[An Eventful Evening]
Issei’s statement was followed by the usual silence that came after such bold actions and even bolder proclamations. It lasted for only a moment, before whispers sprouted within the room in waves as the Devils questioned the spectacle before then.
I leaned over to Sona, unable to keep the grin off my face. “This is going to be fun.”
Sona’s resulting look was one of such profound, bone-deep exasperation that I almost felt bad for her. Almost.
The whispers continued to spread through the crowd like wildfire. Issei stood his ground with an expression of absolute defiance on his face, seeming like he was ready to take on every Devil present if that’s what it took to save his King.
Riser’s expression was at the interruption, even more angry than he had been when I had walked in, even. He stared at Issei with a cold fury, but before he could open his mouth to speak, another voice cut in.
“This is my doing.”
All heads turned as figure stepped forward from the crowd. He was tall, with crimson hair that fell past his shoulders and features that were strikingly similar to Rias’s. The same sharp jaw, same piercing blue-green eyes, same pretty face, even.
I recognized him instantly from the portraits I’d seen lining the halls of the Gremory estate. Hard not to, really, given how many there were.
“Yes, I’m at fault here, I’m afraid,” Sirzechs Lucifer smiled to the gathered Devils even as he proclaimed to be responsible for the interruption.
The gasps that rippled through the crowd were almost comical. The nobles around me looked one step away from clutching their pearls in surprise at what their leader had just said. Several of them questioned him openly, wondering why he would let someone like Issei intrude on the important event.
“I had my dear Grayfia teleport the boy here,” Sirzechs continued, heedless of the whispers surrounding him. “I wanted to see the determination of my sister's pawn and the Sekiryuutei first hand.”
The whispers resumed with renewed vigor, this time tinged with disbelief and no small amount of scandal. Riser seemed to be the most shocked, staring at the Satan with a look akin to betrayal.
“You brought him here?”
Sirzechs raised an eyebrow. “What? I enjoyed watching the Rating Game, I truly did. But I couldn’t help but feel that the match was a little one-sided in the end.” He spread his hands, regarding the room. “Here is a chance to see what they can really do.”
Riser looked like he was about to spontaneously combust. And given his heritage, that was saying something.
“You can’t be serious!” he snarled, smoke curling from his shoulders. “Both our families agreed to this arrangement. Are you saying that our battle was unfair?”
Sirzechs' smile didn’t waver. “I’m saying nothing of the sort. The battle was conducted fairly and your victory was well-earned. But you must admit that in terms of spectacle, it was a bit disappointing.”
Sirzechs turned his attention away from Riser and toward Issei, who still stood in the doorway, seeming somewhat confused by the turn of events.
“So then,” Sirzechs called down, his voice carrying easily across the ballroom. “Is it your intent to challenge Riser for my sister's hand?”
Issei straightened as every eye on the room fixed on him again. He looked around, then to his King. His eyes hardened and he opened his mouth, and I could practically see the heroic speech forming behind his lips.
“No.”
The word surprised everyone, and even Sirzechs seemed taken aback. The nobles exchanged bewildered glances, clearly having expected some dramatic declaration of love or a passionate vow to rescue his King.
Issei’s expression was dead serious as he continued. “I’m not here to challenge anyone for Rias’s hand. I’m here to make sure she has the option to choose for herself! Nobody should be forced to marry that flaming prick if they don’t want to!”
I snorted in amusement as Issei unknowingly echoed every single sentiment I had since I’d met Riser. The sound echoed through the silent room and a few eyes turned to me, including his own. Issei’s eyes widened as he saw me standing there, clearly surprised by my appearance.
I just gave him a wink and he could formulate a response, Sirzechs’s chuckle drew everyone’s attention back to the Satan.
“Well,” Sirzechs said, amusement coloring his tone. “That certainly wasn’t the answer I was expecting.”
He stroked his chin thoughtfully, regarding Issei with renewed interest. “Still, the result remains the same, doesn’t it? You want to fight for Rias’s freedom, even if you won’t claim her hand yourself.”
Issei nodded firmly. “I just want her to have a choice.”
Sirzechs turned toward Riser, who was literally fuming. Smoke curled from his shoulders, and his face was twisted into a mask of barely contained fury.
“Well then, Riser? What do you say we liven up this event a smidge?”
