Click.
Morgan heard a sound, her head immediately snapping to her left. There, inside the mirror, stood a figure she knew all too well.
Mordret... Or rather, Mordywardy.
"What are you doing here?" Morgan asked, her sword out and pointing towards the mirror. She quickly signalled some of the guards to set up the trap.
"Sister dearest," Mordret replied, "Always so hasty. Tsk. And why shouldn't I be here? This is my family's ball."
The guards rushed to surround this place while Mordret was distracted.
Click.
Another photo.
This time it was of Kai standing besides Morgan, holding his bow while pointing it towards him.
"Wow, the reporters will love this. Anyways say goodbye to those guards. Make sure to check the headlines tomorrow!" Mordret snapped his fingers, causing the whole area to be filled with smoke. Morgan, reacting immediately, managed to get rid of the smoke within seconds... But it was too late.
All the guards who could trap him were dead.
Dead while being in her care.
'Father will be mad...' Not about their deaths. No, they were replaceable. 'I just damaged the reputation of our clan...'
She sighed, suddenly feeling a hand rest on her shoulders. Turning around, she saw the same emerald eyes and the same Auburn hair. Kai. Nightingale. Someone whose songs she used to love.
"Don't hate yourself for this... No one could have seen this coming." Kai spoke in a soft tone, and a charming smile.
"That is not how politics work Nightingale."
"I know, I'm just reassuring you anyways."
Morgan flinched, turning towards him.
"Are you thinking of using this as an opportunity to negotiate your way out of the problem? If so it won't work."
[Hey, you guys are the incompetent ones]
A voice suddenly sounded in Morgan's head.
[I mean you're already feeling attracted to him, it's going to be easy for him anyways.]
Her brother. Her wretched brother. Fraudret.
Who—despite being a fraud—managed to escape their prison, become an Ascended, and find his way back here.
'The only thing he is a fraud at is being a good brother!'
Why did she have to have him out of everyone!
[Oh shut up, I know what you are thinking, you mother killer.]
...
"Shut up!"
That was when she noticed it... Kai—having an innocent smile on his face—flinching. For a moment, the innocence was so perfect that it sent shivers down her spine.
---
[Yo, Kai, make an innocent face and smile. Trust me it always works with your look (you damned lucky bastard... If only I could change my own reality to look like you.)]
A voice—not his own—appeared in his mind.
'Who? Who are you?'
Kai asked the voice, a little wary, but not scared. Sure, this random person entered his mind, but so what?
[Me? You can call me The Author. The Omniscient. The Pupeteer. The leader of Sunny's Mental Health organisation while I keep ruining it for fun.]
Ok, what the fuck was this cringe.
And why was poor Sunny being dragged like this!
No but why is this not being detected as a lie!
Was this kid simply this delusional!
'No, but why did I actually put my "I am innocent and handsome" smile!'
"Shut up!"
Morgan screamed in anger, making Kai flinch.
"Guards! Search this place once again. That bastard is here somewhere."
[Wow, I'm out here eating popcorn seeing this mess... Hmmm, lemme drag Sunny into this shit]
The Author replied.
"Mam, we found him leaving right now, on a call with someone."
A guard dragged a porcelain doll with them. He had a pale skin, and black hair, with onyx black eyes. Sunny.
'What the fuck?'
[Wow... What is this peak I'm cooking.]
"Sunless. Why were you leaving?"
Sunny looked annoyed as he turned to look up at Morgan's head.
"I went to the bathroom, realised my place in this world, and decided to go give Master Jet a call for some things... I would rather you not ask them."
'Wasnt he just with Nephis?' Kai thought.
"Hmmm, you might not have anything to do with this... Predicament, would you?"
"About what?"
"About my brother, Mordret."
"Nope, none at all. I just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. That's all."
Morgan sighed, "Alright, go do whatever," She nodded in realisation.
'What's happening? She knows something-'
[You will know in due time.]
Morgan turned around one last time, "Nightingale. Since today's ball is over go tell your friends to meet me here, two days from now, to discuss the terms."
Then she left, twirling her hair.
Thump. Thump.
What—
What just happened?
And why did she look so beautiful...
'Is this love?'
Yeah no. He had seen many beautiful women, there was no way he fell for someone as cruel as her.
But that dance—damn, that dance was good. The way he held her...
The way she spun with his finger...
And the way she just twirled her hair.