CHAPTER 60: STAGE PRESENCE 10

Yeah, the academy was buzzing like a kicked beehive.

Aegis couldn’t walk three steps without catching whispers about her "performance" at the meeting. Some students looked at her with newfound respect, others with barely concealed disgust.

Scandal Points: 40

[Well, at least I get Scandal Points out of all this.]

She checked her System interface while pretending to read a textbook in the library.

"That was quite the show."

Aegis looked up. Liora stood beside her table, clutching her worn notebook to her chest.

"Had to make a statement." Aegis closed her fake textbook. "You standing up first really helped sell it though. Thanks for that."

Liora’s cheeks pinked.

"I just... The play should be about the story, not politics."

"Pfft. Come on, everything’s politics at this academy." Aegis stretched, noting how Liora’s eyes tracked the movement. "But hey, at least rehearsals should be interesting now."

"Interesting." Liora bit her lip as her eyes landed on a bit of exposed skin on Aegis’s chest and snapped back up to her eyes when she caught herself. "That’s one word for it."

Before Aegis could probe that fascinating reaction, Liora hurried off toward the music rooms.

[Oh, Talia~ Your girlfriend was checking my tits out...]

---

{Varyn}

Varyn Duskbane paced his private study, hands clenched behind his back.

The meeting had been a disaster. That commoner whore had turned his righteous campaign into a circus act, and worse, people had bought it.

But he hadn’t survived this long in Valdrian politics by giving up after one setback.

"My lord?" His attendant poked his head through the door. "The carriage is ready."

"Good." Varyn grabbed his cloak. The Headmistress might be compromised, might share that disgusting curse with Starcaller, but there were higher authorities.

People with actual standards.

---

The ride to the Stone estate took an hour.

Varyn spent it rehearsing his arguments, refining his approach. Duchess Evangeline Stone was notorious for her traditional values and her protective streak regarding her daughter.

If anyone would understand the threat Aegis posed, it would be her.

The Stone mansion rose before him. Guards in gleaming armor checked his credentials three times before allowing him through the gates.

He found her in the solar, reviewing documents with the efficiency of a woman who’d been managing political crises since before Varyn was born. She looked up, yellow eyes identical to her daughter’s but infinitely colder.

"Lord Duskbane." She didn’t invite him to sit. "This is unexpected."

"Your Grace." Varyn bowed low. "I come bearing concerns about your daughter’s welfare."

One perfectly sculpted eyebrow rose.

"Talia can handle herself."

"Under normal circumstances, absolutely. But these are not normal circumstances." He straightened, putting just the right amount of worry into his voice. "Are you aware of the play production at the academy?"

"The one about Queen Rosanna? Talia mentioned it in her last letter."

"Did she mention who’s playing opposite her?"

The duchess set down her quill.

"Get to the point, Duskbane."

"Aegis Starcaller. A fertility-cursed commoner who’s somehow manipulated her way into the lead role. They’ll be performing intimate scenes together. Kissing, Your Grace. In front of the entire academy."

Evangeline’s expression didn’t change, but the temperature in the room dropped several degrees.

"I tried to organize a petition," Varyn continued, sensing opportunity. "To protect Princess Talia’s dignity. But the Headmistress refuses to act. Some say it’s because she shares the same... affliction."

"Valdris is cursed?"

"So the rumors claim. It would explain her tolerance for such degeneracy."

The duchess stood slowly, every movement calculated. She walked to the window, gazing out at the manicured gardens below.

"This Starcaller girl. The one with the perfect entrance scores?"

"The very same. Though how a commoner achieved such marks remains suspicious."

"Everything about her is suspicious." Evangeline’s fingers drummed against the windowsill. "Talia’s letters have mentioned her frequently. Too frequently."

Varyn’s pulse quickened. This was better than he’d hoped.

"You think she’s targeting the princess?"

