Chapter 4 Enchanted
Anastasia gave him an exasperated look. “Hey, boy,” she whispered, “you can never be serious.”
She rolled her eyes and went back to change, ignoring him. Lucius laughed as she walked away, intentionally teasing her. But I was only telling her the truth, he thought.
The third dress was simple, a short white dress that caught the light softly, like moonlight on water. Lucius’s expression changed.
His voice grew quiet. “Wow,” he murmured. “You look like my lord’s wife now.
Catching her puzzled glance, he added, “You look absolutely gorgeous. Trust me.”
“I dare not,” she teased, but she caught something in his eyes – a knowing that felt familiar. It wasn’t the first time she had gotten that look from him. And in that moment, something unspoken passed between them, strange and stirring, until the air itself seemed to pause.
A moment later, the attendee returned, and Lucius handed over his father’s card. “We’ll take this one.”
Together, they left the store, the echo of that moment lingering like a secret neither dared to name.
~~~
As they arrived at the club, the night had bloomed in color. Anastasia's heart pounded like wings trapped in her chest. It was her first time out, and her first night alive in a way she had never been allowed to be.
The bass from inside thrummed like a second heartbeat. Lucius looked at her with that same glint of mischief. “Ready, birthday girl?”
“Ready as I’ll ever be,” she said, her voice trembling with excitement yet fierce.
When they stepped inside, the lights swallowed them whole. The air glowed and bubbled with colors – gold, pink, and violet swirling together like galaxies in motion. For a fleeting heartbeat, Anastasia couldn’t move, stunned by what she saw. She had only seen it in movies, but it was her first time experiencing it. The club throbbed with music and heat, and everywhere around her seemed to glow with life. Lucius watched her. Under the gleaming lights, she looked so alive, and her white dress made her seem like someone from another realm. His eyes were distant, haunted by a recognition he couldn’t name.
“You are glowing, Asia,” he muttered into her ear.
She laughed. “I think that’s just the lights.”
She melted into the crowd, ordinary and free, just like every other person. For the first time, she felt weightless and unbound.
Lucius leaned close. “I'll get us drinks,” he announced. Anastasia nodded, letting him go.
A few minutes later, he returned, handing her a tall glass with a dark red drink garnished with a celery stalk – a virgin Mary mocktail, and in his other hand, he held a glass of château Noir for himself.
Anastasia took a sip of hers, immediately realizing it was non-alcoholic. She shot him a sharp look, then snatched his wine before he could protest.
“I told you I’m going wild tonight!” she shouted over the music and downing the château Noir in one go, a mischievous grin playing on her face.
The burn in her chest felt like awakening. She smiled, twirled back into the rhythm of the crowd.
Lucius let out a tired sigh, realizing there was no point in stopping her now. His only concern was that she was breaking one of her grandmother's serious warnings.
Somewhere in the club in one of the VIP rooms, Someone sitting quietly in one room sniffed the air the moment a faint scent drifted in. A waiter entered, placed a bottle of wine and a glass on the table, and stepped out again. The instant the door opened, the scent returned, stronger and unmistakable this time.
William froze. He knew that scent. He would never forget it. He rose to his feet immediately, inhaling sharply as the scent seemed to trail from beyond the door.
One of his men, a warlock, approached when he noticed William’s sudden shift in demeanor.
“Hope there's no problem, Mr. William,” the man asked.
William did not answer him as he continued walking toward the door. The moment he opened it, the scent became thicker and clearer. He stepped out, following it through the crowd,
The warlock followed and was stunned at the same time. He knew William hated being seen; he preferred being in the shadows, but now he walked straight into the mass of people, ignoring every stare that clung to him.
And in a fleeting second, the warlock sensed a snap, a camera flash, noticing someone had just taken William's picture. Instantly, the warlock cloaked him, shielding him from mortal eyes.
William stopped on his track, his eyes on a girl dancing in the crowd, her long, black, silky hair caught his attention, and her round face glowed beneath the club lights.
William's breath caught. He stood frozen.
The scent was coming from her, and that was his long-lost wife's scent. The hair was the same, but a different face. He stood completely still as the recognition hit him, unable to tear his eyes away from the girl.
As Anastasia danced, her gaze flickered toward someone in the crowd, someone who didn't belong, someone who felt different from everyone else.
“Mr. William?” she murmured.
But moments later, the air shifted, and her skin grew too warm. Beneath the pounding bass, the atmosphere turned sharp and eerie. Anastasia kept dancing, unaware that her pendant had slipped from her neck, and with that, the protection masking her presence was uncovered; she had been found by the enemies.
William felt it immediately. The moment her necklace hit the ground, her true energy flared, and another realization crashed on him. She’s the prophecy girl, he thought. And the warlock beside him went wide-eyed as well, clearly sensing what had just been uncovered.
William was about to step toward her when he felt dark magic, a man in the crowd enchanting her.
Annastasia's head grew light as she tried to move, but her vision swayed, and she fell.
Lucius, watching her from somewhere nearby, noticed her gaze flicking toward someone, but he saw no one. Everyone around her danced as if nothing was wrong. Then he saw her sway, his eyes widened, and he sprinted toward her.
