Chapter 008 · Welcome to the High-Stakes Charade, Where Smiles Are Just Masks and Secrets Are the Real Currency!

The next morning dawned early over Downtown Zodiac, the rays of sunlight creeping through the colossal windows of Seventeen's room. The city outside was already stirring—shoppers, diplomats, and military personnel moving about, their lives intertwined in the endless machinations of the capital. It was a world of appearances, masks, and deceptions—a world Seventeen knew how to navigate like a second skin.

Serena D'Angelo was back in place. Kind smile, gentle gestures, bright eyes that sparkled with warmth. The healer from Loveliar was ready for another day.

As she dressed for the hospital, slipping into the pristine white coat that had become her daily armor, Seventeen allowed her mind to focus on the next steps of her plan. Last night's gala had been the first real and significant move—an introduction, an opportunity to lay the foundation for her infiltration. Now came the delicate part: deepening the bonds further, strengthening the connections, and sowing the seeds of her manipulation deeper.

The six were not fools, she reminded herself. They were heirs to power, born into roles of leadership and responsibility. But they were human, too. And humans had desires, vulnerabilities, and blind spots. Seventeen's job was to find those weaknesses and exploit them, all while wearing the mask of Serena.

Her schedule for the day was packed—rounds at the hospital in the morning, meetings with the medical staff in the afternoon, and then an evening event with the six heirs. It was a rare opportunity to have all of them in the capital at once, and Seventeen was determined to make the most of every one of those opportunities she got.

She has been playing the Serena role for months now, she could wait a bit longer to havest the fruits of the seeds she planted.

All she needed to do was avoid certain people who could mess things up. The sheer thought of meeting with Samantha Vaughn accidentally or not made a shiver go down her spine, it felt bittersweet, but more than anything, dangerous. Whereas Corvos Nightshade, as the heir of Scorpion, was a trained secret agent, and he had the most dangerous asset of all heirs aside his shadow magic: photographic memory so sharp he had mastered the art of seeing through the disguise of others.

Thankfully for her, both were antisocial and avoided every social gathering between the powerful figures of the twelve districts in Downtown Zodiac and other districts.

It was a leap of faith to count on that, but it was all she could do about them.

※※※

As she made her way through the hospital's grand halls, Seventeen kept her posture relaxed, her expression approachable. The staff greeted her with smiles, and she returned each one with practiced warmth. Everyone in the building knew Serena D'Angelo, the bubbly and talented new doctor from Loveliar. No one knew Seventeen Whitlock, the daughter of Ophiuchus, the child of prophecy who had come to tear down the world that these people worshipped.

But they will.

Her rounds were uneventful, filled with the usual routine of patient care. But even in the quiet moments, her mind was always calculating, always looking for the next step. She moved from room to room, treating the sick and injured, her hands steady and her voice soothing. Serena was a healer, after all, and Seventeen knew how to play her role convincingly.

It wasn't until the afternoon that the first real opportunity of the day presented itself.

"Dr. D'Angelo?" A voice called from behind her as she reviewed a patient's chart. Seventeen turned to see Claus Villarreal standing in the doorway of the hospital wing, his golden hair catching the light like a halo around his head.

["Of course, it's him."] Claus had been circling her since the last gala, his interest in Serena clear. He was the easiest to predict, the most open in his admiration. And Seventeen had no qualms about using that to her advantage.

"Prince Villarreal," she greeted him warmly, her voice lilting with a touch of humor. "What brings you to the hospital today? Feeling unwell?"

Claus smiled, though there was a slight blush to his cheeks. He was always charming, always graceful, but his attraction to her was evident in the way he stood, just a little too close, his gaze lingering on her face. "Not at all. I was hoping to see you, actually. Thought I'd check in and see how you're settling into the city."

Seventeen tilted her head, feigning surprise and delight. "That's very kind of you! It's been a bit overwhelming, to be honest. Downtown Zodiac is... larger than I" ["remembered"] "imagined."

"It can be a lot," Claus agreed, his tone conspiratorial, as if they were sharing a secret. "If you ever need someone to show you around, I'd be happy to. There's a lot more to the city than what you've seen so far."

["Of course there is."] Seventeen smiled sweetly, allowing a soft laugh to escape her lips. "I might take you up on that, Your Highness. Though I'm not sure how much time I'll have—this job keeps me quite busy."

"Then we'll have to find a way to make time," Claus replied, his smile widening. His charm was palpable, and Seventeen could see how easily he won people over. But for her, it was all too easy to see through. He wanted to impress her, wanted to be close to her. And that was exactly what she needed.

"Maybe this weekend?" he suggested, his eyes hopeful.

Seventeen let the pause stretch just long enough to seem thoughtful before she answered. "That sounds lovely, but I'll have to see how things go at the hospital. There's always someone in need of care, you know."