Riser’s jaw clenched as he stared at Issei, the tendons visible beneath his skin indications of his barely contained rage.
“That,” he ground out, “is more than fine with me.”
Sirzechs’s smile couldn’t have been more satisfied. He clapped his hands once, the sound deafening in the tense silence.
“Excellent. Then I propose a change in venue.”
Sirzechs raised his hands, and a massive magic circle spread across the entire ballroom floor, pulsing with power. My hackles raised an my eyes widened as I realized what was about to happen, but before I could do a damn thing to stop it, the ballroom disappeared.
Mutters and gasps came from around me as I found myself standing on solid stone, suspended in an endless void. Stars glittered in every direction, stretching out into infinity above and below us in an endless horizon. It was very pretty, but I barely processed that over the panic surging through me.
“Did he just...” I turned, eyes wide. “Sona, did we just—”
“Stop panicking; we didn’t teleport,” Sona said, her voice oddly comforting despite her annoyance with me. She looked around, adjusting her glasses. “Sirzechs opened a pocket dimension for the duel to take place in. Think of it as stepping through a door, rather than being beamed across the planet.”
“A pocket dimension,” I repeated dumbly.
“Yes,” Sona confirmed. “It’s a space created within the fabric of reality itself. We haven’t moved, simply relocated to a different layer of existence.”
The Devil is telling the truth, Nidhogg’s voice rumbled in my mind. We are simply in a pocket of Lucifer’s own magic. It’s an admittedly impressive feat; it must take a staggering amount of power to accomplish.
I took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. The panic didn’t fade entirely, but it settled enough that I could think clearly again. The arena around us was impressive, I had to admit—a perfect circle of polished stone, with raised seating along the edges that the guests were already filtering into. Above us, the stars glittered like diamonds scattered across black velvet.
A hand suddenly wrapped around my own, fingers interlacing with minde. I looked down to find Mittelt pressed against my side, staunchly looking away from me even as she tried to comfort me.
“Thanks,” I murmured, and she just clicked her teeth.
I turned my attention back to the arena below. Issei and Riser had taken their places on opposite sides of the platform, both of them squaring up as the last of the guests found their seats.
Issei looked determined, his jaw set and his fists clenched at his sides. Rise, was far less composed. Smoke continued to curl from his shoulders, and his golden eyes blazed with fury as he regarded the boy who had interrupted his engagement party.
“You insolent wretch,” Riser growled, his voice carrying easily across the arena. “Riser can’t believe that you have the gall to challenge him like this. Do you even know what you’re doing?”
Issei didn’t back down. “I know exactly what I’m doing. I’m here to save my King from marrying a prick like you!”
“You think you can save her?” Riser laughed, the sound harsh and grating. “Riser will show you exactly how big of a mistake you’ve made in choosing this fight when Riser burns you to ash!”
“Good Lord, does that prick ever get tired of hearing himself talk?”
The words left my mouth before I could stop them, and several heads turned in my direction. I didn’t particularly care. Riser’s voice was like nails on a chalkboard, and if I had to listen to him refer to himself in the third person for much longer, I was going to do something regrettable.
Lady Vapula, who had settled into the seat beside me eyed me with interest. “My dear, do you have an issue with Lord Phenex?”
“About as much as anyone else who’s spent more than five seconds in the same room as the asshole,” I said. “He’s pretty to look at, I’ll give him that, but the second he opens his mouth, boom. Any appeal just evaporates.”
Lady Vapula chuckled into her wine glass, clearly amused by my candid assessment, while Sona simply punched the bridge of her nose.
“How dare you!”
The indignant voice came from my other side, and I turned to find a young woman stomping toward our group. She was blonde like her brother, with the same sharp features and haughty expression, though where Riser’s arrogance made him punchable, she just looked like a brat.
Must be his sister, I thought as the girl inserted herself into our conversation. The girl who I assumed was Ravel fixed me with a glare that was probably supposed to be intimidating but came off as kind of prissy.
“How dare you say such things about my brother!” she snapped, her hands clenching into fists at her sides. “You have no right to speak about him like that!”
I shrugged. “If it looks like a duck and talks like a duck, it’s probably a duck. Not my fault your brother acts like a prick to everyone he meets.”
Ravel’s face flushed with anger, her blue eyes blazing with indignation. “You impudent---! My brother is a High Class Devil of the Phenex clan, one of the most powerful remaining pillars of the Underworld! You should be on your knees begging for his forgiveness!”
