“You look lovely too, Heidi,” I told her and took in her green turquoise dress.
“Thank you, study buddy,” she said, squeezing my waist. Lord Halvorsen looked between Heidi and me and snorted.
Selene glanced at Heidi’s hand on my waist but made no comment, “How was the entrance?” she asked me.
“Bright and loud,” I told her.
“Vultures they are,” Heidi said, sounding perturbed. “They are here for no other reason than to sell their shots to the equally scavenging tabloids.”
“That’s the whole point of this night,” Lord Halvorsen replied. “To let the lower classes live vicariously through us, to encourage their praise and approval. If they are talking about your dress, they are not focused on other matters,” he continued. “Keep them entertained and quiet.”
“Maybe in House Halvorsen,” Heidi smiled, “In House Coactus, even the lowest are aware of the happenings within the kingdom.” Heidi seemed pleased, like she had proven her House superior to Halvorsen in some way.
“Pet.” I looked from Heidi to Selene. “You are free to mingle with your friends before we are seated for our meal,” she told me. Heidi pulled me closer.
“You’re sending her away so soon,” she complained. Selene gave Heidi a reproachful look and the witch dropped her hand from me. “Fine, but I sit with her at the table.”
“You’re not placed at our table,” Selene responded.
“That was true before I arrived,” she smiled knowingly and turned to me conspiratorially and winked. She huffed, taking in my blank stare. I didn’t know what she was hinting at. “I provided the greeters with a new seating plan,” she said, eyes watching my face as if I was still missing something. “The plan in their hands was not what they saw,” she continued very slowly.
“Oh!” I exclaimed. “You projected a different image.” That was impressive.
“Finally.” She threw her hands in the air and turned to Lord Halvorsen. “I arrived at the same time as your brother Oskar. Nice to see he’s recovered since your scrap, and I took the liberty of swapping my seat with his. Hope you don’t mind,” she said smugly.
Lord Halvorsen’s frown deepened and I caught how Selene’s lips twitched upward and her eyes shined with mirth.
“Pet, you are excused,” Selene said rather formally, turning her eyes to me and I nodded and left.
“Bye, Percy,” Heidi called behind me.
“Bye,” I turned to call back and saw her waving.
There were many people, and it felt like I was swallowed by a sea of strangers as I tried to find my friends.
“Lost?” I was stopped by a hand on my elbow.
I turned and my hand rose to my mouth in shock. Orion gripped my elbow. Four rugged white lines cut across his face, and one of his yellow eyes was a milky cloud.
“Orion,” I said, startled.
“It’s a gruesome sight, yes?” he asked, releasing my elbow and running his fingers along the scars. “I think it makes me look more defined. I certainly stand out in a crowd now.” He laughed.
“It has healed quickly,” I said, searching for some way to respond.
“I’m a pureblood Halvorsen. I healed fully within hours,” he bragged. “My brother’s a bit of a nasty bastard, but you’ll find that out for yourself soon enough,” he told me.
Orion scared me. There was something about him that was unhinged. However, the warning about his brother I would not take lightly. Lord Halvorsen scared me too, more so. Lord Halvorsen was handsome and flattering, with a smile that made others swoon, but there was something calculating past his smile and in his eyes.
“Oh, that look, I recognise that look. You already know to be wary of him,” he said, smiling wide. “Smart girl, smart girl. But he won’t come at you so smoothly as a snake; no, he’ll swoop down on you from above,” he said, his eyes wide, and I stepped back, the milky clouds of his damaged right eye frightening me.
“Percy,” I turned. Unexpectedly Jasper was by my side. “Are you okay?” he asked me, stepping forward between me and Orion.
Orion held his hands up and waved his arms placatingly. “I was only speaking with your Princess’s favourite servant,” he said before spinning on his heels, clapping his hands and walking away.
“Jasper, I’m glad to see you,” I told him, grateful for his intervention. He wore a midnight blue suit just a few shades darker than my dress, his tie and pocket handkerchief were the same shade with small white speckles like stars in the night sky. His blonde hair was gelled and combed back in an old-fashioned style, and he was freshly shaven. “You’re handsome,” I told him, and he laughed.
“You sound surprised - am I usually so unkempt you’ve never noticed my perfect jaw?” he asked, framing his face with his hands.