Center of Attention
Yesterday, I managed to find a clumsy little trick to keep my dress from glowing like a lantern—just had to keep the mana from slipping out. Easier said than done, honestly. It felt a bit like holding my breath all night, trying to keep my stomach from sticking out, only the pressure was everywhere, not just in my chest. Still, it was better than having every pair of eyes in the room glued to me. Even Janus seemed a little startled by all the attention I drew. I suppose some people already knew the rumors. Anna would never let a secret rest, not when she could stir up a storm. But seeing something with your own eyes is always different from just hearing whispers, isn't it? And knowing Anna, I’m sure she sprinkled in a few extra lies for good measure.
I tightened my hold on Janus’ arm as he led me through the crowd, searching for a familiar face to anchor myself. The Yuwen family had scattered like petals in a spring breeze, each person swept up in their own little circle of friends and relatives. Joel was tucked between his grandparents, who might have been the sweetest old couple I’d ever laid eyes on. They fussed over him as if he were their own child, maybe even more than that, their affection so obvious it made me ache for my own parents.
Meanwhile, his mother, Anna, prowled the room with a man on each arm, both of them old enough to be her father. She didn’t bother to hide her antics, almost daring anyone to judge her.
Marie lingered beside her father—or at least, I assumed it was her father, since they shared the same hair and he, too, had his face buried in a book. I suppose that’s where she picked up the habit. William hovered behind Jack, who was busy charming a young widow. Her mourning dress was as black as midnight and hidden beneath a heavy veil, but Jack acted as if he could see right through it; he must have known her for a long time.
Juliet stood with her parents, both of them looking rather sour until Fiona and Averall appeared, and suddenly their faces lit up as if someone had opened a window to let the sun in. Martha was with her husband, Zayr, who wore an emerald green suit that seemed almost too bright among his countrymen in their flowing tunics and loose trousers. Martha’s dress, which had looked so elegant yesterday, now seemed almost scandalous without Emilia—its long slit climbing nearly to her hip, the strapless neckline doing nothing to hide her curves, but instead putting the goods on display for all to see.
But where were Emilia and Maggie? I scanned the crowd again and again, but there was no sign of them. The hall was packed, and I tried not to let it bother me—there were other things demanding my attention. On our way toward a cluster of nobles that Janus could just about tolerate (and were definetly not his friends *wink*), we nearly collided with a girl who was the same height as I, barely more than sixteen by the look of her, though her height made her seem older. She wore a bright, girlish dress in a shade of pink so warm it almost hurt to look at, her shoes and jewelry matching in a way that clashed terribly with her straight, cold-black hair. For a heartbeat, I caught Janus flinching beside me, as if the teenager herself unsettled him.
“Janus!<3” A shrill, melodious voice broke through the surrounding chatter that made Janus halt in his tracks.
“I knew this would happen,” Janus muttered, his voice so thin and defeated it nearly vanished beneath the weight of all those staring eyes. Somehow, she heard him anyway—her smile turning triumphant and hungry.
“You knew I would come for you, Janus, my love<3.” Her words dripped with sugary affection, but her gaze was razor-sharp, pinning both of us with a possessive heat that made my skin crawl.
His what?! Janus had warned me that some women would be after him, but I hadn't expected her to be so blatant. Or was she just a special case?
“Who is this vixen next to you? Have you no shame?”
“I'm the one without shame?” I shot back, and the girl clearly hadn't expected me to answer. She jerked her eyes from Janus and gave me a death stare.
I could see Janus wanting to speak up, but before he could, I stepped in.
“Shouldn't someone so young at least introduce herself to her betters before making such wild accusations?”
She looked ready to explode—her lips trembling, fists clenching at her sides—when suddenly, something in her eyes flickered. All the fight drained out of her, leaving her small and crumpled, like a child caught stealing sweets. I followed her desperate, darting gaze and spotted a young man pushing through the crowd, his presence steady and imposing. He was tall and broad-shouldered, but his face was so plain, so utterly forgettable, that I doubted I’d remember it even a minute later.
“Young miss, this is not how a lady should behave. What if your father hears about this? Apologize to Lady Yuwen at once.”
“Lady Yuwf…?” she stammered, her voice breaking under the young man’s gaze. She dipped into a stiff, awkward bow, mumbling an apology through gritted teeth—but not before skewering me with another dozen daggers from her eyes, her pride wounded but not broken as he guided her away.
I gave Janus a look, and he nodded before leading us to a less nosy corner behind a column decorated with intertwined roses.
“So this was one of the fabled women who were after you? Who is she?”
“Don't look at me like that. I never even entertained the idea. It happened seven years ago during a hunting trip. Her pony panicked because of a big snake and ran into the forest. I rode after her and calmed the horse—that's all.”
“And just from that, she’s been hopelessly in love ever since? I suppose I can’t really blame her. Being rescued by you must feel like something out of a fairytale,” I said, lacing my voice with jealousy.
“Ruby, I…”
“I'm kidding. I know you didn't see her like that. Seven years ago, she must have been eight or nine at most while you were already twenty-one.”
I know there’s a decent age gap between Janus and me too, but at least we met as adults. No one could accuse us of anything untoward. Our story started when we were both old enough to know what we wanted—or at least, to pretend we did.
That was when we heard another commotion, and at the center stood Emilia, her head bowed, with Maggie close behind her.