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The entire room grew quiet when Matilda announced that Queen had arrived. I wasn't aware if we were yelling surprise or not at that point due to all the streamers and a large welcome banner hanging across the room. Julius had decorated the entire palace as though the child was having a birthday party.
I glanced at Xyla and saw her scowling with her arms crossed. If I was a nicer person I would've checked on her, but I didn't give a shit about her.
I needed to work on that...but not today. I wasn't sure if I truly could pretend that well.
We heard a soft voice outside the dining room and I listened quietly. "I can carry that, it's alright," a girl's voice sounded.
"It's okay your Majesty, I will take it to your room." I immediately recognized Sergio's voice. He was the castle's chauffeur of almost thirty years; yet another human that worked in the palace that was against immortality for some odd reason.
"My name is Queen," she said.
"What a strange name for a child," Sergio whispered in what sounded like awe. She said something else that we couldn't really hear, but it made Sergio burst into a spur of laughter that sounded like a donkey was dying. Queen laughed along with him, and I furrowed my eyebrows at the sound.
It was rare that I heard a genuine laugh around here from anyone besides my mother and her close friends. Everyone else oozed royalty and petulance that for some reason entailed having a fake laugh and smile. I couldn't quite do such things myself, but from observation, I'd become a pro at reading people.
"Everyone is in here. Are you ready?" Sergio asked.
"I was ready until you asked if I was ready," she whispered. "Is there a reason I shouldn't be ready?"
"No. You're only a human walking into a room full of supernatural creatures," Sergio joked.
Human?
I didn't realize I had said that out loud until my mother glanced at me with a focused squint. "Behave yourself, Syn." I rolled my eyes and she turned to Felix. "You as well. She is our guest, not a blood bank. Control yourselves."
"I'm always in control," Felix muttered, adjusting his blazer.
A small giggle erupted from Xyla who seconds ago was scowling at the door, and I raised a brow. It wasn't that funny, was it? I thought to myself for a few moments, but settled my instincts to focus on the moment at hand.
"Was that supposed to calm me down?" I heard the girl ask Sergio from the other side of the door.
Julius scoffed, Xyla rolled her eyes with Mia, and everyone else burst out into quiet laughs. Xavier tried his best to hold down his laughter, but failed when my mother began. I looked away from everyone that was busy with their own reactions, and I shook my head at the conversation that continued on.