“Newsflash, princess: your brother is still an asshole regardless of whose blood flows through his veins.”
Ravel sputtered, her face turning an alarming shade of red. “How dare you! When my brother is finished with that perverted pawn, perhaps he’ll make some time for you as well!”
The comment drew a few curious glances from those seated nearby who took their eyes off the show down below in favor of watching Raven blow her top. None of them seemed ready to intervene, watching the whole thing as if it was some kind of daytime television.
At my side, Mittelt laughed into the glass of white wine that she’d managed to bring with her, drawing the eyes of the irate Phenex.
“What’s so funny, crow?” Ravel demanded.
Mittelt just shook her head, staring at the woman with pitiable eyes. I squeezed her hand, silently telling her I’d deal with this, before regarding Ravel with a cool gaze.
“I heard your peerage had a bit of trouble putting down Rias’s,” I said slowly.
Ravel was clearly confused by the change in subject but rallied quickly, crossing her arms with a superior look. “They put up an admirable fight, I’ll give them that, but their defeat was inevitable in the end.”
“I’m sure,” I said, my voice dripping with skepticism. “I had my own tough battle recently. Me, Mittelt, and even Sona.” I gestured to the dark-haired girl beside me, who inclined her head slightly. “It was the hardest fight of my life and I even thought I might die a few times, but in the end, I managed to come out on top.”
Ravel’s brow furrowed, clearly not understanding where this was going. “And what does that have to do with anything?”
“Only that the people I fought are dead now,” I said. “Out of the three people I fought, one is in pieces and another was reduced to a lifeless husk after I ate his soul. The last one managed to get away, but I gave her a good run for her money in the end.”
I eyed Ravel, who stared back at me, suddenly looking a bit unnerved. Deciding to have a bit of fun, I slowly smirked, deliberately showing off my sharpened teeth, and leaned in just slightly.l as I spoke in a low tone.
“I’d like to think I know my own strength by now, but if you think your brother can put up a better fight than Kuroka, I’ll be more than happy to meet him down in the ring.”
Ravel stared at me, uncomprehending for a moment. Then the color drained from her face and her eyes widened. She stumbled back a step, nearly tripping over her own dress.
“You’re lying!” she accused, though her voice had lost all of its earlier conviction. “There’s no way you could have—”
“Sona, you were there,” I said, not taking my eyes off Ravel. “Am I lying?”
Sona adjusted her glasses, her expression neutral. “It’s true.”
Ravel looked like she was about ready to piss herself, and Mittelt snorted meanly, giving her a derisive look. “Not so tough now, are you little Devil?”
“You... you beat the Mad Cat?” Ravel’s voice came out as barely a whisper.
I hummed in agreement. “Like I said, she definitely gave as good as she got. Compared to fighting her, I have a feeling fighting Riser won’t really be a fight at all. It’ll probably be more like... snuffing a candle.”
Ravel’s eyes were wide, her lips trembling as she stared at me. The haughty, indignant girl from moments ago was gone, replaced by someone who looked about ready to bolt. Her mouth opened and closed several times, but no words came out.
I kept my gaze fixed on her for a long moment, letting the silence stretch out, before finally giving up the act. A chuckle escaped my lips as I reeled back the minuscule amount of power I’d been letting out to mess with her.
“Luckily,” I continued. “I have no intentions of actually fighting your brother. As long as he doesn’t do something stupid threaten me, I’ll just sit here and watch like everyone else.”
Ravel blinked, clearly struggling to process the sudden shift. She opened her mouth to say something but before she could get a word out, a wave of power washed over the arena.
It was draconic in nature, ancient and powerful in a way that was immediately recognizable to anyone who had spent time around dragonkind. I perked up, turning my attention away from Ravel and toward the arena below.
“Besides...” I murmured, my eyes narrowing as I watched Issei. “I might not actually get the chance.”
Down below, Issei planted his feet and raised his left arm toward the sky. His voice rang out across the arena, filled with a determination that seemed to resonate with the very air around him.
“I’ll protect her!”
The jewel on his gauntlet blazed with light, and a deluge of power burst forth from his body. The guests around me gasped, some rising from their seats in alarm as the energy pressed against their senses.
