Iris stared at the large black boots that had stopped in front of her.

  They were polished, perfect, like they’d never been worn before. She clasped her empty glass, not saying a word, silently willing this person to move along. Too scared to look up. Scared of what this person would look like. Scared to find sharp teeth or black eyes staring back at her.

  They didn’t seem like they were in a hurry. Didn’t give a hint that they planned to leave anytime soon.

  “Were you told to stay here?”

  The voice carried a hint of amusement, but there was no mockery in it.

  Iris held her tongue. She wasn’t in a talking mood. Besides that, she wasn’t even sure she was allowed to be talking to anyone.

  A fresh glass of wine slid into her view, offered casually. To her relief, the hands looked normal…no claws.

  “Here,” they said. “You look like you could use another.”

  She hesitated, fingers tightening around the stem of her empty glass.

  “No pressure,” the voice added lightly. “I promise I’m not here to get you in trouble.”

  Iris swallowed, eyeing the dark red liquid. It was tempting… Finally, she reached for it. Another drink would be welcome, something to focus on.

  A hand took her empty glass, and she heard the quiet clink as it was set aside on a nearby table.

  “You seem very well-behaved,” he continued, amusement softening his words. “Parties like this can be…stuffy. Exhausting, really. All these people watching.”

  Her eyes stayed fixed on the wine, not sure if she should drink it or not.

  “Don’t worry,” he added, as if reading her thoughts. “I won’t tell Lilith about this.” A brief pause. “It can be our secret.”

  Slowly, Iris lifted her gaze.

  The man in front of her was smiling. Warm, welcoming, disarmingly kind. The sort of smile that made you feel safe. Like spending time with a close friend

  He crouched slightly so they were at eye level, an almost courteous gesture.

  “Forgive me,” he said. “I should’ve introduced myself.”

  His blue eyes flickered with interest.

  “Elion.”

  Iris took him in. No sharp teeth. No black eyes. No claws or scales.

  Just a man. Tall and slender with long blond hair tied neatly back. He had warm blue eyes like the summer sky, not the icy shade of Lilith’s. His suit was perfectly tailored, and he carried the faint scent of warmth and sunlight, like summer itself had followed him inside.

  He was beautiful. Almost unreal. Like a prince straight out of a fairytale

  “And you,” he added, softer now, crooked smile tugging at his. “Must be Lilith’s beautiful companion.”

  His gaze lingered for a second, gentle.

  “Iris.”

  Her name sounded so sweet on his tongue.

  He offered his hand. She shook it without hesitating, surprised at herself for lowering her guard.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He said, straightening. “May I sit with you?”

  Iris glanced past him, searching the crowd until she found Lilith. She was dancing, occupied.

  Elion seemed kind enough, and she welcomed the distraction. Lilith had told her to stay, but she never said she couldn’t talk to anyone. Iris wasn’t about to follow orders that hadn’t been given. And she’d been behaving this whole night despite herself.

  Besides, it’d be rude to turn him down.

  He seemed genuine, like he wanted the company as much as she did. He didn’t push the question either. Just waited patiently, as the silence stretched between them.

  “Sure,” Iris said at last, scooting slightly to make room on the couch.

  Elion didn’t take the seat she offered. Instead, he settled into an armchair across from her, leaving deliberate space between them. The gesture caught her off guard. Unexpectedly considerate.

  He folded his hands loosely in his lap.

  Iris shifted awkwardly, suddenly unsure what to do with herself. She had never been good at small talk.

  “You don’t have to be nervous,” Elion said, reassuringly. “If you don’t want to talk, we don’t have to.”

  Iris felt herself relax, just a little. He felt…safe.

  “I’m okay…” she said, “There’s just a lot of people here.”

  She didn’t want him to leave, not yet. The stares were still there, but his presence dulled them, made the whispers easier to ignore.

  “I get it,” Elion replied, leaning forward slightly, lowering his voice as though sharing a secret. “These parties are always nerve-racking.”

  His gaze drifted briefly over the ballroom before returning to her.

  “Everyone’s watching,” he added, “waiting for someone to slip up. Conspiring against each other.”

  Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Iris swallowed.

  “And you…” He studied her for a moment. “You seem to be the talk of the night. Lilith’s beautiful witch.

