Arielle entered the drawing room and found Venus already waiting for her. The child's tawny skin appeared more radiant after a mere few weeks outside the Palace. With a smile, she sashayed to a chair and asked, "How is the High Priestess?"

"She is fine. Her leg is healing well," the child said, face impassive.

"Good."

"Have you any news?"

Arielle nodded. "The Mistress of the Court of Flowers has given me full reports on Delaney's mission. The Prime Minister has gathered enough supporters."

Venus nodded. "The High Priestess says we should go on with the Kinsley Ball."

Arielle sighed.

The child frowned at her. "Is something the matter?"

"Nothing, Venus," she said, offering the child a wan smile. "I am merely fretful. The High Priestess is risking her life for this mission. It is a bold move, one that has never been done before."

"She is confident we will succeed. She is merely following the instructions given by the former High Priestess."

"Of course, I know. I trust that Albert had planned things before his death." She paused, stared. "But it bothers me still. The High Priestess is too young. She may be gullible."

"You do not trust that she can keep her loyalty to Belcourt."

"No, of course not—"

"I agree with you."

Arielle blinked in surprise. "You do?"

Venus nodded. "Which is why I am outside with her. She is still the High Priestess and we should honor her decision."

"Of course." Arielle reluctantly smiled, restlessly fixing the skirts of her dress. "I am merely concerned. If the Royal Circus manages to control her, turn her against us, we may lose everything." As Venus frowned, Arielle added, "They may take her away from us."

She got the reaction she wanted. The child's face hardened with uncertainty and confusion.

"But I am certain that with you by her side, she would not stray," she added, smiling gently.

With a nod, the child stood, phoenix light brown eyes no longer as confident. "The High Priestess was chosen because she knew all of Albert's plans. He trusted her to deliver."

"Of course, I understand. Forgive me for being doubtful."

Venus looked at her for a while. Whatever she was thinking, Arielle could only guess. Finally, the child nodded.

"And please," she hastily said, following Venus to the door. "Please keep her away from Strait." At the question in the girl's eyes, Arielle moistened her lips. "Her... her grandmother still lives."

Venus' eyes hardened with horror. "That cannot be true. Leila's family perished in a shipwreck. The two of us were one of the few survivors. For months, no one claimed us and they took us here. Like me, she has no one."

"She has someone, Venus," Arielle said, taking the child's hand. "Her grandmother from her mother's side did not know about the wreck until you were taken here. She has been searching since then. So please, keep her away from Strait."

Venus was motionless for a long time, her eyes filled with doubt and panic. Then she stiffly nodded, pivoted on her heels and left the room.

Arielle remained where she stood, patiently waiting for the last sounds of the child's departure. Then she gracefully made her way to another door where the six other Maidens stood waiting.

"Will we proceed with the Kinsley Ball?" one of them asked.

"Of course. It's Albert's plan, after all."

"And the High Priestess?"

"I am afraid to take her back once all of this is over."

The eldest of the Maidens sighed. "I do not always agree with you, Arielle, but this time I do. She is too young, easily manipulated."

"Albert had somehow foreseen his downfall. But he should have planned for a better High Priestess."

Asa, a young woman with blond hair and the seventh Maiden, broke her silence. "But she picked you as her regent, Arielle." She looked around at the other Maidens. "It means you act on behalf of her, not against her. You are meant to guide the child! I am not comfortable with this."

Arielle's face tightened. "I am acting as her regent, Asa. And I say she is compromised. What do you expect from a child? One day of play out there and she is gone, believe me. It is our duty to question the High Priestess' actions. Her plans thus far are from Albert's instructions. However, the longer she stays outside, the more vulnerable she is against temptations."

"Then you should have stopped her in the first place," the sixth Maiden said.

"Or was this your plan from the start?" Asa asked.

"Why would you think that, Asa? I believed in Leila. She is far from eighteen. Are you truly comfortable following orders from a child? One living outside Belcourt under the roof of a Royal? With her careless action, by leaving us to fend for ourselves while she went outside and play, I am left with no choice. A leader does not abandon their subjects."

Asa was about to open her mouth to argue, but the eldest Maiden spoke, saying, "Please be reminded, Maidens, that Lady Arielle is our regent. In Belcourt Law, she rules in the absence of the High Priestess."

Arielle ignored Asa's tiny shake of the head and faced the others. "We proceed with the Kinsley Ball. I shall mobilize the Belles and the Soldiers."

"And the High Priestess? What of her?" Asa asked.

"She is a child. We let her think she is still playing."

*****

"The former Darcy never told me that being Darcy means waiting," Ellise grumbled under her breath as she stood in the shadows of the ballroom. "And our parents never told us the dinner is a bloody ball."

Dior was equally flustered, standing beside her with a glass of wine in hand. "This is a terrible idea." Their heads followed Oliver and Aliya as they whirled past, the latter laughing at her husband's quip as they danced the waltz.

"Are you certain Macmier has not yet sent a word?"

"Yes."

She clucked her tongue. "He might be dead for all we know."

"And Shaw?"