My heart beat rapidly in my chest as I watched the light coalesce around Issei’s form, solidifying into gleaming red armor that practically pulsed with power. It was completely different from my own armor, made of gleaming crimson metal instead of jagged scale, but the similarities were undeniable. Even moreso when a voice screamed across the arena floor.
[Welsh Dragon Overbooster: Scale Mail!]
Issei burst forth like a comet, his armored fist connecting with Riser’s face before the Phenex could even react. The impact sent Riser rocketing backward, crashing through the stone of the arena and sending up a plume of dust and debris.
The crowd erupted into gasps and murmurs, but I barely heard them. My eyes were fixed on Issei as he pursued his opponent, closing the distance in an instant and delivering another devastating blow that sent Riser skidding across the arena floor.
Do you feel it, Nidhogg? I asked internally, my voice barely above a whisper even in my own mind.
Yes, Nidhogg’s voice rumbled in my mind, carrying a weight that I had come to associate with his more serious moods. Ddraig has finally awakened. It is about time.
I watched as the Phenex and Red Dragon battles it out, exchanging lightning-fast blows across the arena. Riser’s rage haloed him in orange flames, while Issei’s desire to protect Rias showed in every blow he landed on his opponent. Crimson light trailed from his fists, energy exploding outwards every time they made contact with Riser’s body.
It was pretty entertaining, but even as I watched, my mind was already comparing Issei’s strength to my own. He was fast, and his power was potent enough that it felt like I was standing next to him. But...
He’s still weak, I mused, tracking Issei’s movements. He’s leagues stronger than he was a month ago, but it’s nothing impressive. Miyo could deal with him easily if this is all he has.
Issei knocked Riser away with a kick and raced forward to follow up his initial assault with a series of devastating blows, but Riser was already recovering. Or at least he seemed to be at first.
Mid counterattack, Riser suddenly hunched over, one hand clutching his stomach as he screamed in pain.
“W-what is this? What have you done to Riser?” He cried, his flames flickering across his pained features.
“I told you, Riser! I’m going to protect Rias, whatever it takes!” Issei cried, holding one fist aloft. Clutched between his fingers, gleaming in the light, was a crucifix.
“A cross!?” Ravel shrieked, eyes wide in shock and horror. “That’s cheating! He can’t use that, can he!?”
“There aren’t any official rules against it,” Sona said mildly, adjusting her glasses. “Though I imagine that’s because doing so would be as harmful to the user as it is to the victim. I wonder how he’s pulling it off.”
Our attention was pulled back to the arena as Issei pressed his advantage. The cross left burns wherever it touched Riser’s skin and seemed to somewhat negate his regeneration, which was probably Issei’s plan to begin with. I had to admit, I was somewhat impressed. He had clearly planned this from the beginning.
Still... If the power I was feeling from him was anh indication, he wouldn’t be too hard to put down on my end.
Should we let him cut his teeth a little? I asked Nidhogg. Get a bit stronger before we knock him around again?
No, Nidhogg said firmly. We will take him the moment we get an opportunity. Even before this crowd of Devils. Ddraig deserves the embarrassment of having his host bested by someone so superior to him.
I smirked slightly. Because he ran around telling embarrassing stories about how he beat your ass?
Just so. He deserves a taste of his own medicine.
Down below, Issei landed another devastating blow, sending Riser crashing into a pillar of stone. The Phenex staggered to his feet, his once-pristine suit now in tatters and his body covered in burns that were struggling to heal.
“You think this changes anything?” Riser snarled, flames dancing along his arms. “Riser is immortal! You cannot defeat what cannot die!”
Issei’s response was to charge forward, his armored fist connecting with Riser’s jaw before the Phenex could react. The impact sent Riser spinning through the air, crashing into another pillar with enough force to crack the stone.
“I don’t need to kill you,” Issei said, his voice carrying across the arena. “I just need to beat you!”
Riser pushed himself off the ground, his expression twisted with rage. Flames erupted around him, swirling into a massive fireball that he hurled directly at Issei, only to be swatted aside by a red gauntlet that was then delivered expeditiously into Riser’s jaw.
I suddenly felt a tentative tug on my sleeve. I looked down to find Koneko of all people standing next to me, her golden eyes fixed on my face with an intensity that was almost unnerving.
I raised an eyebrow. “Can I help you?”
Koneko’s lips pressed together as if she wasn’t sure what to say, then, “You said you fought Kuroka.”
