Jasper's foot tapped an impatient rhythm against the intricately tiled floor. He fought a smirk, trying not to laugh at Princess Kayla's naive joy over her impending marriage. She knew nothing of the quiet horrors that awaited her, nor the chilling fate that would soon define her life.
His athletic figure leaned against a towering column carved from what appeared to be petrified wood, its surface smooth and crystalline. He was clad in a sharply tailored black suit, the Onyx gems stitched into the fabric winking like captured starlight. His posture was nonchalant as he observed the scene. Princess Kayla stood before the assembled crowd, her hand in the grasp of her soon-to-be husband. Unlike the other princesses who would have to compete in a series of magical duels to earn the right to rule, Kayla was different. She was a Valdaurus, a lineage blessed with unique elemental affinities. The women of this kingdom could wield a variety of magical abilities, but Kayla's was a power thought to be extinct—the ability to harness the sun itself.
Kayla had been chosen before the marriage market even began. Her suitor, Prince Hector Ethelguard, had met her as a child. For years, he had wooed her, shaping her into the queen he desired. While other princes jostled for position, Hector stood firm, his stone-like gray skin gleaming under the soft, crystalline glow of the castle's torches. His large, skin-stretched wings were pulled tightly against his back, a sign of his gargoyle lineage.
Jasper found it amusing. A gargoyle, a creature typically known for its lack of intelligence and simple-minded nature, was now the object of such envy. He wasn't sure if Hector was clever or just incredibly lucky.
Perhaps the gods had smiled upon him. Though Jasper didn't believe Hector was a wise choice, he understood the value of an alliance with the Valdaurus princess. To create the strongest offspring, however, Hector was going about it backward. True to their nature, Jasper thought with a smirk, he is an idiot.
An imperceptible black smoke began to emanate from Jasper's body. It was a subtle, greasy smog that writhed and coiled around him like living shadows, its weight and texture a physical presence that only he could feel. With a single step backward, he left behind a tangible clone of himself. The replica, a perfect duplicate of Jasper, was a piece of his soul made manifest. The magical copy stood in his place, its eyes glazed over, its movements stiff and repetitive, a silent sentinel that allowed Jasper to escape these tiresome rituals. He knew his parents would scold him if they caught him slipping away from this "most honorable event." His father, Michael, his own suit and hair as black as night, would threaten to throw him into the dark realm, while his mother, Dahlia, with her fiery red hair and Onyx-embellished gown, would simply ignore his defiance and make decisions for him. It was a well-established fact that Jasper had become the family's embarrassment, and were it not for his overwhelming strength and violent nature, he would have likely been cast back into the pits of hell long ago.
But before he could leave the great hall, he noticed her again. Daniela had walked away from the overwhelming congratulations being given to her sister. She stepped back as if she couldn't stand the sight. He found it interesting. She was so unlike how he remembered her to be.
As Daniela retreated, she started to feel a pressure build up in her head. The memories, they were going to come back soon. She needed to be away so she could absorb the memories of this body.
She looked over her shoulder to make sure no one was watching her. Her heart still in her chest, she saw him. The gleaming smile was the same, his face was the same. The only difference was the blood-red eyes and the fangs that were exposed with his stretched lips. She felt that fear again, a fear that always overwhelmed her when she'd see him, when he would come near her.
Jasper noticed how she stopped, how she froze. He wasn't exactly looking at her, but her soul. As it trembled. It actually trembled as if her soul was scared. He had never seen something like it before. But her fear was so visceral it affected her very being. Instead of letting his clone leave the hall, he used it to step in front of Daniela, shielding her from Eric's undesirable presence. He knew the two of them had been friends since adolescence. It was going to be his biggest hill to overcome.
"Prince Eric." Jasper's black eyes greeted Eric's blood-red stare. His smile only widened as he noticed the way Eric's jaw ticked with irritation at being blocked.
Daniela felt herself breathe again as a large back stood before her, blocking her from Eric, shielding her. Deciding to take this as a good sign, she quickly left the hall. She took a small glimpse at a deathly pale man who leaned against a pillar with his eyes closed, seeming just as unimpressed by this gathering as she was.