Supernova

Chapter Eighty Seven - Blood is Thicker Than Water

To Elias' surprise and disappointment, but not mine, I feel the need to make a point to say, none of my classmates showed up to my coronation party. I was ready to play it off. I told him that they had a test to study for, and besides, it would have been nice to celebrate with them, but I preferred to spend the time with the other Kings and Queens. It would give us a good idea of who we might like to revisit for Coronation Tour. Elias seemed satisfied with that answer, and I was certain it would satisfy our parents. Every bird, one stone.

I was dressed up in a normal dress this time, a black one, one of my own family's colours, the only colour coming from the bracelet at my wrist and the diadem on my head. Because this was a special occasion indeed. You'd think the party would be more fun with a bunch of sixteen- to twenty-five-year-olds, or at the very least more lively, but it wasn't. It was just as boring as every single California party had ever been. I never wished more that I had the ability to get drunk.

The one caveat is that I didn't have to focus on playing nice with the Kings and Heirs or competing with the Queens, because I was already spoken for, and so was everyone else. Affairs were common in our world, yes, but nobody would bother propositioning me here. It was too soon, and this was my own damn party.

I made sure to stay out of the private hallways either way.

I just nursed my ineffective champagne and accepted handshakes and curtsies and made pleasant conversation with the other royals. I was pleasant, but I didn't have to put a lot of energy into it. I already had a reputation for being a chin raiser. Translation: an egotistical asshole. I played into it. Elias did most of the talking, which was fine by me.

An hour into the night, I still hadn't met this Hawks character that had thrown us the party. All I knew about him was that he was a pro hero, his quirk involved wings made up of feathers that he could control individually, and he had an expensive and immaculately decorated penthouse apartment. Which I only knew because that was where the party was being held.

Was it strange that he didn't seem to be here? It was, by monarchy standards, rude and bad form. It might have been excusable if he was planning to make an entrance, but because this was a coronation party for someone else, that would have been worse. I personally didn't care about the rudeness of it. I just cared whether or not it was something to worry about.

I was still mulling it over when Leo and Iliana made their entrance. They hadn't come in through the front door, but instead had emerged from the loft, which had been roped off by red ropes that could have been easily ripped through but were being respected nonetheless. As I tilted my chin to look upon King Claeson and Queen Ragnor standing against the railing of the loft, I had only two thoughts running through my mind. One: Iliana Ragnor was just as exhilarating and breathtaking as I remembered, and two: I had never in my entire life felt smaller.

Iliana's eyes were pure white, and like the blackness of Demon's, or mine sometimes, there was no way to know for sure what she was looking at, but I knew. As I saw her mouth twitch ever so slightly, I knew. She was looking at me.

And her eyes were screaming: I told you so!

I should have let her drown me.

"Welcome everyone," Leo called out from the loft.

Most of the guests had already caught sight of them, but those who hadn't started turning. I looked at Elias. The real one most certainly would have been uncomfortable, would have clutched my arm, would have had some flares of something in his eyes, but this one was just beaming up at his brother, entirely unbothered.

"I am so thrilled all of you could make this event," Leo said, as if anyone in the room would have been able to live with themselves for missing it. "Thank you so much for making time in your busy schedules to help congratulate a very, very special Queen indeed."