"Impatient, of course, but that is a given. But he has to be patient like he has been with his sister." She sighed. "I'm afraid everything Sasha predicted is happening. This is turning out to be a complicated, sinister family drama."

He looked down at her. "You are easily frustrated these days."

"Because the frustrations of waiting had been building."

"Then you need the release."

She snapped her head up at him. "Are you mocking?"

He suddenly turned and stepped before her, blocking her from the crowd, and murmured under his breath. "My mother is craning her neck."

She peered over his shoulder. The petite woman was indeed craning her neck, looking around the ballroom. "Is she planning another toast? We already suffered two tonight."

"I believe she would want us to dance."

"I hate dancing."

"I know. Step to the side."

"I would be behind the bloody column if I step any further," she hissed.

"Unless you want to suffer a waltz, Elle, hide—"

"Robert! Oh, there he is! What are you doing in the shadows, you silly man!" his mother, Lady Harriet Dior, Duchess of Calbridge, called behind him.

Ellise slipped behind the column as Dior turned to face his mother.

"Where is Ellise?"

"I do not know, Mother."

"Well, should you not know? You are her fiancé."

"Yes, exactly. Not her husband. Why would I need to know where she is?"

"Because you should dance with her! Everyone expects to at least see the pair of you share a waltz."

"Mother, you know Ellise does not enjoy a crowd."

"Well, yes, but her mother agreed to—"

"You mean you and Mrs St. Vincent both agreed to throw a ball and missed to inform us, your children, the two people you are throwing the ball for. As you should have guessed, we did not—do not—enjoy the surprise."

"Well, we thought that since everyone is already aware of the engagement, we might as well enjoy a pre-engagement ball. This is nothing big, son, stop sulking."

Ellise scowled in the darkness. And she was certain Dior was doing the same by the way his shoulders stiffened. "Pre-engagement ball," he wryly said, voice a little lower than usual. A dangerous sign.

"Well," his mother said, clearing her throat, perhaps also sensing trouble, "Have you seen Natalia? I have things to discuss with her."

"She is currently dancing with her husband."

"Ah, yes. Well then, enjoy the ball, Robert. In whatever way you think best. And oh, step away from the shadows, will you? You are not hiding, are you?"

"No, of course not, Mother," he said, voice laced with derision.

"And you are not hiding Ellise behind you, are you?"

"Of course, I do." Ellise could picture his tight smile, and she bit her lips in amusement.

"Oh, silly me. Of course, you are jesting," Lady Harriet said, her laughter waning as she walked off, eventually drowned by the loud music and merry laughter of those who actually enjoyed the ball.

As Ellise stifled a snort, Dior reached behind him and blindly found her hand. Without a word spoken, they both surreptitiously cruised the length of the wall, taking cover in the shadows, until they reached the open doorway that led to the foyer. She had only been to the Stapleton manor twice, but she knew where he was taking her when he led her down a corridor, past the hall that led to the patio.

They climbed the servants' staircase, traversed the narrow corridors, and emerged on the second landing. And finally, into an empty small library.

"We cannot stay long," he said, letting go of her hand. Moonlight spilled into the room, providing enough light. She walked to the glass paneled doors that led to the balcony. As Dior poured her a glass of wine in one corner, Ellise walked out onto the balcony and looked down at the garden below. Some guests wandered around Lady Harriet's beloved garden, happily conversing with drinks in hand.

"I barely recognize these people," she said with a frown, accepting the wine Dior handed her as he joined her. The cool night air swept gently past them, carrying with it the faint sound of music from the ballroom. "Trent and Caroline are not even in attendance."

He sighed. "Our mothers, I'm afraid, barely even started."

"I cannot imagine the excursion in Herst," she added. "I wonder why they do this?"

He shrugged. "They say they are celebrating our engagement."

"Odd, really, because they enjoy it. And we do not."

"The odd part is we were not informed."

She sipped from her glass. "Should we break the engagement in Herst?"

"I suggest we do it after Herst. One of them may have a faint heart."

"My father and brother are doctors. I am certain they can deal with that."

"Your brother may have the faint heart."

She lightly chuckled. "Ah, yes. After Herst then. I say after the Humbrick Ball. The season would be ending by then."

"Who will break the news?"

She turned to him. "Fencing?"

He shrugged. "If I win, you tell them."

"If I win, you tell them and then deal with the aftermath."

They fell silent and finished their drink. "Let us bring the child to Herst," she said.

"Are you certain?"

"We cannot leave her here where she may do something drastic. I want to see her interact with other children. And I want Shaw to be there."

Taking her empty glass from her, he set them on the stone handrail before leaning against it, facing her, arms crossed over his chest. "Are you too bored you are thinking of making an experiment on the child?"

"Are you not curious how her mind works? She grew up in Belcourt. I want to know how they manipulate these children."

He fell silent. "You are serious."

"Of course."

"Your brother will cause a scene, Elle. You will be exposing his daughter to a High Priestess."

"Was," she corrected. "Was a High Priestess. If she is telling the truth, of course. We need to know more from her."

