POV: Lyra
The family of three wore artificial smiles, their pathways glowing with fake warmth as they bowed before us and said, "Your Eminences. Your Grace."
Orion, Christian and I bowed in return but the two cousins' pathways were pulsing with anxiety. I felt discomfort emanating from both of them but had no clue why.
Orion spoke first, his tone low and troubled. "Lord Kylton. Lady Kylton. To what do we owe the pleasure?"
Lord Kylton said, "We received word that you've found your match, and we wanted to convey our congratulations." His Lordship spoke a little too loudly, as if to garner the attention of as many people as possible. Sure enough, many in the crowd had slowly stopped their conversations to look our way.
Lady Kylton built on her husband's efforts with an equally unreasonably loud voice. "Your parents were good friends of ours so, naturally, we had to come and see you..." She then turned to the stone-faced Christian and said, "...and your cousin, too, of course."
Christian retorted mercilessly as he matched their volume. "We haven't been in touch for more than two decades." This surprised me. Another black sheep of the family?
Lady Kylton let out a phoney chuckle. "Oh, Christian, dear. Still so serious." She then returned her sights to Orion. "Orion is still handsome, as always." Her gaze finally moved to me. "You have definitely hit the jackpot, dear. A handsome Emperor for a match! The cosmos does have an incomprehensible sense of humor at times." She chuckled again before continuing. "Oh uh, you haven't met my daughter..."
Orion and Christian stood impossibly closer to me when Lady Kylton tugged her daughter's hand in a motherly manner and gently pushed her forward. Their pathways were pulsing defensive black.
Lady Kylton then explained, "This is Kelissa. She used to be very close to Orion when they were young. Always stealing him away from Christian." Her Ladyship chuckled at the memory, and continued. "It's probably why Christian had always found it difficult to befriend Kelissa. My daughter and the Emperor were so close that the late Emperor Lucas and Empress Vera even encouraged them to get engaged! But sadly, that didn't work out. My most sincere congratulations to you, my dear. Kelissa and a long line of other females can tell you, it's not easy to impress our Emperor."
Kelissa offered a sweet smile and said, "It's nice to meet you, your Eminence. And it's good to see you again, Orion. It's been a long time." Her velvet voice was soft and her tone sounded as if she was trying to imitate a delicate and graceful voice. Having met numerous fake people from countless stations in my years as a specialist, I saw right through all of this.
I looked up at my match. Orion's guilt-filled eyes were fixed on me. He was tongue-tied. At that moment, he couldn't articulate a proper explanation to convince me that I was the only person he had ever given his heart to. His silence seemed to have confirmed everything Lady Kylton had just said. I turned my sights to Christian. His face was still hard as he remained speechless.
So, it's true. He was to be engaged to this female.
My heart felt like it was weakening by the second when the familiar feelings of lack, unworthiness and rejection crept back into my being. My skin started shifting to those telltale colors—grey for sadness, blue for pain. But externally, I forced control. I was not going to give these three the satisfaction of watching me feel uncomfortable.
I took in the sight of the blonde female Lyrokan wearing an elegant purple evening gown, and forced my skin back to neutral silver. "Well, it's a surprising pleasure to meet you, Kelissa. I must say, I love that gown of yours. It really brings out the color of your pathways."
The five people around me looked at me in surprise. The Kyltons thought I would break down, or explode in anger and jealousy. Orion and Christian pinned me so close between themselves because they were worried I might leave Orion's side. But my seemingly-kind words and compliment made everyone astonished. Whatever turmoil I was battling internally, I hid it well. Very, very well.
My smile turned into a taunting one as I turned on my acting mode. "Kelissa, you and your parents are looking at me like I've just said something unexpected. But I was merely reciprocating your family's polite gesture. So, why are you three looking at me like that, if I may ask?"
Kelissa was so surprised that she took a step back, wondering if she had heard me correctly. Her father found his voice first. "Y-Your Eminence, I'm sure that my daughter is simply surprised to be complimented by the Empress herself. We can't think of anyone else who paid such high praise to Kelissa so sincerely. Well, apart from the Emperor, of course."
Orion and Christian's pathways both flared with rage, their harmonic frequencies vibrating at a threatening level. Orion uttered in a low and dangerous tone, "I have NEVER said or done anything like that."
Lady Kylton then spoke. "Oh, Orion. You don't have to deny the past now that you have a match. We're merely speaking the tru—"
The cousins stopped her ladyship with another threatening frequency, their pathways going midnight black. They were both stepping towards her. I stood between the cousins and the family, my hands on each of their chests, preventing them from taking another step forward. Their purple eyes had turned black. If this went on longer, they might lose control completely.
I locked eyes with Orion and activated our mind-touch sternly. Control yourselves, both of you. This is what they want. They want to cause a scene. Don't let them. Don't give them what they want. You are better, Orion. You are more.
Orion's eyes softened slightly, and he shared what I said with Christian through their link. Like his cousin, Christian's anger had not vanished but he was now in better control. I retracted my hands, and Orion hastily took one of them and laced his fingers tightly with mine, the neural sparks traveling through our bodies trying to convince me that whatever the Kyltons just said was not true.
I turned to the family and resumed my act. "Looks like you and your husband know exactly which buttons to push to elicit a response from the Emperor and the Duke, Lady Kylton. How very impressive. I wonder what happened with your plan to pair your daughter with Orion. Must have pushed the wrong button, I suppose? Or was it perhaps your daughter wasn't meant to be with the Emperor from the very start?"
Lady Kylton could not maintain her act any longer. Her rage was showing, her voice lost its fake innocence. "My daughter is the best match for the Emperor! She is to be Empress! She is to rule this entire Empire! You filthy Kaelari! You think you're better than my daughter?! You are just scum! The cosmos will never pair something like you to anyone of value! My daughter was born to be Empress! One way or another, she will be Empress! You will never get to wear the crown of a Lyrokan!"
When Lady Kylton realized what she said, it was too late to take it back. The entire hall had heard her species-based insult.