I blinked, surprised by question. “Yeah, I did.”
Koneko scrutinized me, and I got he distinct feeling she thought I was lying. “What did she look like?”
The question was delivered with the same flat affect as everything else Koneko said, but there was an undercurrent to her voice that I couldn’t quite place. Something that made me think this wasn’t just casual curiosity.
I considered the question for a moment, trying to recall the details of that fight. It had been chaotic, to say the least, but Kuroka’s appearance was hard to forget.
“I mean, she was pretty distinct. Black hair, yellow eyes, bomb ass figure that had no trouble kicking my ass. She had two tails,” I said, holding up the appropriate number of fingers. “and big fluffy ears and bigger tits. Any of that ring a bell? “
Judging by the way Koneko stared at me with wide eyes, it did. I eyed her weirdly.”Do you know her or something?”
Koneko’s lips moved, but the words that came out were so quiet that I couldn’t make them out over the noise of the crowd and the ongoing battle below.
“Speak up or go away,” Mittelt huffed, curling into my side possessively and eying the girl. “Some of us are trying to watch a fight.”
Koneko’s eyes flicked to Mittelt for just a moment before she said louder, “Kuroka is my sister.”
I blinked, then stared at Koneko for a long moment, scrutinizing her.
“...I don’t see it.”
Koneko’s eyes narrowed in irritation. “What, because I don’t have massive tits like she does?”
I was only slightly offended by her assumption. Koneko was a good looking girl, but it had to be said that she was definitely lacking in the chest department. Guess it was a good thing I wasn’t a boob girl.
“I was gonna say because literally the only thing you have in common is the color of your eyes but go off I guess,” I huffed, slightly amused. “So you’re the sister that she wanted to go see?”
Koneko seemed to go still. Or well, more still. She didn’t move a lot. “She said that?”
I nodded, shifting slightly with Mittelt against me. “I got the impression that was pretty much the only reason she was really there. She didn’t seem too interested in the cult stuff.”
Koneko’s expression didn’t change, but something flickered in her golden eyes. Something that looked almost... hopeful? It was hard to tell with her.
“She wanted to see me,” Koneko repeated, her voice flat but carrying an undercurrent of emotion that I couldn’t quite identify.
“That was the gist of it, yeah.”
There was a long pause. Koneko stared at the floor of the arena where Issei was yelling at Riser. His armor had disappeared at some point, leaving him with just the Boosted Gear gauntlet still clutching the crucifix.”
I glanced at Koneko, finding her expression unsure, and sighed. “Look, if it’s bothering you, we can talk more about it when we get back to Kuoh. I’ll tell you everything I remember about the fight, if you want.”
Koneko’s eyes searched my face for something, though I couldn’t tell what. After a long moment, she gave a single, slow nod.
“Okay.”
And with that, she turned and walked away, seeming much more pensive than usual.
I watched her go, left feeling a bit confused by the whole interaction. Sona appeared at my side from taking with Lady Vapula a little ways away.
“Is everything alright?” she asked, her eyes following Koneko’s retreating form.
“I think so,” I said, though I wasn’t entirely sure. “She was asking about Kuroka.”
Sona’s expression tightened almost imperceptibly. “I see. She would be interested in that, wouldn’t she?”
“I wouldn’t know. What’s the story with them?”
“A long one, and not mine to tell Vin,” Sona said, and I took her at her word, turning back to the fight as it seemed to be wrapping up.
I turned my attention back to the arena just in time to see Issei land another crushing blow on Riser. The Phenex staggered backward, his flames flickering weakly as he struggled to maintain his footing. Issei’s gauntlet glowed with whatever power he had imbued it with, and it was clear that Riser was feeling the effects.
“You can’t do this!” Riser screamed. “Don’t you know how important this marriage is for Devil kind?”
“I don’t care!” Issei cried, his voice firm as he stalked toward the downed Phenex. “I’m not going to stand by while Rias is forced into a situation she doesn’t want to be in!”
Riser pushed himself up, his expression twisted with rage and something that might have been fear. “You can’t—”
He never got to finish the sentence. Issei closed the distance between them in an instant, his gauntleted fist connecting with Riser’s jaw with enough force to lift the Phenex off his feet. Riser hit the ground hard, sliding across the arena floor until he came to a stop near the edge.
