The night was cold, the quiet of the forest interrupted by the arrival of the carriage that carried Ruby to the dock. With not much of a word, her fate set, two Soldiers led her to a schooner.

Sinhold. She had heard many things about it. Since they were children, they were told to fear it, and they did. Her legs were surprisingly steady as they climbed up the steps to the schooner. The Soldiers were quiet, so was the vessel.

They kept her down in the cargo hold, chained to the wall. She prayed, for that's all she could do. She thought of her parents, how they chose faith over their love, and wondered why they even bothered. Would it save her now? She asked the God she was taught to believe what to hope for. Eternal peace and salvation? But what if she did not want those? What if she wanted to be free of the chains and see this through? What if she wanted to live the life she could have if she escaped this? Would it be wrong to ask for those instead?

A tear rolled down her cheek as she felt the schooner glide away from the dock. She waited and listened. Footsteps upstairs, orders from one Soldier to another, and more footsteps. It could have been hours of that, or it might have been an eternity. It felt like the latter. And as the sound of the vessel against water and wind became too familiar, they faded into the back of her mind and her thoughts took over once again. She had not done enough. She should have tried harder. Fear... if only she had less of it. If only she were brave enough to do more.

Her thoughts circled back to her parents and Sheridan. The life she wanted, and the things she wanted to try. And that's when the body of a Soldier rolled down the steps, landing right beside her.

*****

Wrapped in her green cloak, Gabrielle jumped behind one Soldier, wrapped an arm around the woman's neck, and squeezed. The Soldier struggled until she slowly went limp. Not dead, but unconscious. Without a sound, she tied the Soldier and dropped her down toward the cargo deck before proceeding to the other side of the schooner, only to be met by two other Royals.

"There's nothing here," said one of them.

Gabrielle looked up at where Ellise St. Vincent was steering the schooner. Looking over her shoulder toward the direction of the other two schooners that were following them, both of which now under control of the Royals, Ellise St. Vincent stilled, as if a thought came to her. As she looked back down at Gabrielle, looking a little less sure, Gabrielle knew what the woman was thinking. This was too easy. Ellise then ordered, "Check below."

Gabrielle walked down the steps to the cargo hold and found Ruby inside, wide eyed and close to panic. This schooner was supposed to be filled with more Soldiers because it was supposed to carry the High Priestess to Islefield. She went down on one knee and looked at Ruby. "Ruby, where's Arielle?" she asked.

One Royal landed at the bottom of the stairs at the same time as Ruby shook her head in confusion. Gabrielle looked over her shoulder at the Royal. He cursed and whirled on his heels. Stalking up the steps, he shouted, "It's a trap!"

Hearing the words from below, Ellise stiffened and looked ahead into the darkness, then to both sides.

Flaming arrows.

*****

Esther was looking at her from across the room, face filled with suspicion. Brow furrowed, lips pursed, and arms crossed over her chest, the princess stared at her up and down. "If you ever do something I don't like, you can say goodbye to that hole."

Leila tightened the knot of the grey cloak around her shoulders and murmured, "Just hope that I'll return."

"Where are you going this time?"

"The Common Court," she lied.

"And how long will you take?"

"Why?" she asked, raising her head to meet the woman's eyes.

"Answer the question."

"I don't know," she said, unsure why she hesitated to tell a lie. She would not be coming back, she thought. If her plans with Jade worked out, she would be out of Belcourt by midnight. She did not know how long it would take for her to get the Royal Circus' help—if they were to help her at all.

"I don't think you should go out tonight, child," said Esther, looking out the window. "I just don't think you should trust this Maiden you're working with."

"She's all we have."

And at that, she squeezed out of the hole without more complaints from Esther. Of course, she would let Leila go, despite what she thought. The woman wanted to escape just as much as she did. On the other side, Leila stopped.

"What are you waiting for?" Esther asked, picking up one brick. "Go."

Leila blinked. She did not know this woman who had done many terrible things. She was the one who killed Albert. She wanted to take over Belcourt. Esther never hesitated doing those things, did she? So why did she feel like it was wrong to leave the woman here?

Leila shook her head. "Nothing," she murmured under her breath. "I'll be back."

Downstairs, Asa was already waiting. With not a word between them, they traced the same path to the carriage that would take her straight to the Flower Garden. There, Jade would escort her to another vehicle that belonged to one of the flowers. And then she'd be free again.

Never had she thought that going out of Belcourt could be considered freedom.

The carriage finally pulled to a stop after it entered the Flower Garden. Leila peered over the window. The voice in her head whispered something was off. The garden seemed quiet. There were lights, but not as much as she thought a ball should have. And it was quiet. Too quiet, in fact.

No music as balls should have.

No other carriages.

Nothing.

Her heart began to hammer against her chest and she flinched when the door flung open and Asa appeared in her line of sight. "We should hurry, Your Highness, before the guests start arriving."

The party had not yet started. She jumped from the carriage and she let Asa lead her through the garden, their steps quick. The Maiden's hold tightened around her wrist and she had the urge to pull away, to turn around and run back to the tower. It was funny that she thought of Esther when the word 'safe' came to her. Maybe because the woman was indeed the safest place for Leila at the moment because this did not feel safe.

Something is about to happen, the tiny voice in her head warned, but she shook it off. She was desperate enough to get out. Jade must have cleared the place for her before everyone else arrived. That's why there was no one else around, why there was no music.

Each step felt like a mile as they climbed the steps and walked through the corridors. By the time they reached Jade's doors, Asa turned to her and looked down, face tight. "I will be here when you return, Your Highness. I will continue to serve you in your absence. Please always remember that."

