Melodious music drifted through the dazzling grand hall of the Thornton territory, blending with giggles and the meaningless chatter of conversation. The air was thick with expensive perfume—so heavy it nearly suffocated the room.
Elaborate gowns, bright colors, and glittering jewelry were displayed everywhere. Young ladies from the most prestigious families of the dukedom had gathered in lavish dresses made from the finest silk. Every smile, every laugh, every carefully practiced gesture carried the same hidden desire.
This year's ball was more extravagant than ever.
All of it was for what they believed to be the opportunity of a lifetime.
In truth, it was closer to a beautifully decorated death sentence.
Humans are fascinating creatures—competing desperately for the chance to be chosen, never realizing they may simply become food.
Still, it did not bother me in the slightest. If they wished to sacrifice themselves to satisfy my husband's hunger, then so be it.
Even so, I questioned why I had dared to come here tonight.
It was disgraceful.
Despite the necessity of it, I could barely stand the thought of him bringing another girl home.
What am I thinking?
That was precisely why I came—to see which human he would choose this time.
No one knew of my presence at the ball. Of course not. The duchess is forbidden from attending such an event. A dark veil concealed most of my face, ensuring no one would recognize me.
But I wanted to see everything with my own eyes… to know whether he would take a new consort tonight.
For the past few years, he had not chosen anyone. Instead, he continued to portray himself as a grieving widower, still mourning that human girl, Emma.
But my right eye had been twitching nonstop since morning, and my crows had cried for nearly an hour at dawn.
Something is going to happen tonight.
I know it.
Time passed slowly as I stood in the dimmest corner of the ballroom, my wine glass trembling slightly in my hand. I had already finished more glasses than I cared to count.
I held a few short conversations while searching the crowd, my eyes scanning carefully for anything unusual—a girl who stood out, or one trying far too hard to blend in.
Unfortunately, I noticed two.
The first stood in the opposite corner, wearing an overly plain dress for such a grand occasion. She hid partially behind another girl who was dressed excessively, her face buried beneath thick layers of makeup that were almost painful to look at.
The plain girl had charcoal-black hair that covered most of her bowed face. She appeared determined to go unnoticed.
Yet something about her felt… wrong.
She did not seem merely nervous like the others.
She seemed frightened.
The second girl stood farther away from the crowd. Her choice of clothing was equally strange. While all the other human girls wore bright colors meant to attract the attention of high-ranking nobles—like flowers drawing bees—she wore dark crimson.
And I must admit, it suited her.
The color was striking.
The worst part, however, was their scent.
Their blood carried a faint sweetness of innocence.
I knew it.
Tonight, I might have to make room for another one of his toys—and I was in no mood for such an inconvenience.
I exchanged glances—or rather, glares—with them.
The plain girl barely met my eyes. Her head remained lowered the entire time.
But the girl in crimson returned my gaze more than once, as if refusing to be intimidated.
I watched them carefully, examining their every movement.
Despite their differences, they shared one thing in common.
They avoided socializing with the other human girls.
Suddenly, a voice echoed through the ballroom.
"All behold! The Fourth Pillar of the Empire, the Duke of Thornton—Eliot Winter—has arrived! Make way!"
Conversation died almost instantly.
The musicians faltered for a moment before hurriedly continuing their song.
I swallowed the last of my wine in a single gulp.
My palm clenched tightly, my nails digging into my skin as a surge of irritation,perhaps even anger,shot up my spine.
He entered the hall as if the very air belonged to him. Silence followed in his wake, heavy with the weight of his authority.
His presence was absolute.
His dark hazel eyes were unreadable as always. Honey-brown hair fell to his shoulders, tied neatly behind him. He wore deep emerald garments that contrasted sharply with his pale skin.
Around me, the girls whispered excitedly
about how strikingly handsome he was.
For some reason, their admiration made my fingers dig deeper into my palm.
Every pair of eyes in the room followed him.
Including the two girls.
His gaze remained forward.
He had not noticed them yet.
Should I simply kill them now?
No.
That would be far too rash—and immature of me.
I must remember that I am still the duchess.
The ballroom filled with nervous anticipation as the young ladies tried desperately to attract his attention. Some laughed too loudly, while others positioned themselves carefully in his path.
But to their disappointment, he did not spare them even a glance.
Instead, he smiled politely and exchanged small talk with the nobles who greeted him.
Even from a distance, I could see it clearly.
The same detached expression.
The same empty eyes.
As if nothing existed behind them at all.
Fortunately, he had not noticed me yet. I had taken great measures to ensure that I was unrecognizable.
So I kept my distance.
The ballroom was enormous, crowded with both humans and vampires. With enough space between us, perhaps he would not detect my scent.
Distance was all I needed.
For now.
But as if I had sighed in relief too soon, my heart suddenly dropped.
As he passed nearby, his eyes lingered on the crowd standing in front of me for a moment too long.
My breath caught.
Did he… perhaps notice me?