4

Wow! This is absolutely beautiful.”

My sister exclaims as we enter the ballroom of the viremont house. It's not a lie,they've out done themselves with the decorations and food for the reservation of the wedding. 

“It'll be your wedding soon enough.”

My mama whispers,when she catches me looking around. I roll my eyes,trying to look indifferent.

My wedding is not something I like being reminded of. It's been a week and I have still not come to terms with the fact that I'll be Corven's wife. Urgh

“I never thought she would get married. Not because she's blind,but you know she's…special.”

I look at the newlyweds that Ingrid is whispering about and I can't lie,the last person I expected to get married was her.

Melune Viremont. Second daughter of lord Tharion Viremont and lady Elira Viremont. The house of diplomacy and divine scholarship. Priesthood in political cloth.

“Do you think they fell in love or it was arranged?”

“They look like they're in love.”

Ysa Elveneir,Meluna’s husband and expert in enchantment and illusion craft,has his hand around his wife,looking at her with heart in his eyes as she speaks to her mama.

Ingrid sighs beside me.

“It's so beautiful to watch. How did they even meet? She's blind and people think she's weird. She speaks in dreams,Anya. Oh,oh, what if he met her in his dreams? How romantic.”

I smile as I watch my sister watch them. It's in times like this that I am happy that she wasn't the one to be in the arranged marriage. 

“I'm sure you'll find your love soon.”

“Hopefully.”

“I'm going to attack the food now. Wanna come?”

“No. I'll be right here.”

Her eyes are on Darian Arkael and i take it as my queue to leave. Ingrid has been crushing on the eldest Arkael brothers since childhood. They barely speak and when they do,she's doing most of the talking. They're an unlikely pair,but I think they fit perfectly. If only Darian sees the way she looks at him.

I gobble up two cookies and I look around to make sure no one is looking,then I swipe my finger through the icing on the uncut wedding cake and lick my finger clean.

“Your mother would have a stroke if she saw you right now.”

I spin around quickly and come face to face with my fiancé,Corven. He's watching me with an amused smirk.

“Mind your business,Corven,I'm trying to enjoy this wedding.”

“Ah,of course. You've graced us with your presence today but you're still not satisfied with the company.”

I've never been a fan of being around people. Not only because of my secret,but also because that's just who I am. I avoid going out as much as possible,but today my papa was not having it. I had to come.

“You're the only company I'm not satisfied with. Now leave before I lose my appetite.”

But of course he only steps closer into my space.

“You're my fiance now,Anya. Get used to my company. I'll be coming to spend time with you everyday from now on.”

He scowls,not sounding happy about the news he just broke to me.

“What? What are you talking about?”

“Our parents have decided that we should get to know each other and get rid of the animosity we have for each other.”

Now,I'm scowling too. I look for my mama in the crowd,but my eyes don't get far when I notice everyone staring.

“What is everybody looking at?”

“You”

I look at Corven in disbelief. 

“You mean,you. No one is interested in me. You're the one every girl wants to marry.”

“Are you jealous?”

I scoff and shake my head.

“They can have you Corven. I don't care.”

“For the record,I will never-”

He turns abruptly to look at the entrance of the ballroom. I look there too in time to see vaelira the frost gaze walk in. A scourgeborn. I freeze and Corven nudges me gently to lower my gaze. All the lower house kneel and all the legacy houses bow their heads. Corven and I bend our heads,waiting for her instruction. 

She glides into the room,bringing a chill with her presence. Her skin is pale and crystalline and her frame is slender and seductive. Her face is all sharp edges like ice and her hair is white as snow. Her presence is cold.

Scourgeborn. Under the gods, yet more feared by them, come the Scourgeborn—Veilwalkers to the mortal folk. They are no gods, yet Primordial Sentinels who were born with the world formed by the gods and discarded remains of chaos and essence.

Each possesses one, and only one, absolute magical ability—time distortion, plague, gravity, decay, soundlessness, or eternal night etc.

They maintain the Will of Silence—a holy law which only they may employ magic.

“Rise.”

The command echoes in my mind,sharp and cold,causing me to shiver. The scourgeborn do not speak. They relay their words through the mind. 

Everyone stands upright and there's a hush in the room.

She glides to stand before the newlyweds and everyone observes as the bride nods her head slightly,as if acknowledging something Vaelira said.

Then Vaelira look left so fast,her hair whips away from her back. Her sharp gaze settles on a blond girl I do not know. She goes to stand in front of her and grabs a bunch of the girl's hair with her frosty hands. The blonde girl grits her teeth and begins to sweat,not in pain,more like holding on to something. 

Then she slumps and begins to glow. Shit.

She's gifted.

Vaelira's shoulders shake with laughter that I hear in my mind and she steps back,her laugh cutting abruptly. 

“How dare you?” she says,sounding annoyed rather than angry. She looks at the girl for about two seconds and spins away from her. She addresses us as the girl begins to freeze and turn into a block of ice. She's making her suffer and sending a warning. 

“You cannot hide. You will be found and punished. No matter how big or small your magic is,it will be your end.”

She walks out,leaving us with the wailing parents of the girl. A wedding ruined.

I clutch my wrist band and keep staring at the block of ice that was once a girl. 

The dragon hisses and shifs restlessly. 

“Do not fear,little one.”

I scream at it In my mind.

“Hide.”

It's all I can say to hide my terror.