Revealed (Book 2)

Chapter 14- Ball 2

Athena POV...

Our dance was cut short when King Zapphire decided he wanted a dance with me, "May I have the pleasure?"

"Of course," I said, Marcus, handed me over to him before looking over at me to ensure I was genuinely okay with him dancing with me, I nodded my head where Zapphire took my hand and then kissed it.

"Just in case he gets aggressive with you, I'm ready to attack." 

"You look beautiful."

"Thank you, you don't look too ugly yourself," I said, smirking. I could see through the corner of my eyes that others were starting to join us on the floor, and Marcus was uncomfortable.

"You do know that I cannot allow Brittney to be your Royal Advisor; you should pick someone else," he says looking around the room before looking back down on me.

"Why would I want to do that?" I ask, pretending to be clueless.

"Because she is not of noble descent, only people who are from nobble decent can only be your advisor. You would know that if you read through our rules."

"I studied your history right before I came here, read your stupid laws all one thousand of them I know about your fathers, father, father, and trust me I'm not impressed too much testosterone to prove who's more of a man."

"What's your point?" He asks, "And what have you learned?" He asks me.

"Well, I've learned that you are the most cunning of all of them."

"How so?" He asks me.

"If you want to hide the truth, hide it in books," his grip on me got tighter.

"What are you talking about?" He asks.

"You know exactly, what I'm talking about, you will appoint her as my Royal Advisor, or I will let everyone know who Brittney is, you can take those books and burn them for all I care because I already have copies, that way I will let everyone know that she is more than just a noble person she is royal," on cue the music stopped, and everyone clapped their hand. 

He looked at me with hateful eyes, "fine, but you will not win this battle," he whispered to me before walking away.

Alechimus joined my side, "You need to tell Brittney," I looked for her in the crowd, but for one second, I couldn't because she was still dancing with Micheal, she looked happy, and that was the happiness that she deserves.

"Not tonight, she happy, actually happy, and she deserves this."

My head started to throb, "What's going on inside my head?" I mumbled to myself.

Marcus walked over to me, "Is everything okay?" he asks me, "My father left in quite a hurry."

"Yes, he uh... needed to go somewhere," I groaned in pain, "Something is wrong Marcus I need to get out of here just to breathe."

I massaged my temples and exhaled. I walked through the crowd and rubbed my ruby necklace. I needed to be away from the crowd. I needed to be away from this scenery. I felt like I was suffocating.

I walked through a doorway that led into the hall, I finally escaped the annoying sound of violin and harp, with chatters of people of past drama's resurfacing and the elderly in a corner gossiping and pointing.

"Couldn't take it either?" Viperine asked with amusement in her voice.

"No, I couldn't," I ran my hand through Alec's fur, "You can go for now. I'll call you if there's any trouble." 

He looked at me before nodding his head, he leaped through the window before transforming into a hawk.

"Follow me," she looked back, "where's your wolf?"

"I told him to go."

"You talk to animals now, mmm."

I was hesitant at first but still followed behind her. Her hair was straight with grey and purple highlights, she was wearing a long glittered sweetheart neckline sleeveless silver dress paired with rhinestones platform high heels, with purple gloves.

"Like what you see?" I could hear the laughter in her voice as we walk down the hallway.

"Don't flatter yourself."

We went up some spiral stairs, but it felt like the further we went, it felt like we were going back in time, the walls were covered in wallpaper that was mildew and falling apart, to the right was a grandfather clock, and to the left of the grandfather clock was a rocking chair facing the window, near to the rocking chair were two cribs side by side, one pink and the other painted in blue.

"This was where she gave birth to both of us," she said as she stared out in space.

"Huh?" I ask

"Our mother."

"Wh... What happened to her," I stuttered.

"Me," she said in a cold voice.

"She died giving birth to you," I summed up.

"Your half right, my father told me that when she was pregnant with me, he didn't believe that I would survive because there were moments when she fainted or just became ill, but the truth was my powers were maturing will I was in her womb, follow me."

We walked down further into the room, she switched on the lights that were somewhere near her when a portrait of a beautiful blonde headed woman came to life.

"Her name was Nestaria, it meant angel of the day, she was my father's mate," she was staring mesmerized, "And funny or not my father's name meant devil of the night."

"She looks just like-"

"Marcus, they look almost like twins," she signaled for me to follow her, "There's something else I want to show you."

I followed behind her. We were still in a tattered nursery, I looked at the toys they both use to play with, covered in dust and cobwebs, until she stopped in front of a green door.

When she opened the door the scenery that welcomed me was something I wasn't expecting.

The room was filled with snakes what seemed like every kind, she reached down into one of the glass terrarium and took out a black snake, "this is called the black mamba the most poisonous snake in the world," she held it as if she was like any other pet, the snake wrapped itself around her hand and nestled itself in the palm of her gloved hand as if it has been longing to see her.

The snake started hissing after me as if it was ready to launch itself after me. She patted it's head, "No, no, no that's not how we treat guests, and you know that," she said to the snake before she placed it back into its habitat at the same time a gust of wind blew slamming the door lock behind me.

"Do you want to know what type of powers I have, Athena?" She didn't wait for my response. Instead, she started to take off the glove finger by finger, "Originally I was supposed to be named Alexis, but after what I did to my mother they named me Viperine-"

"But it's not your fault," I said.

"Even when I was in the womb I showed unique quality than what your mate could ever grasp, I have a snake-like instinct except, the toxins that are in my body can produce are more lethal damage, I know you've been told you that it has to do with the family tree and all that bullshit some of it is true."

She pulled her gaze away from her bare hand and looked at me, "don't worry I can't read people's mind like Micheal but instead the toxin flows to the brain causing your mind to become vulnerable so I can then read your mind, don't worry the only side effects is that your brain will become porridge, but that okay at least I'll know what you're hiding from everyone," She said before she took off the next gloves.

"What do you want to know?" I asked as I took a step back towards the door, "I will tell you willingly."

I took in a heavy breath of air as she ran her hand across my skin, and all I could feel was the burning sensation and the smell of my skin sizzling and burning before my eyes rolled to the back of my head.