The girl in violet blocked their path from the maze. It was the same girl Ella had seen in the dress shop. Her hair was auburn like leaves in autumn and held in a sophisticated bun. Her eyes were the same striking lilac that her dress was and she wore no mask.

"Chase, what are you doing? Dad is going to freak." The girl said. She couldn't have been older than seventeen.

"Let him freak. When doesn't he over react at every decision I make?" Chase huffed.

The girl shrugged, unable to argue. Her gaze fell to Ella. Immediately her face split into a grin.

"You're the girl from the dress shop! The one my dear brother took a fancy to!" She burst out immediately.

Ella was suddenly overcome with the desire to pull her mask over her eyes once more. She did, hiding some of the natural red that flushed her cheeks.

Chase shot a glare at his sister. "Viola, don't exaggerate. Ella, this is Viola my sister. Viola, this is Ella. Everyone acquainted? Good. We need to go now."

He tried to brush past her but Viola stepped in front of him once more.

"Going where? Are you forgetting who's party this is-" Chase slapped a hand over his sister's mouth. Ella tilted her head at the motion, raising an eyebrow.

"No I haven't forgotten. We're going after some fairies, alright? Ella needs them to lift a curse and well... We have our own reasons."

Ella decided to chime in. "You're welcome to join us. But we need to go."

Viola thought for a moment. "Lamorne?"

Chase answered immediately. "Possibly."

"Alright I'm in."

Ella had no clue what had just happened but perhaps the two had shared some sort of secret code. Nonetheless they could carry on now that Viola had made a decision.

"Okay great. Let's blow this fireworks stand." Ella stated, brushing passed Viola and hiking her skirt.

Chase gulped. "Not literally though cause there will actually be fireworks and it's not our job to the blow them up." He said dashing after her.

Her glass heels oddly did little to slow her down as she winded through the maze. Chase and Viola almost had a hard time keeping up.

Her heart pounded, like the gong of the clock soon would, her blood pulsing. Her head felt squeezed tight, a roaring headache appearing from no where. A warning.

Someone was there for her.

To catch her. To take her. To bring her in. Oh and at the Prince's festival no less. She could be called a witch and brought in front of the king! Perhaps a public execution would raise morale. If Marabeth or Sheriff Cinder was there for her... She couldn't afford to ask for their plans for her.

Her legs carried her farther than she expected her heels would take her.

Her heart stopped, and with it her feet, eyes landing upon one man in the crowd. Narrow figure, tall nose, black stubble... He wore no disguise. Sheriff Cinder was at the ball. And he was there for her.

Her panicked emerald gaze caught his eye. She found the strength to move again and he was not far behind.

A trumpet blared. The king boomed over his guests.

"It is nearly midnight. Prince Chasen and I shall start the fireworks, as too celebrate his most important birthday and to start the festivities. As you all know the twenty-first of June is more than the summer solstice. One week from now our prince turns twenty-one!" He waited for the cheers to die. Ella paid no attention.

She wove in and out of the crowd, Chase nearly losing her. He grabbed her silken gloved hand and held on as the ran, Viola just managing to stay with them.

They were attracting quite a lot of attention now. Men dressed in royal uniforms, clearly guards, chased after them following Sheriff Cinder's exclamation of "Miss! After her!"

"Speaking of our prince, where is he? Prince Chasen, stand besides your father and address your people!" King Castellius had a prickly edge in his tone, as he smiled at his subjects. His eyes scanned the crowd for his son.

The crowd grew thicker, threatening to pull Ella and Chase apart. Ella's glove slid from her hand just as a girl in yellow stepped in front of Chase, colliding with him.

"Watch where you're going!" Snapped her shrill voice. The girl's mother nodded. Chase couldn't help but sense he'd heard it before. No time to think about that now though.

He leapt to his feet, dropping the silken glove and not noticing the girl in yellow bend to pick it up. Him and Viola made their way squeezed their way through the crowd, looking for their friend in silver.

CLANG! The first chime of the approaching midnight.

Rumors were already spreading around her. A girl dressed lavishly in fine silk being chased by the king's men and the sheriff was quite the attention attractor.

"She's a spy from Vitza, sent to murder the prince!"

"No no she's a thief. Look it how she's dressed! She must have stolen her outfit."

"I'm pretty sure she's a princess. She rejected the prince's proposal and now the royals are upset with her."

"Who would refuse the prince?"

Chase stretched his arm behind him, catching Viola's hand.

"Who cares about the girl?" The king boomed. "Find my son!" His temper had come to light.

Ella seemed an eternity away, lost in the sea of ball goers. A few guards turned their gaze from her, eyes scanning... For him.

Chase pushed his way through, to the edge where less people gathered. Anything would be better than this. They needed something to get the attention off himself, and off Ella.

The idea struck him like lightning and he internally groaned. He was going to regret it.

Chase focused hard, thinking of the guards and the party for a moment. His heart pounded.

KABOOM!

The fireworks ignited by the spark of enchantment. The guards and Sheriff Cinder stopped, frozen in their tracks, literally frozen. Slowly the rest of the party goers halted, stiffening.

Viola's lavender eyes widened as she glanced at her brother. Chase just shook his head, dragging her along.

"No time!"

It was risky. It was draining. Chase wanted to collapse on the spot. He forced his legs to stretch and carry him as he threw himself down the steps of the palace gardens and out onto the street.

Wait... Where was Ella?

He couldn't hold any longer. The magic broke. Guests and guards burst back to life. He clapped a hand over his chest, his blood refusing to still.

There she was. The girl is silver was gorgeously illuminated by the festival's lanterns as she raced down the steps. Chase let out a sigh of relief. And then...

She tripped.

Ella fell a few steps as Chase rushed to her aid. He threw his arm around her, helping her to her feet.

A slipper had slid off. It rested gently on the palace steps.

CLANG!

Ella and Chase glanced at each other before running down the street, behind Viola. The final bell.

It was midnight.