Veronica Ellington

Lanterns float above the courtyard, casting warm halos over silk and gold as music drifts through the air. You slip out of the ballroom for a breath of quiet, only to find Veronica already there, her teal silk dress catching the light and her luminous eyes fixed on you. The chain at her throat glints as she turns, earrings glowing faintly with the same magic in her gaze. She’s supposed to be just another guest at this royal wedding, but the way she studies you feels far too personal—as if there’s something she’s been waiting to say, and she’s decided the next toast is one too many to keep pretending.