53__That was close! Too close...

The universe was against her. There was no other way for Kamilla to interpret why everything that had ever happened to her had happened to *her*.

Even now. A damn royal ball while Charming was awake? Sure, he had been awake for the past week now, but Kamilla was sure if everyone else just minded their own business for another seven days, Viktor would be awake by then. But, no. They had to have a damn royal ball! Did the Vampires of Onyx have nothing better to do?
Blast! Now she had to worry about making sure that nobody found him out as well as finding an outfit for the miserable event.
Kamilla released a sigh heavy enough to overturn a small ship.

Charming paused his search through the various gowns she’d brought to Viktor’s office and looked at Kamilla.
“There’s no need to sigh, my lady. You have me! I’ll quickly look through these options and with my expert eye, pick out the best choice for the ball!” He grinned cheerfully and resumed searching though the rack.
Kamilla pulled up her legs to sit cross-legged on the sofa as she watched him. “Overjoyed about it, aren’t you?” she said to Charming with a wry smile. “At least one of us is happy.”

Charming straightened with two dresses in his hands. “Don’t worry. I did fine during the meeting with Elders, I’ll pull it off for the ball too. Now, look carefully at these two,” he instructed, holding up the two gowns. “This one,” he jerked his chin at the black one. “…is slightly inhibiting and may slow down your walk, however, the neckline in cut low enough for some enticing bosom display.”

Kamilla gasped and tossed a cushion at him. “Shame on you!” she laughed. “I thought you were a gentleman, Charming!”
Charming made a face. “The smile on your face puts no shame on me at all, my lady. This is what I’ve learned that the most stylish of women do. Is it not true?”
Kamilla rolled her eyes and waved a hand. “It’s not. Next one.”
Charming nodded. “Very well.” With a flick of his wrist, he discarded the black dress and turned all his attention to the emerald green one in his other hand. “Now this one!”

Kamilla watched him hold the dress against his body as he explained. “Now this sadly shows none of the bosom, however… this part here,” He pointed at the waist. “Is clinched in just right to emphasize your non-existent waist!! And here,” He ran one hand down the chiffon skirt. “Also, the color would look amazing against your skin and red hair. It makes my heart race just thinking of it.” Kamilla cupped her face and blushed with a smile. “It flares out until the skirt touches the floor, so it’s long… but,” Charming raised a finger, an excited glint in his eye.
Kamilla put a hand over her laughing mouth. God, Viktor was giving her a fashion lesson! She should record this for him to see when he wakes up. “But?” She asked Charming.
A graceful flick of his hand revealed a long parting in the skirt of the dress. “Voila!” said Charming with a grin. “A long, bold, audacious slit for your leg to slip through and shock all the witless ninnies in the ballroom!” Kamilla fell over with laughter and Charming smiled at her. “Perfect, isn’t it?”

Kamilla righted herself and wiped at her eyes. “Yeah… it’s actually… very beautiful…”
Her words trailed off when she became aware of something. A shiver ran down Kamilla’s spine, her smile dying as she looked wide-eyed at the office door which stood slightly ajar.
Kamilla pushed up from her seat, her heart filling with unease in her chest.
“Who’s there?!” she called.
Charming blinked and glanced at the door behind him. “Kamilla, there’s nob—”

Charming stopped talking when the office door swung open.
Kamilla gasped and held a hand over her mouth.

Rogan stood in the doorway, a folder clutched in his hand as he looked intensely at Charming.

Charming looked back at him. “What are you doing here?” he demanded, not showing an ounce of surprise.
Rogan walked slowly into the room, his assessing gaze never leaving Charming’s face.
Kamilla felt like her heart would burst out of her chest. This couldn’t possibly be happening. For Rogan, of *all* people, to suddenly be present when Charming was in his most un-Viktor-like state was just… downright sorcery!
She bit her lip.

Rogan smiled. “Good day… Viktor.”

Kamilla bit her lip harder, praying to all things holy that Rogan hadn’t witnessed Prince Charming’s bubbly cheerfulness. That was as good as the secret being out! There was no way… no way at all that Viktor would ever put that dress against his chest and point out its pros and cons in style!

“I asked you what you’re doing here,” said Charming, lowering the gown onto a sofa.

Rogan narrowed his black eyes of magic. “Why, my King...” He raised the folder in his hand. “I only came to confirm a few things. The handwriting on the Kingdom duties is Damon’s so I came to make sure that you were in accordance with everything he signed off on, but…” He glanced pointedly at the green gown. “…if you’re busy I can come back some other time.”

“No need,” said Charming. “Damon does not sign off on anything without my approval. You know that.”

Rogan’s gaze eased. “I do. But, one can never be too sure.”

They stared silently at each other. “Do yourself a favour, Rogan,” growled Charming. Kamilla blinked at the drastic change in his voice and looked at him. “Get your ass out of my castle before I rip your fucking throat out.”