"I think she’s dangerous." The duchess turned back to him. "A commoner with impossible test scores, a curse that marks her as deviant, and now she’s maneuvering herself into a position to publicly claim my daughter’s lips? This isn’t coincidence."

"Then you’ll intervene?"

"Oh yes." Evangeline’s smile could have frozen fire. "The academy may have forgotten proper standards, but House Stone has not. I’ll be visiting Rosevale tomorrow morning. This production will not proceed as planned."

"Your Grace is most wise."

"Save your flattery, Duskbane." She returned to her desk. "You may go. And next time you have concerns about my daughter, bring them to me directly. Don’t waste time with petitions."

Varyn bowed again and left, fighting to keep the grin off his face.

Let Starcaller try to charm her way out of this. The Duchess of Stone didn’t care about pretty speeches or appeals to artistic integrity. She cared about power, tradition, and keeping her daughter away from corrupting influences.

[Checkmate, you common whore trash.]

---

{Aegis}

Aegis woke to pounding on her door.

"What the fuck?" She stumbled out of bed, noting that Lune was already gone. Probably off painting somewhere at dawn like the little art gremlin she was.

The pounding continued.

"I’m coming, damn it!"

She yanked open the door to find Scarlett, face flushed from running.

"We got problems."

"It’s six in the morning. Everything’s a problem."

"No, like, actual problems." Scarlett pushed inside, closing the door behind her. "Talia’s mom is here."

Aegis’s brain stuttered.

"What?"

"Duchess Stone. She rolled up twenty minutes ago with a full escort. Went straight to the Headmistress’s office."

[Fuck. Varyn went over Valdris’s head.]

"How do you know this?"

"I was doing morning training. Saw the whole procession." Scarlett flopped onto Aegis’s bed. "Guards everywhere. The fancy kind with the Stone crest. This is serious noble shit."

Aegis ran through her options.

The duchess was old money, old power, and famously protective of Talia. She wouldn’t care about Aegis’s pretty speech about art and tradition. She’d care about one thing only: getting the cursed commoner away from her daughter.

[This situation’s going to be a bit tougher.]

"You think she’s here about the play?"

"What else?" Scarlett grabbed one of Aegis’s pillows, hugging it to her chest. "The timing’s too perfect. You humiliate Varyn last night, and suddenly mommy Stone shows up?"

A knock interrupted them. Softer this time, almost hesitant.

Aegis opened the door to find a nervous page.

"Miss Starcaller? The Headmistress requests your immediate presence."

"Of course she does."

The page shifted uncomfortably.

"You’re to come as you are. No delays."

[As I am? I’m in my nightshirt and shorts.]

But the page’s expression suggested arguing would be pointless. Aegis grabbed her uniform jacket, throwing it over her nightclothes.

"Want backup?" Scarlett asked.

"No. This is my mess." Aegis followed the page out. "But maybe be ready to identify my body later."

---

The walk to Valdris’s office felt longer than usual.

Students stared as she passed, some snickering at her state of undress, others whispering about what this summons meant. By the time she reached the heavy oak doors, her System was pinging repeatedly.

Scandal Points +5

Current Total: 45

[At least something good’s coming from this disaster.]

The page knocked once, then fled like the building was on fire.

"Enter."

Valdris’s voice sounded strained. Aegis pushed open the door to find the Headmistress behind her desk, looking exhausted despite the early hour. And there, radiating disapproval like a weapon, sat Duchess Evangeline Stone.

She looked exactly like an older, colder version of Talia. Same black hair pulled into an elaborate style, same yellow eyes that could peel paint, same expression like she’d smelled something rotting.

"Miss Starcaller." The duchess didn’t stand. "How appropriate that you arrive half-dressed. It saves us the pretense of civility."

"Your Grace." Aegis didn’t bow. She was pretty sure that would just make her shorts ride up. "You wanted to see me?"

"I wanted to see the creature attempting to corrupt my daughter."

"Corrupt is a strong word."

