LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 8: A Spark
Before him stood Cassie, as beautiful as ever.
"Cassie!" Kai greeted joyfully, wrapping his toned arm around her shoulders in a warm hug. He could feel his nerves easing, even if only a little.
The blind seer smiled sweetly, tapping his shoulder with her delicate hand.
She wore a light-blue dress, its colour akin to the sky. Ivory stripes cascaded from her neck, curving elegantly around her stomach before connecting behind her waist, making her look both graceful and breathtaking.
"How have you been? Is Neph here too?" he asked eagerly, feeling a wave of relief wash over him now that he could engage in a real conversation instead of endlessly exchanging pleasantries that led the chat to nowhere.
The smile on her face never faltered. Even as she spoke, her voice remained quiet and cheerful -something that made Kai happy, considering Neph had mentioned their friend had been feeling down lately.
"I'm fine," she answered. "We just finished scouting the forest before Godgrave two days ago and came back to Bastion."
Then, without wasting a moment, she continued, "And yes, Neph is here too. She's currently with Morgan preparing the speech."
Kai nodded in relief. Without hesitation, he intertwined their elbows and gently led her toward the drinks stand. His mouth felt unbearably dry from all the anticipation and anxiousness.
Her white heels tapped softly against the marble tiles as she leaned in slightly with a childish smile on her lips. In a hushed voice, she whispered, "So, what is it with you and Morgan?"
Nearly tripping over his own foot, Kai's eyes widened in shock. He whipped his head down at her, completely caught off guard. "W-What?"
The woman couldn't help but giggle, covering her mouth with her hand. "I already talked with Effie, you know. She told me everything."
Kai sighed in defeat, his gaze dropping to the floor. "It's really nothing. You know how Effie can be with her teasing."
Cassie's giggle disappeared immediately as she cleared her throat. "Yes, definitely," she said, then added quietly, "She was telling me how I'm the only one among us without a partner now!"
Now it was Kai's turn to chuckle, relieved to see Cassie so expressive and talkative. Her usual calm and quiet demeanour was gone for a moment.
"I'm a busy woman, alright," Cassie said dismissively, giving her companion a playful smack on the arm.
Deciding not to tease her anymore -since Effie had already done enough of that- Kai offered her a drink from the stand before taking one for himself.
Clearing his throat and acting as if nothing was out of the ordinary, Kai took a sip from his glass and spoke, "So, when is Morgan doing her speech?"
Cassie answered, suppressing a smile at his obvious curiosity, "Now."
'Wha-' Kai thought abruptly, but before he could say anything, exactly two seconds later, sharp footsteps echoed through the ballroom, pulling everyone's attention toward the low balcony that hung over the hall.
The balcony was adorned with two long vermillion curtains that draped elegantly from either side. The interior behind them remained hidden by the two red cloths, because of that no one could really tell what was happening inside.
His heart rate spiked once more as a breathtaking, tall woman emerged from the shadows, stepping into the light with the grace of a goddess.
'Finally,' he smiled awkwardly.
Morgan stood before everyone in all her glory, literally commanding the attention of the entire room toward her.
At that moment, there wasn't a single person in the ballroom who wasn't amazed by her presence. And, of course, no one was as amazed as Kai.
Once the initial stupor faded, Kai focused on her, noticing the unusual attire she was wearing. He could've sworn this was the first time he'd ever seen the princess in a dress.
The dress was vermillion and black, designed to accentuate every single aspect of her beauty. Morgan's ruby-like eyes seemed to glow even sharper than usual against the vermillion accents, while her jet-black hair cascaded freely around her shoulders, absorbing every speck of light just like the dark portions of her dress. Her pale face stood out starkly against the black shades, creating a striking contrast that made her seem so unnatural.
Cassie quietly cleared her throat next to him, pulling Kai out of his trance. Her voice echoed in his mind, clear and slightly teasing.
[You know I'm using your eyesight right now, right Kai?]
The Saint's face flushed a light shade of pink as he quickly averted his gaze down. Embarrassment flooded him to the point where he nearly blurted out a response aloud, forgetting to use her Aspect for a split second.
[I wasn't being a creep I swear...]
Even Kai's thoughts were practically drenched in embarrassment, but Cassie only smiled knowingly, gently patting his arm that was still linked with hers.
[Did I accuse you of being one?]
She added, her lips tugging into a little smile.
He winced internally, feeling his face heat up even more. [No, but you might as well have…] he thought back with a sigh.
Kai wanted to argue further and save his dignity, but just then, Morgan's sharp voice rang out through the ballroom, cutting off their banter and quieting the murmurs around them.
"Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed guests. Welcome to the Gala hosted by the great Valor Clan. It is my honour and pleasure to welcome you all under our roof," Her voice was firm and sharp, full of authority, effortlessly reaching every corner of the hall. "My father, the King of Swords, deeply regrets not being able to attend such an important event in person. Therefore, I am here in his stead."
Morgan paused for a moment, her gaze sweeping across the room. "As we gather here today, let me remind you what we are truly fighting for." She placed her gloved hands on the railings, her stance was strong and authoritative, mimicking her late uncle Whispering Blade.
"We fight for a world where children are not haunted by the fear of death; where fathers don't live with the terror that their child could be taken by a Gate opening too close, or mothers fearing whether they'll have enough to feed their families this month. We fight for peace, not just in the Waking World, but also in the Dream Realm."
With a smile -one that was clearly fake- she finished her speech. "Thank you for being here and helping us! Please take time to get to know each other, the main even shall start soon."
Her voice, even though polite, was filled with irritation and dismissiveness.
[Parts of what she said was true]
Kai confirmed with an awkward smile, transmitting it to Cassie and watching Morgan give the guests a polite bow of her head.
'So she does care…' His thoughts raced for a moment, causing him to miss the instant when Morgan's gaze shifted toward him for a split second.
A spark lit up in his chest at the thought, something that had been there for a while, but only now did it begin to truly burn. What was it that Kai was feeling. He couldn't quite wrap his mind around it.
Everyone in the ballroom, including the two of them, clapped and cheered. Some less-mannered guests shouted toasts -something Effie would probably do- while others quietly mumbled to each other, already starting their gossiping.
"Wait, isn't she going to come down?" Kai blurted out, his eyes wide and a hint of panic in his voice as Morgan disappeared into the balcony.
Cassie raised an eyebrow behind her mask. "Maybe later? How should I know?"
Holding himself back from face-palming, he gathered his thoughts., 'You're too worried, Kai.' He remined himself, 'The opportunity will present itself,'
"You know we could just go to the VIP room, right? Effie and her husband are already there. I just asked her." Cassie suddenly said, unintentionally picking up on his inner monologue -one that he hadn't bothered to hide because of the slight panic.
Kai looked down at her, blinking rapidly for a long moment. "You can do that?"
"We can do that," she replied, hiding a smile behind her fingertips. "You aren't officially part of Valor like me, but since you're Neph's friend, no one will say anything."
Kai fought the urge to hug her tightly right then and there, knowing it would be a bit too much in front of everyone. Instead, he decided to simply offer her a wide smile and a sincere, "You're the best."