Chapter 216: The Price of Demon Parties
Chapter 216: The Price of Demon Parties
Elyn’s POV
Someone knocked on my door.
I didn’t open my eyes.
I didn’t move.
In fact, I did the exact opposite.
I burrowed deeper into the bed like a stubborn cat determined to ignore the world.
The silken sheets tangled around my legs as I rolled onto my stomach and shoved my face deeper into the pillow. The mattress beneath me was still impossibly soft, warm, and comfortable—like sleeping on a cloud that had decided I was its favorite human.
Another knock came, louder this time.
I growled into the pillow.
"Go away."
Whoever it was clearly lacked survival instincts.
The knock came again.
My hand groped blindly across the bed until it found another pillow. I dragged it over my head and pressed it down firmly, burying myself under it like that would magically erase the existence of doors, maids, and responsibility.
"I mean it," I muttered. "Go away."
The door didn’t open, but a familiar voice filtered through the wood.
"Your Highness?"
I groaned loudly, no surprise there. Of course she was the one.
"Your Highness," Vaelory called again politely. "You must wake up. You need to get dressed for the day."
I pulled the pillow tighter around my head.
"No."
A pause followed.
Then the doorknob rattled slightly.
"Your Highness—"
"No," I repeated, louder this time.
The teal curtains framing the tall windows glowed faintly with morning light, but I refused to acknowledge it. Morning meant waking up. Waking up meant moving. Moving meant functioning.
And I had absolutely no intention of functioning today.
"I am not getting dressed," I said into the pillow. "Tell the day to go away."
Silence lingered for a moment.
Then Vaelory tried again, her tone still painfully polite.
"But Your Highness—"
"Vaelory," I growled, "if you value your continued existence, you will go away."
Another pause.
I was just beginning to believe my threat had worked when a rush of air swept through the room.
I didn’t even need to look.
Only one person would enter through a window when there was a perfectly good door available.
Before my brain could fully process it, my arm shot out.
The pillow in my hand launched across the room like a weapon.
It flew through the air with impressive accuracy.
As a dark blur darted sideways just before impact, the pillow smacked into the wall instead.
A raven landed gracefully on the floor a second later.
She hopped once.
Twice.
Then her form shifted.
Feathers folded inward. Wings dissolved into limbs. The bird stretched upward until Rin stood in the center of the room, smoothing her dark dress as though someone hadn’t just attempted to assassinate her with bedding.
"My lady," she said calmly, "good morning."
I grumbled. "I don’t see anything good about the morning."
Rin tilted her head slightly.
"I understand you are tired," she said. "But..."
I didn’t let her finish as I finally raised my head to stare at her.
"Tired?"
The word echoed through my brain like an insult.
I slowly pushed myself upright.
The sheets slid down my shoulders.
My hair—beautiful red curls that normally behaved like they belonged in a royal portrait—was currently standing in every possible direction. Some strands pointed upward. Others curved sideways. A few had apparently attempted to escape entirely.
My eyes burned.
My entire body felt like it had been run over by a carriage.
Actually—no. A herd of carriages that had been driven by demons.
My vision focused on Rin.
"Tired?" I repeated.
She swallowed.
I gestured toward myself.
"Does this look like tired to you?"
Rin examined me carefully.
Her black eyes moved from my bloodshot eyes... to my hair... to the pillow on the floor.
Her silence was extremely suspicious.
I leaned forward.
"Does it?" I asked her.
She winced. "Well... maybe more fatigued than tired?" she asked softly.
I chuckled at that. "Oh, you’re good."
I said, as I chuckled... well, at some point it turned into full-blown maniacal laughter.
Rin just stood still.
"Yes. Yes, this is it," I said to her. "I am not tired. I am fatigued. I am fucking exhausted."
I swung my legs off the bed and stood.
The plush teal carpet felt soft under my feet as I staggered toward the door.
"Why didn’t you..." I paused, then turned. "Where is Morthen anyway? Where is he?"
I did not wait for her to reply and went to the door, yanking it open.
Vaelory stood on the other side with her hand raised mid-knock.
She froze as I fixed a glare on her.
"Where is Morthen?" I growled out.
Vaelory blinked rapidly.
"I... I do not know, Your Highness."
Her hand slowly lowered.
I stared at her for another second.
Then I turned around and walked back into the room.
My brain felt like it was vibrating.
"Rin," I said.
"Yes, my lady?"
"Explain this to me. You and Morthen were the ones who briefed me on the introductory ball and what it’s about, so why didn’t you guys tell me it was more than what I... why didn’t you guys tell me what to expect?" I asked her.
Rin swallowed, and I think she was about to speak because her mouth opened, but then I threw my hands into the air.
"Four days," I said.
Then I moved closer, picking each finger as I spoke. "One, two, three, four days. Four bloody days, Rin. That was how long the introductory ball lasted."
Rin remained silent.
As I began pacing, it was like I just needed an outlet for everything that had happened in the last few days because everything was pouring out of me willingly.
The room blurred slightly as I moved past the bed, past the writing desk, past the crystal vase filled with dark red flowers.
"Four days," I muttered again.
"Four days of dancing."
"Four days of talking."
"Four days of demons who apparently never sleep."
Then I turned to Rin, my eyes narrowed. "You were at that ball with me. How are you still okay?" I asked her. "How can you... oh," I said with a nod.
"You are a demon. You can apparently function without sleep," I said. "It’s me who needs sleep, and it’s me who apparently didn’t get any."
"I didn’t even get a wink. A shut eye, nothing at all," I said.