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The laughter from dancing with Charlie echoes in my ears as the song fades, and there’s a moment of calm before the next melody begins. It’s a slower tune, one that pulls at something deeper within me. I turn to see Damien approaching, his light grey eyes fixed on mine with an intensity that is familiar and beautiful.
“May I?” he asks, voice low, every word deliberate.
“Of course,” I whisper.
His hand is cool and steady as it takes mine, leading me into the dance. The caress of his other hand is light on my waist. Each step we take is measured and precise. There’s a vulnerability in the quiet that wasn’t present with the others. With Damien, the rest of the world fades away, leaving just the two of us adrift in a sea of whispered secrets and unspoken promises.
“Ever,” he murmurs, so close his breath feathers against my cheek. “Last night was perfect. I didn’t have the words for it then. It was overwhelming, but I needed you to know it was everything I hoped it would be.”
“Me too,” I murmur, tilting my head back for a kiss. He drops his lips to mine, and it’s the most natural thing in the world.
I know people are staring, but I don’t give a shit. Let them stare. Let them gossip.
The ballroom blurs into a backdrop for the whirlwind that engulfs us next. The scandalous delight of not caring who sees, who whispers, who judges, is intoxicating. With each man, there’s a different kind of thrill, a unique connection that defies explanation and expectation.
Our entanglements are brazen now, no longer hidden behind closed doors or veiled glances. This night, this dance has become a declaration—a bold statement that I am Ever Knight, and these men, with their dark obsessions and fierce desires, have become part of my world. I’ve become part of theirs with its secrets and ceremonies, murders and whatever else.
My head goes dizzy when I think of Stanley and his friends, of my hand slicing through flesh as blood pours out.
But Damien’s hand tightens on mine as if he knows what I’m thinking and shakes his head. “Don’t think about that. It’s done.”
Nodding, I push it aside as nerves swell in my chest again. I can only take one thing at a time, and that is something I don’t want to deal with yet. If ever.
Part of me knows the day will come, but right now, tonight is not that day. Not when I have to face all these people and speak words out loud and not make a total idiot of myself.
My pulse races as I weave through the crowd, their stares a heavy blanket over my skin. It’s a chaotic symphony of whispers and laughter that fades into the background.
“It’s time,” Damien murmurs and guides me off the dancefloor towards the stage, where my feet turn to lead.
Each step feels like walking through quicksand, but I keep moving, propelled by either this or thinking about killing Robbie.
“The fucking choice of the century,” I mutter as Damien gives me a curious stare. As I leave him to climb the steps, my heart doesn’t just race—it gallops wildly, threatening to burst free.
Chancellor Aldritch, Elder of the sect I’ve been dragged into, liar and who knows what else, gives me a big beam. I glare back at him, letting him know this is not okay.
“Ever Knight, ladies and gentlemen,” he says and claps loudly as he moves away from the podium.
Gulping, I take my place, the lights bright as the ballroom goes quiet.
Shit.
Fuck.
Sliding my speech notes out of my bag, I place them on the podium in front of me and lick my lips.
Feeling like a deer caught in headlights, the crowd is a blur of expectant faces. My mouth opens, but the words catch like thorns in my throat. “KnightsGate University is...” I start, but then there’s just silence. A heavy, suffocating blanket of nothingness.
My heart hammers against my ribcage, my breaths shallow and quick. Whispers snake through the room, spreading like wildfire. They sting, even if I can’t make out the words. It’s every fear I’ve ever had about not belonging here, about being unworthy of my heritage, unfolding on this grand stage for all to see.
“Ever,” a voice says softly, barely audible over the din of my panic. Alistair. His hand finds the small of my back, a steady, grounding pressure. I feel the heat of his touch through the fabric of my dress, and it’s like flipping a switch inside me.
I steal a glance at him, his blue eyes holding mine, silently urging me on. His presence is a fortress, and for a moment, I take shelter in it. There’s more whispering from the audience, but now it’s background noise, drowned out by the strength I draw from Alistair’s unwavering support.
“KnightsGate has always been a beacon of progress,” I continue, my voice firmer now, “a place where history andinnovation intersect.” The words flow easier, and as I speak, I let the pride for my family’s legacy infuse each sentence, each breath. Alistair’s hand on my back is steady, but then there’s more. Ben steps up, and his presence adds calm to the storm inside me. Charlie’s next, a half-smile playing on his lips as if he knows something I don’t, probably some joke to lighten the mood later. Then Damien, always the enigma, stands slightly apart, but his gaze tells me he’s right here with me.
They flank me, a quartet of strength. The Duke, the Earl, the Viscount, and the Baron. Yeah, it sounds like the start of a bad joke, but their support is no laughing matter. It’s real, and it’s solid.
With them beside me, I’m untouchable.