  His tone shifted to something gentler.

  “But you don’t seem to enjoy being put on display.”

  Her fingers tightened around her glass.

  “Most people here do.” He said, relaxing back into his chair. “They hope the attention will bring them more power. Buy their influence.”

  “Not everyone is built like that.”

  His eyes met hers, something knowing flickering beneath the warmth.

  “And that’s not a flaw,” he added. “You don’t need admiration to be powerful, after all.”

  Iris took a slow sip of her wine, unsure how to respond. He spoke to her like she was something more than a possession. More than Lilith’s pet.

  “Are you powerful?” Iris asked at last, curiosity getting the better of her.

  Elion chuckled, a bright, warm sound. He leaned forward again.

  “You could say that,” he said, easily offering the information, “I’m the head of the court of Lumen.”

  Iris considered that for a moment, unsure whether she should pry further.

  “The courts…” She said after a short pause, “What are they?”

  Elion blinked, surprised.

  “Lilith’s really been keeping you in the dark, huh?” he asked softly. “I suppose that track.”

  “Well…I haven’t really asked.” She admitted, a little embarrassed.

  He rubbed the back of his neck, thinking. “To put it simply, the courts are how our realm divides power. There are four of them—Lumen, Bloom, Waning, and Veil.”

  Iris nodded, listening closely.

  “Lilith is head of the court of the Veil.” He continued. “It governs the space between our world and the mortal one. That’s why she spends so much time there.”

  His tone remained calm, neutral. Informative.

  “The Veil houses deities of the moon. War. Fate. Destruction.”

  Iris found herself leaning forward, more curious than ever.

  Elion noticed and smiled faintly.

  “Lumen,” he said, “is different. We are deities of the sun. Fertility. Love. Beauty.”

  Iris smiled. Maybe that’s why he felt so warm and welcoming.

  Elion stopped for a moment to study her expression thoughtfully.

  “And you?” He asked softly. “Are you powerful, Iris?”

  Iris nearly choked on her wine.

  “Me?” She laughed. “No…I don’t even compare to most practitioners.”

  His eyes remained on her, level.

  “I wouldn’t sell yourself short.” He said, “I know Lilith, and she isn’t the type to keep someone weak by her side.”

  Iris looked away. “She’s just playing with me.”

  It was Elion’s turn to laugh.

  “You don’t see it,” he said, almost fondly, “but there’s power in you. Real power. I’m certain others have noticed, too.”

  His certainty made her uneasy.

  Iris sighed. “Well…I suppose it doesn’t matter much.”

  Elion raised an eyebrow. “Doesn’t it?”

  Iris took a slow sip of her wine and shrugged. “I agreed to Lilith’s terms. I made the deal of my own free will.” Her voice softened. “I may not like it, but this is how things are now.”

  She hadn’t admitted it out loud until now. Lilith owned her. And though she continued to find ways to rebel, it didn’t change the facts.

  Something shifted in Elion’s expression. Not surprise, nor concern. Understanding.

  He leaned back slightly, studying her. “You didn’t make this deal for yourself, did you?” he asked gently.

  Iris’s fingers tightened around her glass.

  “You must care for this person a lot,” he added. “To sacrifice yourself. To agree to terms, you don’t fully understand.”

  She swallowed. “Yeah…Well, I didn’t have time to think about it.”

  A pause.

  “I don’t regret it.” She added. “Though I wouldn’t say I’m happy with the way things turned out.”

  Elion nodded, then rose and moved to the seat beside her.

  “May I?”

  Iris nodded.

  He sat and gently took one of her hands in his, careful not to alarm her.

  “Here’s the thing about deals, Iris.” He lowered his voice so he couldn’t be heard. “There’s almost always a loophole.”

  Iris looked up at him.

  “I’m not saying I’ll interfere,” he continued, smoothly. “It’s not my place. And I wouldn’t want to create unnecessary friction between the courts.”

  He squeezed her hands gently.

  “But I can give you knowledge.” He met her gaze. “Guidance even.”

  She studied his face. A spark of hope in her eyes. Could there really be a way out of the deal?

  Elion’s attention shifted, gaze turning toward the ballroom.

  “She keeps you close.” He said suddenly.

  “Oh…um yeah, I guess.”

