After Rhonex tilted his head, the king suddenly shifted back and groaned in pain. Everyone gasped, assuming Rhonex was trying to harm the king. The royal guards, sworn to protect King Draelos, marched forward in defense, but before they could act, Rhonex encased both the king and himself in a protective sack of energy, blocking everyone from entering. Even the royals were bound magically to their seats.
Moments passed in tense silence.
Then, as suddenly as it started, Rhonex released them. The bindings vanished, and the king slumped slightly, catching his breath. Rhonex's voice rang out, calm and clear:
"I hope the king likes what I have to offer. I will wait for your decision in two days' time."
And just like that, he snapped his hand and vanished.
As soon as the demon disappeared, Queen Irene rushed to her husband.
"Oh honey, what has that filthy demon done to you?" she cried.
King Draelos, clearly shaken and embarrassed, refused to meet anyone's gaze. He straightened up and announced,
"Let the real celebration of tonight commence! Drink all you want, eat all you want. And of course, speak to my daughter, Aralyn, the star of tonight!"
With that, he exited the hall, saving himself from further embarrassment. Aralyn, understanding her father's last sentence as a command not to leave the ball early, rose from her seat. She cast a subtle spell, rendering herself faintly present, avoiding the crowd of suitors.
Deep in thought, she recalled the library incident.
"It was him," she whispered to herself. "He helped me... But why is he doing all this?"
The fear in the crowd's eyes when Rhonex appeared still haunted her.
"They said he's dangerous... I pray Father doesn't give me to him."
Suddenly, Prince Dorian approached with a sly smile.
"You know, princess, that little invisibility spell isn't strong enough to hide you from me."
If only Aralyn could punch him. But she couldn't. He was a royal.
She gave a small bow.
"Nice to meet you. I didn't expect to see you here. Last I heard, you had a fiancee."
Prince Dorian chuckled.
"I broke off the engagement. I wouldn't miss the chance to marry you, Princess Aralyn."
She faked a laugh.
"What a jerk," she thought.
He stepped closer, their hair nearly brushing.
"You're very beautiful... You know that, don't you? The things I'm going to do to you—"
Aralyn quickly stepped back, her expression sharp."I think you should wait until you're actually chosen as my husband before speaking so boldly. I advise you not to be too forward."
Prince Dorian smirked. "Oh, I'm definitely going to be your husband. I'm sure your father, being a reasonable king, wouldn't miss the chance to form an alliance with the great kingdom of Eryndor."
He looked confidently at the princess and left with a smirk still on his face.
He could never be her husband. Aralyn would rather marry a demon from the pit of hell than end up with Prince Dorian.
Wait, why am I thinking about marrying a demon?
Suddenly, someone called her name.
"Aralyn."
She turned, and her heart nearly stopped. It was Callistus.
He walked toward her with a calm smile. "You still braid your hair the same way. A bun with two strands down."
Aralyn's face lit up. She didn't care who was watching. She ran into his arms and hugged him. Callistus, her childhood friend.
He was breathtaking. Black hair, piercing blue eyes, same color as hers, but while hers were icy, his were midnight blue.
He hugged her back warmly. Just as she was about to speak, he cut her off gently."I know you have tons of questions. But I can't answer all of them. Please… don't ask me where I've been all these years."
Aralyn paused, then gave a soft smile. "I'm just happy that you're alive."
"It's been years indeed," Callistus said, his tone soft, almost distant.
He looked like someone who shouldn't be there. Aralyn noticed. "Are you okay? Is someone after you?"
Callistus took a deep breath. "I just came to see you… and to give you this."
He pulled out a shimmering bracelet. Aralyn gasped, it was the one she lost as a child while playing in the forest. Her mother had made it for her.
"Where did you find this?" she asked.
"Somewhere in the forest… during a visit," he replied.
He took her hand gently. "I have to go now. I know you don't want to get married, and I'm going to help you."
