“So Lady Elaine, did you enjoy the dance?” Roland asked smiling.
For once, I was actually enjoying my night. “Yes I did your highness.”
He chuckled. “Do not hesitate to call on your partner over there…” Pointing at the corner where the gentleman stood at attention. “If ever you feel the need to go dancing again,” Roland said.
“Perhaps, another round on the dance floor Lady Elaine?” Selene offered.
“I think I’m done dancing for tonight Lady Selene,” I said politely.
She scoffed. “Too bad…” She paused then gaze at me and resumed, “In a masquerade ball, nobody is going to judge you on what you say or do, that is why we wear the mask.”
I smiled at her. “Thank you Lady Selene but my feet aren’t used to dancing this long,” I explained respectfully. It was the truth I didn’t know how long my feet could handle more dancing wearing high heels.
“Very well… A drink before I go back?” she playfully asked.
“If you wish,” I conceded.
We raised our glasses and she drank all of her wine and I tried to do the same. A footman returned and took our empty glasses. Selene gently gestured her hand in the air and immediately the gentleman wearing a gold tailcoat and mask approached, escorting her to the dance floor leaving me and Roland behind, watching them dancing from the sides.
“Don’t they look so splendid Lady Elaine?” Roland remarked.
“They do actually,” I responded.
“Mind them though, they look harmless but I assure you they have teeth as sharp as knives.” He chuckled and drank all his wine.
“How long have you known them?” I asked. A footman returned serving us more wine.
He shrugged. “Long enough.” He placed his empty glass on the tray and took two glasses of wine and gave the other one to me.
“Do you do this often?”
“I do this whenever I invite guests to stay. I find it highly exhilarating, dancing, drinking and playing games.” He had a coy smile. Drank all his wine in one gulp and gestured a footman to give him another. “And besides,” he continued, “I always enjoy it here in Sunglow away from father, where I can be an emperor in my own little kingdom.”
I was speechless. What he said was very personal and I thought was unlike him but it was probably because of the wine.
“In here, I would not be reminded of what a disappointment I am to him,” he said, with no sadness on his face.
He must be drunk. I wasn’t sure if I was meant to hear this or even comment to such claims. The only decent thing to do in a situation like this was to be a comfort to him. “I don’t think you’re a disappointment to him.”
He laughed then sighed. “Oh my little flower, have you seen my father? He is the complete opposite of who I am that is why he disapproves of everything I do.” He drank his wine again and added, “But there are times though that I do not want his job, he might be the most powerful man in the Empire but he is miserable.”
I was convinced this was the wine’s doing.
He chuckled and shook his head then whispered, “I have no idea why I am telling you this… maybe because you are not like the others but please do not tell anyone.” He was grinning drunkenly.
“I won’t,” I promised.
The three Ladies finally stopped dancing and returned to us. Karina and Amelia were giggling, still overwhelmed, taking the wine from a footman who was serving. Their eyes sparkled behind the mask, delighted by the artistry of the body flowing gracefully with the music. This was the highlight for them, dancing the night away, they live in luxury and comfort, and everything handed easily. The only worry they’d encounter was what color of the gown to wear tomorrow.
The night grew late. Drinking and dancing was all they did while I stood on the sidelines watching. Karina started to lose her footing and she laughed loudly after she almost fell on the floor while dancing. Amelia was giggling and her face bright red revealed how intoxicated she was. Even Selene with all the grace she possessed started to slightly falter. Roland tried his best to dance with her without losing his balance, while the other poor gentlemen put all of their effort to hold the Ladies upright, careful not trip over.
Then after much effort of keeping a clear mind despite the effects of the wine, Roland stopped dancing and announced, “Enough of this. It is time for the game!”
The Ladies stood their ground to face him and looking enthusiastic.
“Bring the table and my chair,” Roland shouted the command.
The orchestra lowered their music while we gathered around him.
“What kind of game are we playing?” I whispered to Karina worriedly.
She giggled enthusiastically. “I do not know but we will see.”
Four footmen entered carrying a heavy round wooden table and placed it on the middle of the dance floor. The table had an elevated movable center with four divisions connected by an open circle with a single opening. There were four fixed open compartments on the edge of the table. Another footman brought a white cushioned chair and put it down not far from the table.
“Take your places on your side of the table Ladies,” Roland requested.
Karina and Amelia excitedly took the sides facing each other while Selene in between them.
“Go on Lady Elaine, remember you promise to play,” he urged.
I was having second thoughts what I had gotten myself into but I obliged seeing no other way to get out of this. I positioned myself facing Selene and another footman arrived carrying a white smooth ball on the palm of his two hands. It was as big as his fist and he presented it to the Prince who took it and held it up with one hand for us to see.
“Ooh… what is that for?” Amelia asked intrigued.
