Chapter 195: Apparently Zorathys Is Too Tired To Attend The Ball And Wants To Postpone
Chapter 195: Apparently Zorathys Is Too Tired To Attend The Ball And Wants To Postpone
Elyn’s POV
Rin took that as her cue to become a general preparing a soldier for war.
Which, apparently, I was.
"Sit straight," she ordered.
"I am sitting straight."
"Straighter, my lady. We cannot have anything appear out of place on your beautiful face." She told me.
I chuckled at that. "Thanks for the compliment."
"It is facts my lady and unlike the human maid," she said with a sneer in Vaelory’s direction. "I am honest."
Vaelory scoffed at that. "Honest? You are blunt big honest, there’s a difference."
Rin rolled her eyes. "Not according to me."
Vaelory was about to speak again when I interrupted.
"If I sit any straighter, Rin, I will no longer be human," I muttered.
"You are not human," Rin reminded me dryly. "You are the Demon Queen."
Right. That.
"I am still human." I told her.
"You are different from other humans I’ve met. Take the human maid for example." She said gesturing towards Vaelory
I almost sighed at Rin and her penchant for trouble.
"The queen is human just like I am." Vaelory argued.
"Then she’s a better human than you are." Rin said in finality.
Vaelory paused then shrugged. "That’s facts and for once, I agree with you."
She and Rin nodded and then Rin began applying my makeup with alarming focus. She blended dark hues along my eyelids, sharpening my gaze until I looked far more dangerous than I felt. A faint shimmer of gold dust lined the edges, subtle but deliberate.
"For the demogazine," she whispered dramatically, as if unseen reporters were already hiding under my bed.
"You are enjoying this far too much," I told her.
"Yes," she replied without shame. "And it is said that if one enjoys dressing up their mistress then it is very likely the mistress will be the best dressed and will be over page of the demogazine."
I paused. "You just came up with that didn’t you?" I asked her.
"And I did well." She said with pride making me chuckle.
Vaelory worked quietly, weaving thin gold-threaded strands through sections of my hair before pinning them in place.
When they were done, I stood again before the mirrors.
The woman staring back at me looked composed.
Powerful.
Almost untouchable.
My nerves, unfortunately, were still very much touchable.
"How long before I leave?" I asked.
Vaelory glanced toward the ornate clock embedded into the far wall. "Twenty minutes, my lady."
Twenty minutes.
Plenty of time.
Plenty of time for the King of the Demon Realm to appear at my door as he had during the luncheon, looking devastatingly composed while I struggled internally.
I waited.
Rin adjusted the embroidered stole one last time.
I waited.
Vaelory poured tea and gently pushed the cup into my hands.
I waited.
Ten minutes passed.
Then fifteen.
Then twenty-five.
My smile began to stiffen.
Rin tilted her head slowly, her black depthless eyes studying me in silence before she spoke.
"My lady," she said carefully, "perhaps...is the King asleep?"
I blinked.
That... was a very reasonable question.
A terrible one.
But reasonable.
I sighed softly.
"I should have thought about that."
Especially given how Zorathys was during the luncheon.
I placed the teacup down.
"He would be sleeping at this point," I muttered.
Rin nodded like a scholar who had just solved a complicated equation.
Without another word, I turned and walked toward my door.
The hallway outside my chambers was quiet, the polished floors reflecting the light lining the walls. I moved directly toward Zorathys’ door.
Or rather, the place where his door usually was.
The corridor looked empty.
I didn’t slow down.
The door had a mind of its own. It appeared when it wished and vanished when it did not. It seemed to enjoy dramatic timing.
As I approached, the air shimmered faintly—
And the door materialized in front of me as though it had been waiting.
"Of course," I murmured.
I didn’t hesitate. I pushed it open and stepped inside.
Darkness greeted me.
I snapped my fingers just like he had told me to do the first time I stepped foot into his room.
The light flickered on and um...was this deja Vu?
Zorathys hovered midair above his massive bed, hugging an enormous body pillow like it was the last treasure in existence. This one was black in colour with a huge print of himself on it. His huge black wings were wrapped around himself protectively, forming a cocoon of feathers.
