Chapter 227: Shift

As Matilda reached for the box with trembling fingers, Zafron held his breath. She slowly lifted the lid, and her eyes widened in awe."Oh my..." she breathed, carefully lifting a stunning gem necklace from its velvet cushion. The jewels caught the light, sending prismatic reflections dancing across her face.

Zafron's stomach twisted as he watched her expression transform. The worry lines that had creased her forehead just moments ago smoothed out, replaced by a look of wonder.

"It's... it's beautiful," Matilda murmured, her earlier reservations seemingly forgotten. She held the necklace up to her throat, admiring its sparkle. "You know, this would go perfectly with some of the dresses I've been eyeing. Actually, I could use some new clothes altogether."

Zafron's jaw nearly hit the floor. 'What the hell?' he thought, bewildered. 'Is this the same Matilda who was just fretting about the Governor's intentions?'

[My lord,] Calista chimed in, her tone dry, [I believe this is what the humans call a 'plot twist'.]

'Not helping, Calista,' Zafron grumbled internally.

As Matilda continued to gush over the necklace, rattling off a list of outfits she suddenly "needed," Zafron felt a weight settle in his chest. He watched her, unable to hide the disappointment etched across his face.

'How quickly things change,' he mused bitterly. 'One shiny bauble and all her principles go out the window.'

The twins chose that moment to saunter back into the room, their eyes lighting up at the sight of Matilda's newfound enthusiasm.

"Well, well," Shadow purred, circling Matilda like a shark. "Look at you, all dolled up. That necklace is absolutely divine on you, darling."

Whisper nodded in agreement, a sly grin spreading across her face. "Oh yes, simply splendid. The Governor certainly has exquisite taste."

Zafron's grip on his chair tightened, his knuckles turning white. He kept his gaze fixed on his plate, desperately trying to maintain his composure.

[Careful, my lord,] Calista warned. [Your face is doing that thing again. You know, the one where you look like you've just bitten into a particularly sour lemon.]

'Thanks for the heads up,' Zafron thought back sarcastically. 'I'll try to look more thrilled about this whole situation.'

The twins, ever observant, noticed Zafron's silence. Shadow sidled up to him, her voice dripping with faux concern. "What's the matter, Zafron? Cat got your tongue? Don't you think Matilda looks simply ravishing?"

Whisper joined in, her tone sickeningly sweet. "Yes, do tell us what you think. We're all dying to know your opinion on this... generous gift."

Zafron could feel their eyes boring into him, waiting for a reaction. The air in the room felt thick, suffocating. He couldn't take it anymore.

With a sudden scrape of his chair, Zafron stood up. "Actually," he said, his voice carefully neutral, "I just remembered I have a meeting with Sakura. We... uh, arranged it earlier."

Without waiting for a response, he strode towards the door. As he reached for the handle, he paused, turning back to the group. For a moment, he thought about saying something – anything – to break through whatever spell had fallen over Matilda. But the words died in his throat as he saw her still fawning over the necklace, the twins hovering around her like vultures.

With a heavy sigh, Zafron stepped out into the night, letting the door close behind him with a soft click.

As soon as he was out of earshot, Zafron let out a frustrated groan. "What the hell was that?" he muttered to himself, running a hand through his hair.

[An excellent question, my lord,] Calista replied. [Perhaps Matilda has a hidden passion for geology we were unaware of? Or maybe she's secretly training to be a jeweler?]

"Not the time for jokes, Calista," Zafron grumbled, though he couldn't help the small smirk that tugged at his lips.

[My apologies, my lord. Would you prefer I compose a tragic ballad about the fickle nature of human affections instead?]

Zafron snorted despite himself. "Let's save the musical numbers for another time."

As he walked through the dimly lit streets of the Undercity, Zafron's mind raced. The truth was, he hadn't arranged to meet Sakura at all. He just needed to be anywhere but in that room, watching Matilda's apparent transformation.

'The longer we stay here, the more things change,' he thought grimly. 'And not for the better.'

The twins' manipulations, Hector's cryptic messages about activating crystals, the looming fight with Draco – it was all starting to feel overwhelming. Being the new guy in town wasn't as exciting as it had been just a few days ago.

As he trudged along, lost in thought, Zafron began to notice something odd. People were pointing at him, some with looks of admiration, others with scowls of disdain.

'Great,' he thought. 'Looks like I'm becoming a local celebrity. Just what I needed.'

[Indeed, my lord,] Calista chimed in. [Shall I start preparing your acceptance speech for the 'Most Popular Newcomer' award?]

Zafron rolled his eyes. 'Let's focus on surviving the next few days before we start planning award ceremonies, okay?' Sёarᴄh the Novёlƒire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Almost on autopilot, Zafron found himself heading towards the gym. As he approached, he realized he had no idea what he was going to say to Sakura. 'Hey, sorry for barging in, but I needed an excuse to escape a really awkward situation'? Yeah, that would go over well.

But as he stepped into the gym, he was met with an empty training area. A burly man at the front desk eyed him suspiciously.

"Uh, hi," Zafron said, trying to sound casual. "I'm looking for Sakura. Has she been here?"

The man's eyes narrowed. "She just left," he grunted.

"Oh," Zafron replied, caught off guard. "Any idea where she might have gone?"

The man's stony silence was answer enough. Zafron sighed, realizing he wasn't going to get any help here. These guys were all loyal to Draco, after all.

'Well, that was a bust,' he thought as he stepped back out onto the street. 'Now what?'

[Perhaps a nice, relaxing stroll through the sewers, my lord?] Calista suggested helpfully. [I hear they're lovely this time of year.]

'Ha ha,' Zafron thought back. 'You're a real comedian tonight, aren't you?'

As he pondered his next move, a thought struck him. The bar – it was the only other place he and Sakura had been together. It was a long shot, but it was all he had.

Zafron set off towards the bar, his pace quickening as he approached. Just as he was about to round the corner, he caught sight of a figure exiting the establishment. The person was wearing a hoodie, but the long pink ponytail that swung as they walked was unmistakable.

'Sakura!' Zafron thought, his heart rate picking up. He quickened his pace, not wanting to lose sight of her.

[Ah, the thrill of the chase,] Calista mused. [Though I must say, my lord, following a woman down dark alleys rarely ends well in my experience.]

'Your experience?' Zafron thought back, bemused. 'And just how many dark alleys have you been down, exactly?'

[A lady never tells, my lord.]

Zafron was so caught up in his banter with Calista that he almost missed Sakura turning down an alleyway. He hurried after her, rounding the corner just in time to catch a flash of movement.

The next thing he knew, he was flat on his back, stars exploding behind his eyes. A foot pressed against his chest, pinning him to the ground.