Elven Legacy

Chapter 97

Viper

The imperial ballroom had been decked out for the big fancy night. Their savior from another world was finally here in the flesh – you just wouldn't want to miss that party.

Imxi's decorator was pretty much a one trick pony. They'd played it safe tonight with a demonic theme – tapestries of famous wielders, demons, and scenes from the legend of Kespeon and Sunyi; torches galore in wall brackets, bearing magic-altered black flames that cast an eerie purple-gray light over the ballroom; candelabras hanging lavishly from the high ceiling, every small candle emanating its tiny black flame.

So, looked like everyone had showed up.

First you had Imxi and Undreen, prancing about the dance floor in their most glamorous clothes, looking merry enough to make you want to throw up.

Give me a break, you're happy for them and you know it. Don't be that bitch.

Then you had Master Juna of course, who'd brought along a right little army of Academy teachers and pupils. They sipped wine and conversed in a corner.

Every mercenary worth the title had been invited, as well as Imxi's imperial consuls, her imperial advisors – pretty much anyone in her staff whose title started with 'imperial' was present.

At one end of the room, behind where Viper stood, a musician played the giant harp on a raised marble stage. And all around the dance floor, big ornate vases in alcoves spilled out amaryllis, roses, hydrangeas and lavender. Yeah, Imxi was really into vases. And flowers.

Viper jerked up a hand, and a waiter swept by with his platter, from which she plucked a glass of sparkling wine. He smiled at her, oozing professionalism, and went about his job. Imxi's servants were A-game.

Last but certainly not least, you had the star of the show, the Demon Queen herself. She stood by the floor-to-ceiling tapestries at the other end of the ballroom, an array of eager wielders pressing around her, probably asking question after dumb question. Viper stood too far away to discern the expression on her face.

Viper drank her wine with one hand, and with the other she scratched Berserker's large tawny ears. His lids lolled down with appreciation.

"Yeah, you like that, don't you," she cooed, before sipping more wine. It wasn't her first, either. She was, possibly, slightly drunk. "Maybe I should eat something, what do you think?"

Berserker looked up at her, angling his head, tail wagging excitedly from side to side; he knew she'd share some of her food with him.

"Come on," she said conspiratorially, and together they prowled over to the buffet.

Having your demon out and about was pretty common at these events, so no one spared Viper's jackal a second glance. Her outfit, though, got some stares. Some appreciative, some disapproving. Not that she cared. In fact, she welcomed the staring. That was kind of the point, wasn't it?

If she was going to dress up fancy, go big or go home was usually her motto.

Viper wore a long black dress with high heels to match. The dress had slits on both sides, so you could see the black marks snaking round her legs like vines. Viper knew she'd collected more marks than most wielders her age, and she wore them proudly. Also, the garment had a plunging neckline to below her navel, around which she had several piercings. Might as well show those off too, while she was at it.

She had a flat chest, and she used to get mocked for it back at the Academy. Now she owned it. This dress sure as hell looked damn good on her. She'd added deep plum lipstick and metallic powders on her eyelids for good measure. As a final flourish, her hair was pinned up and she had Black Kiss perched atop her shoulder, occasionally darting about and tickling her neck with his sting tail. Her scorpion happened to enjoy people-watching, despite being nearly blind. Hey, to each his own.