Rogan tipped up his chin and ran his tongue across the inside of his cheek before scoffing out a laugh. He looked at Charming with that grin on his face and did a miniature bow. “Of course… my King.”

Kamilla watched as Rogan turned on his heel and disappeared out of the doors, closing them behind him.
The moment he was gone, Kamilla hurried to the door to check, sighing in relief when she saw his head disappearing down the stairs at the end of the hallway.
“Oh, thank God!” she whispered as she closed the door and leaned against it. Opening her eyes, Kamilla looked at Charming. His gaze was fixed on the floor so she hurried over to him. “Charming, are you okay?”
Charming released a shaky breath and slowly sat down as though his knees lost all strength. Kamilla stared at him in alarm. “Charming?!”

He swallowed and looked up at her. “What do I do? Viktor nearly got caught just now. I nearly gave his secret away.”

His eyes were wide with worry and Kamilla sighed. She crouched before him and gently pushed back his black hair. “Calm down, Charming, don’t panic about it. There’s no way for Rogan to know, even if he heard our whole conversation. The truth is something that is impossible in his imagination, so he won’t even suspect it.”

He stared into her eyes, drawing as much reassurance from her words as he could. “Okay.”

Kamilla nodded. “Yeah. Besides, the last bit of acting you did probably threw him off track completely.”
Charming blinked. “Hm?”
Kamilla waved a hand. “The whole “rip your throat out’ part. Very Viktor-like.”
Charming looked puzzled for a second. “I… did I say that? I don’t think I did.”

A frown drew her brows together as Kamilla stared up at him. He hadn’t? Kamilla’s eyes widened as realization dawned upon her.

After a week with no sign of change… had Viktor appeared again?
***********************
The entire ballroom was abuzz as the ball went well into the night. Kamilla leaned more of her weight onto Charming as her heels started to win the battle against her desire to look smoking hot.

“Yeah, I’m done with these shoes,” she murmured.

“You look beautiful though,” Charming murmured back, his voice sounding dazed.

Kamilla glanced at him with a pout. “Yeah, but, I don’t prefer swollen feet over looking beautiful.” She tilted her head at him. “Are you alright?”

Charming looked blankly at her. “Where’s Damon? When can we go home?”

Kamilla felt a tug at her heart and tightened her grip on his arm. “I’m so sorry, you must be tired. We’ll leave in a little while, I promise. Once I see Damon and give him the signal, we’re out of here.” She nudged his arm. “You’re the King, no one’s going to ask you why you’re leaving.”
Charming didn’t respond, only turned his gaze back to the floor.
Kamilla was about to ask him again if he was alright when two pairs of feet came to a stop before them.

She looked up and felt her heart thump at the surprise. “Rogan,” she said before turning her gaze to the woman on his arm. “And Rena.” Kamilla tilted her head. “Are you allowed to be here?”
Rena’s eyes were pleading with Kamilla even as she lowered her gaze.
Rogan’s gaze was fixated only on Charming. “That’s for the King to decide, is it not?” he said mildly.

Kamilla bit the inside of her cheek as she waited for Charming to respond. When he didn’t, Kamilla glanced up at him and was stunned to see his gaze saddened and lowered to the ground.
Turning her frightened eyes to Rogan, she discreetly nudged Charming’s arm. What was he doing?! Rogan was standing right in front of them. There was no way Viktor would *ever* lower his gaze from Rogan’s, much less look so unbearably sad in front of him!

Kamilla’s heart took off in a gallop faster than Hunter’s as Rogan inclined his head to look at Charming’s downcast face. “Is there something wrong with the King?” he questioned, his voice void of any concern, but filled to the brim with suspicion and curiosity.

“Nothing at all!” Kamilla said quickly, nudging Charming again. “He’s perfectly alright. Right, my King?” she asked, glancing up at Charming with a plea in her eyes.

Rogan’s mouth curved in a wicked smile and with his eyes still on Charming, he leaned over toward Rena. “Now,” he said to her.
Rena’s frightened gaze lifted and locked on Kamilla’s.

Kamilla frowned. “Now what? What have you got planned?”

Rogan’s jaw clenched. “Now, Rena! Look closely. What do you see in him? Is this person the King of Onyx?”

Kamilla’s heart nearly exploded with panic, but just as she stepped forward to do something, anything to take their attention away from Charming, his grip tightened on her hand and he jerked her back to his side.
Kamilla gasped and looked back at Charming as he slowly lifted his head. Kamilla watched in shock as his gaze zeroed in on Rogan and darkened.

“Who the hell are you expecting me to be… if not the King of Onyx?”

The question was so dark and so threatening and so *Viktor* that Kamilla could do nothing more than gape at him like a fish out of water.

Every muscle in his face, the look in every inch of his eye, the slightest curve of his lips was *so* Viktor.

She couldn’t believe it. Kamilla bit her bottom lip when it trembled.

How dare he? How dare he wake up after an entire week?