"Queens and commoners, princes and peasants, welcome to the party of the quincentury!"
For most people, receiving an invitation to the White King's Masquerade is an honor. Even attempting to attend is a chance to go down in history. But for Sol of M...
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I turned to Syrion but he was already making his way to where Asriel was talking animatedly with Nero, map in hand.
Picking, my way through the activity, I headed for the Isle of Semele tower. Ciel was already there, standing beside the fountain.
"Hey," I said, hugging him from behind.
"Hey, stranger," he smiled back, "where have you been?"
"Syrion showed me Asriel's observatory. It's beautiful-" I began.
"You were with Prince Syrion," he said, suddenly, turning round to face me.
"Yes?" I replied, brow furrowed.
He gave me an odd look before turning back to the fountain.
"Is something the matter?" I asked, concerned, to which he simply shook his head.
"Is someone jealous?" I teased, intertwining his fingers in mine.
He laughed, but not his usual fruity laugh. This was a harsh, rough sound.
I drew back, "No, really, Ciel, is something the matter?"
He shook his head again. "No," he sighed, "It's just, I was with Haven and she can be-"
"So this is about Haven," I interrupted, stepping back.
"What? Sol, no. This has nothing to do with Haven," he said, furrowing his brow. I looked at him, but all I could see was him and Haven, here at this fountain.
"Listen, Sol-" he began before he was interrupted once again by Aester running up to us.
"Asriel, needs you," he said, gruffly.
"We're kind of in the middle of something, Aester," Ciel replied, waspishly, running a hand through his hair.
"Yes, we are Ciel. The Journey," Aester said, raising an eyebrow before walking off.
Ciel took a deep breath closing his eye.
"Go," I said, still folding my arms.
He gave me a pained look before jogging after Aester. I sat on the stone bench, furiously holding back tears. What even was that?
"Romance suck sometimes," Aleph's voice said, "I mean, so I'm told."
I glanced at his pale face, as he sat down beside me.
"This is your fault," I said suddenly, causing him to stare at me, surprised.
"Whatever you're doing to me, with Syrion, with Ciel. Stop. I really like Ciel so leave me and my feelings alone," I snarled, the tone so unlike me that even I was taken aback.
He continued to stare at me but now he was amused.
"Sun, sky and stars," he muttered to himself.
"What?" I snapped, irritated.
"Listen, Sol, you haven't stumbled into a make-believe faerytale. You're not Gisela or Minnette," he said, stretching his long limbs.
I glared at him, but my glare wavered.
"And what do you think I am? A wizard or something? I can't just make you fall in love," he yawned.
"But-"
"At most all I can do is jiggle the thoughts in your brain around a bit," he said, wiggling his fingers at me, "like pulling your wish for the cure to the front of your mind, for example."
I remembered the Evamore lesson, how he had done just that.
"But those are matters of mind, not affairs of the heart." His finger tapped his head before he gestured at his chest. "No magic can tamper with those. So whatever thoughts you're having, whatever is going on with Ciel, that's on you," he said, his slanted eyes boring into mine.
Unwelcome tears had begun to sting my eyes, causing his eyebrows to furrow and his eyes to widen.
"Ironically, I am very bad with emotions. Lucky you though," he said, trailing off as he stood up and Ele came panting up to us.
"Sol I really, really need to talk to you," he puffed, between breaths.
I followed Ele to the small alcove we had sat at on the first day. My mind was still whirring. What is wrong with me? I thought, desperately. What did Ciel even do wrong? Then I went blaming Aleph. I cringed at the thought.
Ele cleared his throat, the look on his face telling me it wasn't the first time.
"Sol, I'm sorry about whatever you're going through but this is important, okay?" he said, kind eyes troubled.
I nodded, trying hard to get over myself as Ele took a deep breath.
"I received a letter from Sekani today. She said the plauge has spread."
My heartbeat slowed, and my stomach dropped as I stared at him blankly, sure I misheard. Because he couldn't have just said the plague spread.
"If it's in Alcane, that means it already spread through Miriope and Hyemale," he said, biting his lip.
"Sol, Eleusis come with me now. The Journey is beginning," Adrei said, jogging up to us.
I didn't move, I couldn't move, still staring blankly, as the world around me shattered. Like glass.
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