The Thread Of Fate

Chapter 20

"You can do it." I muttered to myself and took a deep breath, "just get out Seraphina. Don't look at the mirror. Just get out."

I knew that if I looked in the mirror, all my courage would evaporate. The plain black gown was held up over my shoulders by strings. I didn't even imagine what would happen if they snapped. Slipping on the barely manageable sandals, I stepped out of the room.

Domimic was talking to Leo and Maria, with his back turned to me. I was happy for Leo. If Maria had agreed to go with him to dinner, it meant that things were moving forward.

It was a guard that noticed me first. He blushed and his mouth hung open, chipping away at my already low confidence. Maria nudged Leo when I walked up to them.

"You look nice." Maria smiled at me. Coming from her, it meant a lot. She wasn't one to waste words on false compliments.

My reply stuck in my throat when Dominic turned to look at me. His eyes swept over me in one moment. Unlike last time, he raised an eyebrow and gave a smirk. Taking my hand in his, he brushed his lips against it.

"You look beautiful." He said.

"Thank you." I muttered, genuinely worried. My plan could backfire. He placed his hand on my back and shock replaced his smug expression.

Yes!

The dress had a low back. The fabric rested on the lower portion of my spine, leaving the rest of it bare. When he didn't react, I smiled.

"Ahem." Leo cleared his throat, smiling shamelessly. "Shall we?"

Dominic didn't reply and kept staring at me, his hands fisted at my back.

"Speechless, are we?" I threw back his words on a crazy impulse.

His lips slowly curled into a half smile. Realisation dawned upon me, tempting him wasn't very smart. It was about to get a whole lot worse. It wasn't fear that I felt though, it was anticipation.

He pulled me to his side and we started walking to the dining hall.

So it's a small affair.

I was mistaken. The room had been absolutely transformed. The dining table had been extended and was now big enough to fit two dozen people.

"Lord Gress got married." Leo whispered from behind when a huge man walked over to us.

He was towering over everyone else in the room and had turquoise designs swirling across his arms. All in all, he had an interesting appearance. The woman besides him was half his size. Unlike him, she had dusky golden skin and was extremely petite. Perhaps she looked so besides him.

"My King. My Queen." He gave a slight bow and the woman curtseyed.

Once more, I was lost as to what to do. Thankfully, Dominic took the lead.

"Gress. Congratulations." He muttered.

"To you too, your highness." Gress rumbled with laughter.

"We will discuss about the prison tomorrow." Dominic said. Gress gave a nod and walked away along with his wife.

"Who was that?" I asked once he was out of earshot.