as he excused himself. Seventeen watched him go, her heart heavy with the weight of her own deception. But there was no time to dwell on it. Draco was still watching.
Once Claus was out of sight, Draco stepped out from the shadows, his expression unreadable as he approached her. The tension between them was palpable, the unspoken words hanging in the air like a storm waiting to break.
["He's starting to feel like a stalker."]
"So, this is your game now?" Draco said, his voice low and dangerous. "Stringing my cousin along while you play the innocent?"
Seventeen crossed her arms, tilting her chin up, meeting his gaze head-on, hating how much taller than her he is, how it makes it impossible to look at him in the eye like a normal person. "You have no idea what you're talking about."
Draco's eyes flashed with something dark. "Don't I? You're not as clever as you think, Seven."
The use of her nickname—one she hadn't told him—sent a jolt through her, freezing her mind, making her nauseous. How much did he know? How close was he to unraveling the truth?
She took a step closer to him, refusing to back down. "If you're so sure of yourself, then why haven't you exposed me?"
Draco's jaw tightened, his hand reaching out to grab her wrist. His touch was firm but not painful, his fingers curling around her skin in a way that made her pulse race, bringing her dangerously closer to him, nearly bumping into his chest. "Maybe I'm waiting for you to slip up. Or maybe... I'm enjoying the game."
Seventeen's breath caught in her throat, the heat between them undeniable. This was dangerous—more dangerous than anything she had faced before. Draco wasn't just another opponent. He was someone who could destroy everything she had built.
But even as the rational part of her screamed to walk away, to pull back before it was too late, a part of her wanted to see how far this could go. It wanted to step closer, to burn in the fire emanating from his body.
"How long do you think you can keep this up?" Draco whispered, his voice like velvet against her skin. "Before the truth comes crashing down?"
Seventeen's lips curved into a slow, dangerous smile. "As long as it takes."
Draco's grip on her wrist tightened slightly, and for a moment, she thought he might pull her even closer, do something stupid. The tension between them was electric, every breath charged with the possibility of what might happen next.
But then, just as suddenly, Draco let her go, stepping back with a cold, calculated look in his eyes.
"We'll see about that," he said, his voice sharp. Without another word, he turned and walked away, leaving Seventeen standing alone on the terrace, her heart racing, heat washing over her cheeks, heavy breathing again.
["How did he get my name? Did he invade my office and look through my trash? He didn't call me Seventeen, he called me Seven. The only paper that could have given him my name, as Seven, was teared to shreds in the trash. He didn't go that far, did he?"] She closed her hands in fists, the engines in her brain turning around and around, the feel of his hand on her wrist leaving a burning trace, one that was impossible to ignore. ["Fuck."]
The game was on—and this time, the stakes were higher than ever.