Claus nodded, though there was a flicker of disappointment in his eyes. He wasn't used to hearing no. "I understand," he said, his voice softening. "But if you do find time, I'd love to show you the gardens at the palace in a quick stop by Imperious. They're... well, you'll see."

Seventeen gave him another warm smile, allowing just enough affection to shine through to keep him hooked. "I'll let you know."

He stayed for a few more minutes, chatting about his duties as prince and the upcoming events in the capital. Seventeen listened politely, offering light commentary when needed, but her mind was elsewhere. Claus was an easy win, a stepping stone. But the others... they required more finesse.

※※※

The evening event was more formal than the gala—a diplomatic dinner hosted by the monarchs of Imperious. The six heirs would all be in attendance, along with several key political figures from across the archipelago. It was a perfect opportunity for Seventeen to continue her work, to observe, to influence, to push them closer to her goals.

Of course, she made sure to subtly confirm that the representatives of Twinscott weren't going to attend nor the heir of Scorpion before she confirmed her presence when the director of the hospital had requested.

As she entered the grand dining hall, Serena D'Angelo's bright, infectious energy was on full display. She greeted the guests with enthusiasm, laughing easily and engaging in lively conversation with everyone she met. She played the part of the charming, carefree doctor to perfection.

Inside, however, Seventeen was calculating every step, every word, every glance.

Draco was seated at the far end of the table, his expression as unreadable as ever. His presence always weighed on her—an enigmatic force she couldn't quite pin down. The attraction between them had been undeniable during the dance, but Draco had pulled back afterward, retreating behind his walls. It made him unpredictable, and that frustrated her.

["I'll figure you out soon enough, Draco."]

Amelia and Sablina sat together, their connection obvious in the way they exchanged quiet glances and small smiles. The love triangle involving Hunter was still unresolved, but Seventeen could see the tension between them, how Amelia would charm both of them, divide her time between both, all while giving it a bit more of her to Sablina, while Sablina and Hunter seemed to be falling for her at every turn. It was a delicate situation, one that could be exploited with the right push.

As the dinner progressed, Seventeen kept up her lively chatter, but her attention never wavered from her true goal. She watched the six heirs, noting every interaction, every glance, every word, not really sparing a second to the other heirs present, they weren't her goal and she refused to waste her time on them. That time had passed long ago, and the rulers, especially the heads of Imperious and Whiteland, were to blame for it.

She could see the underlying motivation of the rulers for these events, to keep their children tight together, bonding with one another. But where once there was unity between all heirs, it all seemed to have changed with the death of the heiress of Twinscott, the only district that was currently with no heirs. Their firstborn had died and they had refused to adopt or have another. Now the heirs were distant, separated in private circles.

The prophecy being the unity factor for the six.

By the time dessert was served, she had what she needed—small insights, little pieces of information that would guide her next moves. The evening had been successful, and she was already planning her next steps.

But then, as the conversation around the table lulled, something unexpected happened.

Draco spoke.

"Serena," he said, his voice quiet but commanding enough to draw the attention of the entire table. Seventeen turned to him, her smile still in place, though her heart quickened slightly. He rarely addressed her directly in front of others.

"Yes, Prince de Lavissaye?" she replied, her tone light.

He may not wear a crown like Claus, but he was connected by blood to the Imperious' Royalty, that made him a Prince by all means, even if he didn't use the title commonly.

"I was wondering," Draco continued, his gaze steady, "what brought you to Downtown Zodiac? You've mentioned your work, but... why now? Why this city?"

It was a simple question, but Seventeen could feel the weight behind it. He was testing her, probing for answers, trying to see if there was more to her story than what she had told them.

She didn't falter.

"Oh, it's nothing too exciting," Seventeen said with a light laugh, her blue eyes twinkling with humor. "I've always wanted to work in a place where I could make a real difference. The hospitals here are the best in the archipelago, and when the opportunity arose, I couldn't resist. It's a dream come true, really."

Draco's expression remained unreadable, but Seventeen saw the way his gaze lingered on her for just a moment too long.

["You're not convinced,"] she thought, her mind racing even as she kept her demeanor bright and innocent. ["But you won't find anything. Not yet."]

The rest of the dinner passed without incident, but Seventeen could feel the shift in the air. Draco was watching her more closely now, his suspicion growing. It wasn't unexpected, but it was something she would need to manage carefully.

As the night came to an end and the guests began to leave, Seventeen kept her smile in place, bidding farewell to each of the heirs with the same warmth she had shown all evening.

But when she finally returned to her apartment in Downtown Zodiac, alone and away from prying eyes, the mask slipped.

Her smile faded, her posture straightened, and the soft, bubbly persona of Serena D'Angelo disappeared, replaced by the cold, calculating mind of Seventeen Whitlock.

Draco was a problem. A puzzle she needed to solve.

["You're suspicious and a pain in the ass, but you won't catch me,"] she thought, her lips curling into a smile as she sat at her desk, reviewing the evening's events in her mind.

The game was getting more interesting.

And Seventeen was ready to win.