CHAPTER 456: WORTHWHILE CONVERSATIONS

It struck him all at once; the bright, burning lights, the music, the murmurs that weaved through the crowds, their greetings and worst of all, their hunger riddled eyes. All mostly on his wife.

Their inhuman colors made ease hard to come by, leaving the frail hand wrapped around his arm as a sole comfort piece in such a moment.

His muscles refused to relax, allowing him not a second to breathe without extra weight upon his lungs.

His diamonds rested ahead on the guests. Among them, the one he loathed the most.

At the sight of the prince, Silas expected Arabella’s fingers to curl harder around his arm which happened fairly quickly.

Oddly enough, her heart hadn’t gone wild during her conversation with her grandfather as it did the first time.

Something had changed between them. Something that made comfort an option in his presence.

Not that he wished to complain about it but worry claimed that space without an invitation. Rubius had come with the prince and thus, was not to be trusted. Him handing her a piece of jewelry all of the sudden did not help quell Silas’ concerns.

But speaking of the prince... If somebody was more predictable than his wife in those circumstances, it was certainly Cedric.

Silas had called it; the prince donned a twisted expression along with a berry blue, velour fit. Clearly, the man hoped to exclude Silas in being the one matching Arabella’s gown in order to bring more attention and gossip their way as a couple.

It was almost laughable... Almost. If only it wasn’t so deranged.

Sadly, he was given the honor to approach the hosts and speak with them first as a courtesy. Upon nearing, Cedric’s eyes focused on the diadem decorating Arabella’s head. His face seemed to crumple further the longer he stared at the sparkling thing.

"My... Lady," he half bowed without taking his eyes off her, dragging every word out of his mouth as though attempting to spit venom along.

"Your highness," she curtsied, hanging some of her weight on Silas.

He had the gall of taking her hand and putting his filthy lips on her skin. The tension that overtook her body in that moment was instant, locking her in a rigid mould.

Silas fought the urge to rip his hand away from hers and twist at it until it snapped like a dry twig under pressure.

But of course, he bit down on his tongue and did none of that.

The prince then turned to the vampire with the same glare, "Newly risen Lord," a side smirk appeared at the corner of his lips.

In response, Silas’s expression barely shifted from its usual vacancy accompanied by a bow just as half committed as the prince’s, "Soon to be crowned king," he retorted calmly.

Children, actual children would have had a more worthwhile conversation than them. The deep breath taken by Arabella by his side was a testament to her frustration.

"You two look just perfect," Cedric pressed on every word.

"Thank you, your highness," she curtsied again, offering him a curt smile, "So do you," her eyes went up and down his suspiciously matching fit.

"Isn’t that crown too heavy for your head?" he had the audacity to ask.

"I can carry its weight splendidly enough," her grin grew brighter.

That was it then... The reason the crown bothered him so much on sight.

Women back in Lustris hadn’t the right to don one on and even the queen did not carry a piece on her head at all times.

For it was a symbol of power and high standing. Of course, women in Lustris could rise to no such level.

Cedric raised his chin at her, "Under the same skies we stand," he started, "And the same blood still courses your veins as the one you came here with,"

Some choice words boiled to the surface, burning Silas’ throat as they demanded to be freed, but before a letter of it came out, his wife beat him to the mark.

"We do stand on different grounds and as for my blood, well, it was my own blood that bestowed me with this precious gift," her voice strong once more, her tone only wavered around the beginning.

Arabella carried herself not so differently from the day she arrived if only more confidently.

Always so refined and sweet even when shooting thorns in a conversation.

After her response, Cedric took a look around, seemingly searching for something or someone among the crowd.

Eventually however, he turned his attention back onto Arabella, "Yes, I thought I hadn’t seen him around. Along our travels, I never managed to figure out what went through his mind. Not even once. I suppose now, I know,"

It was Rubius he spoke of.

"If that makes you feel any better, your grace," she smiled sweetly, "I have never been able to do so either, for as long as I’ve lived,"

The announcer’s voice blared a second time to announce the entrance of Persephone into the ballroom.

The attention of the presence fell on the doors again. Only that of the prince did not. From the corner of his eyes, Silas spotted the way in which he glared at Arabella who had turned to welcome her mother-in-law and her friends.

It was one of those times where advanced hearing was just not enough for the vampire. Aside from the wild beating of the man’s heart, he wished to hear his scathing thoughts and plans to bring him and his family apart.

Although, the scorching eye he gave her alone told Silas that whatever raced the prince’s mind, it was nothing good or even mild.

The vampire’s attention circled back to the diadem on her head. The questions that swirled his mind before came back to haunt him.

Why did she so easily accept it? Why would she put anything he would give her on her body, knowing full well the consequences it may yield?

Furthermore, it burned at his core to still be ignorant of whatever curse loomed over her and threatened her life as the time to enquire wasn’t on his side.