Waltzes, Whispers, and Wildfire

A lively waltz swept through the hall, mingling with the soft murmur of conversation and occasional bursts of laughter.Dozens of young ladies and gentlemen were already dancing. They moved in graceful formation across the polished floor, turning and changing partners effortlessly.

Sybill looked around.

Rowland was busy too. He moved from noble to noble, smiling diligently, shaking hands, accepting greetings, and performing every duty expected of a future king.

For the first time, Sybill felt sorry for him. Royal life looked exhausting.

She decided to find Sammy. He seemed to be the only person among them who wasn't bound by royal duties.

At that moment, the tall doors at the far end of the grand hall swung open. A long line of waiters entered, each carrying a polished silver tray balanced neatly in one hand.

Glasses of sparkling drinks caught the chandelier light, while tiny canapés, miniature pastries, savoury tarts, stuffed rolls, and colourful bite-sized delicacies covered the trays in carefully arranged rows.

The waiters quickly dispersed across the ballroom, serving the guests.

Sybill's eyes followed them closely. Then she spotted a familiar brown-haired boy among the servants.

Sammy.

He was carrying a tray of drinks and making his way through the crowd when he noticed her too. His face immediately brightened and he winked at her.

"You look really cute, Sibby."

Sybill stared at him. Her large lavender eyes opened a little wider.

"Cute?"

Sammy grinned.

"Yeah. Really cute."

Silvi was tucked inside Sybill's slightly open purse, concealed beneath an invisibility spell, with just enough of a gap to watch the ballroom.

Sammy glanced towards the dance floor.

"Why aren't you dancing? Did no one offer?"

"Oh, they did," Silvi said. "She either turned and stared at the wall or gave them such a heart-wrenching look that they ended up running away."

Sammy smiled while picking up empty glasses from the tables.

"The one person whose hand she would willingly take is busy right now—the only one who sees past the awkwardness and appreciates what truly lies beneath," Silvi continued.

Sammy turned to look at Rowland.

Rowland cut a striking figure in an intricately tailored cream-and-gold formal coat, embroidered with fine gold thread along the collar, cuffs, and front. Ornate gold epaulettes rested over his shoulders, while several polished medallions were pinned neatly across his chest.

He was surrounded by a cluster of admiring young ladies, all eager for his attention, though the strained politeness on his face made it obvious he would rather be anywhere else.

"Sibi, we need—did you notice something?"

Sybill reached for a strawberry tart from Sammy's tray.

"I did."

Sybill was already happily munching on the tart.

"Leo is missing."

"You were supposed to watch him, Sammy."

"I did," Sammy replied to Silvi in a hushed voice as he cleared the empty glasses from a nearby table. "He was right there a few minutes ago."

Sybill continued chewing her strawberry tart. Then her eyes drifted towards the far side of the ballroom.

Grandmaster Erasmus was making his way towards one of the doors.

"Sammy."

He looked at her.

"The Grandmaster Erasmus is the leaving. Look. Something is the looking fishy."

Sammy followed her gaze. Erasmus slipped through the doorway and disappeared from sight.

Sybill immediately shoved the rest of the tart into her mouth.

"As Silhvester says, follow the suspicious guy until he is in the clearing."

Before Sammy could question what that was supposed to mean, Sybill grabbed him by the hand. Then, with absolute determination, she pulled him through the crowd after Erasmus.

Grandmaster Erasmus stood with Chef Phillip and Duke Clarkson in a dark, dingy alley behind the summer residence. Whatever they were discussing, the conversation seemed intense.

Phillip and Clarkson kept their voices low, while Erasmus glanced around every few moments. Even from a distance, the worry on their faces was unmistakable.

Hidden nearby, Sybill and Sammy watched them carefully from the nearest rooftop.

Before either could move closer, footsteps approached from the opposite end of the alley.

A young man joined Erasmus, Phillip, and Clarkson. He was tall and broad-shouldered, with neatly styled brown hair.

Sammy's eyes widened.

"That's Nigel."

"He sprouted up like a bamboo shoot."

Sammy continued staring at the young man.

"He's the Duke of Winland now. We used to attend horse-riding lessons together."

His expression softened for a moment.

"Our fathers are close friends."

Sybill's enormous lavender eyes moved between the four men.

Sammy stared at them.

"What? So Grandmaster and Nigel are in the cahoots with the chef and the duke?"

"Sammy, shut the up."

She snapped her fingers. A faint shimmer passed over her ears as her listening spell took effect. The men's distant voices suddenly became clear.

"The mischief is taking root. We must support the cause."

"The events are getting progressively worse."

Nigel lowered his voice.

"The reports we have received about the new developments possibly involving the missing piece, if accurate, could cause major ripples across kingdoms."

A brief silence followed.

Erasmus continued.

"The rightful heir should sit upon the throne. Our unwavering loyalty remains."

Sammy's expression changed.

Before he could say anything, a violent explosion shook the surrounding buildings. Everyone turned.

A carriage had burst into flames. For the briefest moment, green flickered through the fire before the flames turned fully crimson and spread almost instantly, leaping from one carriage to the next as terrified horses reared and servants scattered.

Erasmus, Phillip, Nigel, and Clarkson separated at once.

Sybill shot into the air. In an instant, she soared towards the raging fire and raised her wand.

A spiralling torrent of water erupted from its tip. The water twisted through the air like a small tornado before crashing down over the burning carriages.

Steam exploded across the courtyard. Within minutes, the flames were gone.

Only blackened wood, drenched stone, and clouds of white steam remained.

Grandmaster Erasmus stood frozen nearby. His mouth slowly fell open.

"By the Goddess…"

Tears gathered in his eyes.

"Only she is capable of such miracles."

He clasped his hands together and immediately began to pray.

Sammy sighed.

If Sybill had not been concealed by a spell, the man probably would have died of a heart attack.