  “If I were her,” he said, almost amused. “I wouldn’t let you wander from my side.”

  His thumb brushed her knuckles.

  His voice lowered, dark, dangerous. “It’s not uncommon for people to take what they want when no one is watching.” The words sounded less like advice and more like a warning.

  Then he laughed.

  “Forgive me.” He said, smiling brightly.

  He released her hand.

  “It was only a joke. It seems I’m not good at telling them. People often say I sound grim.”

  He leaned back just as the sharp click of heels stopped in front of them.

  “Iris.”

  Lilith's voice was cold.

  Iris instinctively scooted to the far edge of the couch, putting as much distance between herself and Elion as she could.

  Elion smiled at Lilith, unbothered. He remained relaxed, like he hadn't just been flirting with someone else’s pet.

  “Lilith, Head of the veil,” he greeted her brightly. “You were gone for quite a while, so I thought I'd keep your companion company. “

  He glanced at Iris, offering a soft smile.

  “I was surprised you’d leave her side even for a second.”

  A smile tugged at the sides of Iris’s mouth despite herself. Companion. The word made her feel warm. Human.

  Her smile faded the moment Lilith’s fingers closed around her wrist

  “I appreciate the sentiment,” Lilith said, grip tightening. “But it was not necessary.”

  Iris’s wrist throbbed, but she knew better than to pull away.

  “Wasn’t it?” Elion rested his elbows on his knees, looking up at Lilith. Somehow, the angle still made him seem above her. “If I hadn’t stopped, someone would have swooped her up.”

  Lilith pulled Iris to her feet, positioning herself slightly in front of her.

  “I would never let that happen.”

  “I’m sure you wouldn’t,” Elion said, rising to his feet. He bowed his head toward Iris.

  “It was very nice meeting you.” His smile softened. “I’m certain we’ll meet again.”

  Lilith tugged Iris closer, her grip tightening. Iris winced. If Lilith were to apply any more pressure, she was certain her wrist would snap.

  Elion’s gaze lingered on Iris a moment too long before he turned his attention back to Lilith.

  “Enjoy the rest of your evening.”

  And with that, he was gone, weaving effortlessly through the crowd.

  Iris’s eyes followed him. She wasn’t ready for her conversation to end. She wanted more information. More anything if she were to be honest.

  Lilith yanked her arm, snapping her attention back.

  “We’re leaving.”

  Lilith didn’t give Iris even a second to protest before she was pulling hers toward the door. She moved quickly, though she looked unhurried. Iris stumbled once, trying to keep up, struggling to adjust her pace to match Lilith’s. She silently cursed the heels on her feet as they seemed to bite into her skin.

  Iris glanced at her as they went. If not for the iron grip around her wrist, she might not have known Lilith was angry at all. Her expression was smooth. Unreadable. Iris hated that.

  Lilith smiled at some of the guests as they passed by, exchanging goodbyes with a smooth and polite tone. When someone would question why she was leaving so soon, she’d excuse it easily, explaining that her pet wasn’t feeling well tonight.

  Iris turned her eyes to the floor as heat crept up the back of her neck. She could feel the stares again. Curious. Amused. Despite her pleasant demeanor, there was no mistaking it. Everyone knew Iris was in trouble. Lilith didn’t bother hiding that much either.

  She felt like she was reduced back down to a pet. The brief warmth she’d felt when Elion called her a companion was gone. She was nothing more than a possession.

  The moment they passed through the tall doors, Lilith pulled her closer, her grip tightening once more. Her expression was stone-cold as she signaled for the limo to be brought around.

  Iris swallowed.

  She could feel Lilith’s anger pressing down on her. Heavy. Wrapping around her chest, making it hard to breathe.

  Lilith hadn’t reacted this way to anyone else tonight. Not when they touched Iris, spoke words of admiration, or even stared at her and joked about taking her away.

  But Elion was different.

  The realization settled slowly.

  He had struck a nerve.

  And if he could do that, if he could unsettle Lilith and make her squirm, maybe she’d have a chance in finding some of Lilith’s weaknesses afterall. Maybe she wasn’t as powerless as she thought she was.

  The thought almost made her smile, but she thought better of it when Lilith’s grip tightened around her waist.