The Cold Prince

22

Word Count: 2280

~Avila

Vade and I finish up our dance as the song changes, and I excuse myself to the edge of the room.

This time, I actually really need some fresh air. The hot dancing bodies moving about the room have caused me to lose my breath.

That and being in such close proximity to Vade. That man does things to me...

No one stops me as I stalk down the hallway, the music becoming muffled with every step. I don't stop until the cool night air brushes over my skin, joined by the cloying scent of fat, blooming flowers that fall in pink heaps on the back path.

The sound of feet scuffing on the cobblestones from around the corner of the house draws my attention. Standing, I wander around, half expecting to see a couple pressed up against the back walls of the manor, making out.

Instead, I see Emerick.

He leans against the pale bricks, smoking something. Smoky puffs cloud his face before he turns to look at me, a sly smile playing on his lips.

"What are you doing here?" I hiss, glancing over my shoulder to make sure no one has followed me out here.

He's not even dressed to blend in. He's wearing a dark blue tunic and pants with rips in the knee. He doesn't even look like a staff member here and, quite frankly, would scare off anyone who braved the darkness out here.

"Curiosity got the better of me, I suppose," he muses with a shrug, dropping whatever he's been smoking onto the ground, stamping on it with the ball of his foot.

"What does that mean?"

"I've never been to ball like this," he says. "You used to skip them and go out with me instead. We would get hideously drunk and fuck down by the riverside."

I flinch. That's more graphic imagery than I expected to be faced with tonight.

To our left, just around the corner of the manor, I can see the massive windows that show inside the ballroom. Due to the darkness, they won't be able to see us, even if they tried, but from here, we can see everything. Dancing bodies, laughing faces and drunk staggering that makes me wonder why Crimson wants half these people in her house anyway.

"I don't think that's the plan for tonight," I tell him awkwardly, tucking my hair behind my ear.

"It could be if you wanted it to." He steps closer, looking over me with those dark, searching eyes. "Death couldn't have killed your sex drive."

Is he drunk? I don't think he's been this brazen with me yet.

His words make me shift uncomfortably. I'm not ready to have sex with Emerick, even if I have imagined doing the act in general.

"For your information, it hasn't, but I'm promised to another man." I smooth my hands down my dress, which he appears to be devouring the sight of me in.

He screws his face up in disgust. "Don't tell me you've fallen for the Prince."

"I haven't. I'm just honouring tradition," I respond simply.

I think for me to have fallen for Vade, I would need him to like me back. There's no chance of that, therefore, there is no chance of anything blooming between us.

Even if I wanted it to...

"You've changed far too much for my liking, Avila." He shakes his head, sliding his hands into his pockets. "Don't forget the meeting in a few days."

"I'll come. I promise." I intend to go, to make some sense about the rebellion and to see if it's a threat to me.

Also, it might help me decide whether I want to keep communicating with Emerick or not.