XERES BRIDE: TRUE LOVE'S ONLY REVENGE

VANEA POV I hurried down the hallway, my heart ramming against my ribcage as excitement coursed through my veins. The sound of my boots against the wooden floor drowned out the chatter of the guests downstairs who were waiting for the wedding of the century. It was the wedding between me, Vanea Reis, and Theo Bowen, the son of Duke Bowen. My parents weren't dukes or royals, but we were one of the prominent families in the Holy Aliese Empire. The empire was founded by our first emperor, Vashti I Von Gareth, who is my idol and inspiration. She belonged to the Divine race, the Xeres, which was the only race out of the four allowed to rule the empire. *** A quick explanation on the races in Aliese empire. **** Aliese itself was divided into four races. The Xeres were born with pale skin, white hair, and the gods' blessing. They had the power to reverse time, and they served as the only bridge to the gods. The Akkadians were a race with caramel skin, tremendous power, and immense physical strength. The Sadducees were a race known for their brown skin, birthstones, and their naturally advanced technical knowledge. The Sigit were a race known for their brute strength and holy aura. They were naturally born blind, and their inherent holy aura made them the empire's best holy knights. The Nyx were the last link in the power chain. They were known to have skin like the golden desert, pale, almost colorless pupils, and extremely tall statures. They were lust-driven and possessed a high affinity for astronomy and magic. They were overlooked for good reason, but one of them was the most feared and revered in the entire empire, and that was Crown Prince Yulius Von Gareth. He was the son of the current emperor, Agamemnon II, and his Vashti, Elena Helios Von Gareth. I had never seen him before, but according to the rumors I heard, it was said that during battles he had eyes like the devil. One look into them and you were already gone. When he spoke, the rumors became silent, so much so that even time seemed to freeze. He always wore a mask, obscuring his face from the eyes of the public. He rarely attended events and kept quite a harem. Regardless of whether the rumors were true or false, he really was terrifying, and I had no business with him whatsoever. ******* ********* I ran past Aunt Milicent, who was putting a wreath up on a nail. She really had a knack for wreaths. "Slow down, meeka," she advised. I smiled to myself. I couldn't care less. All that mattered was seeing Theo and sharing the good news. I stopped in front of a giant brown door, palming my chest. It felt as though it would burst as I panted, trying to catch my breath. I stared at the vermilion box in my hand. "He'll love it," I whispered. Finally collecting myself, I pushed the door open. "Hey, Theo, I got—" I paused midstep. I gaped, unable to make sense of what was before me. It was like nothing I could ever conjure in my mind. The ring box in my hand fell with an audible thud. My eyes dilated and my pulse spiked as my heart danced to an unfamiliar rhythm. "Theo, how—"