Chapter 108: Learn the Hard Way (3)

The sun had dipped below the horizon, leaving just a faint trace of its fiery glow on the edge of the sky. The party grew increasingly lively, illuminated by flickering torches and floating glowing orbs that hovered above the heads of the guests. The band, playing 'Summer Breeze' by Seals & Crofts, beckoned participants to the dance floor in the salon on the ground floor, its doors open to the garden.

Louisa McMahon took a sip of her icy-fresh Cucumber Cooler, surveying the crowd with a haughty derision. She relished organising parties at her home; it satisfied her creative impulses and gave her full control as the hostess. Indeed, she had gained fame for her unique taste and hospitality, allowing her to enjoy herself while maintaining a certain distance from the guests.

However, attending others' gatherings was a torturous ordeal. Louisa understood the importance of participating in aristocratic social life and played her role accordingly, but it cost her a lot to don the mask of the seductive succubus who had allegedly stolen the heart of Duke McMahon and bent him to her will. This persona, combined with her perfectly played hatred towards Carsilion Egbert, had earned her a formidable reputation among the aristocracy. Her beauty and the subtle influence of her Veela magic further solidified her power over many aristocrats, both men and women.

Taking another sip of her refreshing beverage, the witch sighed with exhaustion. Edward had departed to engage with supporters of House McMahon, leaving her bound to listen to Marchioness Leona Whiters' tiresome lament about her husband's wandering attention. Louisa smiled empathetically, realising the importance of strengthening ties with House Whiters to secure their support and preserve Catherine's life. Despite Leona's chatter, she was the most harmless amongst those harpies who were married to the Heads of the seven major Houses.

"Anyway, I'll visit your studio next week so we can think of something more flattering for Lauren's birthday." – Leona chirped, her round blue eyes filled with anticipation as she gazed at the Duchess.

"Of course, darling, we'll find something that would look stunning on you." – Louisa answered with a kind smile – "I envision something in apple red."

"You're a lifesaver, Lou!" – exclaimed the other aristocrat – "I don't know how I could ever repay you… and I mean, also for the other thing."

"Don't mention it." – the Duchess shook her head – "You do not need to worry. My mother's going to take care of your little problem."

"This means the world to me." – said Leona softly – "I'll never forget your help, and also the lack of judgement."

"We all have our reasons. One should remember that before judging anyone for the hard decisions they had to make." – Louisa replied, the other woman nodding vigorously.

The band started playing 'La vie en rose' by Edith Piaf, and the Duchess closed her eyes for a moment to immerse herself into the beautiful melody that reminded her of home, just across the sea she currently faced. The evening breeze ruffled the golden waves of her long hair, cascading down her back and perfectly complementing the silk chiffon gown by Dior in a delicate shade of seafoam green, which enveloped her slender form and trailed behind the witch, echoing the gentle movement of the waves.

"The Birth of Venus unfolding before me! What a rare treat!" – Adrian Borealis' low, husky voice jolted Louisa, prompting her to awaken from her trance and find the Duke uncomfortably close. She even caught a whiff of his fresh, citrusy perfume with woody undertones.

"Adrian! What a delightful surprise!" – Louisa replied with a bright smile that never reached her jade-green eyes – "We were just discussing how Asteria has truly outdone herself this year. Is she nearby? I've been eager to pay my respects."

"She's upstairs with Thelonius' wife, fussing over their son." – the wizard smirked, his gaze roaming over the Duchess' body, stopping appreciatively at her deep neckline adorned with an intricate necklace of rare Colombian emeralds – "I hope you won't deny me your company for the sake of a toddler, no matter how adorable he may be."

"He's indeed adorable!" – Marchioness Whiters interjected with a laugh, winking at the Duke – "But again, House Borealis has always been renowned for their good looks!"

