The King's Prey (Unedited Edition)

Chapter 4 : Catastrophe

Viridity • [vir-i-dity]
Naive innocence.

🖤

~+~

The crowd erupts into a deafening applause as everyone's eyes automatically find me. I'm sure Jace and Bianca are receiving an equal amount of stares.

"Max!" I whisper-yell at him. Even with the roaring noise, his ears pick up my voice as his head immediately pivots to face me. His face is full of anger—I can only imagine how annoyed Mystery Man has made him—but he quickly realizes what's happening as he backs down from the heated moment and his right hand finds the small of my back.

He exchanges a quick glare with Mystery Man before pulling me through the crowd towards the stairs. But when I find myself looking back for the stranger, he's already disappeared amongst the array of colors. Weird.

I ignore whatever the hell that encounter was as I pick up the front of my dress. Max is careful not to step on the slight train of its material as we make our way carefully towards the stairs. I can feel his eyes glued on me like a hawk as if I'll slip away in an instant. But I know I would feel the same way if a creep decided to stalk my friend. The unnerving feeling about it all is how peculiar Mystery Man acted. Out of the numerous years I've attended the Snow Ball, I've never had an experience quite like that happen before. I shake the feeling, relieved that I'll have a distraction now.

When we finally make it to the bottom of the elegant stairs, Jace and Bianca join us as we ascend their marble stone. I look up to notice our parents are already waiting at the top. Max loops his arm through mine with little effort and helps me up the steps in my flowy gown. I watch my footing, not wanting to embarrass myself in front of thousands of people.

We finally make it to the top as Jace and Bianca split off to stand near their parents and I do the same. Max finds a spot a few feet behind the group, keeping his distance but continuing to do his job.

I try to keep myself composed. With the nauseating feeling of alcohol burning through my stomach and the bright spotlights on my face, it's a very difficult task. Nonetheless, I manage to plaster on a beaming smile for the crowd below. Unfortunately, this is not the first time I've had to put my parent's reputations before my own well-being.

"We want to especially thank these wonderful families for their donations. Without their aid, Mylithia wouldn't be the flourishing kingdom it is today," Queen Lydia says into the microphone.

The crowd roars with applause once again. Cameras go off from every direction, and I try my hardest to keep the tiresome expression on my face. The slightly visible crowd makes my perception wobble even more, but I ignore it as I look over to my parents who are standing proudly next to me.

"We would like to now announce the final amount raised tonight," King Vince declares, taking Queen Lydia's place at the mic.

The crowd silences as a servant walks up to hand him an envelope. King Vince opens the sealed paper to pull out another document. Unfolding the document, I catch a glimpse of the fine print, bestowing the number the audience is waiting to hear. My heart races in my ears as I anticipate the answer to leave his mouth.

I watch King Vince's lips part, preparing to let the words out. But just as quickly as the moment comes, it's lost to sounds of shattering of glass and screams that echo off the walls.

Everything instantaneously becomes a blur as a brisk feeling of air rushes past me until I realize it's because Max has already pulled me several feet away from the ledge of the balcony, far away from our only exit: the stairs. The nausea comes again, like a wave of dread I can't stop. Unconsciously, my hand goes to cover my mouth, refraining myself from releasing the contents of my stomach all over these pristine floors. Max's arms are securely around my torso; he's the only thing keeping me upright at the moment.