"Seraphina!"
The voice sent a chill down her spine, her name alone suddenly hitting harder than any insult ever could. Everything inside her recoiled at the sound...
Her spine stiffened, and her fingers tightened around the glass in her hand. She swallowed hard and, with a last shallow breath, she held her head high. Slowly and reluctantly – with grace and elegance that Sere had refined over the years---
She turned.
And there she was!
Her mother…
Lady Vivienne Arclaire.
She moved across the floor with practiced dignity and elegance.
Impeccable!
Not a strand of her dark hair was out of place, framing her face in a perfect up-do. Her gown was made of the finest silk in a deep emerald that clung to her figure like status. Somewhere in the crowd stood her new husband – a man Sera barely acknowledged existed – watching her with that disgusted, detached glare that she was used to.
At least her mother was smiling and pretending that she cared.
Her lips curved.
Her shoulders relaxed.
But her eyes?
Cold!
Sharp.
Judging...
Oh, and ever so disappointed!
Always disappointed...
Only Sera was ever privy to the reality that was her mother...
Her stomach twisted.
Of course!
Of all the people here – of everyone in this room!
This was the one person she hadn't wanted to face...
"Is that someone you know?"
Lord Virex's voice was quiet at her side.
Quiet…
Yet comfortably observant…
Sera let out a suffering sigh.
"That---"
She brought her glass to her lips.
Wishing she could disappear…
"Would be my mother!"
She didn't look at him.
Didn't see the subtle glance he sent the woman.
Memorizing everything about her.
Just---
You know…
Just in case!
Sera paused.
Then, softer---
"You don't have to pretend around her."
That---
Caught his attention!
The demon gaze shifted slightly – studying her...
"She's irrelevant to my life!"
He let out an affirmative sound; his expression remained the pleasant mask of hospitality.
But deep down, he took in everything about her.
Not the words---
But what lay beneath them...
And what he found so far, he found---
Interesting…
Vivienne closed the distance to them far too fast in Sera's opinion. And before she had a chance to brace herself for it, Vivienne's hand shot out---
Grabbing Sera's wrist.
Hard!
"Seraphina, my dear," she said sharply, her voice sweet enough for others to hear – while her grip told a very different story. "We need to talk!"
No greeting.
No warmth.
Just---
Control!
Sera didn't resist.
Didn't pull away.
Didn't make a scene...
She knew better. Knew what would happen if she did anything to what her mother preserved as "embarrassing her". So she let herself be dragged away. She barely managed to hand her glass to Lord Virex, who watched her being dragged off by her mother…
Sera mentally prepared for war!
Behind them, the party struggled to recover. Music had resumed, and conversations were beginning to pick up again.
But it didn't quite break the tension that lingered.
Leo had returned to Elena, who was now surrounded by her friends--- or whoever wanted to kiss her feet now that she was the soon-to-be queen.
The point was that she was surrounded by people who would care for her.
That was at least a relief...
Leo was still glaring at Lord Virex.
Who---
Didn't even bother acknowledging him!
Sera rolled her eyes.
Men!
Lady Arclaire pulled her to a quieter corner. It wasn't private or anything.
Never private...
Just hidden enough!
Enough for her mother to look perfect!
And for no one to see the tongue lashing she dealt her daughter…
Her mother released her wrist---
Only to shove her back!
"What have you done?"
And there she was!
The only mother Sera had ever known…
She stood before her like a great beast, the same suffocating feeling that Sera had first experienced only days after her father had passed.
The sweetness was gone...
The polished facade she showed the world, ripped away and revealing something ugly beneath...
"You show up here parading a demon on your arm like some cheap spectacle?"
Vivienne spewed her venom.
Yet Sera said nothing.
Anything you say can and will be used against you, and all that...
Vivienne stepped closer.
Uncomfortably so...
"You've embarrassed this family enough, Seraphina, but this?" she hissed. "This is depravity!"
Sera's hands clenched by her side.
Considering all things---
This was her mother being kind!
In her last couple of lives, her mother had sent her a letter, explaining how much of a failure and disgrace she was to her family for being dumped! After the first letter, Sera had burned the rest of them…
Her mother paused.
Then sharper---!
"Are you bedding him now? Is that what this is? Have you sunk so low that you spread your legs for monsters?"
The words hit...
Hard!
To be fair – they always did...
Even now.
Even after everything...
Still---
Sera didn't flinch.
She'd never let words break her!
She'd heard worse.
Felt worse.
Lived worse...
"Do you have no shame?" Vivienne continued, her voice like daggers. "Do you understand what people are saying about you?"