His long black hair spilled across the pillow, slightly disheveled. The ruby-jeweled earrings in his ears caught the light faintly.
I cleared my throat.
He did not wake.
Instead, he turned slowly in the air.
One wing shifted.
The edge scratched his ear lazily, making the ruby jewels sway.
"Just one more day, firefly..." he muttered sleepily. "I’ll be ready for the ball..."
My eye twitched.
Of course he’d ask for one more day.
I folded my arms.
"Zorathys."
He turned again, face pressing deeper into the pillow.
This time, his wing stretched downward—
And scratched his butt.
I stared at him.
The King of the Demon Realm was scratching his butt and with his wings no less.
"I need to rest..." he mumbled. "So tired..."
I inhaled slowly.
I softened my tone deliberately.
"Zor."
His shadows reacted immediately.
They stiffened along the walls like soldiers snapping to attention. Tendrils of darkness lifted from the floor, twisting and slithering toward their master.
They tapped him.
Gently at first.
He waved them off blindly.
The shadows tried again.
More insistently.
He swatted at them without opening his eyes.
I sweetened my voice further.
"Zor."
The shadows froze.
Then they attacked.
They poked his shoulder.
His cheek.
His forehead.
One smacked his wing.
Another tugged at his hair.
His eyes flew open.
Ruby red, glowing faintly.
They scanned the room lazily, unfocused.
"I can hear you, firefly..." he murmured, voice thick with sleep. "You don’t have to—"
His gaze landed on me.
He blinked once.
Twice.
His mouth formed a small, silent oh.
Reality settled in behind his eyes.
He shifted upright in the air slowly, wings stretching outward with a heavy rustle.
"You’re really here," he muttered. "It’s real."
"Yes," I said pleasantly. "Very real."
He rubbed his eyes with both hands, yawning widely. His fangs flashed briefly.
"What time is it?"
"It is time."
"For?"
I stared at him.
He stared back with a blank look.
"Zorathys," I said carefully, "did you forget about the ball?"
He blinked again.
Then scratched his head, fingers tangling in his sleep-riddled black hair.
Even like that—disheveled, barely conscious—he looked unfairly handsome.
"What ball?" he asked.
Silence filled the room.
I raised my eyebrows slowly.
"The introductory ball," I said. "The one you you sent invitations to the other territories for?The one nobles from across the realm are attending. The one with the carpet of doom."
He squinted at me.
He lowered himself from midair until his feet hovered just inches above the floor. His wings folded behind him with lazy grace.
He looked at me more carefully now.
His gaze traveled from the top of my styled hair down the length of my gown, lingering on the gold embroidery, the structured bodice, the draped stole.
His brows lifted slightly.
"You’re dressed."
"Yes."
"For... that ball."
"Yes."
He rubbed his face again, dragging his hands down slowly.
"Already?"
"Yes."
"What time is it?" he repeated.
I sighed. "Like I said, it’s time for the ball."
Zorathys sighed tiredly. "This ball sounds synonymous to work."
"Everything that requires you not sleeping or reading novels is work to you." I told him.
"And that’s rightfully so." He told me.
"So?" I asked him.
"So what?"
"Are we going to the ball or not?" I asked him.
Zorathys looked like he was close to giving up. He yawned loudly. "Honestly, I’m very tired firefly."
And there it was.
"Is there no way we can postpone this ball?" He asked me.
"To when?"
"Centuries later?" He asked me.
I gave him a sweet smile. "We can postpone the ball but not to centuries later."
"Why?" He whined. "That would give me the perfect time to rest and regain my strength to deal with the annoying demons that will be present for the ball."
"And also the opportunity for you to keep on postponing it until let me guess...a thousand years later." I told him.
Zorathys gave me a half lidded look and then he smiled at me sleepily too.
"You know me so well firefly." He said.
There was a pause and I thought I’ve finally convinced him to attend the ball with me until he opened his mouth.
"So...are we postponing the ball?"