"You have to go."

I was in denial. "No. No way."

Tirack was busy trying to sort out some of the men. "We don't have time. He would have known already, but I need you to get him."

I bit my lip in angst. Looking over to the castle, I felt a sense of impending doom. I didn't want to go in there.

Only moments ago I had established the fact that I didn't belong there. Now I was being forced against my will.

Tirack turned away from his work to look me in the eye. "Miss Edythe, he is waiting."

Wait. Waiting? As in he knew already about this situation but was waiting for me to personally inform him?! Just how lazy was he?

That was it. There was no turning back now, not if he knew I was meant to be coming. It meant I couldn't escape.

The ash continued to sprinkle around me like silent rain. When it touched my cheeks, I could feel traces of warmth.

. Nyx hummed.

I gagged. You do know that it's the remains of a dragon?

Your taste continues to surprise me.

I paused. The very fact that I was beginning to agree with her meant that this conversation needed to end. The more I began to agree with her, the more twisted I knew my thoughts were becoming.

As I was contemplating my own sanity, I felt something niggle on the edge of my brain. The beginnings of a headache was starting to emerge.

Rolling my head, I tried to massage the muscles in my neck. Perhaps I had been too tense.

Just as I closed my eyes, I felt the niggle transform into a hum of energy. It felt as if the pressure in my head was indicating that this would be worse than a headache.

A migraine.

Nyx's disturbed energy surprised me.

She flicked the tension away. There was no other way to describe it. It was if there was a bug on the table and she flicked it off, sending the pain with it.

I moved my head to either side, the tension completely gone and feeling light. What did you just do?

That meant nothing to me. Do headaches affect you as well?

Her energy signature changed. I was beginning to understand it as a change in her mood.

Before I could reply, the men around me began talking and I knew that I had to go. They were waiting for Kael, and I was the messenger.

Ignoring Nyx, I focused on the task ahead of me.

Please don't kill the messenger. I sent a silent prayer above. Everyone was acting as if this was a big deal. I was too inexperienced to fully comprehend this situation. It made me nervous. I hated not knowing things, it made me feel weak.

After a deep breath, I turned around and made my way towards the large front doors. My feet crunched on the gravel as I made my way from the grass (covered in ash) and up the stone steps where I could hear the familiar music become stronger the closer I got. As I approached the doors, the guards on the outside moved in front of me. I was stepped back in surprise.

The guards of this part of the grounds did not belong to the DeVillanova dukedom. They were royal guards.

I swallowed my nervousness. "I am here to report to Duke Kael Regis DeVillanova."

They looked at my uniform and must have recognised the insignia on the breastplate.

"State your name."

I clasped my hands together to hide the shaking. It was my first time claiming my name to someone outside of the house. The name felt foreign on my tongue.

"Edythe DeVillanova."

Their bodies became stiff as they straightened and stepped to the side. I was surprised by how much the mention of my name made their demeanour change.

Names really did hold power.

Edythe had so much power at her disposal. It really was sad how she wasted it all on the stupid second prince. She could have had a life of luxury. She didn't even need a man.

Who needed anyone's love?

There was a click as the doors opened in front of me, the wind causing the ash to swirl in front of me and land on the pristine red carpet runner.

That's definitely gonna leave a stain.

I almost felt guilty.

As I walked down the large hallway, I noticed the light catch on the architecture above my head. Clearly, someone had hand carved out the ceiling, leaving intricate lines and floral arrangements.

I was curious. Why? They're pretty. They trailed along the ceiling and were also painted into the murals.

Heat crept up my neck and I tried to not let the embarrassment show. Tell me, oh wise one.

It felt as if Nyx was speaking of dirt caught in her shoe.

Our conversation was the only thing keeping me from falling apart. At the end of this hallway I could see the light. I could hear the music.

The closer I got, the more I realised I couldn't stop. If I did, I wouldn't go in.

I was scared.

It was my first time meeting so many people. Who knew how many of these people witnessed Edythe's execution?

Carefully, I continued to move forward until I reached the entrance. Without hesitation, I moved inside and quickly turned to walk along the wall so people wouldn't notice me. I was still physically ten years old, which made it easier for people not to notice me.

By the time I reached a secluded corner, a few people had noticed me. At first they seemed confused, but the moment they recognised the black hair hidden beneath the ash and the red eyes, they backed away.

I must have looked horrific. Clearly the ash wasn't helping. I could only imagine it smudged into my cheeks and how dirty I would've looked right now.

There was no time to react to this. I had a purpose for being here. The sooner I completed it, the sooner I could leave.

Slowly, I began analysing the crowd, searching.

I didn't even have to try. I found him within seconds.

He was in a league of his own.

The crowd parted like the sea, some with fear, others with awe. Not only was he stunning, but his aura was completely menacing.

