The grand hall was filled with crimson gold.Silk banners fluttered from the faint breeze, chandeliers blazed like fallen stars.
It was supposed to be a celebration.A joyous announcement.
But beneath the glittering surface, I could feel it—The rot.The seething malice tucked behind polite smiles and murmured blessings.
I stood at the foot of the dais, Evelyne by my side.Her hand resting on mine.A perfect picture of devotion.
But her nails—Pressed just a little too hard into my skin.
A warning.Or maybe a reminder.
We were playing a dangerous game.And the entire court was watching.
The High Chancellor stepped forward, voice booming across the marble floor.
"Today, we bear witness to the union of two great houses—"
Lies.Every word soaked in falsehood.
I scanned the crowd.
Duke Marcellus.His smile thin, eyes glittering like a vulture circling a fresh corpse.
Lady Viora.Fan fluttering in front of her face, but I caught the sharp gleam of her teeth behind it.
The noble sons and daughters, dressed in their finest, all painted in the colors of envy and suspicion.
They whispered behind their jeweled hands:The disgraced Leonhart Eckhart, returning from exile…Evelyne Ascaron, the Crown's untamed daughter…Villain and villainess. A match made in hell.
I let them whisper.Let them feed their own fears.
Because that fear was my weapon.
Evelyne leaned in, voice barely audible above the murmuring crowd.
"Smile, Leonhart. They need to believe we're drunk on our own ambition."
I turned my head slightly, lips curving into something sharp and dangerous.
"Don't worry, dearest fiancée," I murmured back."I'm already intoxicated by the stench of their terror."
She huffed a breath—half laugh, half scoff.
And for a brief second, our masks slipped, and I saw it—The flicker of shared hunger.
The Chancellor raised his hands.The crowd fell silent.
"By the will of the Crown and in the sight of the Great Court, I declare this engagement binding."
Polite applause followed.Thin. Forced.
But behind me, I heard it—The gritted teeth.The barely concealed curses.
When Evelyne turned to face me, the hall hushed.Waiting.Watching.
She reached up, fingertips brushing against my cheek.A lover's touch—Or a queen branding her chosen monster.
"Kiss me," she whispered.Command, not request.
I didn't hesitate.Didn't falter.
I grabbed her waist, pulled her close, and kissed her like I meant to devour her whole.
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
Good.Let them choke on their shock.
When we finally broke apart, her eyes were dark and stormy.Her breath came fast.
"You're enjoying this too much," she muttered.
I grinned."Of course. This is the most fun I've had in years."
After the formalities, the feast began.Music swelled, dancers twirled, and servants poured wine like rivers.
But the real dance was happening in the shadows.
Duke Marcellus cornered me near the statues.
"Leonhart," he drawled, voice oiled and sweet."A bold move, returning to court after all these years."
I sipped my wine, let it burn down my throat."Boldness is the only language this court speaks, Your Grace."
His smile tightened."Just remember… snakes bite hardest when cornered."
I met his gaze, unblinking."Good thing I prefer crushing snakes under my heel."
His face went pale for a heartbeat.Then the smile returned, brittle as glass.
He bowed stiffly and left.
One down.Dozens more to go.
Later, I found Evelyne standing alone on the balcony.The same one where we had whispered "Soon" to the night.
She didn't look at me as I joined her.Just kept her gaze fixed on the dark horizon.
"They'll come for us now," she said softly."One by one. Then all at once."
I slid my hand into hers.Not for show.Not this time.
"Let them come," I murmured."I've waited years for this."
Her fingers tightened around mine.Cold, but steady.
"For tonight," she whispered, "let's just pretend we've already won."
I turned to her, my smile softening.
"Then let's make it a good lie, Evelyne."
And as the city burned with fireworks and false cheer, we stood together in the dark.Two villains.Two liars.
Bound by blood, ambition, and the faintest glimmer of something far more dangerous.
Hope.