CHAPTER 240: COME ON

The silence that had smothered the gathering after Selene’s humiliating expulsion lingered a little.

Nobody really moved, nobody spoke even after that announcement...until a sudden shimmer of light rippled across the glass like floor.

With a soft sigh, the air thickened.

Plates and chalices began to bloom into existence from thin air...one by one, like flowers blooming. Long banquet tables stretched into form, their surfaces polished to a mirror sheen. Crystal goblets, golden knives, designer spoons...all gleamed as though they had been waiting for centuries, hidden, only to be unveiled at this very moment.

The scent hit next. Spices, warm breads, roasted meats, fruits that glistened with dew as if freshly plucked from orchards beyond mortal reach. Every platter steamed, every dish radiated temptation.

Whispers finally broke the stillness.

"By the gods..." one guest breathed, a hand clasping their chest.

"I can smell saffron... and ambrosia... Do you see it? The meat...it glows!"

"Not meat," another corrected softly, eyes narrowing. "Look at those desserts."

From the vaulted shadows above, a low hum began. It was not music at first, but vibration.

Then, piece by piece, instruments slipped in...a harp’s crystalline twang, the low thrum of drums, the whisper of flutes. Within moments, the sanctuary swelled with music, echoing against the waterfalls’ endless shimmer.

The floor at the very center melted. Glass became liquid light, then hardened again as it spread outward in concentric ripples. A dance rink, etched in luminous sigils, pulsed softly like a heartbeat.

When the lights above bent, casting beams of blues, golds, and emeralds, the entire stage transformed.

A murmur of delight rose, though it was tinged with wariness. Guests shifted, eyes darting towards one another, testing if it was truly safe to approach.

And then the children appeared.Celestial waiters to be exact.

Small boys, no taller than a mortal’s waist, emerged from the ether around the dance floor itself.

Each carried a chalice of sparking liquid that fizzed and glowed as though fragments of stars had been dissolved into it. Their skin glowed faintly with the same pale bluish aura that radiated from the messenger who had delivered all the invites. Their eyes, wide and solemn, reflected none of the mirth of the celebration they seemed to serve.

One of them approached Velor. The boy’s steps made no sound. He raised the chalice with both small hands, his expression unreadable.

"My lord," the child said, his voice light, almost wind like. "The Eternal Drink."

Velor’s sharp gaze lingered on him. "What are you?" he asked under his breath.

The boy only tilted his head, gaze blank, as if the question was not meant to be understood. "The drink is warm. Take it please."

Velor hesitated but the eyes of those behind him watched, waiting to see what he would do. Slowly, he curled his fingers around the glass, and the boy vanished without so much as a shimmer.

A gasp ran through the cluster.

Another boy approached Niva, offering the same sparking chalice. She did not touch it.

"Do they feel... alive to you?" she whispered to Velor, her throat dry.

Velor shook his head minutely, eyes fixed on the boy who simply stood, holding the chalice patiently as though time itself was of no concern.

Across the chamber, laughter finally broke the tension. A pair of witches from the northern covens had already seized goblets, tilting them back eagerly.

Their eyes widened, glowing faintly as the drink coursed through their veins. One clutched the other’s arm, voice trembling in awe.

"I see... stars," she whispered, tears streaking her cheeks. "I can hear... every note of the music..."

The second one laughed louder. "It’s as though... as though a veil has been lifted...I see more colours...the world itself breathes with me!"

The music swelled, as if feeding on their elation.

More guests began to give in, reaching for goblets, taking bites of the food that shimmered on the tables. And yet, not all joined in.

Autumn stood near the edge of the waterfall, her arms folded across her chest, eyes following every detail.

Her pulse drummed in her ears. The lights, the illusions, the offerings...everything was designed to ensnare.

Beside her, Orion leaned closer, his voice low. "This isn’t for us to enjoy. It’s for them...a test."

Autumn’s lips barely moved as she nodded.

As if on cue, the lights above the dance floor flared, a thousand shards of brilliance refracting through the crystalline floor.

They bent and curved upward, weaving themselves into ribbons of color that twirled across the floor. The dance rink thudded casting spirals of gold, sapphire, and crimson that coiled around the gathered guests.

The music shifted...soft flutes giving way to a swell of strings...the notes beckoned...seductive, urging.

A hushed murmur spread.

"It’s... drawing us in."

"My feet...damn fuck this feels so nice, I can love it..."

"Go on, then... join the circle!"

One by one, hesitant couples allowed themselves to be carried forward.

The light wrapped around their wrists and waists like shimmering guides, pulling them gently into the luminous heart of the floor.

Their movements began stiff, awkward...but within breaths, their bodies loosened. The lights caressed their steps, leading them into graceful patterns as though they had rehearsed for years.

Laughter bubbled up. Cloaks swirled. Jewels glittered. The dance floor came alive with motion.

From the corner, Jasper’s hands clutched at Autumn’s dress.

His small face lit up with unfiltered wonder as he clapped his hands, jumping up and down.

"Mamma! I wanna go, I wanna go!" His voice was shrill with excitement, his curls bouncing as he tried to dart forward. His little legs carried him dangerously close to the luminous barrier of the waterfall.

Autumn’s hand shot out just in time, catching him by the back of his collar. His feet lifted clear off the ground, dangling in mid-air.

"Mammaaa!" Jasper wriggled, kicking furiously. "Why, mama, why can’t I go? This looks so fun! There are so many people... I wanna meet them, I wanna play!"

His big eyes, wide with longing, searched her face.

Autumn turned her gaze down on him, her expression stern despite the music swirling all around them. "You will get to meet everyone when the time is right, Jasper Ulfsen." Her voice cut firm through the air. "Right now you will be going with Orion Dada. And you are going to listen to him. Did I make myself clear?"

Jasper froze mid-kick, his lip trembling, eyes narrowing in frustration. But even in his young defiance, he knew that tone.