"You flatter us too generously, my Lady!" – Adrian bowed graciously to Leona, who giggled like a schoolgirl – "Although, we may have to relinquish that title if House McMahon continues to introduce such gems into their gene pool. On that note, Lady Whiters, your daughter seems to have encountered a wardrobe malfunction and was seeking your assistance."

"Oh, dear, it's probably those stripes again!" – sighed the Marchioness, her gaze scanning the yard hurriedly – "She never listens to me, this child! Please excuse me, Your Grace."

"I suppose, this leaves me with the responsible and rewarding task of keeping you company, Duchess." – the wizard declared, his blue eyes reflecting the flickering torchlight as he plucked a champagne glass from a passing waiter's tray – "Not drinking tonight?"

"I rarely drink, Your Grace." – Louisa explained with dignity, silently contemplating how to gracefully extricate herself from Adrian's presence, who seemed far too comfortable for her liking.

"Oh? Is this some peculiarity of your Veela blood?" – he asked with a sly smile, taking a sip from the cold, golden liquid.

"I'm afraid it is not." – the witch answered sternly – "It's simply a matter of personal preference. I've found that alcohol can often serve as a catalyst for some very poor decisions."

"You're probably right." – smiled the Duke, moving a step closer to the woman – "But in some cases, it can foster honesty between people, wouldn't you agree?"

"I don't require any alcohol to be honest, Your Grace." – said Louisa lifting her chin slightly – "However, I do understand that not everyone finds it as easy to communicate their feelings as I do."

The Duke chuckled softly as he gently captured a wayward golden curl, his lips brushing against it tenderly. Throughout this intimate gesture, his gaze remained fixed and unwavering on the wife of one of his most despised adversaries. "I've always found that candid and untamed nature of yours quite captivating, dearest Louisa! It's a pity you subject yourself to disrespect just to secure a better future for yourself and your child!"

"I don't know what you're talking about." – the witch replied emotionlessly, freeing her hair from the aristocrat's grasp.

"Let's not spoil this lovely evening with unpleasant discussions!" – Adrian smirked, slowly licking his lips – "Perhaps we could take a stroll in the garden. My company would certainly support your quest for presenting yourself as one of us."

"I'm not certain I understand what 'one of you' means but I assure you, Adrian, that I'm perfectly content with who I am. Therefore, I prefer to stay here, even if it means forgoing the pleasure of your company." – Louisa responded, her anger barely contained, yet she couldn't help but relish the sharp change that swept across the Duke's face.

"That's rather surprising after your earlier declaration of honesty."- he scoffed condescendingly – "I'm very disappointed you would disregard my friendly gesture. But alas, I suppose you can't really discern our human intentions so well. It's a common problem with half-breeds!"

"How dare you address my wife in such a manner?" – Edward's voice thundered, causing heads to turn toward the stunningly beautiful yet visibly upset Duchess McMahon and the smirking Duke Borealis, whose posture exuded arrogance and dominance. A few meters away, Duke McMahon stood tall, his wand gripped tightly, his eyes gleaming in blue.

"Edward, don't!" – Louisa's warning came sharp and urgent, her gaze darting to Adrian, who had also drawn his wand, his demeanour calm and composed, his eyes aglow with silver light.

"You must be an utter fool to challenge me in my own summer home!" – hissed Duke Borealis – "Do you truly believe anyone here would support you attacking the host?"

"And do you think anyone here would support you insulting the Lady of House McMahon?" – Edward retorted, trembling with rage.

"How is speaking the truth an insult?" – the other wizard laughed cruelly – "I understand that normally you don't have much blood in your brain between this enchanting creature using her magic on you and our invaluable yet lustful First Guardian, but surely there's enough for you to realise that if you attack me here, it will spell the end of your House. You ought to think more about your son than your romantic interests!"

Louisa's mind raced furiously, seeking a way to extricate them from this perilous situation. She knew that Adrian was exaggerating slightly, and there were guests who would support them, but engaging in conflict with Borealis at this moment was the worst possible course of action, particularly as they were currently working on a strategy to persuade the Council to overlook the McMahons' breach of the Pact.

