“So,” I said kindly, closing my eyes as I set my chin in my hands, “how’s the production of the movie going for you?”
Garner gazed up then, lips parting. “Oh, it’s quite amazing! I appreciate all the support you’re giving our company, my prince.”
I just giggled kindly.
“My lord... I cannot fathom that you are thirty and look so young!” he said then, closing his eyes kindly. “You look a child, almost. Although, I do ask...” he chuckled nervously, “you’ve grown from when we last met, yes?”
I just sighed, lashes lowering. “I regret to say, I haven’t.”
The door to the dining hall opened, and Dante came in with a pitcher of water.
“Was the meal to your liking?” Dante asked gently, pouring some more water into my glass.
“Yes, it was delicious!” Garner said then, oddly exstatic. “Did you make this yourself?”
“As it happens, I did,” Dante responded swiftly. “Our other servents are more for cleaning. I do everything else, though.”
I rolled my eyes.
“You are an excellent cook!” Garner said then. “If I hadn’t known you, I would’ve expected you being a chef of some sort.”
“Ah, no.” Dante shook his head. “I only cook for my master. He gives me everything I want, anyway.” He spared me a glance, smirking.
I just looked away, sweat sliding down my temple as I rubbed my neck unconciously.
My blood.
“Oh, I forgot to ask! How rude of me!” Garner said then, turning to face me. “My lord... what are you the prince of? I never really understood that fact.”
I just smiled slightly, closing my eyes. “I’m the Prince of Coldwater.”
It was a lie. I was the Prince of Hell.
“Coldwater...?” he echoed. “I never knew such a thing.”
“It’s a small little country in Europe,” Dante answered then, smirking. “It’s very large and has over a million people. We left there because my master was growing ill of the pollution.”
Also a lie. Coldwater didn’t exist. This was my cover story for being a prince when I was—literally—the Prince of Hell.
Dante and I crafted it together.
“Ah, so enlightening!” Garner said then, clapping excitedly. “So, my prince...” he looked over at me, “how are you so rich, if I might ask?”
“My master runs multiple cooperations,” Dante explained then, answering for me, “his main coorperation is a clothing company. All the clothes he wears are based off his clothing lines.”
Garner looked at me then, eyes glistening under the lighting. “That’s fantastic! I always admired your style, my prince!”
A bead of sweat slipped down my cheek.
Must you lie to him? I asked Dante’s thoughts.
What did you want me to say? Dante replied, smirking as he glanced down at me. That we mind controlled a clothing company’s CEO to give you the lead?
Just tell him it’s my mommy’s money, you idiot.
Now, now, master. That is the lie.
I just sighed.
“Oh, my lord... you own so many things, yes?”
“Yes,” I answered.
“You even own my opera house!” He closed his eyes kindly. “I was so excited when you took over, and it’s been so glorious being here with you.”
Oh, NOW he brings up the topic.
I was wating for it.
“So, uh... my prince,” he said then, gazing up as he smiled. “Do you fancy selling?”
“No,” I said immediately.
He gazed up then, blinking. “Uh... huh...?”
My lashes lowered, and I set my cheek in my hand.
“But, uh...” he said then, laughing nervously, “you didn’t even hear my offer.”
I just smiled. “I don’t care what you have to offer. The Opera of Chadam is my company. And I don’t fancy selling it.”
He just sighed and closed his eyes. “I understand.”
Do you?
I took one last bite of my meatball before setting my fork aside. “Dante. Is there dessert?”
He just bowed slightly. “Of course.”
“Can you bring it out?” I said then, tipping my head back to look at him with a smile. “Please?”
He just watched me in amusement. “There’s no need for plesentries, master. I do not need convincing from you. I will go get it.”
And he left the room.
Garner just shifted in his seat, smiling over at me.
“You should taste his cookies,” I said then, watching him kindly. “It’s the best thing I ever had.”
Garner just nodded, his excitement now completely gone and replaced with odd anxiety.
I lowered my lashes then, deciding to press him further. “Is there a reason why you are you insistant on me selling?”
He gazed up then. “I own all the rights to the shows... so I thought I’d ask.”
“I see,” I responded then, lashes lowering. “Even though you stole the shows?”
He blinked, eyes widening.
I arched a brow.
The doors to the dining hall opened seconds later, and I gazed up in boredom to find Dante coming in with a plate of wafer cookies in his hand.
As he set it on the table, Garner just shifted again. “I’m sorry, prince, but... is there a restroom near here?”
“Why, yes,” Dante said then, pointing out the door, “take a right, five doors down on the left.”
He stood then, bowing to Dante. “Thank you, kind sir.”
He then left the room.
“Aw, look at that,” I said then, glancing out the door when it closed behind him. “He called you kind. That’s sweet.”
Dante spared me a bored look.
“It’s sad that people are afraid of me when they should be afraid of you,” I said then. “You are a fantastic actor, aren’t you?”
He smiled slightly. “Are you telling me I’m easy to underestimate?”
