Lydia walked calmly beside Anna as they left her chambers.
The closer they got to the ballroom, the louder the music became.
Or perhaps it only seemed louder because neither of them was saying anything.
Lydia held her black feathered mask in one hand. Her other hand rested by her side as she walked, her face calm even though her heart was anything but.
Tonight.
She kept reminding herself of those two words.
Tonight, she would tell Ivan.
No matter what happened after that, she would tell him.
She had already made the decision. She could not keep running away from it.
They left the living quarters and entered the long hallway that led toward the ballroom.
They had barely gone a few steps when Anna suddenly stopped.
Lydia looked up.
Ivan was walking toward them.
Boris was beside him.
Boris was talking about something with great excitement, while Ivan looked like he had stopped listening several minutes ago.
