Chapter 6

A car was assigned to drop us off at the ball –– the same men wearing a fedora hat came knocking on our apartment door that night. Though he looked quite different from the chaperone, he wore the same uniform as the one we saw at the boutique. And while Harvey and I sat in the backseat, silence filling the gap between us, I reached for the necklace and thought about what he said. I would like to end up with you. Did he? I couldn’t grasp the idea of it. Maybe he said that out of fear, and I was the last resort.

Though when we were little, he would bring it up –– would tell me he would marry me someday, but I would remind him of our friendship. You know, when you were kids, and you’d be attached to someone not because of any romantic relation, but because you both just found so much comfort with each other? I think that was what he was referring to: like playing house.

The sudden jolt from the car almost sent me hurtling forward, if it wasn’t from Harvey’s hand reaching for my shoulder. Azen was built on steep hills and underdeveloped roads, which made the way to the palace rougher than we expected. The car would soar up a hill, then descend to a slope, and we would hold our breath in anticipation. After that excruciating part, a huge mountain shielding the palace from the town became more visible as we approached. It looked like a border that separated one land from another. As we sighted the light casting in the dark sky, we knew we were nearing our destination.

The gate of the palace had gold ornamental patterns crawling around the railings, with only two guards with spears standing on both sides. They wore uniforms similar to olden times –– red tunic with fur headgear. They flung the gate open, and we drove past the vast parterre of the front yard that spread in acres.

“I’m lost for words,” I said as I looked through the car’s window.

The bushes stretched along the driveway, leading to the huge marble fountain that stood just in front of the entrance. Some of the townspeople –– werewolves or lycans, rather –– in their gowns and suits got off their vehicles and ventured into the main hall. We went outside the car, and Harvey thrust his arm so I could hold onto him as we walked inside. The grand entrance was swarmed with attendees, and the room was lit by incandescent chandeliers hanging several feet above us. Corinthian columns were attached to the massive walls, and tapestries draped the sides of the overlooking windows. Everything seemed larger than life, more than I thought I’d experience.

Harvey stood in front of me as my eyes lingered inside the palace.

“Easy, Ellie,” he said. “You might forget what we’re here for,” he teased, and I realized my mouth was agape.

“Don’t worry, I won’t,” I smirked as a waiter holding a tray of champagne flutes walked in our vicinity. I grabbed one of them and sipped on the alcohol. “Besides, I’ll take our deal as a challenge. If we do find someone, you’ll have to tell me everything.”

“What do you mean?”

“Since you’ve been keeping a lot of secrets from me ever since we got here, I think I deserve to know what happened with you.” I chugged the whole champagne as Harvey stared at me in confusion. “With your human girlfriend, with why your parents decided that I come with you, and everything. Because, as of this moment, it feels like I’m being coerced, especially when you mentioned you want me to be your mate after giving me a dress and a family heirloom. It doesn’t sit right with me. Now, do we have a deal?”

He snickered, his tongue rolling inside his mouth. He didn’t respond immediately to my proposal, and I tried to hold myself from laughing. He knows what I mean. It wasn’t that I was being ungrateful or that I was frustrated, but because all of these were compensations for the things he was hiding from me.

“Deal,” he simply said with a mischievous smirk on his lips.

“Good. Now I think we should enjoy the night then.”

We walked through the main hall to the end tables surrounded by attendees holding desserts and champagne. Their eyes would linger around as if to spot a possible opportunity. Harvey then wanted to hold my hand, but I refused as I didn’t want everyone to think we were together. Then a girl wearing a brown-colored dress approached. 

It was Therese. A grin was plastered on her face.

“May I say you look absolutely gorgeous tonight?” she commented, her gaze focused on the dress. She wore a brown corset, a tulle skirt flowing to the ground, with off-the-shoulder straps hanging low on her arms. The color accentuated her tanned skin and dark hair. “I feel proud someone from the crowd is wearing my design.”

“Thanks to you, though. Is that why you easily found me?” I chuckled.

“Yes. Wait, I didn’t get the chance to ask for your name.”

“Elle. My name is Elle.”

“Elle,” she repeated, and averted her attention to Harvey. “I like that suit on you.” And there was a hint of sparkle in her eyes.

“Would you like to dance?” Harvey asked Therese, offering a hand, and took a glance at me.

Therese’s smile reached her ears as if blushing from Harvey’s offer. She placed a gentle hand on his and slightly bobbed her head.

“It would be a pleasure.”

They both waltzed to the space in the middle of the hall where others swayed to the orchestra playing in the background. Harvey placed a hand on Therese’s waist as she held on to his shoulder. I just stood a few feet away from them, with nothing but champagne in my hand.