She opened her mouth, wanting to tell the woman that she changed her mind. Maybe they were wrong. Maybe there was another way out of this. But the door opened.

Jade smiled down at her. "Your Highness," she said, stepping aside. "Please hurry. We do not have much time."

When Asa's hold loosened, Leila gripped hers tightly, not yet ready to let go. Jade gave Asa a reassuring smile. "You can come with her, my lady."

Asa nodded, and together they stepped into Jade's office.

They heard the lock turn and echo around the room.

"You should have told me you were planning a trip, Leila. You did not have to bother the Mistress of the Court of Flowers. And most of all, you should have not wasted a Maiden's time," Arielle's voice spoke from behind Jade's table. Jade walked behind Asa and Leila and stood beside Arielle, face unreadable, her loyalty suddenly perfectly clear to Leila. The new High Priestess veered her gaze to Asa, who had frozen in her spot, dread on her face. Then she sighed. "Now, what do I do with the two of you?"

*****

West sat quietly on the carriage, hands relaxed around the reins. The carriage he was driving was one of nine that lined outside the gates of Belcourt, all of which were driven by Royals, the unsuspecting Gentlemen of Belcourt sitting inside, eager to go to the ball and be with their Belles.

When the gates opened and he led his carriage through the first gate, he could not help but think of the first day he came here. Then, he was ignorant of Belcourt's true nature. What it hid behind its giant walls. The powerful women it kept inside.

He could not help but think of the things that happened after that day. The people he lost, the battles he won. The greatest of all was the woman who became his duchess and the son whose future he was fighting for.

They had planned for this night for days, all great minds from all sides coming together for this one mission that would stop a threat. All of them against one woman. His sister. The daughter of the same man that would retain his throne if all went according to plan. The daughter his mother died for.

After passing the second gate, the gentlemen alighted, greeting each other as they climbed into carriages Belcourt provided for them. West waited with the other drivers. One Soldier approached them, her eyes meeting his in silent understanding. Then she led them to the back of the Common Court, where all carriages and drivers were supposed to wait until all flowers were ready to leave for the night.

Without a word, the Soldier left them to return to the gates, willingly blind to what would happen next. West landed on the ground and entered the carriage. Baron Golding was unaware that his carriage had been reconstructed three days ago. Everything was the same, save for the seats. The cushions were untouched, of course, for a man always knew the feel of their carriage seats. What the baron did not know, of course, was that his seat hid a compartment.

West pulled the cushion up and smiled down at his wife. "Did you wait long?" he asked.

"It was not bad," she retorted, allowing him to take her hand and guide her out. "It was surprisingly spacious. I never thought Baron Golding could sing. He should join the opera."

He chuckled lightly because he should at least allow himself the liberty before they had to part and continue with their mission. When they climbed out, Caroline, Aliya, and the other women of Belcourt who left just months ago started to alight the other carriages as well.

Sharing a look with Greene, he pulled at his wife's hand so she faced him. Cupping her face, he looked into her eyes. "Promise me one thing, Sasha," he said, "Whatever happens, you leave this place alive. Don't look back. Do you understand?"

She smiled, then nodded. "I promise."

"You go back to our son. Do you understand?"

Again, she nodded. "And you'll do the same."

His jaw clenched. He would die for her. But then, he would also die for his son. And so he, too, nodded. Planting a chaste kiss on her lips, he turned and led the way to three Belcourt carriages. In one of them, Aliya's sister, Delaney, jumped out wearing a green cloak. "We must go," she said to West before she ran to her sister, carrying black cloaks she handed to Aliya. "Aliya, be careful. Please."

"I will."

Sasha and the others passed the black cloaks around and donned them. Aliya took her sister's hand and squeezed before letting go to stand with Sasha and the others.

Delaney stared at her sister for a moment before taking a long breath, looking over her shoulder to where the other Royals had already climbed into the carriages, weapons hidden beneath their cloaks. The two other carriages were driven by Soldiers loyal to Theodora Vandenberg. "Fatima and the others will be here as agreed," Delaney said before she turned and climbed behind the first carriage.

"Delaney, be careful," Aliya called out.

Delaney's smile did not reach her eyes. "I was a Soldier before I was a Belle, Aliya. I'll be all right."

West looked out the window he shared with Trent, Greene, and two other Royals as they rolled away, sharing one last glance with his wife before she turned and walked into the shadows to enter the Common Court with the others. Thirteen Belcourt women coming home.

They traveled the same miles he did a few times before. He knew the way to the Flower Garden and he smiled when Greene, sitting beside him, cursed at the sight of the lake. They passed by the Village, then the Court of Libraries, and Greene let out another curse. Trent shared a secret smile with West, both former Gentlemen of Belcourt witnessing their comrades act like little children in a new place, eyes wide at the new world they just discovered.

"What is it?" West asked when he noticed Trent frown and peer out the window.

"This is not the way to the Flower Garden."

They fell quiet and the carriage immediately filled with tense air. All five hands went to their weapons.

"Be ready," West said under his breath as Delaney led the carriage through a gate.

"The training ground," Trent said, answering the question in everyone's mind.

West pulled out his pistol. The others did the same.

They had stopped.

Delaney's face was unreadable as she jumped out the carriage and walked over to join the two other Soldiers who had already drawn their weapons.

Then a dozen more Soldiers appeared and surrounded the three carriages. Leading them, of course, was Tanner Macmier wearing a smug look on his face.

"Good evening, my Royal friends," he greeted. "If you'll allow me, I'll escort you to the High Priestess."