On seeing Septimus there, Viva's eyes flashed with a momentary panic before she masked it beneath a composed smile, "High Priest Septimus, I didn't expect to see you here."
Behind her, Septimus caught the shadow of Cece vanishing through the large black door where the queen had just stepped out from.
He met Viva's gaze with one of icy calm, "Your Majesty, I was merely taking a stroll when I lost my way back to the ball." He paused, allowing silence to tighten like a noose before he continued, "Though I admit, I did not expect to find you here when you were so eager to start the ball. Shouldn't you be concerned about returning? Your guests must be waiting…"
The longer Septimus stood in this corridor, the more his skin crawled. As a vessel of high spiritual power, he could feel it….putrid, malignant darkness seeping from behind that door. Something terrible lurked below.
And he wondered, what in the heavens had this queen been hiding?
