Chapter 95

Chapter 95: Chapter 95

After the sun had gone down, there was a knock on his door which Kath’tan answered cautiously. There was a servant on the other side of the door, she looked almost displeased to see him.

"Archduke Tarraz sent me to deliver this," She said, holding out a neatly folded bundle of clothes.

Kath’tan glanced down at the clothes the maidservant offered him, his eyes narrowing. Tarraz would never have clothes sent for him, it meant that the clothes were for Dulce.

He took it from her and closed the door in her face. The banquet would begin soon, yet Dulce was still fast asleep. He placed the clothes on an armchair, thinking nothing of it.

Anyone else would be treated better than him, even a human. Although, Tarraz was far from thoughtful, the Demon had a goal. He knew it was just to find out more about Dulce.

Kath’tan walked off to get ready, it was proper etiquette to arrive at the banquet before the Grand Duke. He might have ignored it if it wasn’t to his benefit to arrive early, it would be easier to blend into the background if he came in with a throng of people.

Clothing in Threnval was minimal, most male Demons went without shirts, some wearing a cloak over their shoulders to protect from the scorching suns or just as a preference. Even female Demons would mostly wear a band over their chests, and flowy skirts with high slits or loose pants.

He opted for a loose top, one that was more of a cloak than anything else. There were no buttons on it, it merely hung off his powerful shoulders, leaving his torso bare.

Kath’tan couldn’t be more disinterested in attending the banquet but he was given little choice in the matter. Fortunately, he wasn’t required to stay until the banquet came to an end in the early hours of the morning.

When the time to leave arrived, Dulce was still fast asleep. He was wary about leaving the Vampire alone, but he knew well that his brothers’ were too proud to sneak around, if they wanted to antagonize him, they would be sure to do so to his face, preferably in front of an approving audience.

He left when he could not wait any longer, hoping that the Vampire would remain asleep until he returned. He slowly made the journey from his wing to the southern ballroom where the banquet was being held, reluctance in every step.

He could already hear the music when he was still a few hallways away. His clothes were modest for his standing, his best buckles made of silver, but then again he rarely attended banquets, steering clear of large gatherings of nobility whenever he could.

Just as he planned, Kath’tan walked in amidst the colorfully dressed guests milling into the ballroom. Banquets and balls were common in Fiend society, the royal castle alone holding a handful every month.

He ignored the blatant stares, loud whispering, and pointed fingers, wandering to a corner of the ballroom to wait it out. He leaned against the gleaming gold wall, standing out like a sore thumb in his dark clothes. His gaze grew distant, finding himself thinking about if it had been a banquet on Earth.

The shameless Incubus would probably get drunk before Dulce could stop him and Asael and the Hellhound would empty the banquet of food and meat... and perhaps, Dulce would invite him to drink again.

"Lord Kath’tan," A quiet voice interrupted his pleasant thoughts.

He looked over to see a vaguely familiar face, the Fiend was dressed in a cerulean blue corseted band and a matching flowy skirt. Her hair was a reddish gold, her red eyes steady, unsettling.

"I heard you had died," She murmured, her tone odd.

Kath’tan looked past her to the ever-increasing number of guests in the ballroom. "And so you came to confirm it. I can’t do anything about your disappointment." He said flippantly.

All the noble ladies at court steered clear of him, he couldn’t even remember this particular lady’s name. Her disappointment must have been really great for her to go out of her way to seek him out.

"I’m not-" She blurted out, cutting herself off. "I’ll take my leave now," She said instead, regaining her calm. She curtsied to him before leaving, something even maidservants never did.

But Kath’tan didn’t notice, because at that moment Zoltan was grandly making his way into the ballroom, surrounded by tittering ladies of nobility. It made his teeth ache, knowing that his younger half-brother would go out of his way to seek him out.

Tarraz was right behind him, his cold eyes filled with a momentary indulgence as he watched Zoltan instantly become the life of the party, guests gravitating towards him like he was one of the suns of Flaeris.

Then those cold red eyes grew sharp, his gaze scanning the entirety of the ballroom as he stepped in.

Tarraz was treated with almost as much reverence and fear as the Grand Duke Zazrel, there was no question about who was in line for the throne of Threnval.

Kath’tan felt even more of his teeth ache, instinctively glancing to his side in search of Dulce. It was unfamiliar not to have the Vampire next to him, it didn’t help that he was at a banquet in Threnval.

Tarraz heading right for him did not surprise him, after all, his ’mage’ summoner was nowhere to be seen.

"I hoped to show your summoner the hospitality of Threnval, but I see he was unable to make it." The Archduke spoke cordially, or at least his words were polite, his tone was still as cold as ever.

"The journey strained him," Kath’tan played along, he had always stepped carefully, it was crucial for survival. "He’s fast asleep."

"You seem to have a good relationship with him." Tarraz noted idly, taking a goblet of wine from the maidservant who offered it to him, blatantly ignoring Kath’tan.

Kath’tan didn’t respond to that, he knew that the Archduke was simply prying for information, one he had no interest in sharing.