Veil of Deception

Lyra's POV

Steam clings to my skin as I step out of the bathroom, wrapping a towel around myself. The cool air nips at me, sending a shiver down my spine. I reach for the robe draped over the chair, but something on the bed stops me in my tracks.

A box.

Sleek, black, and placed with careful precision at the edge of the mattress. My brows furrow as I step closer, droplets of water trailing down my arms. I recognize the elegant logo embossed on the top—a high-end jeweler, one Alex has bought from before.

I hesitate.

Alex never makes a big deal out of gifts. He hands them to me in passing, shrugging it off like it’s nothing. This feels… different. Intentional. Deliberate.

Swallowing, I lift the lid.

Inside, nestled in velvet, lies a necklace.

Not overly heavy, not extravagant, but striking in its simplicity. A delicate chain with a single pendant—small, yet somehow commanding. The kind of piece that demands attention, not through size, but through meaning.

My fingers hover over it, my pulse quickening.

A folded note rests beneath it.

I pick it up, unfolding it with careful fingers. My breath catches as my eyes skim over the words:

"Some things aren’t meant to be hidden."

A strange pressure builds in my chest.

It has to be from Alex. He must have noticed—he always does. The way I hesitate, the way I retreat into myself. This isn’t just a gift. It’s a message. A push. A reminder.

Still, something lingers in the back of my mind. A whisper of doubt, an unshakable feeling that I’m missing something.

But I push it down.

With steady hands, I lift the necklace from the box and fasten it around my neck.

The metal is cool against my skin.

And yet, somehow, it feels like warmth.

☆_______________________________________☆

The masquerade is in full swing when I arrive, the grand hall buzzing with energy and laughter. Chandeliers hang overhead, dripping with crystals that cast fractured light over the guests below. The room is filled with masked faces, every glance and smile veiled in mystery.

I hadn't expected it to be this grand, this overwhelming. But of course, I should have known better. This isn't just a party-it's a statement. My father's way of reminding everyone that no matter how many years pass, the Shadowlyns will always rule.

Alex finds me almost immediately, his figure cutting through the crowd like a beacon. He's dressed in sharp, classic black, his mask simple but elegant. When his gaze lands on me, something shifts in his expression-admiration.

He leans in, his voice low, familiar. "Feeling overwhelmed?"

I scoffed, rolling my eyes. "Please. I've been attending these things since I could walk."

"Right." His tone was dry, but his eyes glinted with amusement. "That would explain why you always look like you'd rather be anywhere else."

I smirked. "And yet, here you are, suffering alongside me."

"Someone has to keep you from causing a scene."

I was about to fire back when a familiar presence sliced through the noise, smooth and effortless.