Chapter 30: Chapter 30

This asshole. He knows exactly how, in etiquette class, it would be a great insult for someone to refuse to dance with the debutante, especially when they are of royal blood. He used the crowd to his advantage!

Seeing his outstretched hand towards me, I can’t help but draw a blank. My mind seems to be frozen from either shock at the betrayal or fear of humiliating my sister’s family for rejecting a dance from a noble family, especially one recognized by the crown.

“Stella?” Chace meets my gaze, and I can’t help but be angry at him. I want to slap him, but I keep my emotions in check. I stare at his hands that now seems like a void trying to swallow me with its sight.

I meet his gaze, making sure that he knows how I feel before I try to reach out towards his hand. A hand suddenly clasps over my wrist. My sister smiles at Chace, though her eyes seem to express the opposite.

“I am sorry, Prince Chace. My sister doesn’t feel good at the moment. As her sister, I would like to apologize.” My sister says to Chace while I stare at her dumbfounded. This is insane. I don’t know how to respond.

“She looks fine to me.” Chase, who knows my sister well enough to spot a lie from her, smiles. Is it me or Chace’s personality somehow starts to change?

“Just because she looks like she's doing fine doesn’t mean that she’s not feeling uncomfortable.” To my surprise, my brother-in-law intervenes, making sure that my sister and I are standing behind him.

“I see.” I hear Chace say, but I cannot see his face from where I am standing, so I cannot see what expression he’s wearing.

By the sound of it, it seems like Chace has retreated. I see him asking another lady for a dance instead. The music begins to play as Chace and another girl begin to dance. Though the attention should be with Chace and whoever he is dancing with, it seems like everyone is more focused on me instead.

I should be used to this by now. I told myself that I would not mind what others thought of me. But with what just happened, what would the others think of Rose and Ace? The two have such a respected reputation for taking down the rogue king, but because of me, they would think poorly of them, especially my sister, who did not grow up in this world like me.

“Stella, if you are not feeling well, would you like us to leave?” My Rose whispers in my ears while she tries to console me by placing an arm around me.

I turn to my sister and give her a smile. “I’m fine.” I say to her. I notice that the music starts to change, and the others start to join Chace in the dance floor. “I think you two should go to the dance floor and enjoy your time.” I turn to Ace and hand him my sister’s hand. “You two have fun.”

The two of them stare at me with different expressions. While my sister wears a worried expression, Ace seems like he is trying to be understanding.

“Where will you be while we dance?” Ace suddenly asks. “I want to know where you are so we can easily find you when we’re done.”

“Outside balcony. I think I need some fresh air.”

Ace turned to my sister with a slight nod. Rose begins to sigh. “Fine. But take Custard with you so he can neuter any guy who tries to approach you.” Her white wolf companion now stands at my side and nudges my arm like he wants me to know that he’s there.

I can’t help but laugh at Rose’s vulgar words. “I know, but I can take care of myself, you know.”

“We know.” Rose smiles before she and her elf husband go to join the dancefloor.

Once again, I can feel the scrutinizing gaze of almost everyone in the room. Suddenly, it’s hard for me to breathe.

I keep my gaze on the floor and directly head towards the balcony, closing the door behind me and muting the sound of music from the room. I sit on the floor, feeling relieved that I am finally out of their gaze. Custard lies down next to me and tries to comfort me.

“Thanks, Custard.” When he started licking my cheeks, that’s when I noticed that I was crying. Once I realized that, the tears just fell all on their own, and I could do nothing to stop them. I lean against the railing, realizing something that I have been holding onto for a very long time. “Man, I’m so tired.” Speaking those words out, gives me a sense of relief and comfort. I trhy to laugh but I just sound even more pathetic.

I’m not perfect, yet why do I feel like I always need to be one? Is it because I am a princess? What do I even have to gain from that?

A bunch of questions starts to circle my mind while I lay on the stone cold floor with Custard.

I felt a presence nearby, which unfortunately ended the brief period of calm and introspection. Custard was the one who first noticed it because he got to his feet before I did.

I wipe the tears from my eyes, not even bothering to fix my dress. I doubt that the creep who is stalking me would care anyway.

“We’re in a party.” I say to the shadow hiding up on the roof. “It would be rude to be sneaking around like that.”

Three figures began to descend and land on the balcony, blocking the exit.

Rogues. I could immediately tell. Who else would be stupid enough to use this very busy day to infiltrate the fairy kingdom? Well, actually, it’s pretty smart of them.