“I’m saying you make it easy to underestimate you,” I answered then, gazing up. “And, if you could please...” my eyes immediately looked up at him, “follow him.”
He just smiled. “I don’t need to. He’s texting on his phone in the room next door.”
“What is he saying?” I arched a brow.
“He’s talking to a collegue it looks.” Dante then smiled. “Oh, that’s sad.”
I just gazed up at him. “Why do you look so smug?”
“No reason.” He smiled kindly before opening his eyes. “He’s coming back now.”
The doors to the room opened again, and Garner came back inside.
“Welcome back, sir,” Dante said then, stepping aside so Garner could sit down. “We missed you so much.”
Garner sat then and caught a wafer cookie, shoving it in his mouth and chewing, followed by three more.
His stance was stiffened now, abnormal compared to his original persona.
I glanced at Dante, finding him looking at me with his eyes glowing a bright red.
I just looked back down at Garner, smiling now. “Is something the matter? Constipation?”
He just clenched his fists and gazed up at me, gritting his teeth. “I’m sick of your shit. You’re selling the opera to me.”
Dante’s lips formed an oh before he smiled again.
I just kept my composure. “Why the sudden change of personality?”
“You heard me,” he snapped, his eyes now hard and cold. “I’m sick of your shit. You’re selling it to me right now.”
I smiled. “Or what?”
“I’ll kill you,” he responded.
I chuckled then and set my back against my chair. “You’ll kill me? Wow, such a threat.”
“You heard me.”
“I did,” I said then, lashes lowering. “I’m not selling the opera to you. So kill me then.”
Dante’s eyes glowed a dark red as a smirk crossed his face.
Garner’s face paled slightly before he glared, clearly not seeing Dante’s form grow demonic. “You spoiled little brat! You think you can take care of such a big cooperation with your false power?! You’re WEAK! JUST ADMIT IT!”
I just kept my smile.
“You’re A SPOILED TEENAGER!” he yelled then. “You ACT LIKE ONE! You LOOK LIKE ONE!”
“Ouch,” I said then.
“Cut the bullshit!” he snapped then, pointing an accusing finger at me. “You’re shaking in your bones, I can see it! You’re HORRIFIED!”
“No, I’m shaking because this is so amusing to me,” I responded. “You just don’t know what you’re doing, and that is hilarious.”
He then sat up, gritting his teeth. “YOU HEARD HIM! KILL HIM ALREADY!”
I just gazed up, brows arching.
The room fell silent.
Nothing happened.
He just lowered his hand. “Wh... what?”
“Mister Garner,” I said then, lashes lowering as Dante remained by my side, eyes glowing dangerously with his smile, “we accepted an invitation from you and you only. If you invited other guests, you should’ve told us.”
He blinked, brows drawing together.
I just set my elbows on the table, clasping my hands together as I set my chin on them. “You see... if we have uninvited guests on our premise... we assume them as mice.”
“What?” he whispered, voice shaking.
“Mice are unwanted in one’s house;” I told him, smiling, “they cause chaos, ruin wires, eat our food. They’re intruders. Therefore, we rid of the pests.”
He just breathed uneasily. “What are you saying?”
“They’re D-E-A-D,” I spelled out for him.
His eyes widened in horror, and he just took a couple steps back.
“Your friends were very loud, as well,” Dante said then, and Garner immediately looked at him, eyes widening when he saw Dante’s red irises. “They destroyed my prince’s yard. I cannot count how many times I heard something crash and break... and it was their doing. I had to rid of them... they were harming the flowers.”
“You...” he said shakily, “are insane!”
“He’s not the only one, I’m afraid,” I said then, and he snapped his gaze to me. “I, too, enjoy the screams of the cruel and wreched worms.” I gazed up with a smile. “It makes my cold heart warm just a little.”
He just breathed shakily, glaring at me. “What are you going to do? Kill me?”
“No, I’m afraid,” I said then, my smile turning sadistic, “it seems you already killed yourself.”
His face paled immediately.
“I’m very glad that you liked my cooking, sir,” Dante said then, eyes glowing a bright red as his smile grew. “You shoved those cyanydic wafer cookies in your mouth like a thanksgiving feast.”
He stilled, eyes growing in fear as he covered his mouth immediately, breaths shaking.
“It’s a shame,” I said then, spinning my finger around my glass, “I really like you. The fake you, of course. But you had to cross me?” I sighed. “Why did you cross me? I thought we were going to be good friends.”
“You... are a monster,” he breathed, still covering his mouth.
“I wouldn’t have resulted to this if you hadn’t tried to kill me first,” I said then, tipping my head to the side with my smile. “I would’ve heard you out. Your deal for me. But the fact that you had it out for me for the beginning...?” I inhaled through my teeth. “You set your death yourself, I’m afraid.”
He just collapsed to his knees, starting to cough as his body shook like a live wire.
“It seems as if the cyanide is kicking in, master,” Dante said calmly.
“I can tell,” I said then, sighing as I stood, brushing off my pants. “Clean up the mess. I want it all gone before I go to bed.”
He bowed slightly, and I just left the room, making my way to the office.
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