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It was the Requiem Ball, the dazzling party that celebrates the ending of the 300 Year War and to which all sorcerers are invited. Even those that fought on Mevolent's side during the War. As long as there was no violence, invitation was extended to everyone.
"I'm going to kill him." Skulduggery growled darkly.
"That's not a wise idea, friend." Ravel warns. Both men watch the couple gliding about the dance floor. Ravel's hand falls on the skeleton's shoulder but, feeling the barley contained hostility, he quickly removes it. "It is only a dance."
"Not to him."
"Well, I'm sure she's hating every second of it."
"Have I exceeded your expectations, dear?" Serpine asks with a sharp grin.
"Don't call me that." She snaps.
The solid heel of his dress shoe crushes her toe, causing her to yelp. Serpine's grin grows and a sadistic glint flickers in his eyes. Some how he manages to keep twirling her about the floor despite her tottering feet.
"Oh, you poor thing," he murmurs. "Perhaps we should sneak away to find some ice for your... injury."
Serpine has never reminded her of a sharp-toothed predator more than in this moment. His eyes were dark and hungry, devouring her. Her white dress contrasting with his dark suit, she looked like a helpless lamb caught in the jaws of a wolf. She felt like one too.
"If you think I would ever follow you to an undisclosed location, you are sorely-"
With a smooth sweep of his leg, Serpine trips her but catches her two feet from the floor. His arms draw her closer than necessary, chest to chest, as he pulls her upright again.
"How clumbsy of you," Serpine tuts, pretending he had nothing to do with her stumbling. "You are usually so graceful." Icy fingers stroke her cheek. "Perhaps you had too much to drink, you are looking quite red-"
"You are shameless." She struggled to push away from him, his arms iron bands around her waist.
"Indeed I am."
The wicked gleam of a smile was the last thing she saw before the room began spinning.
"Oof."
She'd hit a solid, immovable object. When she looked up, she saw it was Skulduggery she had bumped into. And when she looked back, Serpine was slinking away, overflowing with mischievous glee. Skulduggery, on the other hand, was smouldering with ire.
An awkward moment of waiting for Skulduggery to say something - anything - passed and Ghastly broke the silence instead. "Are you alright?"
She stepped away from Skulduggery. "Yes." No. The crowd was swirling and twisting, and she wasn't even on the dance floor anymore. "Um... I think I... just need..."
What did she need? Why couldn't she think of it? It was right there... there... ere. Air.
"Air!" She blurted before the word could slide back into the sludge of her mind. "I just need some air..."
"Yes, of course," Ghastly jumped to the task. "Let's get you outside."
He lead her through a blur of doors until all she could see was green and black. The smell of grass, leaves, and flowers floated into her brain, making her even more sluggish. Ghastly guided her to what must've been a stone bench. She sat back, staring at the sky, watching as the stars winked out, one by one.
She heard Ghastly's voice. But it was muddled and far away and the stars were dying. And she was drowing in the darkness.
"Where's Ghastly?" Ravel asked, his fifth drink of the night in hand.
Skulduger was swimming in a murky pool of rage. Losing track of time and space. "The gardens."
"Still? Didn't they leave..." Ravel lifted his watch, blinking at it, waiting for the numbers to cease dancing. "Like an hour ago."
That kicked Skulduggery out of his stupor. An hour had slipped by him and Serpine was no longer in the ballroom. No woman needed an hour to get some air.
He grabbed the drink from Ravel's hand and shoved into a strangers arms. They ran for the door, snatching random Dead Men from their conversations if they were in reach.
"What's going on?" Dexter Vex asked as he fell into step with them.
"Yeah," Saracen puffed, his eyes darting about. "Why are we running?"
As they raced down a dim corridor, Tanith emerged from a brightly lit bathroom. She shrugged and followed the four men, mumbling, "Should've brought my sword."
The five of them burst into the night air through the garden doors. Ghastly was lying face down in the grass.
Tanith checked his pulse. "Still alive, just knocked out."
"The maze!" Skulduggery barked.
They all dispersed into the garden's maze, spiltting off and taking all possible routes. When they'd met in the middle of the hedge labyrinth, no one had found a single trace of Serpine or the girl.