I watched from the corner of the room as he moved to stand with someone who appeared to know him. It was another man that looked to be in his fifties. His fancy suit meant that he must have been some high ranking noble. Yet, despite the fact that Kael clearly looked younger than him, it was strange to see the trepidation in the older man's face. He was wary.

Everyone was.

It was as if there was a lion in the room and everyone was waiting for it to go on a rampage.

They must have been shocked that he came to the party today after going years without appearing publicly. There were some women that blushed as they walked by. Some were obviously trying to catch his attention, but he didn't even glance their way.

I felt annoyed for some reason.

He really did have it all. The fame. The wealth. The power. The looks.

Clearly Edythe was just a thorn in his side. A stain on his name.

The burning feeling in my chest wouldn't disappear.

Why did he choose to come today? Was it because he wanted to make fun of the fact that I would be outside the whole time, while he enjoyed all the luxuries inside?

Come on. He probably forgets I exist. I sighed. There was no way his coming here today had anything to do with me.

The armour on my body was beginning to feel especially bulky being surrounded by all the women in beautiful sweeping dresses. It was more amazing than I could have imagined.

The marble floors and the music made this place a dreamscape. The beautiful glittering dresses and colourful champagne were all being reflected in the light of the stunning crystal chandeliers than hung down from the ceiling. In the centre of the room, there was dancing. I had no idea what song they were dancing to, but all I could do was stare as they all danced in synchronisation to the music, their dresses fluttering around them as if gravity didn't exist here. The men wore all kinds of suits and formal wear that made Kael's plain dark suit stand out even more. He didn't have to dress up. His presence alone was enough.

"Who are you?"

I jumped and turned to the person behind me. He had dirty blonde hair and wore an elaborate garment of royal blue, decorated with embroidery, gold lacing and other elements I couldn't name.

"Edythe." My reply was automatic. I was too stunned to think properly. In fact, my mind was reeling.

"Guards are not permitted to enter this premises. I could have you stripped of your title."

Who was he to talk so arrogantly? He attitude flipped me back to reality. "I'm not a guard."

His expression became confused. "Your outfit states otherwise. State you purpose for being here before I have you removed."

Surely he was around the same age as me. Ten, possibly eleven, and already so arrogant.

I was stunned. Then I saw his blue eyes. They weren't as bright as I thought they would be, which must have been why I didn't notice them. But there was no denying it.

It was the second prince.

Aster.

Nyx's voice did nothing to detract from the horror that overwhelmed me. There was no avoiding fate.

I had completely forgotten. After being so focused on not dying, I had failed to realise the crucial detail I had known all along.

Edythe fell in love with the second prince when she was ten and attended her first ball.

How old was this body now? My blood turned to ice.

I was ten.

This was it. The moment etched into Edythe's history. The moment I had been hoping to avoid.

His eyes widened slightly after I ran a hand through my hair in frustration, pulling it away from my face.

"Your eyes," He whispered. "They're red."

I really hated myself right now. In fact, I was mega pissed off.

"And your eyes are blue. Congratulations, we both know our colours." The sarcasm in my voice was unmistakable.

I saw his mouth drop open. Apparently people didn't speak to him like this that often.

Whatever. I didn't care. In fact, I hope he hated me. At least that way we would never be tied together like in the novel.

It was only when I heard the gasps around me that I realised we had an audience. Of course people would be taking note of where the second prince was. All the nobility would be trying to suck up to him at every opportunity. That meant the moment he came over to speak to me, everyone near us would have been watching him.

Which meant they would have heard exactly what I said.

Fu-

"Edythe, come with me."

Before I could understand the request, something had grabbed my hand and was pulling me away.

As I looked back, I saw the confused look on the second prince's face.

I would have tried to rip my hand away, if not for the fact that it was in an iron-like grip and belonged to the only person I feared in this room.

Kael.

It was strange looking back at the second prince from my own eyes. There was no heart-stopping moment as depicted in the novel. There was no dress. Rather, Edythe was clad in armour and being pulled away by a demon.

There was no time to react as he came to an abrupt halt. We were a few metres away from the prince now. I glanced up at Kael. His cool demeanour never changed.

He looked completely composed. Without hesitation, he tugged on my hand, bringing me closer to his side as he addressed the prince. "Excuse me for my rudeness, Your Highness. But there are urgent matters that my daughter and I must attend to outside."

My ears rang.

Had I just heard him correctly? His words had flowed so naturally that I almost would have missed it. There's no way...

Had he really just called me his daughter?

I couldn't believe it. It couldn't be real.

He had never once called Edythe his daughter in the novel.

Why now?

I didn't even have time to process this monumental event before darkness began to swirl at our feet.

People stepped back in shock and I watched the second prince's stunned face fade away as we disappeared in a sea of darkness.