Potent

“A what?” Gemini gasped.

“A ball.”

“Wh--why on earth would I go there with you?” She pulled her hand out of his, her skin crawling. She resisted the urge to rub her hand where he’d touched and kissed it.

Valentine held up Orion’s jar, giving it a little shake. She bit her lip and unconsciously folded her arms. He simply grinned.

“And because you know how to dance.” That’s why he wanted to teach me… he wants me to go with him! Why?

“Please don’t make me do this,” Gemini pleaded. The thought of going there with him and dancing with him was too awful. Valentine just chuckled and set Orion’s jar on his desk.

“I’m not making you do anything, Gemini.”

“You’re forcing my hand.”

“Slightly.” He pursed his lips to keep a smile from forming. She turned away, trying to control her fear and anger. “Am I that hideous?”

“No!” She blurted. Why did he say that? Valentine raised a suggestive eyebrow and she realized the meaning of her answer. “I mean, you’re--you’re--”

“Attractive?”

“No--”

“Charming?”

“No! Let me--”

“Brilliant?”

“You’re despicable!” She finished, at last. Her cheeks were hot and she desperately hoped that Valentine wouldn’t comment. Instead he laughed, which infuriated her even more.

“Tell me something I don’t know. Now--” Valentine picked up her hand again, entwining it in his. “Do we have an agreement?”

“Fine.” She ripped her hand away again. “We do.”

“Good, because the ball is tonight,” Valentine answered, putting Orion’s jar away.

Gemini blanched.

“Tonight?” She gasped. “But--”

“Don’t get worked up.” Valentine waved his hand at her, flippantly. “There’s no need to panic. All you have to do is dance, have proper manners, and not make any mistakes.”

“Then there is all the need to panic. I’m not perfect, Valentine. I don’t think I can--”

His lips twitched and his gaze sharpened. She could she how he was curling his fingers in, all control being shredded. Gemini felt her body suddenly go cold. A glass cup shattered, covering the floor with shards. She stumbled back, realizing she had just struck a deep, deep nerve.

“Don’t ever address me that way again.”

“I-I’m so sorry, I won’t, my lord--I swear--”

Valentine sprang at her, gripped her neck. Gemini grabbed at his wrist but she couldn’t focus. Her throat felt like it was being squashed like a grape.

“If I didn’t need you, I would rip out your vocal chords right now and shove them down your throat.” Gemini shook from fear, her mind perfectly picturing what that would look like. She tried to scream but it came about as a whimper. He released her and she doubled over, coughing and gasping. “Don’t make me regret not doing it.”

She decided to remain silent this time. “Now get. Out.”

Gemini picked up her skirts and tore out of his office.

“That was harsh.”

Valentine whipped around. Daniel-Kane peeked out from behind one of the book shelves of Valentine’s mini-library.

“What are you doing here?” He snapped. How did he even get in?

“To tell you that was harsh.” Daniel-Kane pulled a book off a shelf and flipped through the pages.

“She called me by my name.” The memory still made him stiff and he clenched his hands into fists.

“So?”

“So?” Valentine was incredulous. He couldn’t believe Daniel-Kane was taking her side.

“Yes. Why does that bother you so much?” Daniel-Kane asked, looking up from his book.

Valentine chewed his lip. Why did it? But he also wondered, Why did she address him that way? It seemed accidental enough. But how was something like that accidental? She barely knew him well enough to address him by name. “It doesn’t bother you when I do it.”

“That’s because you know me! Does this really need explaining?” Valentine flipped open a book of his own on his desk. Did Daniel-Kane have to be this insistent?

“Fine. You won’t admit to yourself how you feel? Then I’ll tell you.” Daniel-Kane closed the book in his hands and shoved it back on the shelf. “What Gemini did bothers you because it reminds you too much of your family.” Valentine jerked his head up and opened his mouth but Daniel-Kane cut him off. “Let me finish. It made you angry because you don’t want to be reminded of your family. She addressed you as Valentine when she is not at all close to you. So you lashed out at her and threatened her life when a simple command would’ve sufficed.”

