Chapter 92

Chapter92

-Vera-

After we finished setting up in the cabin, we all get ready for dinner. Thankfully, I had been warned about the dress code before-hand so it gave me a chance to pack up some dresses.

The dress I''m wearing is a ck, fitted dress which represents my mood perfectly. It has an off shoulder sleeve and a slit on one of my legs. The jewelry is minimal; I brought along some emerald earrings that match the ne Dr. Owens gave me, which I never take off. When I walk out of my room, all the men are already waiting for me dressed up in their formal wear; when approach them, they all turn to look at me up and down.

No one says a word.

I raise an eyebrow at them.

"Will this be a problem?" Eli asks Caleb and William who are almost gaping at me at this point.

"No, probably not, at least I don''t..." William begins.

"It most definitely will be a problem," Caleb interrupts him, sounding amused.

"Perfect, let''s go," Eli says, offering me his arm for support.

I gratefully snake my arm on his and we walk to the main house.

When we reach the doors that lead to the dining room, the hairs all over my body rise in awareness. Without looking, I know Noah is in there. As the doors open, I catch a whiff of his scent and to my surprise, when the room is revealed, he is already looking directly my way.

All of my body is on fire just by his stare; I can''t take my eyes off of him, and he''s having a hard time taking his eyes off of me.

I know they say distance makes the heart grow fonder but this is on another level. Only one day apart and we''re both nning on jumping on this table right here, right now. Soon, I''m sitting on a chair at the far end of the tabl ay from him; I didn''t even realize we were still moving when I saw him. For me, it''s as if time had stopped. Someone clears their throat loudly, drawing my attention. It''s Cecil.

I look down at my hands, embarrassed. I''m sure everyone knows what Noah and I are thinking right no

"As I was saying," I didn''t realize she was speaking, "it is the honor of this manor to host His Royal Highness and his party," she pauses, looking at me, "well, most of it anyway," she says quietly, "so cheers! May this be the beginning of a lovely and *long* rtionship between our families!"

She raises her ss and everyone raises theirs to cheers.

I can''t stomach it. In fact, I''m going to have a hard time eating any of the food with the thoughts I have on my mind; I''m sure Noah is feeling the same way. Ever since I walked in here, the air has be electrified.

Suddenly, after the first course is done, the doors open dramatically, interrupting my thoughts and drawing everyone''s attention. Behind them, a beautiful young woman enters, escorted by none other than Jeremy. She has beautiful long, blonde hair and stunning blue eyes. Her rosy cheeks and colored lips are very clearly the result of makeup, but it was tastefully done. Her jewelry is dainty, modest even, and her dress is like a ball gown.

"Ah, my dear, dear child! Alwayste to dinner after tending to the help''s meals. Your Highness, "Cecil gets up and walks towards her daughter. "may I introduce to you my daughter and future Queen, Violet."

Violet bows gracefully and everyone is holding their breath, waiting for Noah''s reaction.

I don''t turn to look at him like everyone else, I''m looking straight at her, not removing my eyes for a second.

My ears are ringing.

I narrow my eyes at her, though no one is watching.

It''s incredibly faint, but there is undoubtedly the presence of magic here, and I''m sure it''sing from her.

Could she be a witch too? Could her powers be dormant like mine were?

As far as I''m concerned, both of her parents are lycan.

Unless...

I turn to look at the decoration within the room which hosts arge portrait of the family. I specifically focus on the portrait of the father and startparing features. The only possible exnation for this, at the moment, is that her father was not in fact lycan. Maybe Queen Cecil is not as innocent as she''d like to pretend.

When I turn back to Violet and Cecil, they are both staring at me.

In fact, everyone is staring at me. It takes me by surprise and I gulp.

Could it be that they noticed meparing the features of Violet and her supposed father?

Then, as if being called, I turn to Noah who is looking intently at me.

I see...

These past months we have noticed that Noah has also be quite attuned to my emotions, even if I offer no external hint of them. He probably felt my uneasiness and turned to me to see if everything was fine.

I nod my head with a smile, letting him know everything is fine, and this dinner nonsense can continue.

Noah stands up, courteous, and nods his head in Violet''s direction.

"Very nice to meet you, Lady Violet," he says, very uninterested.

I notice Violet and Cecil exchange a look; Violet one of panic, and Cecil''s one of anger.

She quickly nces my way and I can''t help but smirk.

Now this is something that deserves a toast.

