THE CHOOSEN ONES

Looking at Ezekian standing before me, a storm of thoughts raged in my mind. His golden eyes, cold and unyielding, bore into mine, and I felt the familiar sting of pain that always accompanied his presence.

Why do I even love him?

Why does his indifference cut so deep?

Why do I still search for him in every crowd, hoping for a glance, a word, anything that might hint at kindness?

Didn't I promise myself I wouldn't let him hurt me again? And yet, here I am, tears streaming down my face, my heart shattered into pieces.

I didn't bother wiping the tears away. Let him see. Let him see the pain he's caused. My aura, usually a shield, a mask to hide my emotions, was faltering.

Master said Ezekian could see through it and sense the way I used it to suppress my feelings. So, all those years, did he know? Did he know how much I suffered and how desperately I clung to my aura just to keep my composure? Was it all intentional? Was he aware of the agony he inflicted with every cold word, every dismissive glance?

"Selentia," he whispered my name, and for a moment, my heart betrayed me.

I loved the way he said it, without any titles, without the weight of our families' feud. But that love was a poison, a weakness I couldn't afford. Not anymore.

"Was it fun?" I asked, my voice bitter, laced with venom. His eyes widened, as if he couldn't believe I'd dare to question him.

As if I had no right to feel hurt or to demand answers. His silence was a knife twisting in my chest.

At least give me an excuse, Ezekian. Lie to me. Tell me it was for Nordwyn, for duty, for anything. Give me something to hold onto, even if it's a lie. Don't make me hate you. Because if I start hating you, what will become of me?

"It seemed like the best choice when you asked me to escort Alancia instead of you," he finally said, his voice calm and detached.

As if that explained everything. As if it justified the humiliation, the whispers, the way he'd ignored me all evening. My pride, my self-respect—he'd trampled on them without a second thought.

"Oh, the best possible choice," I muttered, wiping my tears with a trembling hand. "Is this how little you think of my pride, Ezekian? Is this how little you thought of me?"

He looked up, guilt flickering in his eyes, but it was fleeting, replaced by that familiar coldness. "Nothing comes before Nordwyn to me, Selentia."

Of course. Nordwyn. Always Nordwyn. His family, his duty, his legacy. And where did that leave me?

A pawn, a burden, a Nyxveil. The name itself was a curse in his eyes. The feud between our families was ancient, bitter, and unyielding. Our engagement was nothing more than a political ploy, a way for the Emperor to keep both houses in check.

But I'd hoped, foolishly, that Ezekian might see me as more than just a Nyxveil. That he might see *me*.

"So, for Nordwyn, you decided to kill my pride and set fire to my self-respect, huh?" I spat, my voice trembling with anger. "Is this what Nordwyn teaches its Young Lord? To insult your fiancée?"

His eyes darkened, the guilt replaced by anger. "You're crossing the line, Selentia."

"I'm not crossing the line. It's you who crossed the line, Ezekian." I stepped closer, refusing to back down. "A Young Lord is a representative of his family. And what you did today showed exactly where your family stands morally."

"SELENTIA NYXVEIL, MIND YOUR LANGUAGE!" he shouted, his voice echoing in the empty balcony.

"YOU SHOULD HAVE MINDED YOUR ACTIONS, EZEKIAN NORDWYN!" I shot back, my voice just as loud, just as fierce. His anger was nothing new. I'd seen it before, felt it before. I wasn't going to cower. I wasn't going to let him win.

"Minded my actions? Can you say that as a Nyxveil, huh?" He sneered, his hatred for my family and for me shining through.

I scoffed, stepping even closer. "What's wrong with me being a Nyxveil? What did I do to you, Ezekian? What did I ever do to deserve your hatred?"

"Of course you didn't do anything yet. But blood never lies, does it?" He shot back, his voice dripping with venom.

I smiled bitterly, stepping so close I could feel his breath on my face.

"You're right. Blood never lies." For a moment, I saw his mother in him—the woman who'd made my life a living hell, who'd despised me simply for existing. The woman who cursed me for that incident.

His eyes widened, and I could see the shock, the disbelief. He hadn't expected me to fight back. 

"What are you trying to say?" he asked, his voice trembling with anger.

"What's the point of telling you?" I scoffed, stepping back. "But you shouldn't have done this, Ezekian. You…." My voice broke, the whispers from the banquet echoing in my mind.

*She's not even favored by her own family. 

*No wonder Young Lady Alancia is so loved. 

*What a burden! I support Young Duke's choice of choosing Young Lady Alancia. 

The words cut deeper than any blade. My breathing trembled, my chest tightening as tears streamed down my face. I couldn't look at him anymore. I couldn't bear to see the man I loved, the man who hated me so much.

"You shouldn't have done this, Ezekian," I whispered, my voice barely audible. "You won't understand how I'm feeling, and no matter what I say, you'll believe I'm overreacting."

"No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have shouted at you. Hey, Selentia—" He reached for me, his hand gripping my shoulder, forcing me to look at him.

"You want to kill me, don't you?" I asked, my voice calm, my smile bitter. His eyes widened, his face pale. "Sorry to break it to you, but you can't kill me." I jerked away from his touch, stepping back.

"Selentia, you're misunderstanding. I didn't—" he started, but I cut him off.

"Leave it, Ezekian. I know my power is too dangerous, too powerful. You see, I wish we could have been on good terms, maybe as fellow members of the Court of Ignis or even as friends." My heart clenched as I said the words—the future I'd dreamed of slipping away.

"But what you did today... you didn't just escort Alancia. You ignored me. You humiliated me. And you made it clear that my existence is nothing to you, knowing clearly how a woman is treated when she is ignored by her fiance and husband."

I'd already made my decision. The idea of working with Ezekian is just impossible.

"I gave you a chance, Ezekian. A chance to create a beneficial relationship between Nordwyn and Nyxveil. But you lost that opportunity by humiliating me in front of everyone." My voice was cold, my emotions buried under the warm grip of my aura.

I was done crying. Done hoping.

"Is this really something you can do, huh?" He asked, stepping closer, his anger palpable.

"Oh, I can, and I will. Because people like you need to understand that the world doesn't revolve around you. And you should choose your foes carefully." I smiled, a cold, calculated smile. The kind of smile that made people fear me.

Ezekian scoffed, his arrogance shining through. "Your father would never allow such a thing to happen."

I laughed, the sound hollow. "How naive of you to think Nyxveil has anything to lose by cutting ties with Nordwyn. The Emperor wants Nordwyn gone, Ezekian. You should know that much as the Young Lord, shouldn't you?"

His eyes widened, and for the first time, I saw fear. Fear of me. Fear of what I could do.

"You're lying. Nordwyn has been protecting Wymhold for centuries. The Emperor might be wary of us, but he won't try to make it vanish," he said, but his voice lacked conviction.

"What do I have to gain from lying to you?" I stepped closer, fixing his collar, my hand resting on his chest. "Think of it as compensation for what I'm about to do next." I smiled, a wicked, knowing smile.

"If something keeps happening repeatedly, don't mistake it for coincidence. Or else," I paused, savoring the moment, "you'll be the biggest loser."

I turned and walked away, my heels clicking against the marble floor. This was the last time I'd let him hurt me. The last time I'd let myself love him.

From now on, I'd be stronger. Smarter. Wicked if I had to be. If I am going to be treated as a villain and evil woman without even doing anything, I might as well become one.

Because in this world, the only person I could truly rely on was myself. Yeah, this is sad to except, but some people are simply meant to be villains. And sadly, that happens to be me.