Chase drew the curtains back, desperately looking for Amaryllis. His heart sank when she was nowhere in sight.

What is she doing? She was the one who wanted the party today, apparently, yet she's not here.

Chase then heard two familiar voices to his right.

"Violet, can't you just apologize to Rose? You went a little too far back there," Lily said.

Violet, who had been walking towards Julian, stopped and replied, exasperated, "I can't deal with her today. Lily, please, I just... I'll deal with her later."

Violet turned and quickly went to meet Julian, who had been watching the two bickering sisters worriedly.

Lily sighed and slowly walked towards a corner table, away from the main crowd. If anyone had paid her any attention it was obvious that she looked upset. All the guests were mainly too busy mingling around with one another to notice or they merely came for the free food.

Chase regarded Lily curiously. Amaryllis still isn't here. From what I have seen it doesn't look like Rose would have helped Flora kill my family. Chase had a small idea on how some of the Azalea royals were like. Rose was very passive but deep down she harbored a lot of feelings, Violet could prove to be very impulsive, and Amaryllis was like a second Flora, according to how Reese would describe her.

What about Lily? She's Flora's second child... I don't know much about her except that she can wield ice.

Before Chase knew it, he found himself approaching Lily's table. Lily was wearing an ivory gown and her blonde hair was tied in a some-up-some-down ponytail, revealing small diamond earrings.

"Is everything all right, your Highness?" Chase unintentionally blurted out.

Lily's green eyes instantly looked up to meet Chase's gray ones. Lily was awestruck for a moment, a little startled by Chase's sudden question.

She finally composed herself and smiled brightly, "Yes, everything is fine." Chase nodded awkwardly before Lily added, "Why do you ask?"

Chase shrugged before stating, "You looked upset from where I was standing."

Lily's eyes averted towards the ground. She gave another warm smile as she said, "No, I'm not upset." Lily didn't see, but Chase rose an eyebrow slightly. He saw through her lie, even though it looked quite flawless. If someone else had asked her they probably wouldn't have seen through it, seeing that she was talking casually while smiling.

Chase tried to find something to say, but he ended up saying, "I'm glad you're not upset, your Highness." He immediately felt a little sheepish after saying that. Pull yourself together, Chase.

Lily laughed lightly, as if amused. She asked, "What is your name?"

Similar to his encounter with Fern, Chase said, "My name is Chase, your Highness."

"I'm Princess Lily, it's a pleasure," Lily replied, her green eyes twinkling.

"It is definitely an honor," Chase added. When he took another look at Lily, he noticed she had Flora's nose and lips. He cleared his throat. "Please allow me to offer my condolences, your Highness." He hadn't said to Fern when she ran into him, but he felt... obligated to say it to Lily for a reason he couldn't explain.

Lily nodded and flashed another smile, briefly thanking him. Part of it reached her eyes, but Chase saw that there was still a small part of her eyes that was sad. He clenched his hands tighter behind his back. I don't have the right to offer her my condolences. I killed her mother; her sisters' mother.

Chase then noticed Lily look at something else behind him. He turned around to see Rose calmly walking past guests, ascending up the small steps, and sitting on her throne. From Rose's masked content expression, no one else would have guessed that she just had a fight with her sisters. Chase narrowed his eyes when he saw Amaryllis and a boy with blond hair emerge from the shadows. Amaryllis casually but hurriedly walked towards Rose.

Rose looked up in acknowledgment. Amber walked up to offer both of them water. Amaryllis didn't take any but Rose took one goblet. Chase honed in his ear muscles to hear Rose and Amaryllis's conversation.

"Aunt Amaryllis, what took you so long?" Rose asked.

"I apologize that I'm so late. I was talking with Aster for a while, and on our way here I ran into Sir Thierry. A Red Phoenix almost breached our security," Amaryllis replied.

Rose furrowed her eyebrows worriedly, "A Red Phoenix?"

"Yes, he appeared to be a young boy, but he had the tattoo. Sir Thierry put him in the dungeons for now," Amaryllis explained.

Rose sighed in relief. "That's good to hear." She then glanced warily at Amaryllis, who was looking around the room warily. "What were you talking about with Aster?"

Amaryllis replied, "I'll tell you more about our conversation tomorrow in the council room."

A Red Phoenix is in the dungeons? I'll tell Reese of this later. Wait, who's Aster? Chase thought. His eyes scanned the crowd and found the teenage boy who had walked in with Amaryllis earlier. A small crown was perched on his head. The signature blond hair allowed Chase to connect the dots. Oh, Amaryllis's son. Though Aster had blond hair, it wasn't wavy like the rest of his family. His hair was more straight. Perhaps he got it from his father's relatives.

"You have a rather large family, your Highness," Chase remarked.

Lily nodded. "Yes, it's quite large."

Chase looked between Rose and Amaryllis before asking Lily, "Queen Flora was your mother, correct? Wouldn't the crown have gone to Princess Rose?"

Lily explained enthusiastically, "It depends. Father declared two successors when he died. Mother was the first successor, but if Mother didn't write a will by the time she died, the crown goes to the second successor, which was Aunt Amaryllis. Sometimes the crown does go to to the eldest born in each generation, but our family usually just uses the successor system."

Chase frowned, still a little confused, but didn't question it. "I see. That's pretty interesting." He smiled to himself and thought, Lily is very kind, and very easy to talk to.

