When evening fell and the first noble guests arrived, the hall it’s been completely transformed into something spectacular.

  As the ballroom lights flared to life and the first enchanted lanterns took flight, the musicians resumed their positions on the raised crescent dais at the far end of the hall. They wore formal attire now, robes laced with house colors, trimmed with shimmering threads that glowed in time their instruments.

  The beast woman is nowhere to be seen, after her little trick some guards took her elsewhere to ask some questions. I know that if she has the courage to try and make some kind of fool out of ourselves, which means that she has a backing, probably someone at the same level of power as a Viscount in this kingdom, or even in another one. The power struggle with nobles it never ends, you need to be prepared that something may happen at any moment.

  The elven harpists sat with backs perfectly straight, fingers gliding across the strings in a fluid, effortless dance. They never looked at their hands, their eyes watching the crowd, gauging its pulse.

  The dwarven percussionist took a broader stance, shoulders square as he struck his frame drum with slow, rolling rhythms that grew in tempo as the hall filled with conversation and wine.

  The gnomes, now arranged in a trio like spokes of a wheel, spun as they played.

  I can see the musicians starting to channel mana in their fingers and in their mouths, I hope it’s not a little trick like the one her beast companion tried to do, the mana leaves their bodies and enter the instruments, the runes in every single one of them get illuminated.

  From every instruments start appearing minor illusions that made glowing notes spiral around the guests before fading, the more the music advance the more the illusions grow in size and converting in magical creatures, the performance captivates me for how artistically it looks in my eyes.

  The guests were nobles and dignitaries from across Vel’thalas and beyond, I can see tall elven ladies in gowns that shimmered like starlight, some dwarves in regal tunics, and fairy envoys flitting through the air like jeweled comets, Laughter and clinking goblets echoed under the ceilings of the hall, and the scent of honeyed meats and spiced nectar drifted through the air, it comes from the trays that floated across the ballroom, the ones from where I’ve been taking food all day.

  Tonight, the ballroom celebrated the tenth birthday of my two brothers, Liam and Mateo, every servant and member of the family has made clear that this isn’t for me. If they give me fancy clothes for tonight’s event it was simply to maintain a certain image, they cannot present one member of their family to the rest of the nobles with shabby clothes, and I’ve heard that maybe someone from the royal family of Vel’thalas comes to the party.

  The wives of the Viscount have been in different places of the hall, clearly avoiding any possible interaction between them. My mother has given me a few glances once in a while only to confirm that I’m still here, I don’t know if she thinks that I’m going to embarrass her in some way.

  Some nobles have tried making a conversation with me, especially girls close to my age, but after a few servants speak a little with them, all of them start avoiding me.

  I’ve seen the servant Monica gave me a condescending look, which I find quite funny, I’m not interested in forming part of this social circle, but she doesn’t know that, maybe in her eyes I’m the outcast of the family who is depressed because no one in the party approach her, not even members of the family.

  Suddenly everyone stops talking and I look to the entrance of the hall, and I see a tall man who I’ve only seen in portraits hanging in the walls. The Viscount Kaelen Davenport.

  He was a storm of presence in a hall made for beauty. Clad in ceremonial armor dark as volcanic glass, edged with runes that shimmered faintly like blood under moonlight, the Viscount moved with the weight of a man who had carved his legacy with steel and flame.

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  Some may say that he is too cocky and doesn’t deserved the recognition that the crown has given to him along the years.

  His crimson cloak swept behind him like a banner of a war, clasped at one shoulder with the snarling head of a draconic creature, I know that is a Tiraval, the creature that represents our house.

  I can see a sword hanging at his hip, I heard the servants say that he takes it everywhere. The blade bore the unmistakable glow of enchantment, an heirloom that it’s been pass from one Viscount to the next one.

  His eyes are hard to look at, the black eyes that reminds you of the darkest nights, they are entirely different from my own eyes. I can see a scar crossing from the corner of her lip though the face, ending in the left ear, a testament of difficult days.

  The crowd parted for him out of courtesy and fear, every single one of the people who attend the party have their own agenda but they need to show respect.

  I can see that behind him trailed a procession of noble retainers, but none dared to draw attention to them.

  When he reached the center of the hall, Liam and Mateo are already waiting for him, I imagine that at the orders of my mother, they straightened their backs instantly in his shadow. The crowd erupted into cheers, seeing the father and the talented sons. My father raised his hand, and silence fell once again.

  “My sons.” I hear his deep voice filling the room. “They stand you now as children who finally can be recognized by the gods. In the eyes of our kingdom they are ready for their trial and I know that they will come out victorious.”

  I can hear a lot of murmurs coming from the guests, but no one dared to question his resolve. All of us know what is he talking about, the trial in the danger zone will be held in one month and all of the children older than ten years old will need to take it, including me.

  “They have trained as soldiers. As sons of House Davenport. Their strength, their discipline...” His discourse continues but I start looking at all the people that is reunited in here, close to my father and my brothers, I can see my mother with Freya and Aurora at her side, she notices me looking at her and she gives me a hard look, probably to indicate that I should not come near them and ruin the speech.

  I see another person that I’m familiar with and without attracting attention to me, I come closer to him.

  “Hello Master Rod.” I greet one of the few people who continues to be good to me.

  “Hello Lady Dalia.” He murmurs back at me, I assumed that he’s afraid that the Viscount sees how he’s talking in the middle of his speech.

  “I miss today’s training.” I murmur back at him, clearly I don’t want to put him in a difficult situation.

  “Yes, we weren’t informed with time about the party, but we will resume the training in two days, you don’t need to worry.”

  “I know, enjoy the party Master Rod.” I walk away noticing how he starts sweating in the face of breaking a rule before the Viscount, the person who hired him.

  After five years being taught every single day, I’ve learned about his personality and how he hates to break any rule.

  The discourse of the Viscount continue without him noticing how I wasn’t paying any attention to him, I was already expecting a speech like the one he was saying, the nobles love this kind of thing after all.

  “…then not only our house will have new protectors, they will also protect Vel’Thalas.”

  Applause rose again, much louder than the previous time. The Viscount’s words were more than pride, they were a declaration of the house’s future, and the continent, and everyone could have high expectations.

  The people who have returned from the danger zone have proved themselves with their actions and in times of war, they have always been the people who contribute the most.

  I watch the final moments of the speech from afar, with one hand clutched around the edge of my gown. The Viscount had passed really close to me, but he hasn’t looked her way, not even once.

  The crowd toasted for her brothers, everyone seems really happy and music swelled once more, I know that the trial will begin in a month for them, but for me it has already started since the day I was born.