Twisted Love

Chapter 8

Kai was scheduled to meet Queen Levana during the afternoon the next day, and he was not happy about it. He tried not to let the emotion show, however, because he knew that his father would give him a serious lecture about it later. That may or may not be even worse than spending an entire day with Levana.

Well, no. Not really.

Levana's presence will always be the worst.

Kai and Rikan step into Levana's bedchamber, which Kai would preferably call his torture chamber, and come face to face, or rather face to cloth, with the queen. Her face is covered with that ever present veil, preventing them, or anyone, from seeing her actual face. The only thing that's visible through the veil are her garishly dark painted, blood red lips. They're curved into a smile that resembles an evil sneer. He shudders at the sight.

Levana sweeps her arms out, as if mocking a greeting, almost knocking over the glass flower vase sitting on her bedside table uselessly. The emperor and his son step forward, and Kai couldn't help but feel like a mouse walking into a cat's trap. His father, on the other hand, shows no discomfort. Instead, a wide, almost genuine smile is plastered across his face.

Fake.

"Welcome," Levana says, her voice uncomfortably soothing and musical. Kai feels himself leaning towards her unintentionally, but coughs and draws away just as he realizes what is happening to him. Levana's lips curl into a creepy, knowing smile, and she lets her arms drop. Emperor Rikan dips his head in greeting.

"Queen Levana," he addresses her, voice dripping with enthusiasm. "Welcome to the Commonwealth's palace." He shoots a side glance at Kai, signalling his turn. Kai startles, stumbling over the first few words.

"Um... my queen, are you -would you like to... get a tour around the palace?" he manages to squeak out. His father's eyes roll to the atmosphere in annoyance and embarrassment. Levana, however, shows no immediate reaction. Instead, she slowly unfolds herself from her big, soft and luxurious chair, her strange white dress pooling around the floor in a long train behind her.

"Of course," she purrs, taking Kai's shaky, outstretched arm. He almost recoils at her cold, lifeless touch. Levana nods at Rikan, veil rippling. He bows back, and that's when Kai realizes that now his father has left him alone with the awful creature. It would be a miracle if he survived.

With a snap of her fingers, two of her guards flank her. One is an everyday Lunar, with slick brown hair and piercing hazel eyes. He glares at Kai with an unnatural smirk. Kai averts his gaze and sweeps to the other guard. It's a hybrid. He has green eyes and tan skin, dark brown unruly hair.

His arm muscles look ready to burst from his shirt, and his teeth are slightly sharper than normal. But surprisingly, he looks in control of his own thoughts. This gives Kai a slight comfort.

"Shall we?" Levana asks, gesturing to the door, snapping him out of his stupor. Dazed, he glances towards the door, dipping his head into a slight nod.

Before he could move, Levana was already out the door, her arm dragging him along, making him feel awkward and uncomfortable. As soon as they were in the hallway, Levana looked around to make sure there was no one within earshot. She turned to Kai. "Now, I've heard rumors that you have your sights set on a specific girl already? Tell me, what is her name? I think I should like to make her acquaintance."

Kai frowned. "If you're talking about Miss Linh, then you must know that she was my first date, and that I like her a great deal. But I believe it is still quite early in the Selection to be making any final decisions, Your Majesty."

"So tell me about this Miss Linh of whom you speak so highly."

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty, but I cannot give you any more information on the lady. It is her privacy, and we must not intrude upon it. Besides, it is nothing of your concern."
Levana curled her lips into a smirk. 

"Hit a soft spot, did we? But my dear prince, I would love to know about the young lady who has already captured the heart of the prince, despite it being her second day here."

"It is nothing of your concern, Your Majesty!" Kai huffed in frustration. "Might we start on this tour, Your Majesty?"

"Of course, my dear prince. But in the meantime, I have another proposal for you. Are you fully confident you would find the right princess in this Selection, Kaito?"

Kai shrugged, mind wandering to Cinder. "I would certainly hope to do so, Your Majesty. Here is the ballroom, by the way." He pushed open the heavy double doors to reveal them standing at the top of a tall staircase. Below them was a truly magnificent room. A beautiful diamond chandelier hung from the ceiling.

"Ah, the rumors don't do this room justice. But you haven't heard my entire proposal yet, dear prince. Suppose you don't find anyone at this Selection. What then?"

Kai glared at Levana. "The Selection goes as long as I take to fall in love." He turned down a corridor. "This here, is the throne room, but as my father is in there, we will not disturb him." He made to turn again, but was stopped by a cold hand on his shoulder.

"Would you like another way out, my dear prince?" Kai promptly turned pale at Levana's sick, sugary voice. "Would you marry me? It would also serve as the alliance Luna and Commonwealth has been searching for for the past two decades. Since the reign of my parents, my dear sister Channary, and now it is thirteen years into my reign. Oh, how proud of me they will be." Levana smirked at Kai, whose face had turned deathly pale, then flamed all at once.

"I will never marry you!" Kai spat. "Trust me when I say that I will find my princess at the Selection. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go and make sure my ladies are comfortable. Just turn right at that corridor, and make your way up the stairs to the fifth floor. That would be the guest wing for Lunars." With another bow, Kai promptly turned and walked the other down the corridor.

"Consider my offer, dear!" Levana called. With a growing smirk, she walked down the hall according to Kai's instructions and retired. The young prince was not that great at concealing his emotions, truly. Levana could tell that Kai had already fallen in love with this Miss Linh. She looked too much like Channary for Levana's liking, really. But the only other person that looks like that besides the late queen herself was her daughter, Selene. But Levana had made sure that the girl died. Thirteen years ago. She would've made a pretty sixteen-year-old princess, but no doubt spoiled like her mother. It was a good thing she wasn't alive.

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