Rose suddenly stood up and tapped her goblet with a spoon. "Citizens, I thank you for coming. The party will come to an end soon, but there shall be one last dance." She gestured to the orchestra. "Music," she ordered.

Music resonated throughout the room. Many people were asking each other to dance. Rose calmly sat back down on her throne, looking down at everyone. When she saw Violet and Julian dancing, she bit her lip to keep herself from looking disapproving.

Chase turned back and looked at Lily, who was looking longingly at the dance floor.

Chase smiled and extended his palm, "May I have this dance, your Highness?"

Lily gasped in surprise, but then put on a smile as she took his hand. Lily's hand felt cold in Chase's, but warmed up while they gracefully walked towards the dance floor. Rose, who was watching the dance floor, noticed Lily dancing with a boy Rose did not know.

That boy... who is he? Rose thought curiously. Lily's dancing with him.

As they danced, Lily locked eyes with Violet, who gave her an approving look. Lily blushed and shook her head. Lily glanced back at Chase, who was smiling at her. Lily smiled back as the music ended. She curtsied thankfully as Chase bowed respectfully.

"Thank you for the dance," Lily said, her voice light as clouds.

"It was my honor," Chase replied back.

Citizens were now starting to line up at the exit, shaking Amaryllis and Rose's hands. The Azaleas always shook people's hands before they left. The current ruler and the guest of honor - Amaryllis and Rose.

Lily said brightly, "Although it was only for a short while, I am glad that I met you, Chase. Perhaps we'll see each other again."

It was Chase's turn to gasp. He bowed, "The same goes for me, your Highness. Perhaps we will." He glanced up to see Lily's beaming face. The brief sadness he saw in her eyes earlier appeared to be completely gone now. Chase thought, How can she look so happy when she looked so upset before? He finally said, "Farewell, your Highness."

Chase got in line to leave, waving goodbye to Lily. After a while, it was finally his turn to shake Amaryllis and Rose's hands.

Finally, this was what I've been waiting for, Chase thought.

"You're the boy who danced with Lily," Rose commented.

Chase nodded. "Yes, your Highness. Happy Birthday."

"What's your name?" Rose asked curiously.

Chase answered back. "My name is Chase, your Highness." Rose gave him a nod.

"Thank you for coming," Amaryllis and Rose both said. After saying it for at least fifty times it started to sound robotic, but Chase didn't dare comment about it.

Chase bowed and shook Rose's hand first, using his hand reading ability. Basically, an assassin will know if the person shaking his or her hand has directly done anything against them or their family. It was a weird ability based on instinct that always worked, but it came in handy when dealing with clients. He had used it on Reese when he had first shaken hands with Reese.

After feeling nothing from Rose's hand, he moved to shake Amaryllis's hand next. When he placed his hand in Amaryllis's, he felt something strange. He narrowed his eyes, unintentionally grasping Amaryllis's hand a tiny bit tighter.

Reluctantly Chase let go, staring at Amaryllis before curtly leaving. After Chase took his leave, Amaryllis asked Rose, "Did you feel something strange from that boy?"

Rose nodded. "I did, but I'm not sure what."

Amaryllis nodded in agreement. "Strange..."

"It's probably nothing," Rose cut in, extending her hand to shake the next person.

Amaryllis also brushed off the strange feeling, not wanting to think about it much.

--

Once Chase was out of view from the castle, he changed his pacing to storming. He couldn't believe he had to shake hands with Amaryllis.

He shakily brought his hand up, thinking back to what had happened.

He had received no reaction from Rose, which meant that she hadn't helped Flora, but when he had shaken Amaryllis's hand...

He clenched his hand into a fist and punched a tree angrily. He had just shook hands with someone who helped Flora kill his family. He couldn't feel any more disgusted than how he felt at that moment.

He eventually reached the Red Phoenix hideout entrance, a small cave that eventually led to a house underground. Reese was leaning against one of the cave poles, his arms crossed. Reese and Chase had agreed to meet there after the party.

"Reese," Chase said, forcing himself to be calm.

"Chase." Reese straightened. "We have a problem. Have you seen Devin anywhere?"

Chase tilted his head in confusion. "Devin?" he asked.

"Yes, he's a young Red Phoenix member," Reese explained. "He isn't here and his parents are starting to worry about him."

Chase thought back to the party, remembering that Amaryllis had told Rose that Thierry had caught a young Red Phoenix member trying to sneak into the castle.

Chase replied, slightly concerned, "I heard Amaryllis say that they captured a young Red Phoenix member. He is currently in the dungeons."

Reese widened his eyes and started to pace back and forth. He finally said nervously, "We have to rescue Devin, Chase. He's only fourteen."

It was Chase's turn to widen his eyes. Fourteen? I expected the Red Phoenixes to be young adults, but fourteen?

Chase looked at Reese, who was looking at him pleadingly. "Don't worry, I'll help you rescue Devin. It's been a long night, I'll meet up with you tomorrow."

Reese nodded slowly. Chase turned to leave, but Reese then called. "Did you find out what you needed to know about Amaryllis and Rose?"

Chase stopped in his tracks. He unintentionally flashed his claws out angrily. Reese froze in fear when he heard Chase's cold tone. "I did. Amaryllis will certainly die, I can tell you that."

There was a tense silence, a few owls hooted to fill the silence, but Reese cautiously looked at Chase's claws. Finally, Chase retracted his claws, his fingernails turning back to his normal size.

"Goodnight, Reese," Chase called calmly.

Before Reese could reply, Chase darted off into the darkness.