Chapter Seventeen-

The castle, if it was possible, was even more magnificent on the inside. The ceilings were high and crystal chandeliers hung down from them. The walls were covered in beautiful paintings, and sometimes the walls themselves were the paintings. The windows were stained glass and stretched up to a bit over double Kami’s height. The floors were glossy and marble. The whole thing made Kami gasp as she stepped inside, it was like it was straight out of a fairytale.

Kami didn’t like fairytales.

As soon as Chen had held out the gorgeous silver dress to her, the one she was unfortunately wearing now, she grew angry. She should’ve expected that they would have to dress up if they were to not be noticed inside the palace during the party. When she had taken the dress reluctantly from Chen’s outstretched hand she had asked him where he got it, he didn’t say but he did wink at her before turning around and disappearing just to appear with a few accessories for her, which she decided not to question this time.

Right now she stood against one of the painted walls in the giant ballroom, watching people dance in the center while sipping at the white wine in her hand. She had never had alcohol before, but when she saw the wine and remembered that she was in a different world which meant no restrictions, she had automatically accepted the wine offered to her by the waiter. She had figured that if she were to spend a night in the horrible dress that clung to all her curves and flared out to the ground once it reached her waist that she might as well have a drink to ease her anger.

She was on her third glass of wine, feeling a bit tipsy, when Chen had approached her and asked her for a dance.

Kami gave him a quick once over. He had bowed over to ask her for the dance, causing the tails of his coat to move forward with him. She made a disgusted face as the thought of him looking like a knight crossed her mind. Well, I guess I shouldn’t be too disgusted by it considering that I am surrounded by knights, but they don’t really look knightly since they’re not dressed up.

She looked over to her brother to find him casually dancing with some dolled up woman in the center of the dance floor. She frowned at the sight of his polite smile and took Chen’s hand. “Let’s get this over with,” she sighed.

Chen smiled as he led her to the dance floor and wrapped his hand around her waist. “Do you not like dancing Kami?” he asked her in a hushed voice. He leaned in closer and the two started to dance.

“Is it such a crime to not be girly?” she retorted.

Chen chuckled. “Well you’re certainly no princess so I don’t think you have to worry about being girly.”

Kami rolled her eyes. “Thanks, that makes me feel so much better.”

Once again Chen chuckled, except this time he pulled her even closer so that her chest was against his and so that his mouth was right next to her ear. Kami knew her cheeks were heating up when she felt his breath against her ear. “The King is going to come out and present our little prize soon, once he does Kai is going to cut the lights. It’ll only be for a brief moment, but I want you to grab it quickly and back away.”

Kami raised an eyebrow. “And why can’t you be the one to take it?”

“Because you are the one that wants your doll back, and I will only give it back it you help me.”

“I would prefer not