“Willyoube in attendance tonight, Elías?” I asked.
He sighed. “I am in attendance to everything you are, am I not?”
“I suppose. Do you follow myfatheraround the same when he is here?”
“Yes,” he said.
“Oh.” I nodded. “Does my fatherdance?”I asked.
“No.”
I replayed Sameer’s apology in my head, dreaming of his eyes. “...Doyou?”
“Do I dance?”he asked.
“...What?” I stumbled out of the thought.
“You asked me if I danced,” Elías said.
“Oh!” I shook my head. “I’m sorry. How silly.”
“Are you sure you’re alright?” he asked.
“Yes,” I said, smiling proudly. “I’m all right. Thank you. I was upset, but now I’m just so very excited about the ball.”
“As all girls are before their dances, Ser,” Josie beamed.
“This is actually my first,” I told her.
She seemed confused, but Elías explained.
“Svana never had a season.”
Chapter 9
The Palace was in a desperate fit of panic, but all its pieces moved diligently in anticipation of the evening’s affair. The Prince’s army of footmen saw to my every luxury except control and to the extent that I had no choice but to nearly fall asleep on my feet from pure boredom. A loud, frustrated grunt broke my would-be slumber—Josie’s.
I listened for a second longer to pinpoint it in the foyer, but as I waded toward it, she whined and grew frightened.
“Oh! Oh! Oh, no!” she cried.
I hurried to see her teeter beneath a large heap of silk. The bundle vowed to swallow her. She struggled to keep the fabric off the ground, snatching at its tails and ends every few moments. I reached out to attempt to aid her–
“Steady on!” someone else said.
A shape emerged from the other side.Lord Evergreen.He took the mountain from my maid, then held his free arm out for her to discover her balance again.
“Miss Jocelyn, correct?” he asked. “There you are. I think I caught you just in time.”
He and I instantly locked eyes.
“Thank you, sir,” Jocelyn replied. She breathed relief and shook out her hands. “I almost lost it; if not for– Beg my pardon, sir. How do you know my name?”
Finally, he broke my gaze to find hers. “Your name?” he asked. “We’ve met.”
“We’ve met?” she checked.
“Yes. Er. I was standing next to His Highness when you met him,” he said.
