I managed to pull my arm away from Arwin while he was busy laughing with the Duke of Cloude. I didn't care for the political pleasantries. My eyes were fixed on the corner where the pink-haired girl stood.
"You look like you've seen a ghost, Ishu," I said, my voice cutting through the music as I reached her.
"My... My Lady," she stammered, curtsying so low she nearly fell. "The Crown Prince... I didn't realize you were the future Queen."
"It's just a title," I replied coldly. "Remember what I told you. My offer still stands. Be at my estate at dawn, or stay here and let those girls ruin you. The choice is—"
I stopped. The air behind me turned cold, a sudden weight settling over my shoulders. I didn't need to turn around to know someone was there. Someone dangerous.
"A Regulus and a Baroness's daughter," a deep, rasping voice spoke. "An unlikely pair, even for a Witch."
I turned slowly. Standing there was the man I had noticed earlier. The new Duke of Crisis. Up close, he was even more terrifying. His eyes didn't look at me with fear or lust; they looked at me like he was calculating exactly how many strikes it would take to break me.
I looked back at Ishu; she looked as if she had seen a monster. Her body trembled as she stood there, paralyzed. I stepped in front of her, shielding her with my own body.
"Would it not be better to talk elsewhere... Duke Theodore Crisis?"
His jet-black hair and eyes were as dark as the void; looking into them felt like seeing your own death. What made him truly fearsome, though, was his sheer size. He was a giant. My father and the Crown Prince were both 6'1", but this man stood at 6'4", towering over everyone in the room.
He nodded, leading the way to a corner of the hall, away from prying eyes.
"What was your motive for approaching me?" he asked, his eyes boring into mine as if he could hear my very thoughts. It made me feel something I hadn't felt in a long time... nervousness. But I couldn't let my guard down.
"I was simply curious to see what the Lady of House Regulus looked like," he said, his voice giving away nothing. I couldn't tell if he was mocking me or speaking the truth.
"Is that why you came to me? You should know that what I hate most is wasting time on useless talk. I won't tolerate it."
I began to turn away, but suddenly, his hand grabbed my arm, pinning me against the wall. His face was inches from mine, and his eyes sparkled with the hunger of a beast.
"What is the meaning of th—"
Before I could finish, his hand covered the lower half of my face, his palm pressing firmly against my lips. He leaned down, whispering into my ear.
"My eyes will be on you for a while now. Since you have caught my attention."
My skin crawled at the sound of his cold voice. I was about to fight back—to show him why they called me a Witch—when I saw the Crown Prince approaching, looking for me. On the other side, Ishu was watching with wide eyes.
Before I could even think to push him away, Theodore was gone. He vanished into the crowd as if he had never been there to begin with.