Chapter 29: The Royal Waltz
The music changed suddenly. The upbeat strings turned into a slow waltz. Crown Prince Julian still stood by the Emperor’s empty throne, his eyes locked on Eveyr and Esme. He had observed their entire interaction with Lady Clara and had noticed how cold Esme could be.
Sylas was right. Eveyr isn’t broken by his marriage; he is emboldened by it.
Julian could not allow Eveyr to dominate his gala. He had to reaffirm the crown’s authority and make his presence known, provoking Eveyr.
He smoothed the lapels of his white and gold uniform and walked through the parting crowd. He walked over to Esme and Eveyr and smiled warmly.
"Duke Aldric," Julian greeted, his voice loud enough for nearby nobles to hear.
Then he turned to Esme, his smile widening even more.
"And Duchess Esme. You both look stunning tonight. May I borrow the Duchess for the customary waltz? Imperial protocol requires the Crown Prince to share one dance with the highest ranking lady in the room."
Amusement vanished from Eveyr’s face immediately. His hand ,which was resting firmly on Esme’s waist, tightened with a possessive grip. The temperature around them dropped suddenly.
"She is not dancing tonight, Crown Prince," Eveyr replied, almost growling. "Find someone else."
Julian’s smile didn’t falter, but his eyes darkened a little.
"It is an Imperial tradition, Eveyr. Surely you wouldn’t deny the crown such a simple courtesy?"
During their conversation, the system interface flashed in Esme’s vision.
[OPPORTUNITY DETECTED: Dancing with the Royal Rival]
[Potential Points: 1,500]
Esme’s breath caught. The points were huge. But to earn them, she had to dance with Julian. And dancing with Julian meant defying Eveyr in front of everyone.
The system had raised its stakes and had started its own game once again. It was forcing her to step out of Eveyr’s shadow and go into the arms of the man who had tried to kill them.
Esme glanced at Eveyr. The devotion in his eyes was turning into rage.
"It’s just a dance, Eveyr," Esme said calmly, wrapping her fingers around his hand.
Then slowly, she removed his fingers from her waist.
"I don’t want to insult the crown on our very first night in the society."
Eveyr froze and his eyes widened. He looked like she had betrayed him.
"Esme," Eveyr whispered.
Crack!
Under his boots, the marble of the floor cracked violently. But Esme ignored him. She put her hand in Julian’s extended palm and let him lead her to the center of the dance floor.
The crowd parted for them, forming an awkward circle around them. The orchestra began to play.
Julian placed his hand on her waist softly, holding her at the respectful distance according to the court etiquette.
He was a very good dancer. But as they started to spin, his charming facade finally disappeared and his eyes became cold and calculating.
"You are playing a very dangerous game, Esme," Julian murmured. "Sylas told me you have completely changed. He said you won’t take orders from us now as you are playing your own game."
"Lord Sylas tends to exaggerate, Your Highness," Esme replied calmly.
"He doesn’t," Julian replied, tightening his grip on her hand. "What happened to that scared little bird I sent to the north? The girl who cried in my study and begged not to marry a monster?"
Esme looked into his eyes coldly. She was no longer that girl, and honestly, she was tired of pretending.
"The bird realized the cage was made of gold, Your Highness," Esme replied coldly. "Why fly away when I can own the house?"
A small smile tugged at Julian’s lips.
"So that is your answer?" Julian asked. "You misunderstand me, Esme. I don’t care whether you love him or hate him."
"I never mentioned either."
"But I wanted you to know anyway," he whispered. "I only care whether Duke Aldric still has weaknesses."
Esme looked at him but didn’t answer. Julian glanced past her shoulder.
"Look."
Esme followed his gaze. Eveyr hadn’t moved from where she had left him. He stood exactly where the dance had begun. The crystal chandelier above him had begun to frost over. Nobles standing near him had quietly moved several steps away, afraid of him.
"He hasn’t blinked once," Julian whispered.
Esme turned back to him.
"What exactly are you trying to prove?" she asked.
"I wanted to know whether his obsession had limits," he smiled and spun her. "But now I have gotten my answer."
"What answer?"
"He isn’t watching me or you," Julian’s eyes moved to Eveyr again. "He is watching the distance between my hand and your waist."
Esme stiffened.
"Do not mistake his obsession for safety," Julian warned her. "He will kill you eventually. His bloodline magic destroys everything it clings to. It’s only a matter of time before his madness consumes you as well."
Esme didn’t react, though her heart raced.
"If you want to survive, you need to find that Black Ledger. It holds the records of his illegal magic trade. Bring it to me, Esme. Bring me proof of his treason, and I will grant you safety."
Esme’s heart skipped a beat.
The Black Ledger.
The words echoed in her mind. This was the mission Julian had given the original Esme. The same mission that had led to her brutal murder on her wedding night. Julian wasn’t offering her safety. He was handing her a death sentence.
Before Esme could respond, a grating sound echoed through the ballroom.
Screech
The music stopped abruptly. The crowd of the nobles parted rapidly, some women even stumbling over their gowns to get out of the way as Eveyr walked onto the dance floor.
He ignored every rule of imperial protocol and reached them in two strides. Without a word, he grabbed Julian’s shoulder. His grip was so strong that Julian had to wince in pain in front of everyone. His fake politeness broke as Eveyr shoved him aside like a peasant.
"The dance is over," Eveyr said.
He pulled Esme against his chest, his arm encircling her waist. He didn’t look at her. His eyes were fixed onto the stumbling Julian whose eyes were burning with murderous fury.
"If you ever touch her again, I won’t care about the proof or the crown on your head, Julian. I will take it off along with your jaw."
