Light of Stars [2]

Chapter Forty-Four

♕ Blissful Ignorance ♕

As they made their way back into the ballroom Aubrette realized the music had changed, the laughter had stopped, and no sounds but the soft chatter of the crowd remained, no more feet tapping against the dance floor, or raging fire lighting every corner of the walls.

She had stopped and changed her clothes, tried to look the part she was to play, and Dorian had barely been able too look at her as she'd stepped out of the room, having make him wait for her in the hall. The black glittery dress trailed on the floor, the sheer fabric covering most of her skin, its sleeves ending in triangles at her hands. She had braided her hair out of her face as best as she could, but there hadn't been anything she could do for the dark circles under her eyes, or the faded misplaced look on them.

Dorian had stared at her for a long while, meeting her eyes for longer, and then had placed his hands in his pockets before walking beside her downstairs.

When they entered the ballroom she was surprised to see Bren sitting in a chair, a half empty cup of wine in front of him. Rows of chairs at both sides of the room had been placed, people sitting or standing from outside the room to get a glimpse inside. If she was to guess she would assume the whole manor was filled with stranger eyes trying to get a look at Phoenix.

"Black looks good on you" Dorian said, as they approached the table.

"I agree" she said her hands caressing the fabric of the dress. "Its a family thing I guess" she said. "You do too" the words slipped out of her, a soft blush covering her cheeks.

"What?" He asked confused.

"Look good in black" she explained, her eyes staring down to his clothes.

He grinned. "Thank you"

"So" she started. "Who are all of this people?"

Dorian shrugged. "People from around Infernum, some from down in the Hollow. Anyone can really come. They have to accept Phoenix for her to complete the shift. You'll see."

"Dorian" the voice sent a shiver down her spine. A voice deep enough to belong under the cover of shadows. Both turned, Belial standing behind them, his hands displayed towards them, marks running up both of them. Dorian looked up.

"Belial" he said.

"You skipped the celebration. Left your sister alone for it all." He said, arching his right brow, before turning to look at her. "As did you."

"As did you, your majesty" Dorian corrected him. Aubrette let her eyes glow, Belial placed a smile on his face but did not speak to her as he turned to Dorian once more.

"So this is what you've been doing instead of fulfilling your responsibilities to the city, mixing up with some traitorous child that left the rule of her mother and calls herself Queen." He laughed, placing a hand in Dorian's chest. Aubrette took a deep breath. Steeping forward, right in between them. Belial's eyes falling on her.

"I think you really should reconsider what you were about to do" Aubrette said. "I'd be a pity if Phoenix's day was tainted by you losing a hand"

"And who exactly do you think you..."

Aubrette placed all of her blessing on her hand, wrapping her fingers around his wrist and pulling it away from Dorians shoulder. Belial's eyes widening as he felt his own skin burning.

"You know exactly who I am" she said, dropping his hand.

Belial turned to her and stepped back. His eyes turning black.  "Dont ever forget you're no longer in Regno princess"  he said, his voice now barely a whisper. "A lot of people would want you to see disappear into the void, with nothing more than the stars as witnesses. Avoid a war in the process. And between us? Not enough people would care enough about the daughter of shadows death to create riots over it"