A sudden idea illuminated the Duchess's face as she stepped between her husband and Duke Borealis, taking a deep breath.

'You wanted to see the power of a Veela that badly, Adrian? Let me show it to you then.' – she thought with contempt as she felt her blood heating up in her veins. The witch began dancing slowly and seductively, her hips swaying sensually, tracing delicate arcs in the air. Her shoulders rolled smoothly as her fingers traced the inviting curves of her breasts. Tossing back her hair, she fixed her green eyes on Adrian, who stared back with a foolish expression, his gaze clouded with desire and his mouth hanging open in desperation. All thoughts of fighting Edward had evaporated from his mind, replaced by an overwhelming longing for the woman before him. Louisa knew she held complete sway over him in that moment, and he would eagerly obey her every whim. Unfortunately, Veela powers were not confined to a single target, and every man within close proximity fell under the Duchess' spell, quickly plunging the party into chaos. The witch watched as her husband knelt at her feet, attempting to kiss her Salvatore Ferragamo golden sandals, while Adrian clasped her hand, listing all of his possessions and offering them up to her in a futile attempt to win her favour. Nearby, Lord Dalzell attempted a handstand split, and Count Gully issued challenges to fistfights, finding no shortage of willing participants. It seemed Louisa had traded one source of trouble for another, and she continued to dance, uncertain of her next move, while the other women watched her with a mixture of anger and disdain. Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see Duke Prince's weary face and sad violet eyes.

"Your Grace!" – she exclaimed, surprised, as she realised that he was not affected by the Veela magic – "You're immune to my dance?"

"It's one of the gifts passed down through our family's bloodline." – the wizard explained calmly, his eyes beginning to glow silver – "Do not fret, my dear. I'll handle these foolish children. Apparently, they need to learn the hard way how to behave properly, don't they?"

With that, a sharp gust of cold wind tossed all the wizards who had gathered around, most of them falling painfully on their backsides. Duke Borealis was flung straight into the pool, while Edward ended up in one of the nearby fountains.

"Now after everything is back to normal, I would love to have this dance, my Lady!" – Duke Prince bowed to Louisa and shot a petrifying warning glace at the two younger men who had managed to climb out of the water, completely soaked but also back to their senses.

As the band started playing 'Bridge Over Troubled Water' by Simon & Garfunkel, the Head of House Prince gracefully led Duchess McMahon to the dance floor and skilfully guide the witch, feeling her finally relax in his arms.

"Take a deep breath." – he gently advised her – "Those two really scared you, didn't they? I'll have to speak to them because such behaviour is absolutely inadmissible! Don't worry, I'll take care of everything."

"Thank you, Your Grace." – Louisa gracefully bowed her regal head – "I wanted to apologise for using my Veela power during the party. I know it was very rude."

"Nonsense!" – The Duke interrupted her – "You did what you thought would deescalate the situation, and you did very well. I should be the one apologising for not reacting sooner and allowing this brat, Adrian, to offend you."

"Well, he got his demonstration, so now I guess those who support him would be even more inclined to talk about me as if I am not a human." – the woman said softly, staring at her feet.

"Not anywhere I have authority!" – the older wizard declared, prompting Louisa to look at him, stunned. She hadn't expected such a decisive support, even though the Duke had always been kind and attentive to her.

"But why?" – she asked, completely forgetting her usual restraint, earning an amused smile from the man.

"Call it an old man's whim." – he said, his voice deep, smooth, and velvety – "I can't stand seeing a woman in distress. I suppose it reminds me of my daughter, and since I don't have the chance to protect her, I feel it's my duty to protect you, even if it seems old-fashioned or overreactive to you. It helps me feel less of a failure as a father."

"It seems that's always the case with daughters, isn't it." – murmured Louisa, resting briefly her head on the Duke's shoulder before the final chords of the melody.