Arcane Masks Novels & Stories

"I watched my sister beg Nicholas like a coward and all he did was just treat her like she was some stray dog." My voice cracked with emotion. "It is all my fault, Marcus. I brought him into our lives and now my little sister is having to pay for my mistakes." "Don't cry, my dear. It is not your fault. No one could have guessed he was a monster. No one did. He wore his mask really well and played his role even better, fooling every one of us. So don't be hard on yourself." Marcus consoled me.

Edward sighed as he accepted the fact that he had to explain his identity when Andrea burst out in tears. "My head hurts so much and I feel so cold. Everyone hates me…" Andrea cried as she held her head. Edward used this time to wear his masquerade mask before walking towards her. "Stay calm and go take your bath. I called a doctor to take care of you." He said as he sat beside her. *What's the use of wearing the mask when she already saw your face?* He asked himself, but disregarded it to focus on persuading her to take her bath.

He told her and noticed how she was still staring at that Skull Emblem of that mask. “It’s my favorite mask, there are only five masks which was made for five of us, it will protect you when you go out of the packhouse, you know, you are unmated with alpha and he has not marked you, so there are chances they will think of you as the rogue but they will know you are one of us because now you have this mask.” He described to her and she nodded and put on the mask on her face and now only her eyes could be noticed.

"Can you or can't you?" She arched an eyebrow. "Don't get impatient, princess. Magic's an art, not a state of mind, that takes time." I groaned. "Then we're lost." Liam snorted. Magda hesitated, her trembling hand held in mid-air. "All right, all right. I can do that. But there's a catch." "There always is," I said to her. "The spell won't hold," she informed me. "It will dissolve if it catches a scent of blood. If you get slashed up in an accident or intentionally and start to bleed, then the glamour will start to unravel until your body can heal itself."

He nodded at me and I pulled it open. The door creaked, and I stepped into a room that seemed to hum with ancient, magic energy. Neon-green light washed across the walls. It was huge, minimalistic but there were dozens of masks lined the walls—wooden, bone, metal, some painted in vivid colors, others cracked and some were just too terrifying to look at. The space felt bigger and intimidating because of the masks. They stared down at me with hollow eyes, each one carrying its own story, its own secret.

Give the students something to celebrate so they forget they were being drugged at dinner. The Masquerade wasn't just a party. In the manuscript, it was described as the "Freshman Crucible." It was a freshmen-only rite where masks allowed for anonymity, but the quality of one's attire and the power of one's aura determined the social hierarchy for the rest of the year. It was where alliances were sealed with a dance and reputations were assassinated over flutes of enchanted nectar.

In the next instant, the suite's electronic lock clicked open. I could not help but smirk, a sly grin spreading across my face.

No, not really. I deliberately selected a mask from the tray, my heart rate accelerating. The mask featured silk and gold accents, with soft ribbons, offering a sense of anonymity. A masquerade can imply a lack of accountability, as it often involves power without individual recognition. With hidden faces, intentions may be perceived as unrestrained. Of course he would be here. This is exactly his kind of stage, isn't it? He had arrived in public places, open and claiming, and this place… Damn it!

Ana closed the door and went to the dressing table again. Placing the box down, Ana pushed her hand forward but stopped. She was hesitating to open it. What if it was Beast again? Ana's palms started sweating at the thought, as her heart picked the unusual speed due to fear again. With her trembling fingers, she pulled the ribbon which fell down. Slowly she forced herself to open the box. Just as she opened the box, she was stunned for a second. It was so beautiful. Ana's mouth hanged open in awe. Unconsciously, her fingers reached forward, touching the edges of the black masquerade mask placed neatly in the box. It was a metal mask with it's edges adorned with tiny diamonds.