CHAPTER 165: CHAPTER 165 MEETING HIM FOR THE SECOND TIME

As we walked down the hall, it was kind of quiet, but I could hear the soft sound of my gown sweeping on the floor behind me. My heels tapped lightly against the marble floor as I walked slowly, and my hands gently held the sides of my dress.

Two maids followed behind me, but they had been quiet ever since we left the dressing room, and I could feel their eyes on me. They were probably making sure I didn’t run off again like the last time.

Well, considering how I distracted them with my talking the last time, it only makes sense.

I didn’t blame them, because if I had the chance, I might run again.

We approached the end of the corridor, and the grand doors of the ballroom were already in sight. Soft music echoed from behind it, and I could hear people talking, their laughter, and their glasses clinking.

My steps began to slow the closer I got.

I felt a little nervous and had strange feelings I couldn’t quite understand. Maybe it was because of him... the man from earlier.

I didn’t know his name, but his voice kept replaying in my head. He called me Ember. He held me like he knew me, and when I looked into his eyes...

I stopped a few steps from the ballroom doors, inhaling deeply, before tilting my chin up and straightening my back.

The guards by the doors bowed their heads slightly, then pushed the tall golden doors open. The sound of the music grew louder immediately, and so did the hum of voices inside. The warm light of the lamps hung on the wall shone onto the floor like gold, brushing against my feet as I stepped forward.

The first few steps into the ballroom felt slow. I could feel the weight of every eye on me, like I was the most beautiful being in the realm. They looked at me with admiration and respect... one gotten from my mother’s statue and my beauty.

I kept my head high and moved down the stairs."

The ballroom glowed from the colourful butterflies flying freely around the chandelier and lamps, moving slowly above the crowd.

The chandeliers above shimmered with soft gold, and the walls were decorated with flowers that changed color under the magic.

The people began talking, dancing, and sipping wine from crystal cups again but their eyes remained on me.

My eyes scanned the crowd looking for him.

Not that I even knew what I’d do if I saw him again. I couldn’t explain it, but ever since I ran into his arms earlier, my body hadn’t felt like mine. Something inside me kept pulling, like a memory trying to reach me, but never quite making it.

Then I felt a piercing gaze on me.

I felt a tug in my chest. It wasn’t that strong, but it was enough to make me pause.

I glanced toward the far side of the ballroom.

My eyes met with a pair of dark eyes, their depth pulling me into their abyss.

He was standing near one of the pillars, dressed in black with gold woven into the edges of his coat. His white pants were spotless, and his dark hair curled slightly across his forehead.

He looked like he belonged here... and somehow like he didn’t.

My steps began to slow before I even realized it, something about the way he looked at me making it hard to move. It wasn’t fear exactly... just this strange heaviness, like his eyes were holding me still, like he already knew something I didn’t.

But I didn’t know him, so why am I feeling pulled by him?

My heart beat faster with every second that passed, and for the briefest moment, it felt like the whole ballroom faded away until only he remained.

The music, the people, the glowing lights, none of it felt real except the weight of his gaze on me.

Turning my face slightly, I kept walking, forcing myself to look ahead, to pretend I hadn’t noticed him at all. I told myself it meant nothing, that maybe I was just tired or maybe the heat of the ballroom was finally getting to me.

I told myself I was imagining it, the way his eyes seemed to follow me, the way the strange pull in my chest hadn’t gone away since I ran into him earlier.

I made my way toward the center of the ballroom where the royal seats were arranged, trying not to stumble or glance back.

The king hadn’t arrived yet, but most of the guests had already gathered, chatting softly, and holding their drinks, awaiting the ball to start.

Some of the fae bowed as I passed by, others whispered behind their fans, but I didn’t stop to respond. My steps stayed composed, my expression calm and polite, exactly the way I had been taught to carry myself.

A princess should never show her feelings too quickly, never offer too much, and never let her face betray what her heart might be feeling.

Especially not confusion or fear.

But inside, the thoughts kept spinning, circling me, wondering why he looked at me like he knew me, like he was waiting for me to remember something I couldn’t even name.

I didn’t need to look to know his eyes were still on me, I could feel his piercing gaze as if he wanted to bore a hole through my head.

I sat down slowly, smoothing my hands over my gown and keeping my chin high as if I wasn’t bothered in the slightest, even though the tight curl of my fingers in my lap told a different story.

The music shifted to something softer and deeper, and the tall golden doors at the far end of the ballroom opened slowly. The air in the room seemed to pause, and every conversation fell quiet as all heads turned toward the entrance.

The King of Fae had arrived.