Snow White remained silent, curious to know her partner's thoughts on the matter. The woman, as expected, did not disappoint her: "Not even if I were free would I consider a man like Enrico Von Deusk. He's more likely to treat me as prey than as a woman."
"You should do like Zey. She is so strong and influential that no one has the courage to court her! They're all afraid of her." Alex smiled, turning to her partner, who winked at her and chuckled at her words.
"I might consider it..."
"Grimilde?" Snow White furrowed her brow, but when she saw the blonde's playful expression, she understood she was only joking.
"But getting back to the matter at hand... Olson is a peaceful kingdom, and it also benefits from having good relations with the surrounding kingdoms with which it maintains excellent trade ties. I don't believe they could be involved in the plot."
"I agree. Even though we can't trust appearances, William and Adelina don't seem capable of harming anyone."
Alex looked at them with a hard-to-decipher expression, while the Empress considered the words she could use to avoid seeming insensitive and, after a moment, spoke: "As you well know, the wisest thing to do is not fully trust anyone. The involvement of a demon is an unpredictable factor, and we don't know its plans or its prey..."
"We can't completely trust you either, so how are we supposed to handle this situation?"
"I'm tired of talking." Alex stood up from the table, fed up with these discussions: she wanted to act, to find that demon and destroy it with her own hands. She would make him burn in his own flames. She clenched her hand, and a small flame appeared on her palm: the fire was bright red and flickered rapidly, just as agitated as the witch who had summoned it.
"Alex?"
"Someone brought a demon here to Umgard, and they most likely want to kill us all. Sitting here talking is going to drive me crazy."
"Our teams are investigating right now. We can't risk alarming our enemies, so we will act normally." The Empress's words showed no harshness, but they were peremptory.
"Normally?" the witch asked with a confused expression.
"You, darling, can do whatever you want." Zeyana smiled at her sweetly, showing an understanding gaze full of affection. Her Alex had always been extraordinary, beyond any definition of normalcy. She understood what she was feeling, since she too wanted to pull out her sword and slaughter her enemies and the demons threatening her, but they had to be smart. The situation required caution, as they didn't know the force they would be fighting against.
"I have a question for you, as Empress of Atenarte and head organizer of the Oyindar." Snow White turned her attention to Zeyana and sought her eyes, waiting for her to listen. The Empress nodded, observing her with interest.
"Why did you choose to organize the event in Umgard?"
"I thought I had chosen a neutral country, but apparently, I was wrong. Umgard is the first nation to fall under the Empire's influence peacefully. I should have studied the political stances of its citizens more thoroughly."
"Situations like this can't be predicted. The presence of a demon changes everything, Zeyana."
"How extensive is your knowledge of demons?" Alex returned to the table as the conversation was getting more interesting. Grimilde was a fascinating woman with her mysterious past and seemingly icy gaze. Had she not been in love with Zeyana, she might have lost her head over a woman like her. It wasn't just her beauty that made her so attractive: the charisma that made her stunning stemmed from her sharpness, the strength of her hands, her ability to rule a kingdom, and her skill in mastering the darkest arts. Being bound to a demon was dangerous; it required a person with great fortitude and intelligence, but above all, someone who did not fear the darkness that accompanied a demonic blood pact.
Grimilde didn't answer the witch's question immediately: revealing her past to a potential enemy of Arran wasn't wise, and moreover, she didn't want to share information about the tribe where she had received her training. After careful consideration, she decided to stay vague but report her skills:
"For years I studied demons and the power I inherited from my family of origin, but I haven't found chains capable of restraining the most powerful demons."
"And pacts allow us to hold greater power over your lands." Astrael interjected, sitting next to Grimilde and letting his eyes roam over the people present.
Alex flashed a mocking smile: "From what I know, in order to assume a human physical form, a possession is required..."
"Yes, that is correct."
"Grimilde, you surprise me in a good way. Pray tell, who was the poor unfortunate soul?"
