Ugh.
I nodded, bid adieu to my friends, andAlekseihelped me out of the sofa, onto my aching feet and guided me into the ballroom.
I wanted to tellAlekseiaboutCormacandGayle, butIfound right away he was correct.
The respite was over.
Beings were no longer ignoring us.Webarely got two steps out of the antechamber before we were descended upon.
Commence nearly three hours whereIlearned the different, excruciating levels of foot pain and hoped my face didn’t space out as my mind tried to figure out how madLancetandNatawould be ifIdidn’t send this gown to theCatalogues, and instead burned it in the courtyard.Itweighed a ton whenIput it on, it began to feel like ten and growing as the night wore on.
Though, from the two-hundred and eleven (literally) complimentsIhad on it, and the number of pics taken of me in it by the varied royal and media photographersGermainehad working the event, it was a hit.
Making matters worse,Ihad to dance.
Doing it two times withAlekseiwas sublime.
While he whirled me around the dance floor, my feet didn’t hurt a bit, and the gown felt like a cloud swirling around me.
He was an excellent dancer (of course) but having that alone time with him in a sea of people was a revelation.Itwas like a recharge to my flagging energy and the constant race to the limits of my endurance with the crowds, the conversations, the attention.
I made note of this too: be sure to take time with my mate, even if only a few minutes, just the two of us.
And thenIcould face anything.
The three timesIhad to dance with other people (a count namedHoytwho did business withAlekseiand also played in their ring ice league, a maleIfoundIliked very much (he was also a vampire); an actor who laid it on so thick about how great my designs were, it was all kinds of sycophantic gross; and last,Sirk, who was another respite, becauseIwas glad to see him, he was also an excellent dancer, andIwas happy he didn’t seem too broken up aboutGayle, since he was his normal gregarious, affectionate self and he’d brought a slyly elegant demon to theMasqueas his date).
The receiving line had formed at eight, when the doors to thePalacewere open.
AndI’dbeen warned that theMasquecould go until two or three in the morning.
But we were homing in on midnight, when we could remove our masks, after which there would be a magnificent, old-fashioned fireworks display that was so big, all ofNocturnwould see it.
AndI’dalso been told by the highest authority (QueenCalisa) thatIwould be expected to remain at theMasquefor an hour after, but thenIcould feel free to retire wheneverIwished, whichIwould do after that hour was over.
I knewAlekseiwould be all the way down with leaving with me, andIknew it because we’d already made this plan.
So when six uniformed footmen stood across each other at the entrance to each ballroom and blasted a tune on horns to get everyone’s attention, then called out in unison that guests who wished to unmask outside before watching the fireworks should make their way there,Iknew we were closing in on the end, andIcould not wait.
The night would be chill, but there were heat coils under platforms that had been laid outside so people could stand without sinking into the grass (or destroying it) and be warm.
But the royal family weren’t headed that way.
We went to another balcony.Thisone ran along the front of thePalace, andI’donly been on it during my tour.
Aleksei led me there.
When we stepped out,Ifound it too, fortunately, had heat coils snaking around the perimeter, which was good, sinceQueenCalisatold me the fireworks show would last for twenty minutes.
As they were royals as well,Dagsbrun,Delanta,BainonandAnnaalso joined us there.AsdidTanynandCormac,KingNaill,QueenLaoiseandPrincessRowan.
Arnaud did not, andIdidn’t know if he’d even made it to the ball.
If he hadn’t,Ifound it odd, since heRSVPedin the affirmative, andAlekseiknew he was in town.
And odd with that male was concerning.
QueenTatrahadRSVPedno, which didn’t seem odd, sinceQueenCalisahated her, andAlekseitold me she hadn’t been to theMasquesinceRilandbrought her to her first.Therewas history there,Icould tell, butAlekseididn’t get into that.