One of them throws a knife in my direction, but Custard knocks it down with his tail. It nicked Custard a bit, but it isn’t enough to bring down a–

“Custard?!” I watch in horror as the spirit wolf appears to collapse to the ground and become immobile.

“Spirit shade.” The vampire who threw the knife grins. “Pretty expensive, but it is enough to paralyze any spirit. For a few minutes, at least.”

I grit my teeth as anger seethes through my teeth. “You’ll pay for that. For your sake, I hope that you have something to paralyze me.” I thrust my hand out to freeze blast them. The three rogues flinch, but nothing happens. “What?” I gasp in horror and turn to my palm.

What’s happening? Why can’t I use my magic?!

I thrust my hand out again, hoping that I would be able to conjure my magic, but nothing. My magic is gone!

The laugh of the one who I assume is the leader of the group is enough to be heard from the ballroom if the music isn’t blaring at full volume. “Well, Princess. As a matter of fact, we do have something for you, but it seems like we don’t need it anymore.” Then, turning to one of his companions, he points a finger at me. “Knock her out and grab her.” He orders.

“With pleasure.” The disgusting smile of the vampire is enough to make me take a step back. Just as he speeds towards me, he is suddenly knocked back by another spirit beast that I did not expect to see.

“Javi?” My eyes turn to the black panther, who is now standing between me and the rogues. “What are you doing here?”

The rogues are standing there, all in shock and awe at seeing the spirit beast.

“It’s Prince Kellar’s spirit beast!” The ringleader guffaws. “He’s back, he must be nearby!” While he is rejoicing, I notice that Custard and Javi are making eye contact. I realize then that they must be having a conversation in a language that only spirits and spirit tamers can understand.

“Tell us, magnificent beast, where is your master?!” The leader seems to have a crazy look in his eyes when he addresses Javi.

Javi is still keeping her eyes on them while slowly backing up towards me. Before I can think much of it, Custard is back on his feet, knocking me forward so I fall on Javi's back. Javi shrugs, repositioning me on his back before jumping down the rail.

“Javi, hey! What are you doing!?” I am left with no choice but to cling onto her when she begins to run as soon as we reach the ground. I turn back out of concern for Custard, but it seems like the effects of the paralysis wore off on him, and he is now effortlessly taking on the rogues.

***

When Javi finally stops, we are already in the spirit forest, where I see Kellar running towards us with his brows drawn together.

“Javi, what is this?” He demands, seemingly displease with his spirit partner. “I told you to keep a watch on her and make sure that she’s safe. I didn’t mean for you to bring her here–” Kellar suddenly stops talking when he sees me. “You’re hurt. What happened?”

“Rogues.” I answer. “The attacked me.” I turn to my hands, trying to conjure something, but still, nothing comes.

“What?” He asks jokingly, trying to lighten the mood. “Can’t you use your magic to defeat them? Last I checked, you were very proud of them.”

My frustration finally reaches its peak, and I fall to the ground, bursting into tears. “I can’t use my magic!” I shiver. I did not realize it before, but not having magic makes me feel so empty. I felt miserable before, but now, it seems like it’s just the icing on top of the cake. “They’re gone.”

I hear Kellar kneeling in front of me. “It’s going to be alright, Stella. If you go back to your sister–”

“I don’t want to.” I say in between breaths. “I don’t want to go back, Kellar.” I turn to him, begging. “I’m tired. I am so tired of trying to fit in. I am so tired of trying to be perfect. I am so tired of pleasing everyone. I am no princess, and I am not even human. Wherever I go, it feels like everyone needs me to be perfect. If I can’t be perfect, it won’t just affect me but the people around me. I don’t want…I can’t bear it anymore. I don’t even know who I am and where I stand!”

To my surprise, Kellar embraces me tightly.

“To the people who already care for you, you are already perfect. You don’t have to try so hard.” He carefully brushed out my messy hair. “You can stay here for the time being if you don’t wish to return. As for your powers, don’t worry about it. We’ll ask Selena.”

With the current Kellar, I never expected that he would comfort me like this, much less embrace me. It seems like the old Kellar isn’t gone after all. That thought alone brings a slight smile of nostalgia to my lips.

“Thank you, Kellar.”

There’s a pause when Kellar stops patting my head. “...um…Stella?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m sorry, but it appears my fingers are stuck to your hair. Can you help me?”