Apples before husbands
1434 Words
Chapter Two
ELIANA
“Oh dear, you look wonderful, darling,” Mother said.
“You lie, Mother. Eliana looks like she must have offended the gods,” Lys added, far too pleased with himself.
Mother shot him a sharp look before offering me her hand.
“What about Father?” I asked.
“He won’t be attending the ball. You know it’s not his sort of thing,” she replied.
I couldn’t help the thought that followed.
Was it truly not his thing… or did he simply not want to be disgraced because of me?
---
The ride to the Great Hall of Bor was quiet.
Twelve guards stood at the entrance—one for each of the great houses. Six lined the left, six the right, their posture rigid, their presence imposing.
They wore deep red uniforms with black hats, their garments embroidered with black patterns and fine threads of gold.
All except House Soryn.
Theirs was entirely black.
The disgraced house.
I had always pitied them. Generations forced to suffer for the mistake—or perhaps the lie—of one person.
---
We entered the hall.
Lys clung to Mother’s arm, leaving me to walk into a room full of watching, judging nobles alone.
“Lady Ophelia of the great House Whitlbel,” the announcer called.
I slipped away the moment I could.
Not to mingle—no, that would require speaking.
Instead, I found myself… occupied.
With apples.
Apples did not grow in Whitbell. So at every gathering, my first priority was obvious.
Apples before husbands.
As I circled the table, carefully considering which one to try next, I walked straight into—
Someone.
Not just someone.
A wall.
Why was his chest so hard?
His wife would surely suffer trying to use it as a pillow.
I looked up quickly, ready to apologize—
—and froze.
He was smiling.
“I do not have a wife.”
My heart dropped.
I clutched my chest.
Oh no.
Oh no, no, no.
He can hear my thoughts?
The universe truly had favorites… and I was clearly not among them.
“Apples before husbands?” he repeated, amusement dancing in his eyes.
I flushed immediately.
I really needed to stop thinking so loudly.
I studied him properly this time.
Handsome wasn’t enough.
He was… beautiful.
Dressed in a fitted black suit, his dark hair slightly tousled, he carried himself with effortless confidence. Broad shoulders, tall—easily over six feet—and strong in a way that felt dangerous.
Olive skin. Sharp, almond-shaped eyes framed by long lashes.
He was everything Lys probably wished to become.
He smiled again. “Are you going to speak, or…?”
I straightened quickly. “Good evening, my lord. I am Eliana of House Whitlbel.”
“There’s no need for formalities, Eliana,” he said lightly. “I am Arin.”
I raised a brow. “And Arin does not belong to a house?”
A flicker of something passed through his expression.
“You’re feisty, Eliana.”
He stepped back slightly.
“Do enjoy your apples. I’ll see you around.”
He turned to leave—then paused.
“The pink ones,” he added over his shoulder. “They’ll be to your liking.”
And just like that, he was gone.
Strange.
I reached for a pink apple—
Then froze.
Something green moved among them.
No.
Absolutely not.
It couldn’t be.
That stupid frog.
What is it with me and frogs?
It croaked.
Then launched straight at me.
And I screamed.
“Lady Tessa of House Ashbourne!” someone screamed. “What is a frog doing here?”
In less than a minute, the entire hall descended into chaos.
Nobles stumbled over themselves, voices rising, bodies pushing—
Until I collided with someone.
Familiar.
“You again?” he said, a smirk playing on his lips. “You must really enjoy my company.”
“Oh, don’t flatter yourself.”
“You make it difficult not to,” he replied softly, “when I can hear your very thoughts.”
My stomach dropped.
I turned to leave, but his hand caught my waist, pulling me back. His breath brushed against my ear.
“Care for some tea?” he murmured. “You and I are about to have a little fun.”
And then—
Everything vanished.
---
We were no longer in the hall.
My heart pounded as I took in our surroundings—and then my gaze fell to his hand.
The ring.
“How did you do that?” I demanded. “Teleportation isn’t a gift. Each house was blessed with only one power—except House Soryn, who stole theirs.”
A shadow of amusement crossed his face.
“No,” he said calmly. “That’s where you’re wrong. Anyone can teleport. It simply requires skill… and patience. Most lords have yet to master it.”
I frowned. “You look only a few years older than me. How have you perfected something rulers cannot?”
He laughed softly. “I’ve been practicing since birth.”
My eyes flickered back to the ring.
“…Arin Blackrune?”
He tilted his head. “Do you have a problem with Blackrunes?”
“Should I?”
He laughed again—but this time, it didn’t reach his eyes.
In a second, his grip tightened around my wrist.
The air shifted.
“So tell me,” he said, his voice now cold, “how does a Whitlbel acquire magic like yours?”
My breath caught. “I don’t have magic.”
One brow arched.
“Is that truly what you believe?” he asked quietly. “Then you are a fool, Eliana, if you think yourself empty.”
I straightened, anger flaring—but he cut me off before I could speak.
“Do you not feel it?” he continued. “Magic in your veins?”
My silence answered him.
“There are three houses blessed with exceptional power,” he said. “House Blackrune. House Ravencroft. And House Soryn.”
His gaze locked onto mine.
“Whitlbel is not one of them.”
The words settled heavily between us.
“So,” he added softly, “which of us is lying?”
My heart pounded so loudly I feared I might forget how to breathe.
“If what you say is true… why can’t I use it?”
“Because something—” he paused, studying me carefully, “—or someone is suppressing it.”
My chest tightened.
“Think carefully, Eliana,” he said, stepping back. “I will return in a fortnight.”
And just like that—
He was gone.
---
I stood alone in the garden.
For a moment, I couldn’t move.
Then I turned and hurried back into the hall, scanning the crowd until I found Mother.
“Mother, we need to leave.”
She frowned. “What nonsense? The ball has just begun.”
“Mother, please.”
Something in my voice must have reached her. She hesitated, then sighed.
“Lys,” she called, “your sister needs rest.”
I heard his protests, but I didn’t care.
---
The ride home was suffocatingly quiet.
The moment we stepped out of the carriage, I grabbed her arm.
“How long have you been suppressing my magic?”
She froze.
Shock flooded her face.
“What?” she whispered. “How could you say that?”
I didn’t stop.
“The sea worm’s blood you’ve been using—it’s not for protection, is it? And the herbal teas every morning… they were suppressants too, weren’t they?”
My voice broke as tears spilled over.
“What am I, Mother?” I demanded. “Should I even call you that? Am I truly a Whitlbel?”
She broke.
“I’m sorry,” she sobbed.
“Why?” I pressed.
“When I gave birth to you, a seer was present,” she said shakily. “I wanted to be sure the curse wouldn’t harm you… but your magic—” her voice trembled, “—it was too strong. Even then.”
My heart pounded.
“What curse?”
Her words came out in a whisper.
“The curse of Soryn.”
The world tilted.
“Your magic would have exposed you,” she continued. “I had to contain it—”
She stopped suddenly.
Her eyes widened.
“Eliana…”
Her voice trembled.
“Your eyes…”
My breath caught.
“They’re silver.”
And something inside me—
Snapped.
- Writer
