Vivian

The bottle of the counter-spell shimmered in the dim light, a striking contrast to the dark, sinister presence of the original spell. A frown tightened over my face before I looked away from the bottles and diverted my mind onto the evening ahead, the only important evening of my life. What was going to happen tonight, was going to change the course of my life.

It could go either way.

"Have this," Callan offered, lengthening his hand out. "You look dull, little witch."

My gaze lowered over the two diamond earrings inside the box. They were breathtaking—delicate, cascading waterfalls of diamond that were crafted beautifully.

"They are stunning but surely expensive. I won't be taking them." I shook my head and closed the box, returning it back to him.

He opened it again and persisted, "Take them."

"You know well what happened to that dress you gave me for the mating ball. I don't want to destroy this as well. These are precious, and they are probably precious to you as well. Don't force me to wear something I'm going to get damaged or worse loose." I explained to him, a hint of guilt in my voice.

His expression softened, but it didn't change his mind. Grabbing my hand, he placed the box in my palm and stepped behind. "Wear them," he whispered while lowering his head closer to me as I shifted toward the mirror in front of me. "I want to take them off later myself. Victory or not, you deserve to feel beautiful and cherished tonight."

My stomach tingled at his words and I couldn't help but smile at him through the reflection in the mirror. I lifted the lid of the box, revealing the pair of delicate diamond earrings. Taking one, I placed them in my ear before grabbing the other one.

"Thank you."

"Don't be," He drew his hands away from my shoulders and rose back up. "Once you're done, come down, and don't forget your mask tonight, little witch."

I nodded as he took steps towards the door. Before I could blink, he was gone and I was left behind in the bedroom. My fingers twirled around the locks of my hair as I stared ahead at myself in the reflection. There was dread filling my eyes by every second, and it wasn't about being caught by Alexandria or being seen by someone from the court, especially my father's family.

It was about the danger I was putting everyone into.

Elijah was right, this night was going to go either of two ways and my faith in myself had faltered after listening to him.

What if I couldn't do this? What if I couldn't break the curse?

I blew out a breath and rose up from my seat, the hair over my back rising at the same time. My hands went around the small coat which I slipped over the dress. It was a stunning black and gold gown with a deep neckline. The fabric was soft, caressing my skin with every movement. I had to blend in with the others, but also hide from everyone.

No one could know I was inside this dress.

The soft fur coat fell over my shoulders, protecting me from the chilly night ahead. I grabbed the mask that rested in the end of the table and held it tight.

It was a lace mask, covering half of my face and leaving my eyes exposed. The feathers on the top curled behind my head, giving me a sense of security and freedom. I could mingle in the crowd with ease, without being ever caught by anyone.

I made it down the stairs without getting my nerves the best of me. My heels clicked on the wooden flooring of the house as I found Callan and Dion standing and pacing around, waiting for me patiently. It took me a while to get ready as most of the time I spent fearing the worse and the rest of the time I tried to fit into the dress they had gotten for me.

It was a little tight on my waist, but I went in after a few tries.

Nothing bad.

"Where's Elijah?" I asked, reaching down.

My eyes wandered around the house, searching for him, but I didn't see him anywhere.

"He left a while ago," Dion shared a quiet glance with Callan before looking at me. There was a bit of surprise in his eyes. I suppose it had to do with the dress I was wearing. "We agreed it would be better if we didn't bombard the ball at the same time."

"Better safe than sorry." Callan stretched his arm, holding his hand out for me.

I bit the inside of my cheek and placed my hand over his. "So, how will I go there?" I asked, feeling a little confused.

It was settled last night that Elijah would take me to the castle. I believed it was more safer if he did as he was someone no one could question or threaten. He had a rule there, and he was a royal.

"You'll come with me," Callan said, a smile growing under the dim lights of the house. "It will be fine. No one's going to find out it's you. Trust me."

"But Alexandria knows that I had seduced you and roped you in. What if—"

"No if's." His rough hand came over my mouth, silencing my words.

"Callan's right. No one's going to find out," Dion agreed with him and nodded. "I'll keep the wolves distracted while you make your entrance into the castle with him. He had had plenty of women in his arms. Trust me, no one's going to question who are you, especially when you're masked."

I glanced at both of them with my brows furrowed. Was this the right idea? Where was Elijah when I needed him? My face turned into a frown quickly. He was letting his feelings come into all of this, just as I expected him to do so.

"We should leave then." I whispered, buttoning my fur coat and wrapping my hand tight around Callan's.

They both nodded at each other before we all headed out at the same time, leaving Elijah's house at last. Maybe this was the end of it all. I couldn't begin to imagine what I was going to do with my freedom once the curse was broken. There were a hundred things. I wasn't sure even about one.

My heart thumped at an erratic beat as Callan pulled his car out while Dion remained in the other car, waiting for us to get on the road before he did. We didn't want to raise any suspicions.

Fear crept inside me and I bit the inside of my cheek harder as we began approaching the city, the city of creatures. I clutched Callan's hand tightly, seeking comfort and reassurance. He too had worry smeared over his face. We were heading into something we weren't completely sure about. Neither of us was.

"Put on your mask and steer clear of any other night-eaters in the ballroom. They can read your mind." He reminded me while drawing his hand away from mine.

My fingers reached for the mask over my lap and I placed it over my face before tying it behind my head. A few strands of hair tangled along with the knot, but I didn't care much. I wanted to break the curse—or find a way to break it before leaving.

That was all.

"You can't read my mind," I said quietly while fixing the mask and ensuring the feathers weren't going to poke my eyes out. "What if other night-eaters can't either?"

He had a confused look on his face before he shrugged. "That could be possible. But still, be safe."

"I will be." My hand went around his again, and he squeezed it tightly while holding the steering wheel in the other hand.

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