LUCIUS' POV
I had been searching for Dusk, but Alpha Roland told me I didn't need to worry about her; she'll turn up at the party.
I was worried, but he assured me that a person couldn't go missing at the Palace; she had probably engrossed herself in a library or was off painting somewhere.
I believed him because I knew Dusk loved those things - painting and reading.
"I was just a little worried since I didn't see her after the party last night," I said, and Alpha Roland looked at me.
"You didn't leave the party together yesterday?" he asked, and I nodded.
"She wasn't at breakfast and lunch either. I've been to her room, but she's not there," I said, and he patted me on the back.
"I see your Luna has formed a particularly good relationship with Matilda, one of my adopted children. She spends a lot of time in Matilda's room," he said, and I raised a brow.
"Who's Matilda?" I asked, and he smiled.
"A blind girl I adopted. She rarely leaves her room due to her condition, so my guess is she's with Matilda," he said, and I nodded.
"Was Matilda at the party last night?" I asked, but he shook his head.
"Unfortunately, no. So maybe she left last night to look for her, and she spent all day trying to make the poor girl feel better," he said cheerily, and I was convinced, because that was more like Dusk.
DUSK'S POV
I had called for help until my voice became hoarse.
I called what felt like a thousand times, until I finally gave up.
I hugged my knees to my chest and stared into the semi-darkness.
I fell asleep and stayed asleep for a long time, hoping someone would come for me.
Maybe Matilda would notice something wrong with her secret door.
When I woke up, I walked around the library, but the books were all written in ancient writings I couldn't comprehend.
I tried calling for help once more, but no help came.
I wasn't even sure if it was morning already, as the place remained semi-dark. I sat down for hours, knocking at intervals, wondering what I had gotten myself into.
"Very soon, Lucius would find me," I said and walked around the place, checking to see if there was any book written in English.
As I moved deeper into the secret library, I saw light seeping through from underneath the shelves.
"Light. Maybe there's a door somewhere," I said to myself hopefully and ran to it.
However, I was amazed by what I saw.
It was round like a pond - the kind of pond with fountains - but it was as high as a large bathtub.
It was like liquid light and it was shining really bright.
It gleamed pearly white, and I moved closer to see it properly and almost screamed when a head emerged from it.
It was Matilda.
She rose from the water into a sitting position.
"Why are you here?" she asked, looking ahead.
The gleaming liquid had Matilda glowing, and I couldn't say much.
"You shouldn't be here," she added as she rose out of the water.
"Why? What's the secret you've been keeping?" I asked, and she walked slowly, with her hands outstretched.
She wrapped her hands firmly around her walking stick, and shiny water dripped from the bathrobe she was wearing.
"Does this look like a place anyone can just enter? You should have returned," she said walking away.
"The door shut itself," I said, and heard a little sigh from her.
She got to the door and picked a key from somewhere on the wall. She unlocked the door easily, as though she could see, but I guessed it was because she knew the place well.
"Best get running. The party is in full swing," she said and closed the door.
I ran out of her room and saw it was night. All those long hours I spent in there couldn't be just a single night. It meant I had spent a day in there.
I dressed quickly, not minding to fix the little details I should have paid attention to.
I went to the Grand Hall, but there was no party there.
Then I saw a maid.
"Where's everyone?" I asked, and she bowed before replying.
"At the party outside," she said, and I nodded.
I went out and was right on time.
"Ah, there she is - our runaway Luna. You came right on time," the Host said, and I was applauded by the people present.
The Lunas were all lined up in front of the people.
"You are to make a song - a song with five lines about your Alpha. They must all rhyme. The Luna with the best lyrics will get this!" The Host said and held up a set of jewelry - a golden crown, necklace with the rarest gems, bracelets, anklets, and earrings.
All the Lunas were so happy and anxious.
The game started, and I was last because I had arrived late.
I looked around for Lucius and saw him smiling at me.
He stared at me until it was my turn to sing.
I cleared my throat and felt nervous as every eye was on me.
"Meet my Alpha, he's charming." That was my first line, and I could see them all smiling.
"That's my man, he's lovely." That was my second line, and I could see Lucius smiling widely.
"There's nothing... There's nothing he wouldn't do for me.
"When I'm... When I'm with him... I'm... I'm over the galaxy." I sang, and they all laughed.
I had begun to run out of rhyming words.
"And, I'm happy to say, I love... him." I said, hesitating at the last words.
Everyone clapped and cheered for me, although I knew I hadn't done as well as the others.
Janice, one of the Lunas, was the one who won the jewelry set, and everyone clapped.
She deserved it - she had sung five lines about her Alpha without hesitation.
I waved to Lucius, and he was about to come my way, but a certain Alpha took his hand, calling his attention to something.
"Here. Alpha Gerald sends you a drink," a servant said, bowing, and I looked around and saw Alpha Gerald.
He smiled at me, held up his glass, and I smiled in return.
I turned away, and the servant placed the glass of wine gently on the table before me.
I decided to take water first, and when I was done, I was about to take the drink, only for someone to come and toss the drink away. It fell, and its contents spilled out.
"What...?" I said, turning and saw Matilda, looking at my chest.
"It was drugged. He wants you to sleep with him," she said, and I got so curious as to why she always spoke that way.
"You always speak funny. How do you know he put something in my drink when you can't even see? Do you even see me?" I asked, and for the first time since I knew Matilda, she stared at me straight in the eye with a piercing look, and she said...
"Yes, I see you."