"Should I announce your presence, My Lady?"
The royal guard's voice was steady, low, his tone respectful but laced with a faint edge of hostility.
Well, I don't think I blame him for being hostile.
The guard's armored form stood like a statue beside the grand double doors, hand poised just inches from the polished surface that separated me from the pit of wolves—no, nobles—awaiting on the other side.
Cold Witch of the North. That's what they call me. Evelina.
I exhaled slowly, the weight of their judgment pressing against the gilded doors like a storm threatening to break through.
It's fine, Ji-eun. You're the villainess. What they think isn't your problem. Relax.
Great pep talk, subconsciousness. That totally fixes everything. My stomach still churned like I'd swallowed an entire lake of acid.
Because the nobles weren't what worried me.
---
"I'll see you tonight."
---
Kael...
"Princess?"
The guard's voice cut through my spiraling thoughts, snapping me back.
"Ah! Yes," I managed, plastering on the calm, unbothered mask that was as much a part of me as breathing.
The guard inclined his head before rapping his staff sharply against the marble floor, the sound ricocheting off the towering stone walls of the hallway.
"Announcing the arrival of Princess Evelina, daughter of the Duke of Duskthrone!"
The doors groaned open, revealing the ballroom beyond—a glittering sea of silks, jewels, and polished veneers masking deceit and ambition.
Snakes.
Golden chandeliers cast a warm, almost blinding light over the room, their glow bouncing off elaborate gowns and lacquered boots.
The air was suffused with the cloying scent of too many perfumes and the hum of conversations dipped in venom.
Then silence.
All eyes swiveled to me as I stepped inside, their chatter morphing into a faint hiss of whispers.
"Oh, look. The evil witch is here."
"At least she doesn't look like a clown today."
"I heard she tried to kill Prince Kael."
"Isn't that treason?"
"Shush! Don't let her hear you."
"But, what's that dress? I've never seen a design like that before. It looks... comfortable and elegant."
"Shut up, Isa. Do you want to die?"
Idiots. Did they think I was deaf? Of course, I could hear them. Maybe I should teach them what a "witch" really looks like.
Isa. Hmmm. Well, let's do digging later.
My steps were deliberate, unhurried as I crossed the threshold, the heavy train of my gown sweeping behind me like the shadow of some dark specter. My gaze skimmed the sea of painted faces, searching.
Kael wasn't here... yet. Would he not come?
I looked around for him. But instead, my eyes locked onto a pair that turned my blood into molten lava.
Adrian. Esmeralda.
They stood together, laughing softly, the picture of sickening perfection. Her dainty hand rested lightly on his arm, her black hair practically glowing under the chandelier lights.
Ugh. Why does this scene feel like a bad déjà vu? Han Wei and that woman all over again.
I clenched my fists, the urge to claw at something—preferably her face—rising like a tidal wave. Should I start a fight? A good old-fashioned hair-pulling brawl in the middle of the ballroom? I mean, I am the Duke's daughter.
And Father did say I could murder anyone I wanted, and he'd handle the fallout.
Before I could make up my mind, a voice cut through my murderous musings.
"Evelina."
I turned swiftly, my gaze landing on two familiar figures.
"Father. Duchess."
"You're late," Father remarked, his voice neutral, but there was a flicker of amusement in his dark eyes. "I assumed you weren't coming."
"Oh, I had some… business to handle," I said sweetly, offering a perfectly practiced curtsy.
I've never curtsied before. Guess Evelina's bodily practices were still of some use.
"On that note, Father, would you mind if I pulled someone's hair and dragged them across the floor? Someone had the audacity to touch one of my people."
A ghost of a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, but he didn't answer immediately. Beside him, the Duchess froze, her lips parting in silent protest.
"Their Majesties will enter in about ten minutes," Father said finally, his tone casual, as though discussing the weather, "Make it quick."
"But, Your Grace-"
"Not now, Melissa. We've talked about this already. Go, Evelina. 9 minutes."
My feet took a sharp turn in direction of Prince Adrian and Countess Esmeralda.
"Greetings to the star of the empire." I curtsied one again.
"Lady Evelina. You look beautiful as ever."
And, you make me want to vomit as ever.
"Lady Evelina, you look beautiful as ever," Countess Esmeralda simpered, her fake smile so sweet it could give me cavities.
"And you," I replied smoothly, lips curling into a polite grin that didn't reach my eyes, "look... terrible."
Her smile faltered, just for a fraction of a second, before she recovered. Adrian cleared his throat beside her, looking somewhere—anywhere—but directly at me.
Coward.
"You flatter me," Esmeralda purred, tilting her head like an overly perfumed bird.
"Oh, I'm not flattering you," I said, voice dripping with honey. "I'm stating facts."
Her smile froze. Good. Now, for the main event.
"Countess," I continued, stepping closer, my gown swishing lightly over the polished floor. "Would you care to accompany me? There's a matter of... decorum I'd like to discuss."
Esmeralda blinked, confused. "Of course, my lady. Though I can't imagine—"
"Excellent." I didn't give her a chance to finish before my hand shot out, fingers tangling in her meticulously styled hair.
Her gasp of shock was music to my ears.
"Lady Evelina!" Adrian sputtered, taking an instinctive step forward.
"Stay out of this, Your Highness," I snapped, yanking Esmeralda forward like she was a disobedient child.
"This is between me and the Countess. Unless you'd like to join her?"
Prince Adrain froze, lips parting but no sound escaping.
That's what I thought.
Esmeralda squawked, her hands flying up to grab at mine. "Unhand me this instant! What are you—"
"Silence," I said, voice calm and even as I started dragging her across the ballroom floor.
The click of her heels stumbling over the marble was accompanied by the collective gasps of the room.
"Lady Evelina, this is outrageous!" she shrieked, her voice echoing.
"You're absolutely right," I replied, tone chipper. "And yet, here we are."
The nobles parted like the Red Sea, their scandalized whispers a symphony of disbelief.
"Did she just—"
"She's dragging the Countess like a sack of potatoes!"
"I told you she was crazy!"
I paused briefly, turning to the crowd with a saccharine smile. "Oh, don't mind me. Please, continue with your delightful gossiping as if I'm deaf and can't hear you."
"Lina?"