Then, as if the walls themselves were listening, Callistus used his eyes to silently send her a message before whispering, "Bye."
"Wait…" Aralyn called, but he was already gone.
Tears welled in her eyes, tears of joy.
Klara was choking inside the suffocating dress. The tight corset pressed against her ribs, and the stares from men didn't help. Their eyes were filled with lust, and she hated it.
But then, her mother's words echoed in her mind: "Endure it, Klara. This is your duty."
So, she endured.
Man after man approached her, offering compliments soaked in desire. But she knew, they weren't interested in her, only in her body, glamoured by the dress forced upon her.
She glanced at her brother, Prince Roshan, who stood across the ballroom, surrounded by nobles. As crown prince, he was handling diplomatic conversations with grace. Opposite him, a group of young noble ladies giggled, clearly admiring him and trying to get his attention.
Klara turned to grab a glass of wine… and froze. Prince Dorian.
Drunk.
She tried to stay hidden behind a marble pillar, but he noticed her.
"You look so freaking beautiful, Princess," he slurred.
Klara turned away. "Thanks," she muttered, clearly uninterested.
He stepped closer. Klara shifted back. "Please respect yourself, Prince Dorian. You're drunk."
She turned to leave, but he grabbed her wrist, yanking her back.His voice dropped into a menacing growl. "You won't leave until I'm done with you."
Klara struggled, yelling, "Let go of me! Help!"
But Dorian only chuckled. "No one will help. I've silenced the room with magic."
He reached for her neck, pulling her close. Just as he leaned in, ready to force a kiss—
BAM!
A fist connected with his face, sending him flying backward, blood dripping from his mouth.
Prince Roshan.
The entire ballroom fell silent.
Dorian staggered to his feet, fury in his eyes. "You dare strike me?!"
Roshan was about to respond, but Aralyn's voice rang out.
*What you just did is abominable!*" she said, stepping forward, her fury palpable. "You tried to defile a royal, and you're angry about being punched?!"
She didn't even touch him, but with a flick of her hand, two slaps cracked through the air. Dorian stumbled, red handprints flaming across his face.
Before the tension could escalate further, the Queen of Eryndor Kingdom, his mother, Queen Lucy stormed in.
"Family of Lunaris, please, do not be angry. My son is clearly drunk and didn't know what he was doing."
Dorian tried to protest, but his mother sealed his lips with magic.
"We shall take our leave now," she said, bowing slightly before dragging her son away.
Roshan stepped beside Klara, his expression stern and composed despite the chaos moments ago.
In an authoritative voice, he announced, "The ball is over. Every esteemed guest, please return to your homes immediately."
There was no room for argument. His tone carried the weight of royalty and finality.
Without another word, he gently took Clara's hand and led her out of the ballroom, escorting her safely to her chambers.
Meanwhile, Aralyn, drained by the night's many surprises was heading to her room when something caught her eye. A faint shimmer near one of the pillars.
Curious, she approached it. It looked like… a small, metallic button.
She pressed it.
With a soft click, a hidden compartment opened, and out slid a thick, ancient book. Atop it was a folded note.
For Aralyn.
Her breath caught.
She wiped the dust off the book's cover with trembling fingers. The title gleamed faintly:
"The Sacred Fox Codex"
Joy filled her chest.
Her mother had told her stories about this book, how it held deep secrets of the Fox lineage, their power, their purpose. And now, at a time when she needed guidance more than ever… it had appeared.She clutched the book tightly, tucked it behind her gown, and quietly made her way back to her chambers.
Though exhausted, Aralyn's heart raced with anticipation. Whatever secrets the codex held, she was ready to face them. She knew this was only the beginning. Somewhere deep inside, she could feel it,something was shifting. Fate had stirred, and her destiny was just beginning, was finally starting to awaken.
She couldn't wait to discover what truths lay within her mother's codex.
But unknown to her, in the shadows above the ballroom, a pair of glowing golden eyes had been watching, unblinking, curious, and far too interested in the princess.