Harvey most probably wanted an audience. He would casually glance in my direction and would lean into Therese’s ear to whisper something. But he knew better than to provoke me with jealousy, so I just shook my head.

A weird light orb flew in front of me as if to catch my attention. Its wings flapped, but it didn’t leave my sight when I tried to shoo it away. It was one of those fireflies we’d seen at the passage. It would land on my bare shoulder, and as I fluttered my hand, it continuously orbited around me.

“What do you want?” I mumbled under my breath and placed the flute on one of the end tables.

I trailed my gaze, but it went flying to the two grand staircases that led to another wall partition. I walked through it. The area was less crowded, just a few butlers and housemaids here and there holding trays of beverages and food as they walked through the partition. A sudden wind blew past my ears in a whisper –– a delicate voice that spoke in melodies, and it was so faint that the orchestra from the hall dulled it down. The firefly disappeared, and I didn’t know what made me think I should follow it.

Just as I was about to go back to the main hall, the arch doorway slowly flung open. Its creaking noise reverberated in the now-empty corridor. Then the whisper breathed against my ear again. This time, it wasn’t just a murmur but a clear, discernible message.

Come, it said.

And that one word was repeated three times. The two doors from the archway completely opened, leading to another open field. Warm lamp posts radiated the pathway as the damp wind blustered in, wafting against my dress. I fought to decide if I should go back to Harvey or go through the archway, but I knew not to be scared of anything like this. The fireflies… now this. What is this trying to show me?

I walked out of the palace and towards the field that looked like a front yard because of shrubs running along the pavements. No one was here, not even guards or staff. As eerily as this seemed, there was that tugging in my chest that was pulling me towards it –– towards something I couldn’t explain…

A swarm of fireflies appeared as if to lead the way until we reached the hovering trees that led to the entrance of a forest. A man stood by one of the trunks, and the night was so dark that I could only see his silhouette. Crickets chirped, and the crows cawed above. The branches breaking caused the man to tilt his head around. As I’d taken a step back before he could notice someone watching him, snake-like roots from the ground slithered around my feet, and I put my hand on my mouth to prevent a squeal. I wanted to run away, but I couldn’t lift a foot. It was as though the ground planted my feet on the soil. 

The man started to emerge from the shadows, and my heart pumped at every step he made. So I tried to muster my werewolf instinct and grow some claws to rid myself of the trappings, but before it could manifest, the man was already standing before me. He clutched my arm tightly, holding me, and forcing me to stare at him. Blood smeared around his mouth, sweat trickling down his temples. And before I could realize it, he yanked me up.

“Who are you and what are you doing here?” His voice grated as he glared at me. His eyes pierced through mine, the electric-blue hues now becoming red.

I gasped. I tried to pull away, but he gripped my arm so tightly that his claws dug into my skin.

“I was just about to leave,” I said, my voice cracking.

I noticed how his skin looked so porcelain that it illuminated against the moon. It contrasted his raven hair and the blood smearing all over him. His menacing gaze sent thuds in my chest, as a lump formed in my throat when lifeless werewolves near the forest caught my view. No, this is not happening.

“You’ll be dead before you can leave,” he said through gritted teeth, baring his fangs. “You’re not supposed to be here.” 

The thumping in my chest grew stronger as his eyes flitted down to my torso. He slowly let go of my arm, hand falling to his side as his claw ripped my gloves.

“I don’t know. Just…”

The fireflies. The voices. The door. How could I explain it?

He pulled a handkerchief from his suit and wiped the blood off his hand. “Tell me who sent you, and your life will be spared.”

“No one. Just let me go, I promise I won’t tell anyone.” I shook my head and gulped from nervousness.

“Oh, you won’t, because I won’t let you.” He tossed the blood-stained handkerchief on the ground and stepped closer to me. He studied my face, eyes filled with scrutiny. “The palace is huge enough for you to wander around, but instead, you’re here.”

“I tried to get some fresh air.” Pathetic excuse.

He grabbed me by the neck, clenching his fist, as I struggled to breathe. He lifted me, my feet barely touching the ground. I gripped his arm and stared ahead as I lost every ounce of breath.

“You are testing my patience,” he said in an almost vindictive tone. “But I’ve already shed too much blood this night.” He threw me back on the ground as I coughed and gasped for air. My temples throbbed, and my throat felt restricted. He then crouched beside me and tucked strands of hair behind my ear, “Tell anyone about this encounter, and you’ll be dead by dawn. This is a warning to whoever sent you.”