Fate of deception

Chapter 33 - Amir's POV

The dim lights flickered, casting long shadows over the ballroom as the masquerade began in earnest. My attention lingered on the woman in the emerald gown atop the grand staircase, her words hanging in the air like a curse: "Let the games begin."

I could feel the tension building, both within me and in the atmosphere surrounding us. The soft clinks of glasses and idle chatter became muffled, overtaken by the subtle shift in the room's energy. Secrets would soon begin to unravel, and I wasn't sure if I was ready for them.

I glanced at her—at her—standing by Layna's side, her brow slightly furrowed, clearly troubled by something. The figure in the deep, blue mask had unsettled her; I could see it in the way she had locked eyes with them. But it wasn't just the stranger's presence that unnerved her—it was something deeper, something that had been eating at her for some time now.

I knew she had questions, but this wasn't the time or place to answer them.

Victor's voice interrupted my thoughts. "A little too quiet tonight, aren't you, Amir?" he said, his tone light but edged with the usual arrogance he never bothered to mask.

Victor was a year older than me. We both went to the same school, it was prestigious and ancient. Victor had always had a rivalry sense. He found me entertaining to compete with. Nothing stopped him from settling away from greed and pride. Those were his weaknesses. Yet, he would never admit to it.

I turned to him, forcing a smile. "Just soaking it all in, Victor. You know how these gatherings are."

Victor smirked, eyes flicking toward the crowd. "Indeed. But I can't help but to feel you're holding something back. You always do, don't you?"

I chuckled softly, even as the warning in his words struck deep. Victor wasn't a fool. He had a way of peeling back layers, and tonight, that was dangerous. "We all wear masks, Victor," I replied, keeping my tone light. "Some just fit better than others."

His eyes narrowed, but he let the remark slide, offering a mock bow before he sauntered off into the crowd, likely searching for his next target. Layna had been right to keep her distance from him. The less time she and Umaizah spent around Victor, the better.

I turned back toward them, only to find them both already walking away, Layna's hand gently guiding Umaizah through the swirling masses of masked guests. Good. They needed to stay close to each other. I'd have to keep my eye on Victor and the others tonight, but for now, they were safer together.

Except, the figure in the deep blue mask still weighed on my mind. That moment when Umaizah had locked eyes with them—the way her body had tensed, the unease in her expression—it was as if she recognized them, or worse, they had recognized her.

I pushed through the crowd, keeping a calm demeanor despite the urgency building inside me. My gaze swept across the ballroom, scanning for any sign of that figure, but they had disappeared. A bad sign. It meant they were moving in the shadows, waiting.

Watching.

I reached the back of the ballroom just as the lights flickered again, the chandeliers casting eerie patterns on the floor. Layna was speaking softly to Umaizah, both of them keeping their distance from the center of the festivities. They were unaware of my approach, and I used the moment to observe them.

Layna was on edge. Her usual calm was fractured, her eyes darting from one corner of the room to the other, constantly scanning. She hadn't said it outright, but I knew she was worried about today—about what might happen once the games began. Layna had seen too much, been involved in too many dangerous schemes, not to be.

Her gaze flickered to me as I approached, her lips tightening slightly. "Victor's already playing his games," she said under her breath, her voice just loud enough for me to hear. "We should be careful."

I nodded. "I know. Stay close to her," I said, my eyes briefly meeting hers—the one I had brought into this world of intrigue and deception without fully explaining its dangers. She didn't yet understand the weight of the night, nor the significance of this masquerade. But she would soon enough.

Layna glanced at her, then back at me. "What about you?"

"I'll keep an eye on Victor. And the others," I replied. There were always others—figures from the past, from dark alliances that lay hidden beneath Serendria's polished exterior. "Just... keep her safe."

Layna's expression softened for a moment, her loyalty to both of us unwavering. "I will."

I watched as they moved toward the edge of the room, closer to the balcony doors that led out into the gardens. I knew Layna would make sure she stayed out of harm's way for now. But I couldn't shake the feeling that something was coming—something I hadn't prepared for.

Victor was one problem, but the figure in the blue mask? That was another entirely. Their presence here was no coincidence. If they were who I thought they might be...

I moved through the room, careful to stay unnoticed as I approached Victor again. He was already engaged in conversation with another guest, his smile wide and false, his eyes always calculating. He hadn't noticed me yet, so I lingered, observing, waiting for the right moment.

But even as I watched him, my mind was elsewhere. My instincts screamed that something was wrong, that the masquerade wasn't just a gathering of nobles and merchants vying for power. Tonight, there was another game being played—one I hadn't accounted for.