“This remarkable invention Ladies is a Galvanon ball. The old Empire used this for criminals or spies when they were trying to extract the truth. It can sense the reaction on your hand’s skin resistance by releasing a very low voltage each time a question is asked but do not worry you would not feel a thing. If you tell the truth, the ball will turn red but if you lie, it will turn black,” he explained grinning widely.
I had a bad feeling about this but the other Ladies with eyes gleaming were ecstatic of the game.
Roland came towards the table and placed the ball inside the small circle at the center.
“Each of you will take turns spinning and when it stops and the ball rolls to your side of the table, you have to hold the ball with both of your hands and you are required to give one answer, a simple yes or no for each question. There are eight questions and the table was adjusted so that you will each get two, so it is just a matter of whose turn it is and lastly… I will be asking all the questions,” he explained wearing a wicked smile.
“So what happens if someone tells a lie?” Selene asked coolly.
Roland smiled widely. “You have to do what I tell you to do.”
“This is exciting!” Amelia declared.
“Can we start now?” Karina eagerly asked.
“Alright then but remember Ladies.” Roland smirked and added, “Although you are hiding behind a mask… the truth is your salvation.”
He then proceeded to sit comfortably on his chair and said, “Selene will you do the honor?”
Selene smiled and responded sweetly, “Certainly.”
She took hold on one of the wooden dividers at the center of the table and pushed it sideways. The elevated center spun around and the ball wildly moved inside the top circle, and it started to slow down until it finally came to a stop, the ball rolled out from the circle’s opening and slid down towards Amelia’s side and fell on the hollow compartment in front of her. Karina shrieked with excitement and Amelia was elated she was the first to play.
“Place the ball on both of your hands Amelia,” Roland instructed.
She obeyed and held the ball on her palms.
“Now for the question and I recommend you answer it truthfully…” Roland paused gave an evil sm
ile and continued, “Have you ever slept with a man Amelia?”
I saw Amelia’s face turned instantly pale.
“Is that all? It is an easy question and we already knew the answer to that,” Karina commented, looking annoyed facing Roland, ignoring Amelia’s reaction.
I found the question to be unsuitable for a Prince to ask a Lady and very intrusive. It was then I felt anxious when it was my turn.
I felt sorry for Amelia, it was clear she was in distress and became agitated with great difficulty answering. I was disgusted by Roland and his games. He might be the Crowned Prince but he had no right doing this to us.
“Come now Amelia, do not keep us waiting, just answer… unless you are hiding something we do not know about,” Roland urged and chuckled.
Amelia sighed heavily and answered, “Y-yes.”
About three seconds, the white ball turned black.
Karina gasped covering her mouth with her hand, Selena was stifling a giggle and Roland laughed so loud the entire ballroom echoed. Amelia immediately dropped the ball on the table like she had touched something hot.
“Lie!” Roland shouted and laughed again.
“But you told me you slept with Lord Grey,” Karina exclaimed in aghast.
Amelia was a loss for words and looked so embarrassed.
“Since you lied, you have to do what I tell you,” Roland reminded with an expression of plotting something bad.
A footman approached with a tray and on top of it was a small shot glass with green liquid in it and he then presented it to her.
“Drink it all Amelia,” Roland ordered.
Amelia slowly took the glass from the tray and stared at it terrified. It took her a while before she drank it in one gulp and placed the glass back on the tray. She quickly clasped her mouth with her hand and when she was able to swallow, she was coughing hard and made vomiting sounds after.
“That is the most disgusting thing I have ever tasted,” she cried, her eyes began to tear up from the repulsive liquid.
“That is what you get for making up stories,” Karina angrily said.
Selene was laughing softly, amused by Amelia’s agony.
“See what you will get Ladies if you tell a lie?” Roland said. “It is your turn to spin Amelia.”
A footman placed the ball, which turned white again, inside the circle and Amelia, still grimacing, turned the table. It slowed down and eventually stopped, the ball rolled and fell on Selene’s hollow compartment. We all stared silently at her as she took the ball and held it on her palms.
“Now Selene, you are going to be the next great Empress someday but before that, I need to know something, do you believe in our laws and our system?” His question was a very serious one and I could feel the tension in the air waiting for her respond.
Selene was looking straight at the ball and a faint tight smile crept on the corner of her lips. For some reason I was scared for her subjected to that kind of predicament but when she replied with ease saying, “Yes.”
The ball turned red, and then my feelings changed to disgust.
Roland was smiling broadly, impressed by her and praised, “You are indeed going to be a great Empress.” Selene beamed and acknowledged with a graceful curtsy to the Prince after placing the ball down.
We moved on and it was Selene’s turn to spin again. When the table turned and slowed down, the ball fell on Karina’s compartment and it was the first time I saw her petrified while she held the ball.
Roland was grinning. “My dear Karina, where do I begin?” he teased and her frightened look worsened.
The Prince paused and seemed to be thinking before asking, “There was a rumor before, if you remembered, that you were desperate for the experience of sleeping with someone, so for your first time, you slept with old fat Lord Winston because he was the only one who was willing. Is this true?”
