Chapter 193 The Darknight

Chapter 193 The Darknight


Their bodies, pressed closely together, seemed to fit perfectly. Blanche, in her beaded gown, shimmered with a thousand colors beneath the warm light of the wall sconces and the soft glow of the chandeliers. Violet, pink, green... with blue dominating, reflecting the color of her partner's suit.

Graceful and upright, Saphir led with effortless familiarity. Who would have thought that the General of the Drakions could dance so well? Nestled in his arms, Blanche let herself relax completely, trusting him without hesitation. They looked so beautiful together on the dance floor that the conversations around them gradually faded. Taking one's eyes off the couple was almost impossible, so captivating were they.

One, two, three... and turn.

One, two, three...

"Thanks for not helping me," Blanche murmured as Fenrir's voice echoed through her mind.

"Not helping you with what?" Saphir asked, slightly confused, never once breaking the rhythm he maintained with a firm hand.

"Fenrir is having fun giving me the tempo," she explained.

The drakion burst out laughing. Several people were startled by the sound. He could laugh? This drakion really was full of surprises tonight...

"By the way, I don't see him anywhere. Have you seen him?" Blanche asked her partner.

"He isn't coming," Saphir confided with a teasing smile. "The gods don't mingle with magical creatures... or ordinary mortals."

Blanche sighed, almost disappointed.

Do you miss me, little player?

"Not even in your dreams, you damn wolf."

Fenrir disappeared, leaving a soft laugh echoing in her mind and leaving her strangely unsettled.

The music came to an end, and the couple bowed in a graceful, almost sublime curtsy. Applause erupted throughout the room.

Then, little by little, the applause faded, replaced by surprised whispers as a figure stepped onto the dance floor.

A presence that unsettled the entire magical community.

Someone who was invited out of fear, who normally kept to the sidelines beside his twin brother, wearing a perpetually dark expression.

But not tonight.

Tonight, the man known as the other half of the DarkNight felt like playing.

Saphir eventually stepped away, though not without giving her one last smile and a look that clearly betrayed how reluctant he was to leave her.

He took several steps backward, as though breaking their contact genuinely pained him, before disappearing into the crowd with the nonchalance that was so characteristic of him.

Blanche watched him go for a second before turning her attention to the man who had just appeared beside her.

Jeremy.

And the contrast was striking.

Where Saphir had just given a flamboyant, unapologetic display in front of the entire assembly, Jeremy seemed to belong to an entirely different world.

He wore a black tuxedo of impeccable elegance, perfectly tailored to his frame down to the smallest detail. The crisp white collar of his immaculate shirt contrasted sharply with the dark fabric of his jacket, while a perfectly tied bow tie completed the gentlemanly appearance Blanche rarely associated with him.

His hair had been carefully brushed back, every strand disciplined without making the whole thing look stiff.

Not a wrinkle.

Not a single detail neglected.

He was immaculate.

But what surprised Blanche most was his attitude.

Jeremy rarely put himself on display.

In fact, he seemed to make a point of avoiding the spotlight whenever possible.

Especially when there was nothing at stake.

He could be theatrical, charming, or utterly insufferable when a situation called for it, but for no reason at all?

Never.

Seeing him so perfectly dressed yet almost invisible amid the crowd was strangely amusing.

Blanche stared at him, wide-eyed.

What did he want?

She glanced at Erik, who answered with a smile and a raised eyebrow.

All right... He had no idea what was going on either.

Blanche raised her eyebrows slightly.

"You really dressed to impress," she remarked familiarly, speaking to him as though he were her own brother.

Jeremy glanced down at his tuxedo, then calmly looked back at her.

"Apparently, that's what people do at this sort of event."

She smiled.

"And are you really planning on behaving yourself?"

A glimmer of amusement flashed in his eyes.

"I never promised I would."

Blanche let out a small laugh.

After Saphir's flamboyant entrance, she had almost forgotten that some men could turn heads without having to take half their clothes off or kiss someone in front of an entire room.

Jeremy had just reminded her.

He held out his hand, inviting her to take it. After all, she had saved his life. He wasn't about to try to take hers in front of the entire magical elite... right?

Blanche accepted.

She found herself pressed against Erik's twin, immediately noticing the difference in musculature. If her professor was accustomed to combat, this one...

No.

From the very first notes, however, she knew he could dance. Not as well as Saphir, but well enough.

"I couldn't help myself," he murmured, his head just above hers.

"Couldn't help yourself with what?" Blanche asked, surprised by the confession.

Truthfully, she no longer knew which foot to put forward—fortunately, only figuratively. Her heels were dizzyingly high tonight.

"Inviting you to dance."

"Oh."

What else was she supposed to say to this almost complete stranger?

"Why do they call you the DarkNight?"

"The Knight of the Night... Let's just say that, for an exorbitant price, when the interests of the magical community are at stake, killing isn't a problem for us."

"Hitmen? It's really that simple?" Blanche asked cynically, a hint of disgust in her eyes.

"Sometimes you have to do evil so that good can prevail. And if we can line our pockets in the process..."

Blanche rolled her eyes.

"Your brother looks almost normal tonight," she admitted as Erik entered her field of vision.

Against her temple, she felt Jeremy smile.

"As he does every time you're around, Elizabeth."

Once again, she was left speechless.

"Unfortunately, he'll be unbearable for the next few days," he continued. "You're leaving tomorrow."

Blanche stumbled at the announcement. Fortunately, he had anticipated it and spun her around, making the moment almost imperceptible. Dizzy, she clung to his arm.

"How?"

"It's time."

A few couples, emboldened by a less spectacular dance, joined them on the floor.

"Time?" she repeated weakly.

"Time for you to come and save us all."