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Chapter 0481
25 BONUS
Chapter 0481
Noah leaned closer, nudging me with his shoulder. “What do you think?” he whispered. “It’s not like we have many options left, do we?”
I bit my lip, weighing the options. The Council was growing more restless by the second, and the show was supposed to start soon. We didn’t exactly have time to be picky, and the thought of disappointing the Council made my stomach churn. Too much hinged on today to not at least try something.
“Okay,” I finally said with a nod. “What’s your name, sir?
“Edward,” the man replied with a slight bow. “And I promise you won’t regret this.”
I hoped we wouldn’t.
As the moment for the performance approached, my nerves were strung too tight to even speak. I stood beside Noah at the forefront of the crowd, my heart pounding in my chest as we waited for the old man, Edward, to hobble out on stage.
And, Goddess, he was slow. Not that it was his fault, but… still.
The crowd had gathered, their voices a low murmur. I could see several people staring at Edward, with his ancient, weathered violin tucked under one arm as he shuffled toward the center of the stage.
Even some of the Council members wore expressions of mild amusement as they watched him make his way to the microphone with excruciating slowness, as if they were expecting this to be nothing more than/ a joke or some kind of quaint opening act.
Slowly, too slowly, Edward shuffled toward the microphone.
The crowd began to chuckle. A slow ripple at first, but then it grew.
“Hurry up, old man!” some teenager shouted from the back, causing more laughter to crop up. Nathan turned and shot daggers with his eyes at the kid, but he was nowhere to be seen amongst the enormous crowd.
“Oh, Goddess,” I muttered under my breath, rubbing my face with both hands. “What have we done?”
Nathan was silent beside me, watching with bated breath,
But then Edward lifted his violin to his shoulder, and everything changed.
The first note rang through the air with a clarity that took my breath away. The sound floated on the wind like a haunting melody, the strains slow and controlled.
The crowd fell silent.
I felt a lump rise in my throat as I watched Edward play, his gnarled fingers moving across the strings with ease. Before, his hands had looked twisted and arthritic, but now… It was as if the very act of playing had made him young again.
Behind him, right on cue, the Nightcrest band began to join in. The drums, the electric guitar, and the bass all melded perfectly with Edward’s violin, transforming the simple concerto into something that was
Chapter 0481
indeed-
“He said he’d make it upbeat,” Noah chuckled beside me, his eyes fixed on the stage.
Upbeat. That was the word.
+25 BONUS
I glanced around at the crowd, taking it all in. Those who had once been laughing were now swaying to the music, smiles stretching across their faces.
As the music continued, the droves of Silvermoon and Nightcrest members began dancing together, their faces lit up with joy. Even the Council members were nodding along, small smiles tugging at the corners of their lips.
When the final note rang out, the silence that followed was immediately broken by a roar of applause. The crowd erupted like a volcano, cheering and clapping and hollering. Edward sketched a humble bow alongside the Nightcrest band, his smile wide as the crowd screamed for an encore.
“That was…” I trailed off, unable to find the words.
“Perfect,” Noah finished, wrapping an arm around me and tugging me close. “Absolutely perfect.”
But before we could truly celebrate, my gaze shifted to the Council members. They were rising from their seats, their expressions unreadable as they made their way toward us.
“I guess now is the time for our verdict,” Noah whispered.