“Of course that’s how I feel, she had no right,” Valentine snarled.

“You overreacted. She was already terrified of you and now I bet she won’t say more than three words to you. This isn’t worth killing over.”

“If anything is worth killing over, it’s this.” Valentine slammed his book shut.

“You’re letting your anger blind you into doing something you’ll regret!”

“You think I’m going to regret putting her in her place?”

“I think you’re going to regret hurting her and terrifying her. Do you have any idea of the gravity of what she’s been going through?” Daniel-Kane said.

As usual, Daniel-Kane had a point. An annoying point. Because Valentine did have an idea… a very, very good idea. “You need to apologize to her.”

“No.” Valentine walked out of his office with Daniel-Kane at his heels.

“Why not?”

“Because if I do that, she’ll start to think I care when I don’t and she’ll hold it over me.”

“Do you?” Daniel-Kane asked.

“Do I what?”

“Care?”

“Don’t start. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to talk to Mira about preparing Gemini for the ball and prepare myself.”

“Be careful,” Daniel-Kane sighed.

Valentine glanced back at Daniel-Kane. He could see it in his friend’s eyes that he was worried about him. Looking forward again, Valentine made his way to Mira’s chambers.

Gemini couldn’t stop staring.

The Imperial Ballroom was without a shred of doubt, magnificent. It glittered and sparkled with gold. The ceiling rose higher and higher with everyone backwards tilt of her head. The decorations and paintings added to the sense of royalty.

Valentine didn’t seem fazed by it at all. She kept forgetting he had lived here for several years. He most likely knew the palace well.

Gemini had to keep resisting the urge to remove her hands from Valentine’s arm. Despite the fact that it was a societal norm, she disliked the sense of helplessness it gave her.

“May I have this dance?” Valentine asked her, a roguish grin on his face.

“Of course,” Gemini forced herself to say.

Valentine had given her the most overbearing of lectures beforehand on how it important it was to blend in and act as if she didn’t hate his guts. She was determined to prove she could be a convincing actress.

They took the floor, poised for the waltz. As they danced, Gemini realized she’d grown accustomed to the feeling of dread while dancing with him.

“Why, Lady Gemini, I do believe you’re holding back.”

Gemini bit her lip, wishing he would stop talking. Why couldn’t they dance in silence?

“I am not.”

“Yes, you are. You look like you’re hating every moment of this.”

“Perhaps it is because I am,” Gemini angrily, whispered but kept her expression pleasant.

Valentine sighed as they sunk into the one-two-three, one-two-three rhythm.

“Would you enjoy dancing if it wasn’t with me?”

“Yes.”

“Then pretend you’re not dancing with me,” He said, as if it was all so simple.

“That’s impossible.”

“So you’re determined not to enjoy this? You do realize how many commoners get to come to the palace?”

“Can we please just dance in silence for once?” Gemini snapped, just loud enough for him to hear.

Valentine chewed his lip in annoyance.

“Very well.”

They danced in silence. Valentine glared down at her for a few moments and she stared fearlessly back. Gemini had realized that he couldn’t reprimand her or make a scene in the middle of the dance floor. That gave her a powerful advantage.

Gemini dared not look away, lest he think she was still intimidated and afraid of him.

To her surprise, Valentine had already glanced away and she couldn’t help looking away too. She peeked at him from time to time, trying to glean something from that impenetrable face of his.

Coincidentally, Valentine seemed to have noticed a family of palace servants were spying on the ball.

The mother, who looked like a maid, was trying to keep her three brown-haired boys from roaming too far away. The father held their daughter, who had her curly hair pulled back from her face.

Seeing them made Gemini smile wryly, remembering her own family. She sneaked a glance at Valentine and then fully looked at him. He wouldn’t stop staring, although his feet keep moving with the music.

For the first time since that fateful day in Ozean, Gemini saw something in his eyes.

Emotion. Specifically sorrow and…definitely longing. Even grief.

