Chapter 48
(Lily’s POV)
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The sound of cheers filled the ballroom.
I could feel every eye watching as I took slow, uncertain steps toward the throne seats. The air felt thick with whispers and glances. Some guests looked surprised, others seemed curious. And then, through the sea of people, I spotted them among the crowd… Dev, Aria and Tobe.
Aria wore a burgundy dress laced with silver embroidery, her thick hair cascading in waves around her shoulders. Tobe stood beside her, quiet and observant, dressed in a dark tailored coat with soft gray trim. They stood close, hands loosely linked.
Dev was beside them, his black suit pressed and sharp, hair slicked back with precision. But what truly caught my eye was the woman on his arm.
Nayla; their cook.
Her dress clung to her curves, rich red fabric sculpted to her body. A long slit revealed her leg as she moved, and her neckline plunged, revealing more than I expected to see at a royal party.
My eyes lingered for a second too long. Why had they brought Nayla? Just to pair up for the night?
But when I looked closer… into their eyes… I knew they hadn’t just come for the party.
They had come for me.
Their eyes held guilt and remorse.
My chest tightened as I reached the throne seats, and saw that a seat had been prepared for me beside Zion.
I froze, contemplating turning around and running away, but the King looked up with an encouraging smile. Queen Eden beamed too, and Zelda, already seated beside her mother, gave me an excited little wave.
They had expected me there. They wanted me… it was a surprise.
Even Zion smiled widely at me; his usual cold features softened but I couldn’t look for long. I dropped into the seat without a word, eyes fixed ahead, my heart pounding like war drums.
Zion shifted beside me, and said “You look gorgeous,”
I didn’t respond.
Instead, I glanced across the ballroom- only to find the elders watching me from the high table.
One elder with sunken cheeks leaned close to another, whispering with a scowl. Another sat stiffly, his violet robe draped like armor over his bony frame. Their gazes weren’t curious, they were cold and filled with hate.
Principal Thamior sat among them, his expression sour and unblinking. His eyes burned into me like I was some forbidden
creature.
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Chapter 48
I looked away quickly.
Zion leaned closer again. “Are you okay?”
I stayed silent.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Dev and the others still watching me. I couldn’t tell if their presence comforted me or added more weight to the lump forming in my throat.
Just then, the King rose to his feet. The music softened, and a hush rippled through the room. He raised a golden goblet, his tone calm but commanding.
“Tonight, we gather not only to honor the birth of my daughter, Princess Zelda,” he began, “but to celebrate the unity of our realm. May this night mark the beginning of greater harmony and trust among us.”
He lifted the goblet higher. “To peace. To legacy. To Zelda.”
The ballroom erupted in cheers and clinks of glass. Zelda giggled beside her mother, cheeks flushed with happiness. The Queen kissed her temple.
Then, stepping back onto the center stage in grand fashion, came the Master of Ceremonies, also known as the Howl- Keeper. His voice was theatrical, but commanding.
“Honored guests of the Supernatural Court!” he shouted with a sweeping bow. “What a glorious night to gather, to eat, to dance, and to honor our rising star, Princess Zelda!”
Applause followed. “Let the feast begin, let music rise, and let joy echo beneath the full moon!”
The aroma of roasted meats, spiced fruit, and sweet nectar filled the air, and the music returned with a lively rhythm, as laughter bubbled across the hall.
Zelda was soon dragged away by her friends: I recognized them from school. They squealed and pulled her toward the dance floor… She laughed in excitement as they spun her between them.
I stood slowly, and slipped away.
The corridors outside were quiet. My footsteps echoed against polished marble as I walked through the palace’s extended. wing to the poolside. It glistened under the full moonlight, calm and still.
I sat at the edge, trailing my fingers across the water. The cold quiet soothed something raw in me. Finally tonight, I could breathe.
“I miss you, Aunt Lamia,” I whispered. If she was here, she would have told me not to shrink under pressure but enjoy the
moment.
I didn’t know how long I sat there, before I finally rose and turned back toward the palace.
Then I heard it.
Low, sharp voices from a dimly lit room.
I crept forward, pressing myself against the wall near the open door.
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Chapter 48
Inside stood the King, surrounded by elders.
“She doesn’t belong here,” one of them snapped. “She’s a risk to everyone in this palace!”
Another spoke up. “She’s the daughter of that Monster! You forget how many of us lost our families because of him. All it takes is for her to shift, she would destroy everything.”
And then Principal Thamior’s voice cut in. “We welcomed her into our school, which was quite generous of us. But bringing her here? To sit at your side in public? That is very unwise.”
The King’s shoulders squared as he stepped forward “Enough.”
The room went still.
“You speak of what her father did, but you forget what forgiveness looks like,” he said slowly, his words carrying weight. “Lily is no monster. She’s a young girl who’s just trying to find her path.”
“She’s Pison seed,” someone murmured.
“She is mine now,” the King replied, eyes blazing. “And if anything goes wrong because of her, hold me accountable.”
No elder spoke again.
My heart pounded so loudly I feared they might hear me.
The King had defended me.
He stood up for me, and now, I had to be worthy of it.
I had to be careful, controlled… To be everything they said I wasn’t.
Slowly, I turned and slipped back down the corridor, a quiet fire lighting in
my
chest.
But if I thought the night was over, I was wrong because something darker was waiting in the shadows.
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