"Is it?" Evangeline’s gaze traveled slowly down Aegis’s body, cataloging every flaw. "You’re fertility-cursed. You’ve somehow achieved impossible test scores despite your common birth. You’ve inserted yourself into my daughter’s life at every opportunity. And now you plan to publicly violate her on stage."

"It’s called acting."

"It’s called degeneracy."

Valdris cleared her throat.

"Your Grace, as I’ve explained, the production has educational and artistic merit—"

"I don’t care." The duchess didn’t even look at the Headmistress. "My daughter will not be performing intimate scenes with this... thing."

[Thing. Charming.]

"The play is in four days," Aegis said. "Canceling now would—"

"Who said anything about canceling?" Evangeline smiled, and it was terrifying. "The play will proceed. Simply recast. I’m sure there are plenty of appropriate young ladies who could take your role."

"The entire production is built around the current casting."

"Then rebuild it."

"Your Grace," Valdris tried again, "the academy has contracts—"

"Which I’m sure have morality clauses." The duchess finally looked at the Headmistress. "Unless you’re arguing that a fertility-cursed individual pawing at my daughter doesn’t qualify as immoral?"

The threat hung in the air. House Stone’s influence was vast.

They funded half the academy’s programs, sat on the board of directors, had connections throughout Valdrian society. If Evangeline wanted to make Valdris’s life hell, she could.

"Perhaps," Valdris said carefully, "we could reach a compromise."

"I don’t compromise when it comes to my daughter’s dignity."

"Then maybe you should ask Talia what she wants."

Both women turned to stare at Aegis.

"Excuse me?" The duchess’s voice could have frozen lava.

"She’s not a child. She’s a first-year student at the most prestigious academy in Valdria. Maybe she should have a say in whether she continues with the production."

"You dare suggest I don’t know what’s best for my own daughter?"

"I’m suggesting she might surprise you."

[Come on, Talia. I know you hate me, but you hate being controlled even more.]

Evangeline stood slowly.

"You think you’re clever, don’t you? Think you can manipulate this situation like you’ve manipulated everything else?"

"I think Princess Talia is one of the strongest people I know. And I think she’d be insulted by the suggestion that she needs protection from a commoner."

The duchess’s face flushed. Before she could respond, the door burst open.

"Mother?"

Talia stood in the doorway, still in her training clothes, hair damp with sweat.

Her eyes darted between the three of them, taking in Aegis’s state of undress and her mother’s fury.

"Talia." Evangeline’s voice shifted to something almost warm. "Perfect timing. We were just discussing removing you from that inappropriate production."

"Removing me?"

"For your own protection, darling. You shouldn’t have to endure such indignity."

Talia’s jaw tightened. Her yellow eyes found Aegis’s.

"The play goes on as cast."

The room went silent.

"I beg your pardon?" Evangeline’s warmth evaporated.

Aegis did her absolute best to try to hide her grin.

"I said the play goes on. With the current casting." Talia lifted her chin. "I’m not afraid of a commoner."

[Holy shit, she actually did it.]

The duchess’s face cycled through several emotions before settling on cold fury.

"We’ll discuss this later."

"There’s nothing to discuss." Talia’s voice stayed steady. That quiet, threatening confidence that only a Stone could produce. "I made a commitment. House Stone honors its commitments."

[Stone-on-Stone hostility. Jesus.]

Mother and daughter stared at each other. The tension could have been bottled and sold as a weapon.

Finally, Evangeline turned back to Aegis.

"This isn’t over."

She swept from the room, leaving silence in her wake.

Valdris slumped in her chair.

"Both of you. Out. Now."

Aegis and Talia left together, walking in uncomfortable silence until they reached an empty corridor.

"Why?" Aegis asked.

"Because I don’t need my mother fighting my battles." Talia’s expression hardened. "This changes nothing between us."

"Didn’t think it would."

"Good." Talia walked away.

[Well, that’s just great.] Aegis deflated with a long sigh.

Another tiny battle won... But what else would this war bring?