Presently, he tore his gaze away and looked straight at her. Gemini managed to look at their feet just in time. When she stole another gaze at Valentine, his expression had gone back to it’s usual stoicness. So that’s how he looks when he thinks no one is looking… I didn’t realize how much he actually cared about and missed his family. What was their deaths like for him? That was what turned him into a monster, right?

But no matter how she framed this new information and observation, she couldn’t seem to view him the same way again. She kept remembering his face, his eyes, when he saw that servant family. Was he truly a cruel beast? Or did he only show that side of him? Had he buried his past away to fuel his anger and to move on from all that he had lost?

“Lady Gemini, can you tell me what you are doing here in Kalt?”

Gemini looked up at the man on the throne, who she still couldn’t believe was the Emperor--Emperor Benedict himself. She should have felt proud, it was an honor not many got to have. But she knew he would want to know what Valentine was doing here… and she had no idea why.

“I came here with Mastermind Valentine to attend the ball, Your Majesty,” She replied. She shifted from one foot to another, terribly nervous. The guards next to her stood as rigidly as pawns on a chessboard.

A collective of murmurs started around the room.

“Why?” The Emperor asked, gently.

“Because… we made a deal. And my end of the deal was to come here with him.”

“And what was he going to give you in return?”

“My--my brother’s soul,” Gemini forced herself to say. She caught sight of few sympathetic looks from the other Masterminds, officials, and nobles. They whispered to each other. Emperor Benedict also seemed sympathetic.

“I see. Why did Valentine come here?” He leaned forward and Gemini knew that this was what he really wanted to know.

“I don’t know, Your Majesty.”

The room went still and silent. She swallowed.

“Are you sure?” The Emperor asked, narrowing his eyes and his expression hardening.

“Please believe me, Your Majesty,” She pleaded. “He didn’t tell me anything about what he was planning. The last I saw him, he was heading down a hallway of the palace.”

And last I saw him… I didn’t know what to think…

Valentine roughly guided her away from the festivities and into a quiet corridor. He released her, sending her stumbling back into the wall.

“Need I remind you just how critical it is that you be careful of what you say?” He hissed.

Gemini cringed, thinking of a few minutes ago where she had nearly address him by his true name again. “If you give me away, this whole venture will be ruined. I won’t get what I want, meaning you won’t get your brother’s soul.”

She looked down, trying to regain her composure and not cry. “Now. Can you follow one simple command?”

“Yes…” She whispered.

“Good. Now--”

Presently, someone else started walking down the corridor. Gemini flinched when she recognized who it was.

It was one of her father’s old business advisors. Her eyes widened. If he saw her here--

She knew she didn’t have much time to act. Valentine narrowed his eyes.

“What?” He started to turn his head. So she did the only thing she could think of. She grabbed Valentine by his collar and pressed her lips to his.

Valentine stiffened instantly and made a quiet noise of protest. Gemini closed her eyes, trying to hide behind Valentine. She peeked one eye open and saw the man about to walk by them. She brought her hands up to Valentine’s face and kissed him a little harder and more passionately. Gemini opened an eye again. The man disappeared around a corner. She broke the kiss, gasping for air. She refused to look at Valentine and quite frankly, she was too embarrassed to.

“I… I saw a man that--that my father knew… he almost saw me so…” She gulped, hoping he would believe her. She realized that her hands were still on him and she retracted them immediately and so did Valentine.

“I see… how very clever of you.” His expression was neutral and his tone was dry. Valentine turned and headed toward another hallway.

“Where are you going?” Gemini called after him.

“To do what I came here to do,” He answered. “Now go blend in with the crowd and wait for me. Don’t get caught.”

He disappeared around a corner and after a moment of watching him go, Gemini walked back into the main ballroom.

You idiot… you stupid, blathering idiot! One kiss and you turn into a lovesick fool. Valentine leaned against the wall, away from Gemini and out of sight. He closed his eyes with a sigh. But it was so…no, stop it. Don’t think like that. But his mind kept replaying their kiss and Valentine kept wishing he could feel it again. And again. And again. And again.

“No, no, no, no, no, no, stop it,” he muttered, clenching his teeth. “Why do I want more? Why? Why do I want--?” He stopped. “Oh.”

