Celeste led me to a quiet corner near one of the massive pillars, far enough from the crowd that we could talk without being overheard.
Her expression was perfectly neutral.
But her eyes were GLEAMING with mischief.
Oh no.
Here it comes.
The TEASING.
"That was quite the performance," Celeste said.
"I don't know what you're talking about," I said.
Play it cool.
Act like nothing happened.
Pretend you weren't just completely FLUSTERED by a pretty face.
"Really?" Celeste's smile widened. "So you weren't blushing like a maiden at her first ball?"
FUCK.
"I was NOT blushing," I said.
"Your face was the color of wine," Celeste said. "It was adorable."
Adorable.
She called me ADORABLE.
I'm a VILLAINESS.
I'm not ADORABLE.
"I'm not adorable," I said. "I'm a VILLAINESS."
"A villainess who just got flustered by a pretty face and some dark magic," Celeste said, and she was clearly enjoying this WAY too much.
I hate her.
I genuinely hate her.
Why are all my allies so ANNOYING?
"He's strategically interesting," I said weakly.
Celeste LAUGHED.
She's LAUGHING at me.
The terrifying dark magic priestess is LAUGHING at me.
This is humiliating.
"Strategically interesting," Celeste repeated. "Is that what we're calling it now?"
"He radiates dark magic openly," I said, trying to sound analytical. "He's from a kingdom that doesn't stigmatize forbidden arts. He's politically valuable as an ally."
"He's gorgeous," Celeste said. "And powerful. And clearly interested in YOU."
He IS gorgeous.
And powerful.
And interested.
FUCK.
"I'm not—" I started.
"You're smitten," Celeste said. "I don't blame you. That man is... impressive."
Smitten.
I'm not SMITTEN.
I'm just... strategically appreciating his value as an ally.
And also thinking about how unfair it is that someone can be that attractive AND that powerful.
And also wondering what it would be like to—
NOPE.
Not going there.
"I am NOT smitten," I said.
"You are," Celeste said. "And honestly? It's refreshing. I was starting to think you were incapable of normal human emotions."
Normal human emotions.
Like ATTRACTION.
Like being flustered by someone who radiates dark magic like it's COLOGNE.
Like wanting to—
STOP.
"He's... interesting," I admitted.
"He's devastatingly handsome and radiates power and clearly finds you fascinating," Celeste said. "That's more than interesting. That's DANGEROUS."
Dangerous.
Right.
Because getting involved with a foreign prince while I'm technically engaged to the Crown Prince of Astervane is a TERRIBLE idea.
But also—
Also, it sounds FUN.
"I'm not getting involved with him," I said.
"You're defending him," Celeste said. "That's adorable."
I'm going to curse her.
I'm going to curse her SO HARD.
"I'm not defending him," I said. "I'm just... acknowledging that he's powerful. And politically valuable. And—"
"And gorgeous," Celeste finished. "Don't forget gorgeous."
I hate her.
I genuinely, deeply hate her.
"Fine," I said. "He's gorgeous. Happy?"
"Ecstatic," Celeste said, grinning. "I haven't seen you this flustered since... actually, I've never seen you this flustered. It's delightful."
This is HUMILIATING.
I destroyed the Crown Prince yesterday.
I made him retreat in front of the entire court.
And now I'm getting TEASED about blushing at a foreign prince.
This is NOT how villainy is supposed to work.
Celeste's expression shifted slightly, becoming more serious.
"But in all honesty," she said, "the way he was looking at you? That wasn't just political interest. That was personal."
Personal.
He was looking at me PERSONALLY.
Not as a political asset.
Not as a scandal.
As... ME.
Fuck.
"I noticed," I said quietly.
"Good," Celeste said. "Because we need to talk about yesterday."
Yesterday.
The ball.
Aldric.
Right.
Back to STRATEGY.
"What about it?" I asked.
Celeste's expression became genuinely serious.
"That was brilliant," she said. "Pure, vicious art. You destroyed his pride in front of everyone who matters."
Pride.
Genuine pride from Celeste.
I'm going to pretend that doesn't make me feel AMAZING.
"Thank you," I said.
"However," Celeste continued, and her voice dropped, "you need to understand something."
Here comes the warning.
Everyone's warning me today.
Mother warned me.
Now Celeste is warning me.
This must be SERIOUS.
"Prince Aldric Solcrest is self-righteous," Celeste said. "Predictable. Easy to manipulate. But he's also PROUD. And you just wounded that pride in the worst possible way."
She paused.
"He's going to retaliate. Not immediately—he's too smart for that. But he WILL retaliate. And when he does, it will be calculated. Precise. Designed to destroy you in a way that can't be traced back to him."
Mother said the same thing.
They're both warning me.
They're both telling me to be CAREFUL.
To be STRATEGIC.
"I know," I said. "Mother already warned me."
"Good," Celeste said. "I'd hate to see you dead before you reach your full potential."
She paused, and her expression shifted back to mischief.
"Especially now that you have a handsome foreign prince interested in you."
There it is.
Back to the TEASING.
"Celeste—" I started.
"I'm just saying," Celeste said, grinning, "if you're going to make enemies of the Crown Prince, you might as well make allies of foreign princes."
She paused.
"Especially ones who look like THAT."
She's not wrong.
Prince Riku COULD be a valuable ally.
He's powerful.
He's from a kingdom that practices dark magic openly.
He's clearly interested in me.
And he's devastatingly handsome.
This could work.
This could actually WORK.
If I'm smart about it.
If I'm STRATEGIC.
"I'll think about it," I said.
"You do that," Celeste said. "And try not to combust the next time he looks at you."
I hate her.
I genuinely, deeply, PROFOUNDLY hate her.