Author's note: this is from Seraphina's point of view

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The elegant dining room was adjacent to the ballroom and when the time for food approached, the wall between two rooms opened, connecting them into one massive space.

Staff skilfully navigated guests to their designated seats around circular tables that could seat about fourteen people each.

The luxurious white tablecloths had intricate silver-colored embroidery which matched the designs along the edges of delicate china. Crystal glassware and lovely flower arrangements completed the inviting setting.

Aldus offered me to switch seats. That would put me between him and Calista, but I refused and decided to sit on the spot that was assigned to me initially. I didn't want to appear fragile.

I sat between Aldus and a man who introduced himself as Edmund.

Unfortunately, Lazarus was seated at a faraway table. He was the only person with whom I could silently exchange jokes, like mischievous kids who need to behave during a family function. Lazarus and I are sharing a dislike for formal events.

The main table was larger than the others and twenty people were seated there. Elena was at that table with Bertram on her left, and I recognized Elias and Lina on Elena's right. I guessed that those are the Council members with their dates, but Aldus told me that the Council currently has twenty-three members, so I wondered if that was the table for the highest-ranking members of the Council or maybe the others were not present.

Everyone at my table had a sophisticated background. This was easy to guess because the conversation was kept to a minimum, to which I was grateful.

I was at the table with Aldus, Calista, Killian, and eight more people.

People had a graceful demeanor and I imagined that this is how one feels when dining with royalty.

I wondered if anyone will bring up the fact that my eyes are not red, but then I noticed that Aldus's eyes are not red either. I saw him with red eyes only once, when Calista visited the first time and he changed his appearance to one of a man in his mid-twenties.

During our meal, one woman kept observing me, but she didn't try to engage in conversation other than introducing herself as Mira.

Before coming here, Aldus gave me several dozens of files related to people that are in attendance tonight. Mira didn't have a file; she was a closed book.

Mira had an appearance of a delicate teenage East Asian girl with fair skin and golden eyes, but this is a party of creatures, so she might be a thousand years-old hydra or a leprechaun. In my game of 'guess-the-creature', Mira was sorted in the category: unknown.

Aldus warned me that everyone has an agenda and that people who are not power-hungry will not be at this event. I wondered if that applies to him also, but I concluded it does. Aldus is making sure he stays relevant in order to be able to do what he wants.

Everyone has their reasons for wanting to be strong. In a way, I'm like that as well. I want to be useful to my father, and I want to be able to protect myself and my loved ones when the need arises.

The only question was how far one was willing to go in order to gain such power, and to be honest, it all depends on the motivation. There was a time when I could swear that I would never hurt another living creature, but now I know that uttering such words would be a lie.

To protect myself, I would hurt others, even friends. I did that when I left Treva behind at Lost Isles. Do I regret it? I regret that it reached that point, yes. Would I do it again if I got the chance? Yes, I would.

I was not the one to ask Treva to help me out, she did it on her own, but the guilt of not knowing if she was punished for my disappearance is pressing on me.

I tried to shake away the gloomy thoughts and focus on the ongoing dinner.

Suddenly, I appreciated our relaxed atmosphere at home.

A meal in the dining room at home where we can chat and laugh was a better option than this, regardless of the exotic food that was put in front of us.

Some dishes were stranger than the others. There was a half-boiled fist-sized egg that was served in its shell, fried coconut worms, and raspberry sherbet with ant eggs inside that pop and release gooey sweetness when you bite on them. It was oddly satisfying if you neglect that those are ant eggs, with larvae inside.

After the meal was done, Lazarus was quick to make his way toward me, to what I was grateful.

I was hoping that we can grab a tray with snacks and drinks and sit on the bench in the garden, hidden from others, and stay there until it's time to leave. Well, one can hope.

Aldus frowned when Lazarus invited me to step to the side and have a drink.

"I want to introduce Serina to a few more people."

Lazarus shrugged. "Is there a reason I can't tag along? I can make sure that the princess's glass is never empty."

I saw Aldus's eyebrows twitch in annoyance, but I didn't have the heart to chase Lazarus away. After all, he was the only friendly face (other than Calista, Killian, and Aldus), and Lazarus's presence prevented curious onlookers from approaching me.

"Don't you need to talk with Alpha Elias?", Aldus asked Lazarus to what the latter frowned.

Lazarus glanced at me dejectedly. "I will catch up to you in a bit."

"If you spend too much time with him, people will think you are dating.", Calista chimed in and only then I realized that she was glaring at Lazarus who was walking away.

I knew that Calista was right, but… "He is the only friendly face here other than you guys, and you are busy, so..." I didn't finish this because it sounded like I'm whining. And I was.

Calista smirked. "What makes you think that he is friendly? Because he is hitting on you?"

I wanted to say that she was wrong, and we are only friends, but then the memory of a date that never happened popped into my mind, and I swallowed my words.

Calista doesn't like Lazarus, and she makes sure they don't cross paths, but she knows the story of how we met. I told her that Lazarus hugged and sniffed me on the day we met, and then swindled me into accepting a date. There was no way I can deny that he is interested in me, without making it come back to bite me.

I have no intention of leading him on, and I made it clear that I'm not ready for romance and Lazarus never complained, so my conscience is clear. Most of the time.

I didn't respond to Calista's remark, silently agreeing with her, and I turned to Aldus. "I'm ready to meet people."

After exchanging a few more words, Calista and Killian went their own ways, and Aldus took me to the ballroom.

I wanted to ask Aldus what Mira is, as well as several other people who were observing me, but I decided to keep those questions for later. It won't change anything at this point, as I need to treat everyone equally. With caution.

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