Evmor: The Calling

Chapter 18

Chapter 18 (one of my personal favorties) is here, as promised. Enjoy :)

Chapter 18

I stuck close to Killian whenever I could, afraid to be left alone in this crowd of strangers. Everyone walked by dropping curious glances; some were innocent inquisitiveness, others more hostile.

“Drink?” Killian offered me the glass of sizzling pink liquid. I held it gingerly between my fingers and sniffed at it experimentally. Laughing at my reaction, Killian assured me it was safe. Staring distrustfully at the drink in my hand, I took a tiny little sip.

I was suddenly flooded with the taste of fresh fruits, and exotic ones too: orange, mango, with a touch of pineapple. It also surprisingly tasted like the soft drinks at home. Making a sound of approval, I took a bigger sip, only to be stopped by Killian.

“Evmorian drinks tend to be a little…intoxicating to those unaccustomed to it.” He explained, tugging on the glass in my hand. I passed it over to him without complaint, not wanting to end up drunk on an occasion like this.

“I thought it was safe.” I grumbled.

“It isn’t necessarily dangerous.” He countered back easily.

Weaving through the mass of moving bodies, I couldn’t help but be flooded with gratitude at Killian’s presence next to me. He guided me through every person and table, making sure to catch me if I tripped.

“Thank god you’re here.” I murmured under my breath.

“I know.” Killian answered, shooting me a cheeky grin. I couldn’t help but notice the way the corners of his eyes crinkled a little bit, notice that one side of his lips pulled up slightly higher than the other, how the smile made him look younger and innocent, like a boy. Snapping out of my reverie I punched him on the shoulder.

The two of us roamed through the ballroom undisturbed, until two people stepped up in front of us unexpectedly. They were one of the few who didn’t bother to wear a mask tonight. One of the men was quite tall, inhumanly tall, and looked like he was made of pure muscle. He had a shocking mass of purple curls that framed his face, bringing my gaze to his eyes that were two orbs of deep black. He offered me a crooked grin, showing razor sharp teeth. I attempted to return a smile, which turned out to be more of a grimace.

To his side was another man; he was shorter and leaner, with intelligent eyes the color of the deep ocean. His hair was as bright as the snow outside, although his face was unlined and everything about him seemed young. But I knew appearances in Evmor could be very misleading.

“My lady.” They said in unison, bowing low before me. The tall man had a voice like rocks scraping against each other, while the other’s was musical and soothing. I refrained from taking a surprised step back from such formality. Killian offered them an acknowledging nod and I followed.

“I am Vilmos Moriconi, and this is my partner Raul Yourdon,” said the man with shocking white hair.

“A pleasure to meet you.” I responded, trying to make this conversation as brief as possible. I wasn’t sure if I could deal with a long exchange.

“You are quite stunning tonight, my lady.” Vilmos commented so casually, as if he did that every other day. I wasn’t sure how to reply to a compliment like that. I was saved from having to when he offered me his hand. “Will you honor me with a dance?”

I looked uncertainly at Killian, unsure if it was all right to accept this invitation. His expression was guarded and curious, trying to puzzle out what the two men’s intent was. Reluctantly, he met my eyes and nodded.