Snow White knew that Grimilde had committed a desperate act against her principles when she had decided to eliminate Edgard in that manner. She had done it with a specific goal in mind, but also to protect her. The memories of that time seemed so distant, yet only a few months had passed. Snow White's life had changed immensely since she turned eighteen, yet she still felt at the mercy of events. She knew the risks she would face along the way after choosing to embark on this adventure with Grimilde, but coming face to face with death was not something one could anticipate.
"I think there are more urgent matters to attend to. If we want to keep a low profile and not alarm anyone, it would be best to go converse with the rest of the guests. I imagine they'll be missing us." Snow White offered a forced smile.
The group was not happy about sitting around doing nothing, but the precariousness of the situation and the impossibility of identifying the true enemy among the crowd of people surrounding them put a severe strain on all four women. Astrael, unlike them, was merely stalling. In fact, after Snow White expressed her opinion, he stood up and walked toward the room's balcony. "Good luck, mesdames. I have something I need to attend to, but I'll be in touch... sooner or later."
He vanished in a dark cloud, leaving only a sudden silence in his wake. The four women stood up, each lost in her own thoughts.
"Is that demon really reliable?"
"He'll do his part, I guarantee it."
With those final words they parted ways, and each returned to her own affairs. The shared commitment the guests of Krussgard had was to welcome the athletes who had just arrived at the fortress: the next day they would be in the Oyindar arena to kick off the games, surrounded by a massive crowd eager to witness their competitions. The guests would enter through a private passageway to reach the highest seats, reserved for high-profile individuals. Askmon Huskarl and Fromm Kersink would be in charge of hosting the competitions, acting as moderators and judges: this surprised no one, since the two loved being the center of attention.
The hours passed quickly, and soon it was the morning the games were to begin: Snow White stepped out onto the balcony of Grimilde's room and listened to the festive uproar coming from the crowded, lively streets of Krussgard. That morning, their room was also immersed in chaos: several palace servants entered their chambers, bringing with them the materials needed to help them get ready. The Queen and the princess would have preferred to handle their appearance on their own, but they were forced to accept the courtesy. After all, they were guests and had to play the part. The clothes they had brought were stunning, but also functional: they didn't put them on until the servants left and only Iza, Grimilde, and Snow White remained in the room.
The Queen helped the princess tie her corset—not too tightly—then crouched down, lifting the skirt of her dress: "Ilde?" the young woman blushed but noticed that Iza was busy checking their weapons and had her back turned to them.
"This might come in handy." The blonde's sensual smile took the princess's breath away, and she let herself be touched without moving an inch. Grimilde tied a sort of strap around her thigh and secured a small dagger so it wouldn't move. "How does it feel?"
"It's fine."
The Queen looked up at Snow White's face, and before standing back up, left a kiss on her warm skin. The princess let out a small squeak, while Grimilde chuckled, grabbing her hips: "You are gorgeous." Her whisper was sensual, and her lips continued to seek Snow White's skin: she kissed her neck, her cheek, her forehead, and the tip of her nose. "Are you scared?"
The princess nodded: "Are you?"
"I am too, but not of what awaits me. I don't want anything to happen to you... I would die if you—"
"Let's not think about the worst. We are united. The Empress, her team, and Alex are in the same position as us, and they will help us. Astrael is out there handling the situation, and we also have Iza and Derek protecting us. We are not alone."
"You are right. You always manage to give me hope." Grimilde pulled her into her arms, holding her tightly. Snow White stroked her back and head, being careful not to mess up her hair adorned with pearls and a precious tiara. She was as beautiful as ever, and for the first time, Snow White found herself acknowledging just how young she was, and yet so weighed down by responsibilities and everything she had lived through.
"You are stunning," she whispered against her lips, staring into her adoring blue eyes. She forced herself to look away and return to the present: "Let's go... otherwise we'll be late."