A Bite of the Apple

15 - The Key

Siyeon took me back to her parents' house and dressed me up in the hottest, tightest black dress I've ever worn. She herself wore a fitted suit. I have to admit, she really pulled it off. Only after we did our hair and makeup did Siyeon actually tell me where we were going.

Our destination was the dance hall of some distant prince in a far-off dimension. He was the heir to a throne of many hundreds of galaxies, and he had come across the key by sheer accident. According to Siyeon, she had dropped the key as she was fleeing the House after she stole it, along with the book. She had picked up the book, but left the key behind. Then this lucky, thrill-seeking, son of a gun happened across it on one of his many joyrides and decided to keep it, thinking it was some fancy piece of jewellery. Talk about bad luck.

The goal for tonight was simple: get close to the prince and steal the key from around his neck. Never mind all the security he would doubtless have with him, nor the fact that I was still in way over my head. But Siyeon had told me I would be useful, so I decided to trust her.

My job was to be eye candy and distract the prince. Siyeon would do the stealing (as always). I asked her why she couldn't simply steal the key with magic. The magic of the key was stronger than Siyeon's magic. Siyeon would even go so far as to say that the key was a type of magic in itself. I merely shrugged. She was the witch here, not me.

And so, dressed in the hottest, tightest dress I've ever worn. Siyeon got us to the prince's private residence, wherein he was hosting a small gathering - about thirty people all up.

The residence was a small but glamorous affair on a frosty mountain top. The gathering itself was in the courtyard before the entrance, and it was filled with guests, platters of nibbles, and more than enough drinks to go around.

I was shivering when we appeared outside, but as soon as we crossed the threshold into the courtyard, a delicious warmth stole over me. I smiled.

Beside me stood Siyeon in her fitted suit. I won't lie, she looked hot. Dangerous. More so than usual. Together, we strode into the party liked we belong. Siyeon had cast a charm on the both of us that would stop people from wondering why we were there. To everyone there, we were simply two folks who had mutual friends with everyone.

Siyeon pointed the prince out to me. He was a shortish man. Still taller than the both of us, but not by much. His hair was blonde. His jaw was chiselled and flecked with stubble. He had a slight beer belly though. Not completely perfect, then.

I looked beside me. Siyeon had disappeared. I sighed and straightened my shoulders. It was time to do my job.

It was childishly easy in the end. The prince saw me, an irresistible piece of candy, and thought he could take what he wanted. I don't normally like to do this, but with him I didn't hesitate to lead him on. Teasing him with the promise but never delivering.

All the while, Siyeon closed in on her prey. She snuck under his guard, stole the key, then stuck a knife in his liver for good measure. Her eyes were venomous.

"She's my girl, your highness," she hissed in his ear.

Then she darted away, grabbed my hand, and we disappeared together in a flash of red light.

It was a simple job in the end. I never found out if the prince survived or not, or why Siyeon decided to stab him. Maybe she was angry. Maybe he had done something. Or maybe she did it for the fun of it, for the power kick it gave her. I didn't know.

But we succeeded, and we were out of there, the memory already fading like a distant dream.