– M A K A Y L A –

"May I cut in?" A curt voice interrupted.

I flinched at my father's tone and removed my hands from the crime lord instantly. She, however, remained holding me and gazed cooly at my father. The standoff only lasted mere seconds but it felt like a lifetime.

Then she dropped the smallest nod and gave me a dramatic bow.

"Your imperial highness." She drawled.

I rolled my eyes under my mask and resisted the urge to laugh at the irony. She's probably never bowed to anyone in her life...

My father continued to watch her with distrust and mild irritation as she swiftly melted away into the crowds. Then he turned his attention to me.

"I do not appear to know your friend." He stated, arching a brow in expectation.

"Yes--she is from the art club. Quite an avid painter." I added quickly, avoiding his scrutinising stare.

He grunted in response.

That would keep him at bay for now. He never took an interest in such frivolous pursuits such as the arts and would avoid conversations at all costs.

"Come. I have the second son of president Archeon waiting to make your acquaintance." He told me as he guided my arm back towards the politicians like a prison guard.

I murmured my false interest with only the smallest bit of attention on my father. He continued to drone on as we moved, but I found my eyes looking for a scarlet mask and some shifty "waiters". It was as if I had imagined the entire thing to pass the time. No evidence of the lethal, beautiful being was anywhere...

"Miss Xavier?" A male voice said a bit loudly.

"Hmm?" I twisted my attention back to the man in front of me. It appeared he had been trying to gain my attention for a few seconds already.

My father glared death at me from the corner of my eye.

"I beg your pardon, you must be Sir Archeon's son, Velron." I responded quickly with a forced smile worn for these moments. It was nothing like the one I had freely given with--

He gave me a broad smile back and inclined his head.

"The one and only your highness." He responded respectfully.

I had to admit, he was a sight to behold with a bright pair of forest green eyes and neatly arranged chestnut hair around a chiselled face.

"Please, you need only call me Makayla." I said, with more of a genuine smile this time.

I felt more eyes than the group around me suddenly watching. I resisted the urge to look for a pair of dangerous gold irises that I knew were on me. So, I continued speaking with Velron really trying my best to focus.

He joked with me easily and I found myself finding him more amusing as our champagne flutes continued to be filled and consumed. My father had actually begun to crack a smile from his stoic face and I slowly forgot the watchful eyes and the danger from earlier.

Velron then grinned at me under his white and silver mask and offered up his hand wordlessly. Unable to think of a reason why not, I took it with a small smile. He led me into the centre and placed a strong hand on my waist. I tentatively placed one behind his neck and just as he took a step closer to begin our dance a waiter stumbled into us with a tray of champagne flutes and soaked us both completely.

It seemed like the entire room had frozen.

Even the music paused. Velron looked down at his wrecked tuxedo and then back at my once beautiful dress that was now soaked in the drink. A moment passed.

Then I burst out laughing.

He watched me for half a second before barking out his own laughter. The spectators soon joined in and it felt like the evening had turned into a stand-up in a few seconds. But my father had a different sense of humour...

He stormed before us barging into some laughing couples before jerking a finger at the sheepish waiter responsible.

"What have you done?" He all but snarled.

The waiter paled in response before stammering to come up with anything. I sobered up and came to stand in front of the waiter.

"It was an accident, father, nothing more." I told him calmly.

"An accident? This man has sabotaged an entire evening!" He spat back loudly enough to make people stop laughing.

"He has done no such thing! Let us just resume the party and—"

My father ignored me entirely as he moved past me and grabbed the waiter by the shirt.

"You have made an embarrassment out of my family. So I will ensure you will have the same fate tenfold." He growled down at the cowering waiter.

To my surprise, it was Velron that came to the waiter's aid this time.

"Your highness, if I may be so bold." He began, awaiting my father's permission to speak.

My father cut his eyes to Velron in a lethal gaze. But he dropped a nod and allowed his guest to speak.

"This man was merely serving drinks to a couple nearby, I was foolish enough to show off a bit and collide right into him as I was dancing with your beautiful daughter." He finished with sincerity and calm.

An excellent liar. I realised as I gawked at Velron who was willingly taking the blame and facing my father's wrath alone. The room remained silent as everyone awaited the emperor's word. His judgement.

He suddenly released the waiter and adjusted the lapels of his jacket before facing Velron fully.

"It appears I have been mistaken." He said loudly enough for the crowds to hear. "My daughter appears to have enchanted the room into chaos." He allowed with a small smirk.

Oh gods. He actually bought it. Or he was desperate to revive the evening... But smiles began returning around the room and the music once again filled the air. Velron and father shook hands before everyone resumed their positions, including the waiter who frantically cleaned up the floor. But as I watched him scoop up the broken pieces of glass I could see the smirk on the waiter's face... not fear or anxiety but amusement.

He was one of hers. I realised as my mouth fell open. This was a damn set up.

And the moment my eyes began roaming the crowds, I saw her.

She was stood leaning against a stone pillar as if she had been watching everything unfold like her favourite show. Hands in pockets, mask in place and golden eyes watching me cooly with that insufferably arrogant smirk.

My blood began to boil. She planned this and she found it funny? My father would have killed that man and not even the "waiter" himself was taking it seriously...

"You'll have to excuse me." I murmured to Velron. "There's something I need to address..." I told him when he looked at me questioningly. He then dropped me a nod and pulled my hand up to kiss it formally.

My focus snapped back to him and off her and I suddenly had an idea.

I took my hand back and drew his face close to kiss him slowly and surely on the side of the face. He stiffened in shock but did not push me away. He instead wrapped a strong arm around me in an embrace. I let it last a few seconds longer than a formal goodbye.

When we drew apart I noticed that she had lost her smirk entirely. I was now the one who smirked.