Chapter 172: Jewels, Wings, and Very Poor Decisions
Chapter 172: Jewels, Wings, and Very Poor Decisions
Rin went to the hall first.
It made sense. Naviel had been in the hall before. He had been facing the queen’s wrath, after all, along with the king. And this was the hall the queen had sent everyone except the king out of, so obviously Vaelory was supposed to be here—but the hall was empty.
Rin stood in the middle of it, hands on her hips, black eyes narrowing as she scanned the vast space. There was absolutely nobody in the hall. There was no sound to be heard. No music at all.
"Hm," Rin muttered.
Though she could not see anyone in the hall, she wasn’t so sure they weren’t hiding behind pillars. She had done it one time when her mother had been searching for her, choosing to hide as a raven behind one of the pillars in their castle, and she had fallen asleep from that point too. Who knew if Vaelory or Morthen or Naviel were doing the same?
She turned slowly, peering behind pillars, glancing toward alcoves, even checking a corner that absolutely could not hide a full-grown human unless said human had recently learned how to fold herself into a decorative vase.
Nothing.
Rin frowned.
That was... concerning. It was only then she remembered that Vaelory could not shift, and even Naviel himself was a siren, so why would they hide behind pillars?
She shook her head at that. It was obvious Vaelory wasn’t in the hall, and if she was not in the hall, then there was a place Rin could check—one place where Naviel almost always was.
Rin sighed and turned to leave when something on the floor caught her eye.
It glistened.
Just barely.
A small sparkle, reflecting the light from the windows, innocent and inviting and very, very shiny.
Rin froze.
Her eyes locked onto it with the intensity of a predator spotting prey.
Slowly, reverently, she walked toward it.
It was a jewel.
A loose one, just lying there as if abandoned by fate itself. Cut perfectly, catching the light at every angle. Rin crouched, lifted it between two fingers, and smiled.
"Oh," she murmured softly. "Hello there, my precious."
Without hesitation, she slipped it beneath her gown, adding it to the already impressive collection hidden there. Jewels chimed faintly against one another, a soft, comforting sound.
Some of them were Elyn’s, who notably had no idea.
Rin straightened, satisfied, and dusted her hands as if she had just completed a very important task for the good of the realm.
"One can’t let such things go to waste," she said to herself.
With her priorities once again in order, Rin resumed her search.
The closer Rin got to the office, the more certain she became. She didn’t even need her heightened senses for this—just a deep familiarity with Vaelory’s worst impulses.
She slowed as she approached the door.
And then she saw them.
Rin stopped dead.
Morthen stood just outside the office door, his hands clasped tightly in Vaelory’s. His posture was tense, wings twitching in agitation, glasses slightly askew as he leaned toward her, clearly in the middle of a desperate plea.
Vaelory, on the other hand, looked radiant.
Her blonde hair was styled perfectly, not a strand out of place, cascading over her shoulders like it had been arranged by someone who took their job very seriously... Vaelory herself. She wore the dress Rin and Seraphielle had specifically had made for this exact scenario—a dress designed with one clear purpose in mind... to seduce Naviel.
The dress clung to her.
Every curve, every line, unapologetically displayed. The neckline dipped low, showcasing a frankly alarming amount of cleavage. The fabric hugged her waist and hips, leaving absolutely nothing to the imagination. She even wore heels too.
And the jewelry.
Rin’s breath caught when she noticed it.
Vaelory was dripping in it.
Necklaces layered over one another. Bracelets stacked along her wrists. Rings glittering on her fingers. Every piece sparkled brilliantly.
Every piece was familiar to Rin. Very familiar.
Rin’s mouth fell open.
Morthen was speaking urgently, his voice low and strained. "Vaelory, please. This is madness. You have to stop."
Vaelory smiled at him, utterly unbothered. "Morthen, you worry too much."
"This isn’t about worry," he insisted. "This is—this is reckless."
She tilted her head, eyes bright. "I’m following my heart."
Morthen’s wings fluttered sharply. "Your heart is going to get you in serious trouble."
She scoffed. "You are not going to stand in the way of what I want."
"I absolutely would if it is to be as disastrous as what I see," he said, tightening his grip. "And I am."
Vaelory’s expression hardened slightly. "You’re forgetting yourself. You should go back to Her Highness. You’re her assistant, after all."
Morthen inhaled deeply. "And you’re forgetting that you are the Queen’s personal maid. You should not be doing this."
She laughed lightly. "Titles don’t matter when it comes to love."
Rin scoffed at that. Vaelory was just obsessed with Naviel’s face because he was beautiful. Although to Rin, Naviel was one of the ugliest demons she had ever seen. He was a siren, after all; when he took on that form, he was extremely ugly.
But that was Vaelory’s problem to deal with. It was none of her concern.
Rin closed the distance in three quick steps.
"WHERE," she demanded sharply, "DID YOU GET THOSE?"
Both of them startled.
Vaelory turned, eyes widening slightly in surprise. "Rin?"
Morthen sagged visibly. "Is this really the time to talk about jewelry?" he asked tiredly.
Rin ignored him entirely.
She pointed accusingly at Vaelory’s neck. "That necklace. And that bracelet. And that ring. And—actually, all of it. Where did you get them?"
Vaelory blinked, then rolled her eyes. "Why are you behaving like I stole it? You gave them to me, remember?"
Rin froze.
"...I did what?"
"You gave them to me when you and Lady Seraphielle were dressing me up. Don’t pretend to have forgotten," Vaelory told her.
Rin’s eye twitched. "Did I actually tell you they were gifts?" she asked.
Vaelory just blinked at her.
"You gave them to me, though," she replied.