Chapter 456: Lets play a game

And then she noticed it—just barely—a faint tremor in his fingers as they rested on the edge of the table.

He was angry.

Aryl’s heart skipped for a moment. There was no outburst, no sharp retort—just that haunting composure that somehow felt more dangerous than rage.

He caught her watching and shifted his eyes to hers. She quickly looked away, unsure if it was fear or something else tightening in her chest.

Alina, sensing the thick tension hanging in the air, quickly stepped in. She clapped her hands and forced a cheer, her bracelets jingling lightly.

"Okay, okay—everyone," she said, her tone bright but clearly meant to defuse the mood. "No need to be so tense! We’re here to enjoy the evening, aren’t we?"

She gave an exaggerated pout. "Let’s not make our new friend uncomfortable."

Her eyes flicked to Vigg briefly—just enough to flash a warning—before shifting back to the rest of the group.

"How about a game?" she suggested, her voice softer now, almost teasing. "A little icebreaker. Something fun."

One of the noble girls, Nessa, giggled and nodded. "Oooh, yes! Let’s play something spicy. Like truth or dare."

"Classic," Calen muttered under his breath, but he smirked and leaned forward anyway. "I’m in. It might be nice to see who can keep their secrets tonight."

Torr rolled his eyes with a shrug. "As long as I’m not the first target."

"Truth or dare sounds great," Liora said, her eyes briefly flicking toward Julian. "Especially with fresh company at the table."

Julian raised a brow, his smile returning slowly. "Well, I have never been one to refuse a challenge."

Vigg scoffed quietly and looked away. Aryl remained silent, watching Julian with a complicated expression.

"So, let’s start," Alina murmured. She grabbed an empty glass bottle from the table and laid it flat on the wooden surface between them.

"We’ll spin this," she explained, "and whoever the head of the bottle lands on will choose—truth or dare. The tail end points to the person who gets to ask the question or give the dare." Her eyes glittered as she spoke, clearly enjoying the moment.

Everyone exchanged excited glances and nodded in agreement, the tension easing as curiosity took over.

With that, Alina positioned her fingers on the neck of the bottle, then flicked it. The bottle spun, its glassy surface catching the chandelier’s light as it slowly rotated.

The spin gradually slowed, and the head of the bottle pointed directly toward Aryl, while the tail end rested near Calen.

Aryl’s eyes flicked up, a faint flush coloring her cheeks as she realized she was chosen first. Calen smirked, his gaze locking with hers as he prepared to ask the first question.

"Truth or dare?" he asked, his voice low and teasing.

Aryl paused, a playful smile tugging at her lips before she finally said, "I’ll take truth... for now."

Calen leaned back. "Alright, truth it is," he said. "What’s the one thing you’ve always wanted to do but never had the chance to try?"

His question was gentle, almost innocent, a safe start to ease the group into the game.

Aryl’s lips curved into a subtle smile. "Traveling beyond Apollo," she said after a moment. "To see the world outside these borders, where no one knows the Ravenswood name."

Her gaze flickered briefly toward Julian before she leaned back, her answer drawing murmurs among the group.

Alina clapped her hands again. "Nice one, Aryl! Time to spin again." She reached for the glass bottle and rotated it.

This time, the head of the bottle pointed directly at Julian, while the tail end settled on Liora.

A silence fell over the group as everyone waited in anticipation.

Liora’s eyes sparkled with a teasing glint, her lips curling into a sly smile as she leaned forward.

"Well, Julian," she purred, "truth or dare?"

Julian’s eyes met hers, his calm smile unwavering. "Truth," he said confidently, inviting her to test him.

Liora’s smile widened, her eyes narrowing with playful intent. "Oh, I like a bold man," she said, her voice dripping with seduction.

"I dare you to tell us—in vivid detail—the most scandalous thing you’ve ever done with a lover in a place you shouldn’t have."

Her words hung in the air, drawing soft gasps and giggles from the group. She leaned closer, her chin resting on her hand, her gaze locked on Julian.

"And don’t spare the details, my lord. We’re all dying to know."

Alina’s eyebrows shot up, her lips parting in a grin as she nudged Julian’s arm.

