I gripped the emerald tighter in my hand, its smooth surface cold against my palm. It grounded me—yet also reminded me just how little control I had over any of this.
The town's façade—polished, perfect, and pristine—was about to crack wide open. And whether I was ready or not, I was standing there with Scarlette, teetering on the edge of whatever storm was about to break loose.
"Ready?" Scarlette's voice was low, almost teasing, but her challenge hung in the air like a dare. "I know those two Love Fairies. Watch for my cue, Ravos." She grinned, her voice almost mocking my fake Love Fairy name.
"Sure, Charlotte," I replied, sarcasm dripping from my words.
With reckless confidence, she strode toward them. I had no idea where this road would lead, but something deep in my gut told me it wasn't going to be pretty.
"Hey, Lucien! Eris!" Scarlette's voice rang out, cutting through the murmur of the crowd. "That's not love magic! That's manipulation!"
The words hit like a slap, brutal in their honesty.
"You call this love magic? I call it a hostile takeover!" she continued, her voice slicing through the peaceful atmosphere like a knife.
She had a gift for stirring chaos—there was no denying that. And somehow, I found myself caught up in it, like a pawn in her dangerous game.
The two Love Fairies glared at her, their faces flushed with rage, while the crowd shifted uneasily. But Scarlette didn't flinch. She shot me a quick, knowing glance—her silent signal: Join in if you want to make this interesting.
I hesitated, a knot forming in my stomach. Was I really going to play along? But before I could second-guess myself, the words tumbled out. "Why is it always Light Fairies with Light Fairies? Why not Light Fairies with Love Fairies—or even Dark Fairies?"
The crowd's murmurs grew louder, curiosity giving way to something bolder, more defiant.
"Yeah! That's not progress!" someone yelled, their voice cracking with anger.
That's when I saw it—the cracks in their perfect world. The obsession with mixed fairy couples. That was the key.
"We want free will!" shouted another voice, passion seeping into every word.
"Freedom to love!" someone else shouted, their words ringing like a rallying cry.
"What gives you the right to decide our fates?!" a voice rang out, defiant, growing stronger with each passing moment.
The floodgates had opened. What was once a quiet, controlled town now hummed with tension and fury. Scarlette's grin widened, her eyes gleaming with mischief as the chaos she'd sparked began to unravel everything.
The power was shifting—and we were right in the middle of it.
Scarlette shot me a glance, cheeky and knowing, like a cat savoring the last drop of cream. Her smirk said she knew exactly what was coming—and she was enjoying every second of it.
A strange mix of awe and unease twisted in my gut as I realized just how deep I was in this. Deeper than I'd ever planned to be.
"I see you tried so extremely hard. Good job," I said, my tone dripping with sarcasm, struggling to be heard over the rising clamor of the crowd.
"Not really. I was just being myself," she yelled back, shrugging nonchalantly, flicking her hair over her shoulder in perfect, casual confidence.
Mistress of chaos… You are absolutely insane, and yet, somehow, amazing.