Devil of the Spire || ONC 2024 || SHORTLISTED

02 | Dancing with the Devil

She had no idea how she was going to pull this off. It was a crazy notion to go to a lord with such a request, much less by society's standards. She would need to be introduced to him first, and then she would need to find the right time to approach him with the request.

All within one night, though? She was unsure if she could pull that off. If worse came to worse, she'd be outcasted from any other balls with a bad reputation for asking favors of the nobles. It was the night of the ball.

She'd chosen a sleek dress the color of a mango's flesh. Her grandmother had told her it highlighted her white hair and blue eyes. Ilaria smoothed out the full skirt as she stepped out of the carriage in front of her grandmother's estate. The vast, white marble building shone underneath the moonlight like a sapphire. The covered porch, archways, and windows were lit with warm firelight provided by lanterns.

Balls were the bane of her existence. Popping her knuckles, she made her way inside. Murmuring greetings to those she passed, Ilaria kept a smile on her face and ensured it reached her eyes. Make an excellent first impression and be pleasant; the rest would be a piece of cake.

The inside of the estate was just as beautiful as she remembered. Tall ceilings with marble pillars and gold leaf embellishments stretched down to the dark blue stone floors. Glittering chandeliers cast sparkling light onto every person who mingled beneath them. The entire place was lit up with excited chatter, joyous laughter, and the buzz of anticipation. It made her all the more nervous.

"Oh, Ilaria!"

She turned around, eyes wide, searching for the one who had called out. Her smile widened when she saw her best friend, Emilie. "Hey!"

Emilie was a tall, slender young woman with sleek black hair cut into a pixie. Her large sky-blue dress shimmered with every step she took as she slipped through the crowd. With a massive grin, she grabbed Ilaria's hands. "I didn't think you'd make it tonight."

"Well, I promised Grandmother I would show my face." Ilaria giggled as she looked around the room. "See any handsome strangers you want to sweep off their feet tonight?"

Clicking her tongue, Emilie shook her head. "No, not yet. Not many good-looking fellows here who aren't already taken or don't want to have a good time."

"Ah, well. I'm sure your luck will turn around."

"What about you?" Emilie shot Ilaria a sideways glance. "Planning on finding a man tonight?"

Grimacing, Ilaria fixed her gaze on a candle across the room. "Not if I can help it, but Grandmother may have other plans."

"I see." She paused, then gasped and shook Ilaria's hand. "Did you hear?"

"Hear what?"

Emilie's dark brown eyes lit up with a fire-like spark. "The Devil of the Spire himself will be here tonight."

"Oh! Yes, I did hear. Is he here yet?" Ilaria peered around the room once more, rising onto her tip toes to try and see past people's shoulders.

"No, not yet. I am curious what he'll look like. Do you think he's handsome? I've heard he's quite young."

Ilaria shrugged, pulling her friend behind her as she led the way to refreshments. Weaving through the crowd, she whispered several apologies as they cut people off or bumped into them. "I don't think anyone with that title could be handsome. With the way he's rumored to be cruel, I would be shocked if he were."