Sera exhaled slowly.
Then---
She smiled!
Not kindly.
Not gently.
No!
This was cold...
Sharp!
The very essence of everything she'd worked to overcome. To never be that vile person again who couldn't stand other people's happiness. Who was bitter, angry, and on the path to self-ruin...
But for her mother---
She'd let the villainess have a special appearance...
"…Are they saying anything that wasn't already being said?"
Vivienne froze.
Acting like the question was a physical slap across the face.
Even if it was just for a second...
It was satisfying to see.
Sera straightened.
"What exactly is the problem, Mother?" she asked calmly, lifting her chin. "That I've chosen someone powerful? Someone capable? Someone who can actually protect me?"
The Demon Lord didn't hold the title of King – the demons didn't follow the same hierarchical structure that humans did. When they were first discovered, the demons used the title of "Solitum d'Traxum".
The Strongest Unite Us!
So when the negotiations started, and the First Treaty was signed, it was the humans who gave their leader the title of "lord" – Sera guessed some male ego couldn't handle him having the title of King.
It stuck after that…
But ever since then, it was commonly acknowledged that the Demon Lord was the same rank as any human noble.
Meaning---
"Tell me," Sera continued, louder now…
Just enough for others nearby to hear.
"What makes him any different from a human noble?"
Lady Vivienne's expression darkened.
"He's a demon---!"
"And?" Sera cut her off smoothly. "Is that the only reason?"
A pause.
A deliberate pause.
Then---
Her smile sharpened!
"Because if that's the case…"
She tapped her chin in mock confusion.
"Then I suppose we should apply that same logic elsewhere, shouldn't we, Mother?"
Sera glared.
Her eyes were cold...
Vivienne stilled.
She hadn't realized when it happened, but---
This wasn't her daughter!
"After all," Sera continued lightly. "Our future queen isn't a noble, is she? You think her unworthy, too?"
A ripple went through the nearby crowd...
Sharp!
Just like Sera intended...
She tilted her head.
Sweet.
Poisoned!
"So tell me, Mother… should we reject her too? Or is prejudice only acceptable when it suits you?"
Vivienne's mouth opened.
Closed...
Opened again.
No words came...
Sera stepped closer, her voice low and icy.
"You don't get to choose when status matters and when it doesn't!"
Silence.
Heavy.
Crushing...
Vivienne's composure cracked.
"You insolent---!"
She screeched.
Her hand rose.
Fast.
Ready to strike!
Sera flinched.
She knew how to defend herself, but in this situation---!
There was nothing she could do!
So she braced for impact.
Only---
Nothing happened…
Peeking between her closed eyes---
Sera gasped!
The hand had stopped mid-air.
Vivianne's body had gone completely rigid.
Because someone was holding her.
Not forcefully.
Not violently.
Just---
Enough!
In fact…
The demon didn't even look at her.
His attention was on the glass in his hand, studying it as if this were all terribly uninteresting.
No one had even seen him move...
"It would be unfortunate," he said mildly, still not looking at them. "If I had to intervene."
That was all.
Nothing more.
But the meaning---
Clear!
Anyone who tried to hurt what he considered his wouldn't live to tell the tale.
Everyone's attention was on them now.
Shock.
Fascination.
Horror.
Admiration...
Vivienne's face drained of color until she turned a sickly ashen color. Her eyes darted to the husband she'd carefully selected, but found him frozen with terror.
She was alone...
Her arm trembled as she went through her options. What did she do so as not to lose face? All she wanted was to put her vile, reckless daughter in her place.
Every time she did in the past, she was praised.
People sympathized with her struggles.
Raising such a spoiled brat---!
No one ever took Seraphina's side.
She'd made sure of that…
But now---!
The demon defended her – publicly!
Humiliating her in the process.
How dare he!
Why?
Why would he do that?
Did he---
Love her?!
No…
No, that was impossible!
In fact, the thought left a foul taste in her mouth.
Love…
No!
There was something else at foot here!
And she was determined to find out what!
So---
For now...
Slowly, Vivianne lowered her arm and snatched her hand back.
Stepping back.
Away.
From him.
From them.
From danger.
Sera could see the wheels turning in her head, scheming one thing or another. She didn't have the mental fortitude to deal with her mother anymore. Besides, Lord Virex released her without another glance. Meaning he, too, was done with this pointless parade.
Then finally---
He looked at Sera.
"I think it's time we departed, my love," he said with a cold smile, as if nothing had happened. "This ball is becoming--- rather tedious."
Sera stared at him for a second.
Two.
Then---
She smirked.
"…Gladly!"