Lily leaned against the frame of the closet, watching the two as they stared at each other in silence. A knowing smile played at her lips.
Elena stared at him; his gaze was wide and filled with amazement. She stared back as she straightened herself as a feeling of warmth spreading through her.
Her heart quickened as she heard his tail thumping against the couch.
"Thank you," she said, a warm smile crossed her lips, and he nodded.
He stood up and walked to her, both of them holding their breath.
"You look beautiful, my lady," he said and did a proper bow, clearly already putting on an act.
But his words and bow only made the warmth grow hotter as a blush crept onto her cheeks.
He soon rose as she continued to smile at him, while he smirked.
The moment stretched, her mind scattered as they continued to watch each other. His tail was wagging, but soon he broke the silence. "Now, for those answers on why you want to go to a lover's ball," he said, his voice cautious.
Elena blinked as he finally gave her something to focus on. "Ah, yes," she said, collecting herself.
"I thought it would be nice to do something special, due to our friendship lasting ten years now," she said as she stepped back, giving them space, but she saw something flash across his face.
Disappointment?
He covered his mouth as though hiding the brief expression as he stood in thought, studying her.
"There's something else, isn't there?" he spoke, his voice slightly cold as if focusing on a thread that was an annoying itch from his clothing.
Her eyes widened slightly, and she smirked at his ability to see through her, as her heart fluttered.
But she nodded, "Yes, there is," her voice filling with heat as she thought of last night's dinner.
"My father is trying to marry me off again, to some new noble," her voice nonchalant as she trusted in him to make it fail like the others.
Suddenly, for a brief moment, something passed by; a feeling of sorts, yet minor, as she glanced at the shadows from which it seemed to originate, and thought she saw them shudder. Some unease grew in her stomach.
"Again?" he said, his voice cold.
Her eyes returned to his as she recognized the tone of his voice, one usually meant for the persona of being Heir of The Lockvrys. A side of him she rarely saw or heard. Yet she still remembered that day when they first met. The day that sparked their friendship.
She sighed, shaking the images of the corpses that laid at his feet on that day.
A subtle reminder of who his father was and his own capabilities.
"Yes, some noble named Forrest Young," the room froze, yet she didn't notice as she continued, "I remembered hearing that they rose to in the courts by practically buying their way in…" she said as her voice slowly drifted off as she noticed the air had shifted, then his eyes.
They were the same eyes she saw that day. One of death, as the shadows clearly and visibly shuddered and sharpened to points flat against the wall.
Elena's heart hammered.
"Jake—?" she breathed, stepping back.
Shadows turned into jagged jaws about to snap around a prey's neck as the air grew to a winter breeze.
Lily jumped as her own shadow twisted and malformed on the ground.
Elena's breath caught in a panic as she watched, then, out of fear, and without thought, she slapped him.
The slap jolted him as it echoed in the room. Lily gasped at the sound.
The shadows returned to their original forms as he stumbled back, his mind whirling.
His hand flying to his cheek as he balanced himself, eyes wide—truly wide—with shock.
"Elena—" he whispered.
"Jake, what in the seven hells was that?" she said, her voice hardened like stone, as if scolding a child.
It took a while for him to respond as he straightened and took a few deep breaths. Clearly, he was calming himself.
"Sorry, Elena," he muttered. Then cleared his throat.
Elena narrowed her eyes as she tried to read him. "You didn't have that reaction the last three times," she said, and he nodded.
"No," he said, exhaling sharply as he stood there, collecting his thoughts, "Elena, those other three only took bribes and imported some illegal items. They were sloppy and clumsy, easy to find and prove, just minor offences for nobles."
Her stomach started to boil over with unease at the implications of his words and reaction to Forrest Young. If bribes and illegal importations were minor…
What was Forrest doing?
"Jake," she whispered, in trepidation at his next ones.
Yet her heart sank at the words that came out of his mouth, standing in shock.
"He deals in the slave trade?" Lily repeated his words in a whisper; she, too, was in shock. Bringing Elena out of shock.
Jake nodded once, his movement stiff.
"B-but it was abolished after the Divide," Elena spoke softly as if her words could shatter glass.
Jake gave a long exhale as he nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, but it has popped up again recently," he said, looking away, as if ashamed.
She knew that look, one she had seen so many times, when he did acts of violence or killed someone. But that was his life, what he had to do; he had to survive.
Survive in a place where the strongest thrived while the weak fell prey.
She didn't judge him for that, no, she saw who he truly was. A person who looked into the future for something brighter.
Something more hopeful.
"What are the Stones doing about this?" Lily asked, and Elena looked back at her, then to him, as they awaited his answer.