The weight of his self-discovery came crashing down on him. I’ve… always wondered what I want most… I thought it was revenge, then I thought it was to inflict justice… but no. What I want most… Valentine couldn’t say it. Or think it. He knew he shouldn’t. Once something like that was said, it almost always become true. It became a reality. I’ll never be free after this… but I’ll never be happy either. No, happiness is what everyone seeks. I’m not like everyone. So no, not happy… I’ll never be satisfied. But what I want, is what I want. I cannot change it or deny it.

Valentine stood and brushed himself off. What I want most… is love.

Gemini descended the stairs as calmly and naturally as she could. She couldn’t help analyzing what had occurred moments ago. Was Valentine angry? Flattered? Embarrassed? Did he like it more than he should have? Did I like it more than I should have? She shook her head. No, Gemini. Don’t you dare go falling in love with him. This won’t end well, he’s evil. He’s cruel. He’s… But no matter what argument she presented to herself, she kept remembering all the things Valentine had said ever since she’d met him. She had always noticed that he was hiding something. Like he was afraid to feel anything but anger and amusement. Why? Why did he hide? Why did he hate mentioning or remembering his family? They must mean so much more to him than she thought--

Gemini bit her lip and shoved those thoughts away. She had to stay on task.

Trying to appear as if she was rejoining the party, she made her way over to the small table of food delicacies. If I’m to be in Kalt, I may as well enjoy my stay. She plucked a sweet and daintily took a bite.

“The red ones taste the best.” Gemini glanced to her left. A man, dressed in charcoal and crimson attire, offered her a smile. He had a shock of white-blonde hair that stood up in spikes and sculpted yet sharp features. Her eyes swept over him noting the knife that was strapped to his side. Who is he?

“And what do they taste like?” She asked, after swallowing. Why is he talking to me?

“Like nectar from the loveliest flower.” Gemini couldn’t help wondering if he was talking about the food or her. “Pardon me for asking but--why isn’t a graceful lady like you dancing?” Gemini bashfully looked down at her fancy, flowery dress. It had splashes of pink, blue, purple, and green flowers and vines embroidered all over her gown.

His tone had been gentle, showing actual concern. Maybe he wasn’t trying to woo her. But now she had to come up with a convincing lie.

“My escort went upstairs, mostly likely to speak with another gentleman. But I have no idea when he will return.” Which was mostly the truth.

“Ah, then he obviously does not know what he is missing,” the man replied. Oh, he knows what he’s missing. And he doesn’t miss it at all. “I must ask, my Lady…?” He trailed off, looking at her expectantly.

“Gemini,” She supplied. She only hoped that he would forget her name.

“Lady Gemini, since you are not presently engaged, may I have the honor of this dance?”

“Of course, Lord…?”

“Malcolm.” His mouth quirked into an humorous smile. He held out his hand and Gemini carefully placed her hand in his. As he guided her to the dance floor, she wondered when Valentine would be back. She wasn’t sure how long she could keep her charade up.

Malcolm led her through the crowd towards a more secluded part of the ballroom.

“Wait, I thought we were going to dance.”

“Disappointed?”

“Depends on what you really had in mind.” Was she really flirting with this man? Gemini had trouble believing this was happening.

“Well, then, I’m sorry to disappoint you.”

Before she could ask him what he meant, two palace guards appeared behind her. Gemini jumped. Her eyes widened and she desperately looked for an escape. “Don’t try anything. You’d be surprised at how fast I can move. Plus, running through the crowd would make it even harder for you to get away. His Imperial Majesty would appreciate your discretion.”

No! Valentine said not to get caught--he’ll skin me alive!

“What crime have I committed?” Gemini asked, trying to look innocent.

Malcolm smiled, which now seemed cold and colored with dark humor.

“I have suspicion to believe that you’ve been helping a wanted man, possibly the most dangerous man in Dunstorria.”