"Ooh, this I’ve got to hear," she murmured, her tone teasing but laced with genuine curiosity.

Julian chuckled softly, his smirk deepening as he leaned back in his chair.

"A scandalous tale, hmm?" he said. "Let’s just say it was a moonlit night, a charged atmosphere, and a lady whose dress didn’t stay on for long."

His eyes gleamed with mischief, his words intentionally vague yet suggestive, leaving the table hanging on the edge of their seats.

"The moonlight painted her skin silver, and the breeze carried her moans through the open window. Our embrace... let’s just say it was too close, too desperate. Every touch, every whisper, was a secret of the night."

Liora’s lips parted, a soft flush creeping up her neck as she leaned closer, captivated. "My lord," she murmured, "you paint a vivid picture. I almost wish I had been that lady."

Alina let out a playful huff, her arm brushing Julian’s as she reclaimed the group’s attention. "Well, that was deliciously vague," she teased as she reached for the bottle again.

"Let’s see who’s next to spill something juicy."

The group fell silent, watching as the bottle rotated and then slowed gradually until the head pointed at Julian once more, the tail landing on Nessa this time.

Nessa giggled; leaning forward. "Oh, Julian, you’re in the spotlight again."

"It seems so," Julian shrugged with a playful smile. "Truth it is again."

"Truth...hmm. Tell us... What’s the one thing you’ve always fantasized about doing but never dared to try?"

Her gaze sparkled, her lips curving into a sly smile as she waited eagerly. "And don’t hold back, my lord. We’re all friends here."

Alina grinned, nudging Julian’s side lightly. "Come on, Julian," she purred, "give us something as scandalous as that moonlit night of yours."

Julian laughed, leaning in with a mysterious glint in his golden eyes as if he was about to drop another bomb. The others leaned in too, drawn by the magnetic pull of his voice.

"Although I’ve tried almost everything," he whispered, "I would love to cuckold someone."

His eyes flicked to Vigg, a deliberate, teasing glance that landed like a blade, and the meaning was unmistakable to everyone at the table.

Vigg flinched, his fists clenching beneath the table, his jaw tightening so hard a muscle twitched in his cheek. His eyes burned with a mix of fury and humiliation, the implication of Julian’s words burning him from the inside.

He said nothing, but his tense posture and the rage creeping up his neck spoke volumes.

Meanwhile, Aryl’s breath caught, her eyes widening for a fleeting moment before narrowing. Her composure finally cracked just enough to show a flicker of unease. Her lips parted, but she didn’t speak, her gaze darting between Julian and Vigg.

Alina’s playful grin faded, her hand pausing mid-air where it had been brushing Julian’s arm. "Oh, Julian," she murmured, her voice half-teasing, half-cautious, "you don’t hold back, do you?"

She leaned back slightly, her eyes flicking to Vigg, then back to Julian, assessing the tension with a spark of excitement, as if the game had just gotten more dangerous.

Nessa let out a nervous giggle, covering her mouth with her hand. "That’s... bold," she said, glancing toward Vigg with wariness, sensing the storm brewing in his silence. She shifted in her seat, her cheeks flushing as she looked back at Julian, clearly thrilled by his brazen confession.

Calen raised an eyebrow, his smirk returning with a hint of respect. "Well, damn," he said. "You’ve got guts, I’ll give you that."

Liora, who had posed the original dare, leaned forward. "Now

that’s

a fantasy," she purred. "You’re a man who knows what he wants, aren’t you?"

Her gaze flicked briefly to Vigg before returning to Julian, her eyes flickering with a mix of arousal and admiration for his boldness.

The table buzzed with a charged silence, the air thick with the weight of Julian’s words and the unspoken challenge they carried.

Alina, sensing the need to keep the game moving, reached for the bottle with a forced smile.

"Well, that was... enlightening," she said. "Let’s see who’s next."

She spun the bottle, and everyone’s eyes fell on it, waiting for the next spark to ignite.

But before it could stop, Vigg reached for it and slammed the glass. The sudden motion froze the group, leaving a heavy silence in its wake. His eyes burned with barely restrained fury, fixed on Julian.