The Obsessive Villainess Vol. 1 ✔

20. I'll protect myself anyway.

Chapter 20: I'll protect myself anyway but... I want to be protected by you. I want that warmth.

It was a lie!

Cassian held out his hand to me and I gently grabbed onto it as I stepped down with my heavy dress, staring with shock at the building ahead of me.

They said it was a little palace! What a lie!

"How are you feeling?" Cassian murmured as he placed my arm around his. Caeles was by his other side and we three began to walk towards the entrance of the building.

I gave him a confused look. Seeing it, he continued. "You seemed to have developed a sickness to riding in carriages?"

It was true. Although the Arcturus carriages were comfortable, they still were carriages with big wheels pulled by horses on these bumpy paths; someone like me who was more used to the 21st century's modern transports found it extremely hard to adjust to the constant movements. Though according to the book, magic devices that helped better balance carriages would be introduced in a few years... I frowned. Why can't it just be here already?

"You noticed?" I asked Cassian and he gave me an apologetic smile.

"You were looking a little pale, though you seem better now."

While it was true that I had barely held back my lunch, I was also filled with anxiety at having to go to such a big event. A ball definitely has to be different from a garden tea party, and in my last one, I was drenched with hot tea, courtesy of Cassian's admirers. No, how cliché and lame is it that women are fighting other women over a man? This could only be a book.

The Aurore Palace was huge and was lit with glowing mana lamps, looking like something out of a fantasy movie. The centre of the entire building had a huge dome, no doubt that being the ballroom. It had a huge arch for an entrance, with carved doors of mahogany that were left open with soldiers stationed outside. It was a beautiful building; however, my eyes were drawn to something else.

There were marble statues lined up outside by the path, of fairies and people that looked like they were following something with outreached hands. It made me gasp in shock.

"Is he fucking crazy?" I mumbled. Making art of the people who lost their lives and putting it on display like this? Just to show off his bloodline?

"What a bloody lunatic." I heard Caeles curse and looked towards Cassian who was silent, but I flinched when I saw him. Although he hadn't said anything, his eyes that were glaring at the statues seemed like they were glowing. It was for a moment, before he went expressionless. But that was enough for me. I knew from the book that he was the male lead with the silent rage.

And isn't that the most dangerous?

I gulped and my arm holding onto his felt heavy as we climbed up the stairs. We walked through the pillars and the giant arch before reaching the entrance of the ball. When our presence was announced, everybody in the huge ballroom turned to stare at us. After all, we were the most interesting group of people there.

The Aldebaran heir apparent, the youngest person on the way to becoming a sword master, and finally, me: the Ilaria Marquess' mad dog daughter.

For some reason, this thought brought a smirk to the corner of my lips. It was the smile of someone who had already lost hope and had 'whatever now' tattooed onto their heart. I could already see glares directed at me; it wasn't just women. Although most of the people had their eyes on the brothers, their glances of disapproval and hate at me were evident.

Ahh...

I sighed freely and tightened my grip around Cassian's arm. He looked down at me and I gave him the brightest smile I could. "I think I'm finally getting a feel for it."