"From what I know, the Five don't have any connections to Forrest; it's his own operation that involves some other nobles and outsiders. The Stones can't interfere otherwise; it will risk breaking the pact between Altor and the Undercity, or get the other kingdoms involved." He said, his voice cold.
Elena grimaced, realizing the situation.
The pact he spoke of ended the Divide, the pact of One and Five. A land pact, one that instated a type of government and laws in a specific area, and expanded or shrank when it recognized conquered or lost land, under specific conditions.
One of the laws, or rather an agreement, was that the Five could not directly interfere in noble affairs.
"So he is using outside forces to deal in the slave trade to get around the pact?" Elena muttered as she bit her finger in thought.
Jake nodded, "I don't know the exact details of his operation's but it's pretty well known in the Five about Forrest."
Elena looked at him in thought. "So how is he evading the other nobles' eyes?"
He shrugged, "Don't know, bribery, blackmail, etc. There can be multiple reasons."
Elena nodded, thinking of the possible reasons. Then Lily said something that froze the room entirely.
"Could he be under the protection of one of the Seven?" Her voice was shaking as if it were a building about to fall.
Elena's breath caught—sharp, thin, painful.
The thought wormed its way in: Was Father marrying her to Forrest to shield the Young heir from scrutiny? To offer him the protection of the Falmil name?
It felt as though the floor dipped beneath her feet.
"No," she whispered, but it came out weak. The word sounded like a plea, not a certainty.
Her hand slipped from her mouth to her chest as something tight coiled beneath her ribs—fear, anger, betrayal, disbelief… she couldn't separate them. Her jaw tightened, her mind raced, and the possibility became more plausible.
Jake's ears twitched. Lily straightened. As a slight, gentle pulse of heat burst through the air. Neither commented, but both felt it.
"My father… he wouldn't—" Her voice cracked. Elena shook her head rapidly, red hair brushing her cheeks as if she could shake the thought out. "He wouldn't do something like that. He—he fought in the Moris War! He saw what they did—he—"
But the more she protested, the more hollow it sounded, and dread sank its teeth deeper.
Jake observed her. Too carefully. As though he feared she would break.
"Elena," he breathed.
She stepped back.
But before she could speak again as her mind swirled downward.
A presence covered her, as if a blanket she used to hide under as a child when the storms howled and tore through Altor. A blanket of safety and comfort that protected her from the darkness as his hands wrapped around her, pulling her close, as his tail, covered in soft fur, wrapped itself around her legs.
She froze at the sudden warmth that bloomed in her chest, as her hands shakily climbed up his back, as she wrapped her own arms around him, trying to bury herself into him.
She breathed his scent of warm fur, cold steel, and something distinctly him as she leaned into his chest.
It was his scent, a calming smell.
She could feel his warmth through his shirt against her cheek as it rose and fell with deep breaths. She could hear and feel his heart beating faster as she rested her head against him. Like a stone wall, but warm to the touch, as if a flame burned behind it.
His calming voice spoke softly, his lips brushing against the top of her head, as she could tell he was also breathing in her own scent of caramel.
"The Seven aren't involved; they can't be," he said as he rubbed her back, as she felt Lily's hand appear on her shoulder, another comfort. The fear that consumed her slowly drained from her heart. As Jake spoke again, reciting a section of the Pact that he had burned into his mind.
"Section 11, paragraphs 1 through 3. Any member of the Seven Great Houses who shall deal in acts or has the intent of betraying the Royal Family, with or without their knowledge, shall be declared a traitor and bound while the Royal Family is alerted to the act and the traitor's whereabouts."
She let the words settle, as she, too, had the pact memorized, almost every noble had to. Her mind raced through the listed acts or intent that could be considered as betraying the Royal Family, including any dealings or info about slavery within the kingdom, or Altor, that were to be given to them as soon as possible.
She breathed in his scent once more, and she held him tighter. As she mumbled, "T-true, but if so, does that mean he already knows and has given the information about Forrest to the King?"
"Maybe he doesn't know?" Lily suggested, her hand still resting on Elena's shoulder. Trying to comfort her.
Elena nodded as she tried to accept it as the truth, yet the feeling of fear still lingered, as if a cold blade was touching her throat. Only needed the slightest pressure to cut the fragile, hopeful truth.
"Well… I'll cancel the marriage, anyway. I will make sure of it, as I did with the others." He said as he pulled her closer—too much. He wasn't thinking, only holding, clinging — as her breath caught in her chest, his arms tightened around her. His Beast-kin grip unintentionally started to strangle her.
She quickly patted his back, and he realized he was holding her tightly—to tightly and let her go. She stumbled back, finally able to breathe properly after his tight grasp. Lily held onto her shoulder as she stumbled, making sure she didn't fall.