For a long moment, he didn’t get up.
The arena fell silent, the only sound the distant crackle of Riser’s dying flames. Issei stood over his fallen opponent, chest heaving as he waited for the Phenex to rise. When it became clear that Riser wasn’t getting back up, Sirzechs clapped his hands again.
“Well then,” Sirzechs said, his voice carrying a somewhat satisfied note. “I believe we have our winner.”
As the crowd gasped and muttered among themselves, Issei stood over Riser’s prone form, his chest heaving as the adrenaline began to fade. The crucifix dangled limply from his armored hand, gleaming against the crimson gauntlet
Rias was already moving, her wedding gown flowing around her like a veil as she flew down towards her Pawn. She reached him just as his legs seemed to give out, catching him before he could collapse entirely.
“You idiot,” she said, though her voice carried no real heat. “You absolute idiot.”
Issei grinned up at her, exhausted but triumphant. “Hey, prez. Did I do good?”
Rias pulled him into a hug that nearly sent them both tumbling to the ground. As the crowd whispered, Sirzechs descended from his seat to stand between Riser’s fallen form and the embracing pair. He looked down at Riser with an expression that was almost pitying.
“You fought well, Riser Phenex,” he said, his voice strangely soft considering who he was speaking to. “But by the terms agreed upon before this match, you have lost the right to claim my sister’s hand in marriage. “
Riser groaned from his position on the floor, pushing himself up onto his elbows. His sister descended to his side on flaming wings, helping him to his feet.
Riser’s expression was a mix of fury and humiliation as he leaned on his sister. He looked like he wanted to say something, but whether it was pride or simply exhaustion that kept him silent, I couldn’t say.
Sirzechs watched them for a moment before raising his hands once more. The stars around us flickered, and then the void began to collapse inward. The pocket dimension folded in on itself, and in the span of a heartbeat, we were back in the Gremory ballroom.
The transition was smoother than I expected, though I still flinched at the sudden change in scenery. The guests murmured amongst themselves, discussing what they had just witnessed and the ramifications it would have for their kind, though it didn’t mean anything to me.
I noticed Issei and Rias make a hasty exit, covered by their peerage as they disappeared from the venue to have a moment of peace between them. And probably make out or something.
Riser likewise made his own exit, limping out of the ballroom, still supported by Ravel as he went to lick his wounds. Good riddance.
The crowd slowly began to disperse now that the entertainment was over, nobles clustering into groups to discuss what they had just witnessed. I caught snippets of conversation as people filtered past—some praising Issei’s determination, others debating the legitimacy of his methods, and more than a few commenting on Riser’s poor showing.
“Well,” Sona said at my side. “That was eventful.”
I nodded. “Way more fun than I thought it would be, honestly.”
“You enjoyed watching a man get beaten bloody?”
“Yes.”
Sona sighed. She seemed to do that a lot around me. “Well in any case, excitement seems to be dying down and I have no desire to stay for the aftermath. I’d best make my leave before I get dragged into even more talks about politics.”
“Good idea,” I said. “I’ll see you back in Kuoh?”
Sona nodded, adjusting her glasses. “Yes. And when you get back, make sure to visit me in the student council room. I’ve prepared a packet of work for you to make up.”
I felt my eye twitch. “Work?”
“Your education hasn’t paused just because you’ve been out of school for a few weeks,” Sona smirked. “The packet includes assignments from all of your classes, as well as some supplementary material to help you catch up.”
“How much supplementary material are we talking about?”
“Enough.”
I stared at her, a sense of dread settling in my stomach, and Sona’s eyes twinkled in amusement at my suffering.
“I hate you,” I said flatly.
“We both know that’s not true,” Sona replied. “I’ll see you in Kuoh, Naomi.”
She turned and walked away before I could respond, her heels clicking against the marble floor as she rejoined her sister. Serafall bounced alongside her, leaning in to say something that made Sona twitch and turn to berate her.
I watched them go, a pit of despair settling in my stomach at the thought of all the work waiting for me, before a squeeze on my hand had me glancing to the side.
Mittelt eyed the Devils around her, then the empty glass in her hand, and then me. “I’m out of wine. Take me home.”
I chuckled, squeezing back. “Yeah, alright. Let’s go home.”
I held out my arm and she hooked her own into the crook of my elbow. Together, we strode out of the ballroom, leaving the scene behind.