Chapter One

"Oh this one is beautiful!" cried my friend Carly, dancing around the room with a fiery colored ball gown held up to her chest.

"It suits you." I say staring out the arching windows of the ballroom.

"Awh come on Sarina," She replies, pausing her twirling.

"It's your sixteenth birthday, enjoy it! And besides you might find your certain someone." she says, giving me a wink. In return I give her a playful shove. Today we were picking out our masquerade gowns and masks, and tomorrow we would dance till the sun comes up.

Carly gives me her most begging face and sticks out her bottom lip making it almost impossible to say no.

"Why not!" I say throwing my hands up in surrender. Carly squeals and twirls over to me, squashing me in a hug.

"Now," she says, pulling away and putting on a serious face "What are you going to wear!?"

I stand and walk over to a large box filled to the brim with gowns, masks and accessories.

"I think you would look good in blue" Says Carly as she gestures to my red hair. I nod, still looking in the box I finally pull out a dark blue dress lined with gold and silver sequins.

"Yes! That's the dress!" Carly squeals.

After we had both put on our dresses we decided to pick out each other's masks. I got to pick for Carly first. I sift through the open boxes looking for one to match the fire theme she had. We had decided that she would go as the sun and I would go as the night sky. My hand landed on a golden mask with fake fire coming out the ends. It was perfect.

" Carly!" I say holding up the mask " I found it!" She takes it from me and holds it up to her face. I nod, it really did look good on her. She does a little twirl causing her curly brown hair to bounce. She had picked out a silver mask with sparkles for me. It matched my dress perfectly! I twirl over to her and take her hand.

"May I have this dance?"

Carly smiles "Yes you may" She says in a proper voice. We dance around the ballroom giggling and twirling. Soon after it had begun to get dark and we had grown tired, and decided to go to bed. Since Carly's parents were away for the week I brought her up the winding stairs to the hallway that led to my bedroom.

"Here it is" I say and push open my door and turn on the light. My room wasn't as big as Carly's but it wasn't tiny. The room was illuminated by a chandelier, my bed was next to a walk-in closet and a bedside table. I had a window seat that turned into a bed for Carly. We quickly changed into our nightgowns and jumped in our beds. Soon enough Carly had slipped into my bed.

It was early morning when we woke up and the sun was barely over the hills. I had slipped on a knee high green dress and black flats, and put my hair into a high ponytail. Carly was right behind me but wearing a frilly pink dress and black heels. When we reach the breakfast table all of the adults and my brother are huddled around a piece of paper muttering to each other.

"Um...." I say walking in the room "What are you doing?" All their heads turn almost in sync.

"Nothing honey," Says my father, sliding the piece of paper away from me.

"She deserves to know," Says my brother, snatching the piece of paper away from him and handing it to me.

Carly peeks over my shoulder as I read the News aloud.

Kidnapper On the Loose

Three young girls have gone missing recently

Causing great distress for their poor parents.

The family's all claim that their daughters last place seen was at a masquerade ball. We feel that there is a kidnapper dressed as a fox at all the masquerade balls. Keep your young girls within eyesight. We fear the worst for their sake. We believe that he takes them into a cold place-

I look up.

"You're not thinking of canceling the ball are you?" I ask

"It is a distressing news story. We don't want any girls going missing on our watch do we!? It will bring our family down we can-" Starts my father

"This is my sixteenth birthday! I only turn sixteen once! And just because of some-!"

"NO! This conversation is over Sarina no ball! No party! No birthday! We can't afford to lose you, not after your mother!" He yells choking up a little at the mention of my mother. I storm off with Carly at my heels.

" I can not believe him! The nerves!" I cried angrily when we reached the safety of my room.

"He has a point-" Carly starts

"So you're taking his side now! You're supposed to be my friend!" I yell at her but once the words leave my mouth I immediately want to take it back

"Carly I-"

"No" She says, her eyes watering with angry tears. "I just don't want anything to happen to you." She says as she storms off slamming the door behind her.