"She is not talking about many things."

She shrugged. "Not yet."

"Please tell me you will not threaten her."

"I might. Do you think she will be frightened of the sea?"

His shoulders shook in laughter. "I should not even be laughing. You are absurd."

"I wonder if she is afraid of sharks."

"Stop it," he said, reaching for her hand. She let him and stepped closer when he gave a tug.

"This is turning into a habit of yours," she said, stepping between his open legs. "Kissing me when you are amused."

"Also because you look marvelous in this gown. Because you look uncomfortable in it and you hate it," he said, pressing a smile against her tight lips. "Open," he murmured when she did not. "Elle," he whispered, tone laced with warning, when she remained motionless.

She scoffed, enjoying his struggle.

From below, they could hear a woman laughing as her companion talked animatedly. These people they did not know were having a grand time. They might as well enjoy this night as well, she decided, wrapping her arms around his neck. She opened her mouth, meeting his tongue halfway. It still baffled her how he could kiss better than the last. Or why she could not resist him.

"Sometimes, I wonder," he said, pulling away from the balcony, leading her against the doorframe. "Why have we never thought of this sooner?"

"I had other things that satisfied me," she instantly replied, running her fingers along his jaw. "I like your bristles."

A rough breath and she was pressed against the doorframe, kissed with hunger one moment, then teased with light kisses.

He pulled away, grabbing her hand. Ellise rolled her eyes as he guided her inside the darkness of the library, quite certain they would not go far tonight. He led her to the chaise and she pulled away just far enough to say, "We are not doing it here, are we?"

He shrugged. "Of course."

"When we do it, I want it done in bed."

He bent and sucked on her pulse. "Why?"

"That is the ideal furniture."

He leaned back, eyes laced with mirth. "No, not really." He motioned his head to the table. "That is a good candidate."

"A secondary one on my list." He pulled her down on the chaise where she easily straddled his lap. "And this is uncomfortable," she added, as he gathered the skirts with expert hands. Her mauve dress glittered against the faint moonlight. "Have you ever had intercourse on a chaise? You seem to know your way."

He silenced her with his mouth, his tongue finding hers in a long, breathless kiss. His hands found her thighs underneath her skirts. And then he found her. She buried her face in his neck, murmuring where she wanted his fingers. "Do not ruin my hair," she rasped hotly in his mouth, hips restless against his hands.

But he seemed to not be listening. He swiveled her to the side and she fell on the length of the chaise. However he managed it, she could not precisely tell, but he did. His mouth replaced his hand and it was... powerful. Her fingers tugged his hair, her eyes flying to the door for one breathless second. If someone was to come in and ruin this moment, Ellise was quite certain blood shall be spilled tonight.

She had imagined this many times, with a man, a woman. But not with him. And he had always been just around, a presence all too familiar.

As she shattered, there on the chaise, with naught but his mouth and fingers, Ellise knew Robert Dior was one bloody good lover and she could not wait for the entire thing.

He nipped kissing on her thigh as she spasmed, then back on her neck, her ears, his hands kneading to help ease her back to her senses. "I want to pleasure you," she said, chest heaving.

"You are already doing so."

"I mean in a way you pleasure yourself."

His face grew tight and he groaned. "No."

"Why?"

"How I pleasure myself differs slightly from when a woman does it."

"In what way?" she asked, growing frustrated with his reluctance. Did he think she would not be as good as his past lovers?

He shifted uncomfortably above her. "They use something else other than their hands," he finally said.

She blinked, and then her eyes widened. "That's what the jams are for."

Dior blinked at her in confusion. "Jams?"

"I heard Aliya and Caroline discuss about it in secret." She grinned, finally feeling a little less dumb. "I understand now. You also use your mouth."

His groan echoed in the library. He pushed back and started to say, "Perhaps we should wait for the perfect time. This is not a splendid idea."

"Teach me," she ordered, pushing his shoulders she they sat face to face. She raised on her knees and hovered above him. "Teach me," she said against his mouth.

He groaned. "Good Lord, you are serious."

"I rarely am not." She reached for the buttons of his trousers. "Teach me?"

A guttural sound rumbled out of his chest. "Bloody hell. Yes."

*****

Ruby entered the Village, the hood of her red cloak down. She smiled at the passing servants who wished her good evening. Her footsteps echoed in the easing quiet night. Soon, the Village would start to fall asleep along with the other courts.

It did not take long to reach the Tea House.

Keisha, a woman with short red hair and green eyes, greeted her. "I have not seen you in a while, my lady," the woman said, pointing her to a table in one corner. "They're already waiting."

Ruby found three women, two with blond hair and one brown, sitting around the table. She approached them with a smile.

"Hello," she greeted, taking the empty seat beside the brown-haired servant.

All three regarded her with wary curiosity.

"I am certain you know me. And I believe I know you as well, Fatima, Shay, and Carrie."

Fatima was the first to break her silence. "What can we do for you, Lady Ruby?"

Ruby calmed her racing heart and crossed her fingers beneath her cloak. "I need your help."