After writing the last chapter, I've become extremely addicted to writing this next chapter. Hope everyone likes reading it!
Enjoy! "I'm a red girl in a sea of silvers. I can't afford to feel sorry for anyone. Least of all the son of a snake."
Mare
Farley told us that the minute we walk out the door of the room, Cal and I have to act madly in love. She told me that if I have to swallow my breakfast back down because I'm disgusted at holding Cal's hand, to do it. No matter what it takes, she said, I must never drop the act.
What she doesn't know, is that I enjoy holding Cal's hand. I enjoy acting, moreso being madly in love with him. These weeks without him have made me realize, I love him. More than I could ever know. To truly know what love is, heartbreak will rip your heart out of your chest, wait awhile, maybe laugh a little as you lie unconscious, and then after it's had some fun, shove your faintly beating heart right back into your chest. And now, I have to make up for the lost time.
Holding on to Cal's hand, we walk to the elevator and make our way to the ground floor, along with Harrick, disguising our appearances. Just a few days ago, Scarlet Guard operatives were able to find two, young High Silvers, who just so happened to be madly in love, and invited to the masquerade ball. From there, our operatives took them out and are harboring them at a nearby base while Cal and I impersonate them. My name is Julianna Gliacon, able to manipulate ice, while Cal is Christopher Marinos, who has a sonic scream.
Harrick interrupts the silence. "I've gotten to a point in which I could be on the other side of Archeon and still disguise you."
I stop in place immediately. "Even if you don't know where we are? Are you sure you're confident to pull a stunt like that?"
"I could, but I'll be in the palace at all times tonight and the veil won't come down unless I purposely make it, or get knocked unconscious."
"Note to self, don't let Harrick die," I mutter.
We enter the- what Cal calls a limousine as three high silvers, just high enough to be invited to the ball made personally for me.
As we advance closer to Whitefire, chills begin to develop in the pit of my stomach, growing, until I believe I've transformed into a block of solid ice, paralyzed with fear. Cal attempts to warm me, but it doesn't calm my nerves. Neither does the fact that the driver of our vehicle enjoys driving at a speed I could walk faster than. I've asked him repeatedly to go faster just to end the ride to hell and actually be there, but he refuses, and never gives an actual explanation.
Several minutes later, we reach the gates to the looming palace where tens of sentinels stand, with strange scanners in their hands. As we exit the transport, I realize they're a sort of facial recognition scanners. Hopefully, Harrick's mental powers will be able to get us through this one.
I'm the first to walk up to the scanner, face to face with the black mask of one of the haunting guards. He pulls the contraption our and scans my face. A red, pulsing light flashes at my eyes.
"Clear," the man mutters, apparently very bored.
Cal and Harrick go without a hitch, all of us now past the gates. I glance quickly up the palace, where I once lived as a princess and once as a prisoner, before slipping my mask on.
Cal and I go off towards the palace, while Harrick stays behind to get the others through the machines. Apparently, the scanners can see through the illusion.
Before I have another second of thought, Cal dips me and kisses me in the middle of Caesar's Square.
"We're on a mission, not a romantic date. What are you doing?"
"That doesn't mean we can't have a little fun. After all, we have to blend in. And trust me, half of the guests here get so drunk, they'll begin kissing strangers in corners."
"Fine. We'll have some fun. But not too much. And no drinking."
"Very well. Ready to go inside Julianna?"
"As ready as I'll ever be."
We enter the grand ballroom hand in hand, as I gaze around at the scenery. While the grand room looks much like I remember it, the room has been darkened, unlike it's regular bright state. Dim candle dance around the room and a large group of instrumentalists play a haunting tune near the back of the room. Perhaps Maven designed how the room would look tonight. Dark enough so you can't make out any faces from this distance, while he could see me right away because of the lighting on the staircase I stand atop.
We make our way down the long staircase, which seems to go on forever until I seen Maven's face.
The second I see him, I drop into a mechanical curtsy and hear myself say "Your Majesty, what a pleasure to see you." While I'm surprised at my actions, I see Cal, military general, precise actions, do nothing but stare into the eyes of his brother.
I give him a nudge, "Christopher, he's the King, why aren't you bowing to him?"
Before he gives Cal the time to react, Maven intervenes. "Really it's not necessary. Tonight I'm not the king. Just a man who believes this palace needs to see a little fun once in awhile."
I momentarily consider asking him, "So your idea of fun is to throw creepy balls, where the main goal is actually to find the girl you're obsessed with, not fun that's ridiculous."
Once again, Cal is silent, and I am the one to talk. "How nice of you, my king. I must say, I do enjoy balls. It's just too bad the weather is like this, freezing rain and all if only a couple of members of House Nolle were here."
"Yes, yes. That is quite unfortunate. As far as I know, they are retreating to their estates in other parts of the country, for no apparent reason."
Except that the kingdom is ruled by you. "Why didn't you simply change the date to the party? I'm sure the citizens would have been quite alright with the king changing the date. If I remember correctly, the weather is supposed to be pleasant tomorrow."
"Let's the say I have my reasons. I'm expecting someone to be here. It's a very special day for them."
"Well, I do hope she makes it."
Maven suddenly shifts from his casual mood to a much more serious and alarmed one. "How do you know they're a female?"
My stomach jumps up to the top of my throat, and I've realized my mistake. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't," I say pulling off my mask to give Maven reassurance, with my blonde hair and completely different face. "I suppose it's a woman's sense. Sometimes we can tell. Good evening Your Majesty."
From there, a petrified Cal and I make our way towards the dancefloor. We push through the crowd to get out of Maven's vantage point, and begin to slow dance to a mournful song, someone would play at a funeral.
"Why didn't you say anything?" I whisper into his ear.
"I couldn't. I didn't know how."
"Well, this is great. Not five minutes in and I've already got him suspicious."
"Not for long. Look who Harrick got through security."
I look upward, towards the gold encrusted staircase. And sure enough, there's my doppelganger, wearing Maven's dress.
Almost immediately after I notice her. Maven walks up the staircase, to greet her, or at least I hope that's what he's doing. But before she takes his hand, Ella covers her face with the mask and only then, puts her gloved hand in his.
They journey down the staircase together, as everyone's stares, wide-eyed at Mareena. The silver folk consider me to be an abomination to the silver court, and most of them would gladly execute me themselves, even if there is no reward. The silvers begin to murmur amongst their family and friends, most likely already stirring up scandalous stories to tell when they get home.
The king leads Ella out onto the dancefloor, the entire population moving to the sides of the room. The musicians begin to play another song, this one just as somber as the last was. But just as I think they're about to dance, Maven snaps Ella's arms, causing her to collapse to the ground, screaming in pain.
Luckily, I'm not the only one to gasp.
He takes a microphone out of his pocket and then speaks. "You got the look just perfect, Mare. But the personality isn't nearly bitchy enough. So stop playing games with me, and come out of whatever illusion you're using. Or I swear I'll burn her alive."