Valerian Empire

Chapter 35: House of dolls- Part 1

She pulled the mask off her face, walking quickly as she could away from the crowd as she took a turn towards the next corridor.

The displeased look in Alexander’s eyes and the way his lips were pressed together in thin line had made her nervous. She shook her head as though the thoughts would leave her mind but it didn’t.

The words he had exchanged with her didn’t seem like he was interested in her but then why did Lord Nicholas kiss her?!

Not far, she saw Sylvia who stood talking to a man who had a rope around his neck with a noose like he was preparing for a suicide. He had a bulky physique and a gruff appearance. Sylvia’s arm sported an open wound, showing muscles and blood.

“Katie, how is the ball?” Sylvia asked holding the mask in her hand and not bothering to wear it.

“It’s going well. Everyone is enjoying the music and dancing to it in the dark floor,” she replied.

“I knew I had good taste in music,” Sylvia said with a proud grin on her face, “Edward, you know Katie right?” she asked.

“The little girl?” the man named Edward asked by gesturing his hand to the height of his waist, “Hmm,” he said seriously looking at Katie and she bowed her head.

“Edward looked after your wounds when you were little. He is a doctor who moved to the north Empire,” Sylvia introduced him.

“Thank you, for looking after me,” Katie thanked him and received a nod from the man.

Unlike the rough appearance, Edward was a gentle man as he spoke with minimum words and Sylvia seemed to enjoy his company. She wondered where Elliot was. She hadn’t seen him the entire evening.

Did Elliot like Sylvia or the other way around? It wasn’t possible, Katie thought to herself. They were friends but there wasn’t anything romantic even though they bickered at times. Actually it was Elliot who bickered while Sylvia would ignore him. The woman had gotten used to him.

“Alexander is here,” Sylvia commented after a while.

Katie turned around suddenly to see the Valerian Lord walking towards them. His eyes met hers before shifting towards the other two people standing with her. She noticed he had taken off his mask too.

“Good evening, Edward,” she heard Alexander greet the gruff man politely as he came to stand right next to her.

“Good evening, M ‘Lord. Thank you for your generous invitation for the Hallow,” Edward spoke with sincere words.

“We are privileged to have you here, Edward. I hope your research completes soon so we can have you back.”

“Just a few more weeks and I should be back,” Edward replied bowing his head.

Alexander looked at his side to see Katie looking at the floor like it was the most interesting thing she had seen as Sylvia proposed to Edward to go to the hall.

“Um, I’ll be heading back,” he heard her speak nervously to Sylvia while avoiding his gaze.

“This soon?” Sylvia asked with her brows furrowed, “The Hallow has only begun.”

“We planned to go to the town tonight to visit the stores,” she explained.

Visit the town? He frowned hearing it.

Towns and villages were never safe at the time of Hallow. It was the time when traveling vampires could drink blood from unwilling humans.

“They are still in the hall if you are worried about missing it. I’m sure they will call you when they are about to leave,” Alexander said and she turned to face him.

Her brown eyes stared back at him like the little deer he had once caught midst a hunting in the forest.

“Shall we?” he asked raising his hand in front of her.

Seeing Katie put on her mask, Edward and Sylvia went ahead while the other two followed not far behind them.

Katie felt warmth seep into her cold hand when she had taken the Lord’s hand. She knew the Lord didn’t spare a glance on a mere commoner but here he was taking her back to the ball. Little things like these confused her.

He was too kind to her.

She looked at him from the corner of her eyes and he was breathtakingly handsome. The devil had blessed him with looks only one could imagine. His face was a defined piece of art with a strong jaw, straight nose. Eye brows that were dark and raised, just below that held the dark red eyes.

As they approached the ball room she felt her nerves give away and when her hands went to pull away the Lord’s hand tightened around hers as they entered the hall.

She felt her heart stutter at his gesture.

Murmurs passed around as people saw the Lord of Valeria leading a woman into the hall. Why wasn’t he letting go of her hand? Katie thought to herself.

She caught sight of her friend Dorthy who was dancing with a man and just when she was looking around, she felt Alexander lean towards her,

“It would be a shame to let you go without one last dance,” he whispered only for her to hear, “Shall we?” and she nodded her head uncertainly following him to the dark lit floor.

Reaching the dance floor, Alexander turned her around swiftly and she found herself to be face to face but her eyes looked at Dorthy’s smiling face who wasn’t far from where she was.

“I see you have taken out your chain,” he said as they moved to the dull yet haunting music that echoed from the walls softly.

“It stood out with the outfit and I didn’t want anyone to point out that I stole it too,” she said meeting his eyes.

“You don’t have to worry about it. No one here would accuse you,” he said pushing her way only to pull her back, “Charm stones aren’t rare but the colors are. Each color has it’s own purpose and meaning, and believe me when I say this not everyone is entitled to have the color of their choosing.”

“They aren’t?” she frowned hearing it.

“It is the stone that chooses the creature and not the other way round. The Charm stone aren’t diamonds.They are custom made by the elites which are made of different, unique ingredients that only the witches poses.”

“White witches?”

“Not necessarily. If the charm doesn’t suit you, you will lose it no matter how much you have paid for it,” he explained and continued, “The one in the carnival wasn’t an actual charm stone but an imitation. I got it modified before giving it you so it could be of some use.”

“The chain,” Katie said to which the Lord tilted his head in question, “Your chain I mean. Weren’t you worried I would lose it?”

She saw the cross that hung around the long silver chain which Alexander wore. She was sure the pendant was custom made with the stone for her Lord but wasn’t he worried she would have lost it as it was hers to keep?

“I trusted enough that you wouldn’t lose it,” he said making her smile.

“That’s a leap of trust,” she murmured, wondering how he could entrust his chain to a little girl.

As they danced, Katie noticed he didn’t let go of her hand not even once. She could feel some people standing in the sidelines looking at them and felt like shrinking herself to invisibility. And she was glad she had her mask on while Lord Alexander didn’t.

Though it wasn’t a bright room she could see the vile looks she received from the elite women. It made her uncomfortable even though she was dancing with the man a woman could only dream of. She felt fortunate at this moment to be dancing with him in such close proximity.

Looking the around the room, she observed that there were more people in the hall than when she had last been here. The Lord of Valeria surely maintained good relation with all the high class society, the other Lords of the empire and the council members to have them here today.

Her face turned red thinking about the kiss she received by Lord Nicholas. Her eyes looked up to see the grim expression adorning Alexander’s handsome features.As though knowing what was running in her mind, he asked,

“Are you thinking about Lord Nicholas’ kiss?”