Shadowseeker

chapter fourteen

"Alright, honey, if you need us, we'll be over at the High Council's table."

Aelia nodded as Reina spoke, glancing over at her parents as they joined the stream of people who were making their way into the town hall. She wrapped the red folds of her dress around her fingers, lifting it slightly to make sure that it didn't get trampled on.

As soon as they entered, Aelia surveyed the room. It was set up in a different way to last time, with circular tables dotted all over the room, nametags left neatly in each place to indicate who sat in which seat. A raised platform at the other end of the room marked out the High Council, who would all sit on the same side of a long rectangular table, facing everyone else. 

Security had been dramatically increased since the catastrophe at the last event. Lighthunters stood to attention against the wall, armed to the teeth with a range of weapons. The sight of them sent a chill down Aelia's spine, but she pushed her fears away and told herself that everything would be perfectly fine.

Aelia glanced up, her eyes narrowing as she looked directly into the light. An impressive golden chandelier hung down from the centre of the ceiling, its tiny gold diamonds sparkling as they reflected the bright light that the individual emitted. It was suspended underneath a network of wooden beams, and Aelia couldn't help but instinctively scan the tiny gaps between each rafter.

"Aelia, dear?" Reina nudged her daughter, subtly gesturing to one of the central tables. "Elior is over there with your friends."

"Thank you, Mother," Aelia pushed her nagging thoughts away, offering a small smile to Reina. "I'll see you later."

Aelia watched her parents make their way over to the raised platform, gracefully ascending the steps and taking their seats. Once again, she felt a lingering sense of longing, perhaps even jealousy, at how united they seemed. Would she grow to love Elior as her parents loved each other? Even if she knew that he had feelings for someone else?

She didn't think so, but she would have to act as she did for the rest of her life.

Aelia's steps seemed automatic as she mechanically moved toward her assigned table, weaving in and out of other tables and a seemingly endless stream of people. 

"Aelia! You made it!" Eli broke into a smile as he noticed her, his conversation with Lucian getting cut off. 

"Of course I did," Aelia almost winced at her voice as she sunk onto the soft velvet of her seat. It contained a note of artificial brightness as she forced herself to smile warmly at him. She met Eli's gaze for a brief second before looking away and addressing the rest of her friends. "How is everyone?"

Lorelai, from the other side of Aelia, was practically buzzing with energy, as usual. How she maintained such a bubbly persona, Aelia would never know, but she always appreciated her friend's infectious happiness.

"I'm great, Lia!" Lorelai beamed at Aelia, tucking her dark curly hair behind one ear. Her soft tawny skin seemed to glow, and she looked radiant as Aelia glanced over at her. "I wonder what they're going to announce tonight. It seems pretty important."

"It's a new law," Sulien chipped in, his chin lifted with a faint sense of superiority. Knowledge was essential in this world of parties and politics. "My father knows all about it. He helped to write it, actually."

"Yeah," Evelyn's tone was much less subtle, a smirk crossing her face as she leaned forward. She rested her elbows on the crisp white tablecloth, eyeing Aelia and Lorelai from across the table. "He wouldn't tell us what it is, but it's supposed to be super important."

Aelia stifled the urge to roll her eyes but glanced at Lorelai and raised her eyebrows slightly. Lorelai's smile widened as she shared a knowing look with her friend.