You Must Know The Darkness To Appreciate The Light

🔆🌙 Chapter 17 🔆🌙

The ballroom below was a slew of vividly coloured gowns and glittering light from the crystal chandelier above, the picture of elegance.

I drew in a sharp breath when I noticed the black banners hanging from the balconies around the room. The banners themselves didn't surprise me, they had been around since the start of the Darkling's regime, but the eclipse symbol was now joined with a golden sun, a display to the world that we would soon be forever joined as one.

The guests—delegates from Kerch, Shu Han, Novyi Zem, the Wandering Isle, Fjerda and local nobles—bowed and curtsied, holding the gestures of respect as the Darkling's hand came to rest at the small of my back. "You will behave. If you are spoken to, pay attention to the conversation, oblige the guests. If you act out in any way," His grip on me tightened, "There will be consequences. Understood?"

I nodded once, my throat dry as he led me down the curving stairs to the marble floors below. How was I supposed to know how to act? Sure, I was used to being paraded around by now, but never in front of a group this large, nor this important.

The colourful crowd parted, heads bowed as we passed them and ascended the dais at the opposite side of the room. The Darkling and I paused in front of our thrones, he surveyed the crowd before elegantly settling into in his seat and I followed suit. The party resumed, the orchestra beginning a new piece and the dancing starting up again.

Within seconds ambassadors converged on the Darkling, and another group on me. I shot him a panicked glance, but he simply waved me on before returning to his own conversation. I turned my attention to the couple in front of me, plastering on my most convincing smile.

The man, with balding salt and pepper hair, bowed. He wore military dress, the amount of medals and awards indicating either he had done impressive service at his young age or he had inherited them. His wife, who was a plump young woman, her features the beautiful red hair and pale skin of the Kaelish and sporting a lovely mint green dress, curtsied.

The man cleared his throat. "I am Duke Radimov of Ivets, this is my wife, Ekaterina. We wish to offer our congratulations to you and your fiancé, on both your wedding and your reign."

I nodded, folding my hands delicately under my chin. "Thank you, Duke, for your allegiance."

He bowed again before walking over to talk with the Darkling, but his wife stayed in front of me. I waited for her to move on, but she did not. "Duchess Radimov, is there something I can do for you?"

She shifted from one foot to the other, her gaze flicked towards her husband and the Darkling, then back to me. "I just wanted to say...whatever you need, whatever you want, anything at all, I will be there for you."

I was confused, but smiled anyway. "I, uh, thank you, Duchess Radimov."

"Please, Sol Koroleva, call me Ekaterina."

She kissed my hand and curstied again before moving to join her husband, leaving me shuddering. Another pilgrim professing their devotion to me, let alone a noble woman, was something I didn't need. If this was how the night would go, I wasnt looking forward to it.

A group of six, three men and three women in black suits and dresses, ascended the steps. The men stood directly in front of us, the women on the step below, at which I fought not to roll my eyes.

The Darkling nodded to the group, obviously familiar with them. "Mister Schenck, Mister Hoede." He lazily pointed towards the other man with a receeding hairline. "I don't recognize you."

The third man flashed a strained smile and bowed. Something about him didn't seem right, but I couldn't place it. "Van Eck, Your Grace. Jan Van Eck." He gestured behind him to a blonde girl in a black dress. "This is my Fiancée, Alys."