“How--how dare you! What proof do you have?” He can’t possibly know--

“You and your escort disappeared upstairs and… shared an intimate moment, which I find hard to believe, because you were trying to hide from a man you knew. Your escort has disappeared, yet you come back downstairs without him and a true lady never goes anywhere in public unaccompanied. And your escort, whom I have never seen before, seems to know the palace a little too well. All of my observations indicate that you are hiding something and that this is the work of Mastermind Valentine,” Malcolm finished. Gemini felt herself start to tremble. “So do tell me, am I wrong?”

“No,” She said, barely audible.

“I’m sorry, what was that?”

“No,” Gemini said, louder this time. She instantly regretted flirting with him. This man was no kind knight; he was just as bad as Valentine.

“That’s what I thought. So you are helping Mastermind Valentine?”

“Not willingly…” Her voice got small again.

“I see. The Emperor will want to ask you a few questions then.”

Before she could protest or plead for her life, the guards prodded her forward to follow Malcolm. They walked through a large hallway and stopped in front a room. “Carlisle will be watching you until the Emperor is ready to see you,” Malcolm said, almost reluctantly. He glanced at the man walking up to his right, a golden-blonde, spry, wiry, and grinning at her.

Carlisle was the exact opposite of Malcolm, carefree, completely at ease, and smiling about everything. And staring shamelessly at her. “Carlisle.”

“Yes, Malcolm, dear?” Carlisle quipped. Malcolm glared at him.

“Please remember your restrictions.”

“Oh, you said, please today, Mal! I’m impressed.”

“Do your job for once.”

“Always do.”

“No, you don’t.”

“Maybe.”

Malcolm clenched his jaw.

“I wonder how free your tongue would be if I--”

“Oh, please don’t frighten the poor girl! I shall watch her more carefully than myself,” Carlisle interrupted, giving Gemini a “no worries” look.

Gemini didn’t trust that look. Or either of these men for that matter. Although she would have preferred that Malcolm watch her. He seemed to be the more responsible, duty-bound, and less unnerving than Carlisle, which was saying something.

Malcolm gave him a look of intense annoyance before sauntering away. “Poor Malcolm, always so high-strung… well, except when he’s enjoying himself.” Carlisle chuckled at his own joke and started walking in the opposite direction.

Unnaturally, Gemini followed him against her will. Something seemed to be instructing her body instead of her. They both entered a small, nearly empty room and he closed the door behind them. They both sat in the two dark, wood chairs.

“What did you do to me?” Gemini demanded, as soon as she was free to move on her own again.

“What do you think? You’ve been around Valentine long enough, I presume. Take a guess.” Carlisle’s lips curved into a smile. He was very striking but Gemini ignored that fact. Goodness, were all the men in Kalt extremely handsome?

“You must be a Mastermind.” For some reason, it hit her that both Carlisle and Malcolm were Masterminds.

“Of?”

“The body?”

Carlisle snorted.

“No, the mind. I’ve mastered everything that has to do with one’s mind.”

Gemini shifted in her chair, realizing just how much she was at his mercy. Abruptly, she wished Valentine was here to shield her from Carlisle.

“Do you use… magic?”

He laughed so suddenly that she jumped, wondering how that was humorous.

“Oh, dear Gemini, very few people in Kalt have magic and even fewer can use it. Valentine made sure of that. He hoarded the secrets and ways of magic to himself. We would always ask him questions that he vaguely answered or refused to reply. But it’s amusing that you would think I use magic. Valentine was furious that I could do it without magic. He’s never forgiven me for that. Alas, it is simply a natural gift of mine.”

Gemini couldn’t help being fascinated by a new perspective and new stories of Valentine… it seemed she wasn’t the only one who clashed him. In the back her mind, she realized that Valentine had told her about how magic worked and certain rules it had… she could only hope that Carlisle wouldn’t decide to look into her memories and those things.

“How many Masterminds are there?” She asked instead.

“Hundreds. We’ve… been depleted in our ranks by a certain individual. But there are still many Masterminds living in the palace. Why do you ask?” He had another sly smile on his face.

“Just curious…” Gemini did her best nonchalant face.

Carlisle smirked and stared at her for a second. He narrowed his eyes.

