Underground Royals

2

"Don't tell me you forgot about it..." He drawls, sarcasm dripping from his voice. "Perhaps you should go buy a dress?" He suggests, feigning kindness, but the smirk on his lips gave him away. "You could go with Daemon. Lilith mentioned wanting to get him out of her hair so she could focus on preparations for the ball."

A light blush taints my cheeks as I nod and leave the room to phone him, calling out a quick goodbye to my uncle. Daemon and I have been getting suggestive comments all our lives, but I'll never get used to our families' not-so-subtle attempts at setting us up. Nonetheless, he was one of my favourite people and I called him immediately.

"Daemon guess what!" I whisper-scream into the phone the moment he answers.

"Belly, what's up?" He asks excitedly. Normally I would've rolled my eyes at the nickname, but when he said it I didn't mind so much, more importantly I had cooler things to tell him.

"I'm coming to Rubion!"

"No way! Belly this is great!" He almost squeals. "You'll be with Celest and Thorne and Orion and I and you can join the archery team and help me with all my assessments and-"

"Yes yes I know! It's perfect!" I cut him off, laughing into the phone. That boy could talk forever if you let him. "Oh also, do you want to come shopping with me?" I ask, tentatively.

"Now?" He scoffs, though his voice betrays his happiness.

"I may or may not have forgotten about the Christmas ball..." I admit, feeling shame creep up the back of my neck in red splotches.

"Isn't that Celest's job? If you didn't notice I'm not exactly the epitome of female fashion..." He jokes. If he was here with me I would have shoved him, but instead I had to settle for a dignified huff.

"She only comes back from Greece tomorrow so you'll just have to do as her replacement. Anyway I heard from your mother that you are quite the stylist, wasn't it you who selected her last Christmas outfit?" I tease. "I think I might be getting someone better than Celest..." I finish, a Cheshire cat worthy smile plastered to my face. He fell silent in what I can only presume was embarrassment and I could almost see the red invading his pale cheeks.

"Yeah yeah ok enough of that, I'll be at your house in a bit?" He rushes, and I wonder just how flustered the comment had made him. I hear another voice in the background, presumably Mr Wraith. "Oh and Father's gonna pop by too! Said he wants to talk to Alfred about business."

"Perfect! See you soon Daemy!" I coo into the phone for good measure - just to get back at him, obviously.

"You best get ready! You certainly can't leave the house in your current state!" My uncle calls.

I groan as loudly as possible, hoping the sound would reach him. "By the way, Mr Wraith is coming, he wants to talk to you! Says it's business!" This time it's his turn to groan.

The Wraiths have always been a close family friend of the Sterlings and for as long as I can remember Daemon and I have been friends. I'd like to say that we were forced into our friendship, but from the moment we were born we hit it off. We had other friends too, mostly from high society, and more importantly, underground royalty. Celestria Hall for example, my best friend and one of few girls in our close knit circle. Thorne Lockington, who was practically my brother since his mum, who had been my mum's best friend, stepped in when she passed away giving birth to me. And, Orion Dalton, Daemon's best friend, though there are others too.

Our families have always been connected, through their "unique" business. We are all the young heirs to our houses' estates, fortunes and prestige. But we are also the royals of an underground world of crime, gangs, cartels and power. Together our families have controlled the underground and through it, the surface, seamlessly ruling the streets with iron fists and influencing politics in their favour. As their children, we are trained to be able to navigate both sides of our futures - high society and the dangerous world that lies within it.