I scream into my pillow until my throat goes hoarse. I start to cry hot angry tears running down my face.

Carly and I run our ball gowns trailing behind us ripped and tattered. It's so cold. We race through the snow glancing behind us terrified screams as the ground opens underneath us, except I don't. I'm frozen watching my friend fall into an empty void.

I must have dozed off. I'm drenched in cold sweat and my heart is beating like I just ran a marathon. There's a knock on my door and I get up still shaking. When I open there is nowone there, just an envelope. I reach down to pick it up, looking around to see who could have possibly left it. I don't see anyone, as my hand touches the envelope golden writing appears on the front.

To A Miss Sarina Doughltin

I reside back into my room and flip it over, opening it from the back. I pull out a single sheet of parchment, which again at my touch gold writing appears.

Dear Miss Doughltin,

This letter concerns you and a fellow being. Please bring whom you wish to the gala of the century dress in your most extravagant dresses and suits. When the clock strikes midnight tonight, join us at the top of Mount Starsla. Give these letters to the castle guards to gain entrance.

Sincerely,

The Duchess

I gasp. I had been invited to a gala! I jump with joy, I couldn't wait to tell Carly! I am about to race out of the door but pause once I remember that Carly and I weren't speaking to each other. I frown. Who was I going to bring then. I walk back into my room, my mood darkening once more. I flop back on my bed and stare at the ceiling. I re-read the letter, again, and again, and again until I have memorized the golden writing. I hear a sharp knock on my door and I get up to open it, but before I can reach it the door bursts open revealing an excited Carly. I notice that she was holding an envelope just like mine. Putting the pieces together I jump for joy along with Carly as she holds out her envelope. I forget all about being angry with her as we read our letters aloud.

"I'm sorry I got so upset" I say

"It's okay." says Carly "I know you didn't mean it"

I give her a big hug and sit down on my bed.

"Wait, Sarina, you don't think the kidnaper will be there do you?" Carly asks in a whisper.

"Of course not, this is at the top of Mount Starsla, remember? It's in the Duchesses castle. I'm sure they are very heavily guarded.

Soon enough the clock on my bedroom wall dinged for twelve 0' clock.

Carly and I were dressed in our gowns that we would have worn to my party, her as the sun, I as the night sky.

"We need to be quiet" I whisper as we tie all of my sheets together to form some sort of ladder.

"My parents have people do a daily night watch"

Carly nods with sheer determination. We tie the end shee to the leg of my bed and throw the other half out the window. I watch it drop. It was a long fall.

"I'll go first" I say, mustering up my courage.

I swing one leg out the window and then the other. My hands clasp the sheets as I slowly climb down, making it safely to the ground. Carly follows suit landing with a thud on the ground beside me.

"There should be a carriage waiting for us down the road a bit" I say making my way up the gravel road.

"This is so cool," says Carly excitedly. I nod. It was truly exciting and was probably the most dangerous thing I've done in my life.

"There's the carriage!" I say pointing to a black and blue carriage.

Once we make it to the carriage a man in a suit and tie opens the door for us. We step inside smiling behind our masks. We sit across from each other on the chairs, the man in the suit hands us each a drink. Carly and I both grab them saying our thanks, Carly takes the first sip.

"Mmm, this is delicious, Sarina, try it!." She says licking her lips then gulping down the rest of the drink. I take a sip. It was the best thing I've ever had! It tasted of caramel and strawberries. Across from me Carly makes a choking noise. I look up from my drink to see her going pale, her fingers starting to turn purple.

"Carly!" I cry "are you okay?" I feel a sharp pain in my stomach and then I feel so cold like I just got buried in an avalanche. My head spins as I struggle to breath. I glance over at Carly who is unconscious, her glass still clutched tightly in her limp hand. The drink. They had put something in our drink. This wasn't the right carriage. My vision goes blurry and all goes black.