Man in black mask

Not wanting to get late, the Davis family hurried out when the hired carriage arrived. They didn't have their own so they had to hire one. They were lucky they were able to find a hackney because a lot of families in the village must be in need of a ride.

Claire had a big smile when she climbed to the carriage. The royal blue dress complimented her ivory skin. Her brown hair was tied in complicated braids, and the way she moved was no different to that of a lady of noble birth. As someone who had been dreaming to marry a man from a wealthy family, she had been training herself how to be ladylike so that when an opportunity befell her, she would not embarrass herself.

Meanwhile, unlike her sister who wore a dress of striking color and design, Lucy's dress looked pale compared to Claire's. Her hair wasn't braided and just had small pins at the side. Earlier, she had to do the chores before they left while Claire was already preparing. She had no time to braid so she just left it on loose. She didn't usually style her hair so it didn't make her uncomfortable.

"Claire, make sure that you are always polite to men. You don't want to give them a bad impression. This is your chance to find yourself a suitable husband," Esme said while they were in the carriage. "And you, Lucy, don't do something foolish. If a man pays attention to you and he seems well-off, don't brush him off. Don't be stupid. Sure, Mr. Bentley is decent, but he's way too low compared to those men with positions."

Esme eyed her younger daughter with a sharp look. She always hated how different Lucy was to Claire. She was timid and didn't know how to look pleasant in front of men. She often had her own little world, content to just sitting at the corner without being paid attention to.

"And why didn't you even style your hair? Look how dull you look!" Esme shot Lucy a disgusted glare. "If you didn't know, you should have asked Claire for help." She shook her head, disappointed by Lucy's inattentiveness to such a one great event.

"I know how to braid, Mama. I did the chores and didn't have much time left to prepare."

Claire rolled her eyes.

When they were dropped by the carriage, the full moon was shining above the castle's tallest tower. Lucy's eyes went to the grandeur in front of her. She had never been in the town, let alone in the place where the King resided. The palace was more beautiful than she imagined, especially tonight when it was adorned by the moonlight. Such a beautiful sight, Lucy thought.

Claire and Esme's eyes were filled with the same awe. And they felt more when they went inside. The marbled floor was shining beneath them, large gold chandeliers were hung at the high ceiling, every corner was a breath of fortune they had never seen before.

Lucy, who was tailing her mother and sister, stopped to stare at the ceiling that was painted with strange images. At first, she thought they were angels because they had white wings but as she stared longer, she noticed their dark red eyes and their little horns.

"What are you standing there like a fool, Lucy? Come on!" The voice of her mother stopped her thoughts from going deeper.

She went to them and that was when she noticed the huge number of people present. They didn't lack space, though. The palace's royal hall was large enough. However, Lucy had a time recognizing people from their village because everyone was wearing a mask. She was wearing a mask herself, a silver mask covering half of her face.

Soon, the music started and the majority found partners to join the dancing crowd. Claire was immediately asked by a fine-looking man which pleased her. Esme found her group of friends and stayed with them, leaving Lucy at the sides with some people who didn't take pleasure in dancing.

Lucy stood beside a table of different drinks. She took one and watched the magnificent royal hall filled with joy. She smiled a bit, grateful that His Majesty gave the villagers a chance to enjoy a night of luxury. A dreamy night they would always hold in their memories. But she wondered where the King was.

As the royal hall was filled with smiles and laughter, in the balcony above them, a man in a black glittering mask stood in the dark holding a chalice of wine.

Another man with a smaller figure appeared behind him. "Master, don't you want to join them and have fun?"

"I don't think I would enjoy joining them. Nothing piqued my interest," said the man in a deep voice.

At the same time, his eyes wandered around the dancing crowd to the people at the sides. His eyes suddenly narrowed when he caught a glimpse of something.

A lady in a peach dress was fixing her mask after a woman accidentally bumped her from behind. For a split second, she took the mask from her face and put it on again like a breeze before tying it. It was a very brief moment, but for someone who had better senses than humans, it was enough for Luther to capture the lady's face in his mi

The first thing he noticed was her hazel eyes. Those were expressive and spoke gentleness. Her nose was narrow and small, and his lips were pink. Compared to the ladies who mostly wore dresses with striking color, her peach dress looked pale and plain. But at the same time, it made her stand out as she was the only lady in the ball who seemed like didn't take effort in dressing up.

But that didn't make her look less beautiful. In fact, the dress was perfect for her. Half of her shoulders down to her chest were exposed, making him wonder how her soft creamy skin felt under his lips. Her honey blonde hair cascaded down her back while some curls were left at the sides, adding more details to her face. He had seen a lot of beautiful girls, but he didn't know why this one seemed to be more interesting than anyone he met before.

Was it her innocence? Luther cocked his head and stared at her more. No, it wasn't. There was something else in her eyes, like a flickering fire in hearth that could awaken the desires of a man's dead soul.

A wicked smile touched Luther's lips. Beneath his black mask, his amber eyes turned to blazing gold.