I lightly lift my cup towards her and smile at her, perhaps a little too sweetly.

She''s nearly turning red in anger.

I don''t really know what her n was, but I''m sure it involved Noah swooning over her daughter who is indeed very beautiful.

Cecil and Violet move to sit next to Noah.

The rest of the dinner proceeds as expected; Cecil and Violet trying to woo Noah who simply nods and smiles at everything they say,pletely unamused. Cecil and Violet take turns to throw daggers my way, as I happily drink and chat the night away. "So, Vera, what was that stink eye you were throwing Violet? A little jealous perhaps?" Eli says.

"You wish, old man," I sip on my wine, "remember I told you that whenever *that* is around, I can sense it? My ears ring and all?"

"Sure."

"Well, there was ringing."

Caleb and Eli stare at me, turning serious.

"Don''t worry about it, it''s very faint, I don''t think it''ll be a problem, but the thought did cross my mind that maybe Cecil is hiding a few things from us."

"And you''re sure it wasing from her?" Caleb asks, almost whispering.

I lean close to him, melodramatically.

"I''m positive."

They both lean back on their chairs, deep in thought. I finish my wine and decide it''s been enough for me for the night. I have a slight buzz that I''m sure will help me sleep in that horrendous cabin.

"Oh friends! How are you enjoying your night?" Williames sit with us, avoiding all the chatter amongst the guests which include several of his cousins, nephews, and uncles. It''s clear he''s also been drinking, perhaps a little heavier than I. "William," Caleb nods, icy.

"What''s going on?"

"Well, where to start? Lucas had to volunteer to guard one of the gates because this manor doesn''t have enough soldiers, if you can even consider these teenagers that, and you, *friend* are a lying piece of shit." Eli says, downing his drink in one gulp. "I- I don''t understand. What''s going on?"N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

William is genuinely taken aback by the usation.

"Vera''s ears were ringing." Caleb exins in a whisper.

It really is enough of an exnation.

"Wait, wait wait wait. We don''t know for sure if that means anything, right? I mean, this is my family, they would never..."

William turns to me, helplessly.

I shrug.

"Sorry, it means exactly what they''re implying."

"I''m sure there''s an exnation for this, I''ll get to the bottom of this, I swear."

"What we are saying, William, is that this is already apromising position we are in, deceiving these families, on top of being at a heavily under protected location where one of us even has to take up *guard shifts* and *you* couldn''t warn us about any of it. And now there''s magic here? I will advise Noah we leave tomorrow, damn this Council n, youzy bastards can''t even do your due diligence," Caleb says, standing up abruptly and excusing himself, "Your Highness," he bows to Noah before leaving, not waiting to be dismissed.

Noah frowns, staring at me looking for any hint of what happened. I shake my head in response; it''s not worth getting into right now.

The night passes by slowly, Eli and I keep chatting while William sits with us looking sober and guilty.

"Vera," I hear Noah call me after a while, interrupting my conversation with Eli.

I perk up at the sound of his voice.

"Come sit next to me," he says.

I hesitate for a moment, but the hostile look on Cecil''s face encourages me toe closer. Boy is she about to have a rude awakening if she thinks she can intimidate me like this.

"Your Highness," I bow in front of him before taking the seat he''s offering, knowing damn well the effect it will have on him, "Queen Cecil here was wondering how a *wolf* could help us defeat Alistair."

"Oh, I could walk you through how I killed him, but I''m sure it would be much too gruesome for your liking. Queen."

I smile sweetly at her, shock briefly crossing her expression.

"Your Highness, I was under the impression that you killed the false King." Violet says.

"Oh no, I was incapacitated by a witch. Vera took him out."

Violet gulps, not daring to look my way as I''m sure she feels my stare burrowing on the side of her face.

"Which is why, witches are not weed in this Kingdom. Any trace of any use of magic is punishable by death." I dere.

Noah briefly nces my way, but dares not toment. Of course, this isn''t true otherwise I''d be the first to be put to death, but I smell a rat and this might help flush it out. Violet instantly turns to look at her mother, who is staring at me defiantly; Violet''s reaction confirms my suspicion. Something is indeed up with these two.

"Uhm... I, Your Highness, I''m terribly sorry but I am not feeling well all of a sudden, if you''ll excuse me." Violet says, curtseying and leaving in a hurry.

I watch her run out of the room as I casually take a sip off of Noah''s wine ss. He watches amused while Cecil is, without a doubt, nning my murder.