Dinner that evening was quieter than breakfast, which was saying something in a house where silence felt sharper than any blade.
Valeria sat across from me, picking at her venison with the delicate precision of someone who could probably dissect a rival without leaving a trace. Darius presided at the head of the table, skimming reports between bites, while Kael... well, he was somewhere. Probably sharpening blades or brooding professionally.
I focused on my plate. Safe territory. Food didn't judge.
"So," Valeria said smoothly, her voice like honey laced with poison, "the garden banquet. Have you decided on a gown yet, cousin?"
I froze mid-chew. The story, this was the cure for Liriel to launch into a tirade about outshining every newcomer in sight.
I swallowed. "Something appropriate."
Valeria's for hovered. "Appropriate?"
"Yeah. Nothing too flashy." I shrugged, trying to look casual. Inside, my brain screamed: Say something villainous! Throw a tantrum! No—wait—that's the opposite of what I want.
Dairus glanced up. "A wise choice. The court will be watching House Noctyra closely once the Lumière girl arrives."
Valeria's smile remained, but it didn't reach her eyes. "How restrained of you, Liriel. I almost miss the old fire."
I laughed—more a cough than anything else. "Even spoiled brats grow out of throwing fits."
Kael chose that moment to enter, still in his knight's uniform, hair slightly tousled from training. He took his seat silently, like a storm quietly rolling in.
Valeria turned to him. "Brother, you'll escort us, won't you? Someone must keep the wolves at bay."
Kael cut into his meat with precise, effortless motion. "If Father command it."
Dairus grunted approval.
I risked a glance. Kael's violet eyes were on me again—subtle, but deliberate. Like a puzzle I wasn't supposed to solve.
Don't stare back. Act normal. Act like Liriel. Which was... arrogant? Snide?
I cleared my throat. "As long as no one expects me to smile at every simpering idiot who bows too low."
A tiny bite—villainess-lite.
Valeria's lips curved. "There she is."
Kael's brow lifted ever so slightly. "That would be a first."
Silence stretched.
I blinked. "What?"
He didn't elaborate. Just kept eating.
Darius set down his knife. "Enough. Focus on the banquet. House Noctyra presents a united front."
Dismissed. Dinner ended shortly after.
Back in my room, Mira appeared, carrying a stack of gown samples draped over her arms like surrendered flags.
"My lady," she curtisied so low she nearly toppled, "the seamstress sent these for the banquet. She said you prefer—" she hesitated. "—the boldest one."
I eyed the pile. Crimson, emerald, gold—colors that screamed look at me or perish. Original Liriel would have chosen them all.
I sighed, flopping onto the chaise. "Show me the least murderous option."
Mira blinked. "Murderous?"
"You know. The ones that say, 'i could ruin your life with a smile'"
She stared, then cautiously held up a deep Violet gown—dramatic yet softer. Silver threading along the neckline caught the lamplight like subtle stars.
"This one?" She asked timidly.
I sat up. It was beautiful. Intimidating, yet but commanding without screaming villainy.
"Perfect." I let her help me into it. The fabric whispered against my skin—heavy luxurious. The mirror reflected a woman who could hold a room in thrall with one glance.
Mira fastened the back, her fingers trembling less than yesterday. "It... suits you, my lady. Quietly formidable."
I caught her gaze. "Quietly formidable?"
She flushed. "I-I mean elegantly! Very elegantly formidable... and beautiful!"
A laugh slipped out—real, unforced. Mira's eyes widened as if she'd witnessed a miracle.
"Relax," I said. "Words stays between us."
After she left, I wandered to the library—"reader" but really hunting for anything on Viscount Veldt. Leather-bound registries, estate maps, and gossip columns lined the shelves. Dust motes danced in the moonlight slanting through high windows
I rifled through noble records, tracing down the V's.
Veldt, Cassian. Eastern province ls. Quiet political alliances. No scandals. No engagements.
Yes! The thought zinged through me like spotting your ultimate bias's profile in an official guidebook—and finding out he's still available for fan meets. Even his name on paper hits different—sharp, solid, exactly how I'd pictured from all the whispers.
Is this what feels like when you're sure you've found your favorite side character before the story even gets to him? I know he's not some 2D cutout I can slap on a keychain or print on a hoodie... but right now... I'm half-tempted to fold this page and truck it in my pocket like a secret photocard.
This dry registry entry feels more thrilling than any romance novel.
My heart did something idiotic.
Four days. He'll be there. Calm, quiet, impossibly real. Ugh, stop imagining him adjusting those gloves.
Footsteps...
I slammed the book shut. Kael stood in the doorway, arms crossed.
"Research?" His voice was low, unreadable.
I clutched the book to my chest like contraband. "Politics. Very... fascinating."
He stepped closer, took the book without asking, and flipped to my page. Eyes scanning. "Viscount Veldt."
I waited for accusation. Suspicion. Anything.
Instead: "Be careful what you chase." He handed the book back and left.
My pulse raced. D-Does he knows? No. Impossible.
But the warning lingered.
Later, alone again, I traced Cassian's name in the registry one last time.
Original Liriel would have schemed to crush rivals, playing perfect sidekick to Valeria's villainy.
Me? I just wanted five minutes in the same garden as him without tripping over my own gown.
Four Days left.
And I still had no idea how to balance being a proper villainess without breaking character—or my own heart.
~🫶