Elowen's POV:
The ballroom had grown louder as the night deepened.
Music flowed endlessly through the great hall, strings rising and falling like waves against the shore. Laughter echoed against the high ceilings, mingling with the rustle of silk and the clinking of crystal glasses.
Yet the longer the night continued, the more the air inside the ballroom began to feel… suffocating.
Too many people.
Too many voices.
Too many eyes hidden behind masks.
I slipped quietly through one of the tall glass doors and stepped onto the balcony overlooking the gardens below.
Cool night air brushed against my face, instantly calming the restless tension that had been building in my chest.
The balcony curved along the side of the palace, its marble railing carved with delicate vines and flowers. From here, the music softened into a distant hum, the chaos of the ballroom fading into something almost peaceful.
Moonlight spilled across the gardens below, silver and quiet.
I rested my hands lightly against the railing.
Somewhere in the palace my father was still speaking with nobles, waiting for the right moment for us to talk again privately. The thought steadied me slightly, though the unease from earlier still lingered.
The men in the alley.
The missing girls.
And now the masquerade ball is filled with nobles and strangers alike.
Too many unknowns.
Too many secrets.
The doors behind me opened suddenly.
"Elowen!" Selene's voice was unmistakable.
I turned just as she swept onto the balcony, her golden gown catching the moonlight like liquid sunlight. Her curls had begun to loosen from dancing, and her cheeks were flushed with excitement.
"You disappeared," she said, stepping beside me.
"I needed air."
Selene leaned against the railing beside me, glancing down toward the gardens. "You always escape when things become interesting."
"I prefer quiet."
"That is a terrible habit for someone attending a royal masquerade."
I smiled faintly.
"You seem to be enjoying yourself enough for both of us."
Selene grinned.
"Oh, I absolutely am."
Her eyes sparkled as she spoke.
"I have already danced four times."
"That sounds exhausting."
"Not when the partners are charming."
I raised an eyebrow.
Before I could reply, the balcony doors opened again.
A tall noble stepped out, dressed in deep burgundy with a mask shaped like a hawk.
"Lady Selene," he said, bowing slightly.
Selene brightened immediately. "Ah, my next dance."
She turned back toward me quickly. "You cannot hide on this balcony forever."
"I intend to try."
Selene squeezed my arm affectionately. "Enjoy the moonlight, then."
And with that, she swept back into the ballroom with the noble at her side.
The doors closed behind them. Silence returned. I exhaled slowly and leaned forward against the railing again.
Below the balcony ran a narrow stone walkway that connected the gardens to a side entrance of the palace. Servants occasionally used it to move between the outer courtyards and the main halls.
Tonight, however, the walkway appeared mostly deserted.
Mostly.
Two figures stepped into the moonlight.
Both wore dark cloaks, their masks still covering their faces.
I straightened slightly, watching.
Their voices were low, but the quiet night carried the sound upward just enough for fragments to reach my ears.
"…tomorrow night."
"Are you certain?"
"It has already been arranged."
My breath caught.
Tomorrow night.
The words tightened something in my chest.
"The carriage will be ready," one of them continued.
"And the girl?"
"She will be there."
My fingers curled slowly against the marble railing.
A girl.
My heart began beating faster.
"Everything is prepared," the second man said.
"No mistakes this time."
A chill ran down my spine.
I leaned forward slightly, trying to hear more clearly.
If I could just see their faces—
The men stepped closer together, lowering their voices even further.
I strained to catch the words.
Just a little closer—
Suddenly, a hand closed firmly around my arm.
I gasped softly as I was pulled backward.
"Careful."
Lord Damien Thorne stood behind me.
His voice was quiet but amused.
"You were about to tumble over the balcony."
My heart pounded as I quickly glanced back down.
The two cloaked figures were already moving away along the path.
Gone.
I forced myself to breathe evenly.
"I was simply looking down."
Lord Damien studied me with a faint smile.
"Leaning halfway over a balcony is rarely the safest method."
I stepped back from the railing.
The moonlight caught his blond hair, turning it pale silver against the night.
"I appreciate the rescue," I said lightly.
"Though I believe I had the situation under control."
"I am sure you did."
His eyes lingered on me for a moment.
Then he noticed something.
A strand of my hair had slipped loose from the elegant arrangement Liora had so carefully prepared earlier.
It had fallen forward across my cheek.
Lord Damien reached up slowly.
"Allow me."
His fingers moved gently toward my hair.
For a brief moment, I froze.
And suddenly—
Another voice cut through the quiet balcony.
"Lord Thorne."
Lord Damien stepped back immediately.
Lord Alden Davenwood stood in the doorway.
The Crown Prince's aide looked exactly as he always did—perfectly composed, perfectly controlled. His dark gaze moved briefly between us before settling on Lord Damien.
"I require a moment of your time."
Lord Damien sighed lightly.
"I suspected as much."
He glanced at me again.
"Duty calls, it seems."
Lord Alden said nothing further.
Lord Damien gave me a quick bow.
"Until later, Lady Evermere."
Then he followed Lord Alden back into the ballroom.
The doors closed behind them.
I remained alone on the balcony once more.
But the quiet felt different now.
Heavier.
My mind returned immediately to the conversation I had overheard.
Tomorrow night.
The carriage will be ready.
And the girl?
My chest tightened.
The missing girls.
It had to be connected.
I stayed on the balcony a few moments longer, trying to steady my thoughts, but the music from the ballroom no longer sounded festive.
It sounded distant.
Uneasy.
Eventually, I slipped quietly back inside the palace.
The ball was still in full celebration when I returned to the corridors. Nobles continued dancing, masks flashing beneath the chandeliers.
I avoided the main hall entirely.
Instead, I made my way back toward the guest wing where the noble ladies had been given rooms.
The hallway outside my chambers was quiet.
Liora had already prepared everything for the night.
Candles flickered softly on the small table beside the bed.
I removed the silver gown carefully and changed into my night clothes, the soft fabric far more comfortable than the heavy elegance of the masquerade attire.
Only then did I notice something missing.
My ankle felt strangely light.
I looked down.
The delicate pearl-and-diamond anklet was gone.
My stomach sank slightly.
I must have lost it somewhere during the evening.
Perhaps during the dance.
Or on the balcony.
Or while walking through the ballroom.
I sat on the edge of the bed, considering the possibilities.
The masquerade was still in full celebration downstairs. Searching for it now would be impossible with so many guests moving through the palace.
Besides, the anklet was so delicate that finding it among hundreds of footsteps would be nearly impossible tonight.
I exhaled quietly.
Tomorrow.
I would search for it myself.