Karina’s lips were trembling and the happy mood the Ladies had at the beginning of the game completely disappeared. There was a quiet and serious air about, except for Roland who was extremely amused by his own game. Karina closed her eyes and mumbled something inaudible then she took a deep breath and relaxed and answered, “No.”
After a few seconds, Amelia’s and Karina’s eyes widened with horror when the ball turned black.
Karina dropped the ball on the table and Selene laughed a bit too loudly for her demeanor and Roland joined her.
“I thought your first time was with Lord Edmund?” Amelia asked still in shock.
“This ball is lying! I never slept with Lord Winston!” Karina defended with tears starting to form in her eyes.
Roland laughed even harder and sighed when he recollected himself and explained, “The ball never lies my Lady. It is you who do not tell the truth.”
“You are disgusting,” Selene said chuckling at Karina who was now extremely embarrassed.
It was unclear to me why Amelia and Karina had to lie if they knew the ball was going to reveal the truth eventually. Then a footman appeared again holding a tray with a shot glass filled with red liquid.
“Now Karina, drink all the punishment,” Roland ordered.
Karina was frowning at the glass, studying it before she took it from the tray and swiftly gulped the contents without any second thoughts. When she returned the glass, her face became distraught slowly turning red and then her eyes watery. She began panting and fanning her mouth with her hand.
“It burns!” she cried loudly, her face distorted.
Roland laughed and warned, “If you continue to lie, the punishment will be more severe.”
I glared at him, feeling furious, he was enjoying torturing us, and he said this was a game but it didn’t feel like it was. He was trying to destroy us and the one who would first cave in was going to lose.
Karina’s pain eventually subsided but the color on her face remained flushed. A footman placed the white ball back in the circle and then Karina spun the table hard, it slowed down and stopped and the ball slid and fell on my compartment. I stared at it hard before taking it on my hands. It was cold and a bit heavy than what I thought it’d be. It was my turn and I was unprepared what Roland was about to ask. He was wearing a smile that made my stomach unsettling.
“Lady Elaine, we know little about you but you seem to be enjoying the company of your mate… So tell me, have you slept with him?” Roland asked grinning.
If only I had another choice of not answering the question. It was embarrassing and mostly it was none of their business but telling the truth wouldn’t be that bad actually. Curtis and I were still getting to know more about each other, our relationship just blossomed into something new and we were taking things slowly, unlike them who were willing to sleep around with strangers. I glimpsed at Karina and Amelia, still frowning from the after taste of whatever they had just drank, and I was not willing to join them.
They waited for my answer and I willingly gave it to them. “No.”
The ball turned red.
Selene and Roland were the only ones entertained while Amelia and Karina grew wary losing excitement for the game.
Roland was laughing. “If you are not going to sleep with your mate Lady Elaine, somebody else will,” he teased, glancing at Selene who was wearing a coy smile.
“Do not let your mate out of your sight,” she warned playfully.
Ignoring them, I knew they were only trying to provoke me. What they possessed were only mindless words of no worth to me.
A footman again placed the ball in the circle and I spun it. The table turned then slowed down and stopped at Selene. She picked up the ball without any signs of fear, eagerly waiting for Roland’s question.
“You are enjoying this are you Selene? Very well, let us see if I can ask something much more difficult,” he said smiling and tapping a finger on the side of his face. “We all know you are a woman well verse of the pleasures of the world… so answer me this… as unlikely as it sounds…But I am curious, have you ever been in love?”
I was expecting to see the ball turn black but to my surprise it turned red.
Selene felt love? It was truly far-fetched and I couldn’t picture it in my mind. Roland was beaming though, impressed and with no trace of disappointment in him.
“Could you tell us who then?” he curiously asked.
Selene laughed but her laughter was not because of nervousness or embarrassment, it was a sound of a clever woman who knew exactly what to say.
“Oh dear Roland, as you clearly stated before we began, you would only ask two questions in which I am only obliged to answer one for each. A third would simply break the rules of your own game,” she said sweetly with a demure smile and eyes clouded with self-assurance.
I thought Roland was going to be mad for denying him but he wasn’t, if anything he was actually more amused by her. She could’ve lied to him sparing her the third question. I guess she saw it’d be useless if the ball was going to reveal the truth anyway, and the truth would save her from the awful punishment.
“True. The rules are the essence of a game and should be followed or it would not be fun anymore,” he said chuckling.
Selene was happy with herself and it was obvious Roland embraced the true nature of his future mate, maybe because both of them had something in common. She turned the table once more after the ball was placed back in the circle. The table stopped and it rolled this time to Karina who I saw was in despair when she picked up the ball that basically ruined her night or probably her life.
Roland chuckled. “I think you have enough lying for tonight Karina.”
The Prevalence: Sequel and Final Book of The Premortals (The Premortals Series 2) Page 9