He held out his arms, fear tinting his eyes, worrying if he had injured her. But her words calmed him. "I am fine… just a little too tight," she said, a warm, reassuring smile spreading across her lips.
He nodded, a smirk playing at his lips, as the warmth grew back in his eyes.
"If I am there as your lover, I think the news will spread quickly, and it will ruin the talks about marriage." He chuckled, thinking of how much chaos it would cause. Chaos, he could use, as his mind already started to scheme.
"Oh no, he has that look again," Lily muttered, seeing his eyes cloud in thought.
Elena giggled, already knowing he was planning something, yet she didn't question what was crossing his mind. Already having an idea of what he was planning.
Lily looked at the grandfather clock hidden in a corner. As she narrowed her eyes, she then widened them. "Oh, Elena, it's about time for the ball to start."
Elena followed her gaze and nodded.
"Jake, how do you want to get there?"
Jake's head snapped up, thoughts clearing.
"I was thinking of a carriage. I can sneak you out now if you want?" he teased, sending a shiver up her spine.
"I don't mind that," she smiled.
Then she turned to Lily.
"Could you give the… usual excuse?"
Lily huffed a knowing breath. "Of course. I'll tell them your monthly trouble started early—again."
Jake suddenly found the lint on his jacket very interesting.
Elena chuckled as she walked up to him and helped him pick lint from his velvet jacket, his tail wagging at her closeness.
"You ready?" She asked as she straightened his jacket.
He nodded, and she smiled as she grabbed his hand and started to drag him to the balcony. This was always her favorite part. Being able to experience magic, but not just any magic.
His magic, as they stood outside, as the sea winds blew.
"Yes, my lady," he said, his voice warm and comforting. As he pulled her close, she felt the air itself twisting as she was consumed by shadows.
Lily shook her head as she picked up Jake's leather jacket, which she could barely lift.
"Damn lovebirds," she muttered, tucking his neatly folded clothes back into the hidden cabinet with the box of men's spare clothing.
Her eyes lingered on a much longer box in the cabinet.
Her hand hesitated over it.
She shut the cabinet quickly, hoping Elena would never have a reason to open that box.
The shadows rippled under the scattered moonlight through the trees as Elena and Jake appeared. She felt the familiar magic slowly dissipating through her body, a sense akin to pure joy. She giggled as she stepped back from him, and he smiled at her sound.
She smiled as she looked around in the new area, the wall now behind them, and the street next to them. It always amazed her that he could teleport to any shadow within a certain distance, and longer distances as long as he knew almost every detail of the area.
"I will grab us a carriage," he said as he looked down the street, his fluffy ears twitching, listening for any hint of a carriage.
Then he nodded as he stepped onto the sidewalk, Elena following as he walked to a corner of the street.
"Jake, your mask?" Elena said as she nudged him.
His eyes widened a bit as he patted his pockets and found the mask he usually wore when going to Altor's events.
He liked to sneak in and mess with the rich of Altor.
It was a piece of cloth with many holes as he flapped it out, unfolding it. Then he sent a pulse of magic through it, and it took shape. He slipped it on and tilted his head.
"This alright?" he asked.
The mask was a striking half-gold, half-black design, etched with delicate lace-like patterns. One side gleamed like spun light, the other swallowed it whole. It fit Jake perfectly—half mischief, half menace—an elegant disguise that made him look like he belonged at every noble event he loved to disrupt.
She nodded, a small smile playing on her lips. "Yes, it suits you well," she teased.
His tail was wagging as he nodded and breathed in.
Finally, a carriage entered the street they were waiting on, and Jake raised his hand. "I should have asked earlier, but which host are we going to?" he asked as the carriage pulled up.
Jake opened the door and let her in, as Elena spoke to the driver while also answering Jake's question. "Please take us to the Dalfor manor."
The driver nodded as Elena and Jake stepped into the carriage. It was small yet could hold four people, two seats on either side. As Jake and Elena sat across from each other. Elena smoothed out her dress as the carriage began to move.
"The Dalfor's?" Jake muttered.
Elena nodded, "Yes, they usually hold the lovers' ball every year or so. It is not very large due to them being a small house, but it's well known in the noble circles. Heirs and the younger members of other houses usually attend. So I doubt you will be recognized as heir of the Lockvrys even if your mask slips off."
Jake chuckled, "But everyone will recognize you, so that's another thing I can hide behind."
"Oh, I am sure you will have enough attention on yourself, being the one who tamed the fox," she teased her as she blushed, seeing him shudder at her words, and his tail twitched as if he was restraining himself.
The thought flickered—dangerous, tempting. A version of him that meant more than friendship.
Jake shifted at the same time, as though wrestling with a similar thought.
They pushed it away in tandem, neither realizing the other had felt it too.