“Why, Lady Gemini… oh, I can’t believe I didn’t see it earlier…” He shook his head, still smiling almost mockingly at her. Something in his stance shifted. He was no longer recklessly playful but something darker. Almost like a twisted playfulness.

Then he dropped the weight. “You’re in love with Valentine…”

Instantly, Gemini felt her face flush.

“I am not. You misunderstand me--”

“Oh, no, I understand very well. You just blushed. You asked about the Masterminds, slyly wanting to know more about what his past was like. You asked if I used magic, because Valentine does and you thought that was how all Masterminds used their skills. All of your facial expression when I said his name where ones of slight adoration and affection.” Once he finished, he crossed his arms, leaned back in his chair, and watched her scrupulously.

Gemini could feel the heat increasing in her cheeks, flaming. How on earth could he and Malcolm observe so much about her? She didn’t realize that ever since their kiss, she felt different. Was it all really that obvious? Even worse, would Valentine notice too?

“How…?”

“I know minds well enough to read a person’s expression and know what they are thinking,” Carlisle answered. “But tell me, Lady Gemini, for I’m extremely curious now--how did you come to love a murderer and bastard like him?”

She sucked in a sharp breath. How dare he ask that. If he really knew Valentine, he would already know that I don’t love him at all.

“That is none of your business, because it is not true,” she said flatly.

“Oh, feisty, are we? And no defense for your unrequited love.”

“Unrequited?” Gemini felt her hands grip her arms tighter. He grinned again.

“Valentine has had scores of beautiful women throw themselves at his feet. Yet he has pushed away or crushed each one of their hearts… what makes you think that you’ll be any different? Valentine doesn’t love. It’s not his way.”

The world seemed dizzy and far away. Carlisle’s words rang in her head like the bell of a clock. No, it couldn’t be true… and yet… it made sense. She had always seen Valentine taking pleasure in doing something cruel to her. Suddenly it all came together… Valentine wanted this. And he was enjoying crushing her heart. Tears pricked Gemini’s eyes. “Oh, it’s alright to cry, milady.” She turned away and tried to stifle her sobs. She heard his chair scrape the floor. Warm, comforting arms wrapped around her.

Gemini wanted to push him away… he wasn’t the one she wanted. Yet, she wanted something to soothe the ache and wounds in her heart. She curled into his embrace, shutting out the world. “I only wanted to warn you… and possibly save you some of this pain.” She felt his lips on her forehead and she gasped. Gemini looked up at him. Carlisle gave a sad smile, making him look as despaired as her. Unconsciously, she leaned toward him and Carlisle toward her--

The door burst open. Malcolm’s eyes widened at what the situation: Gemini wrapped up in Carlisle’s arms, their faces so close.

“Carlisle… you lying, two-faced, scoundrel,” Malcolm snapped. “Get your hands off the girl. Need I remind of your prohibition?”

“His what?” Gemini squeaked.

“Malcolm--” Carlisle began.

“Emperor Benedict expressly forbid him to come in any contact with a woman.” Malcolm smirked at Carlisle, as if realizing what perfect timing this was.

Carlisle turned to speak to her--

Gemini slapped him. He cupped his face, hissing in pain. She took the opportunity to shove him off of her. Once he hit the floor, Gemini kicked him as hard as she could with the toe of her shoe.

The cry of pain that Carlisle gave temporarily satisfied her.

“Thank you, Mastermind Malcolm,” she said, nodding in thanks.

“My pleasure,” he quipped back, still smirking at Carlisle on the floor, who was groaning in pain. “His Majesty will see you now, Lady Gemini.”

Gemini simply nodded shyly and followed him. As they walked, she tried to focus on the interior of the castle but Carlisle’s words swam in her head, her mind creating thoughts based on them. Valentine doesn’t care about me… he never has… he could care less. I knew this all along… yet why is my heart still hurting? Perhaps I thought that maybe he was hiding it. Clearly he isn’t. Now, I guess I don’t care what happens to me. I’d rather die than go back to Nebel Manor with him. But then… who will get him to release my family’s souls?