— CHAPTER SEVEN —

  Whispers

  I retreated to the upper floors of the palace. The party was only designated to the ground level, so the sounds of the ball were echoes in the distance - laughter and music replaced by the hushed quiet of empty corridors. Up there, away from the watchful eyes of courtiers and the responsibilities of being Queen, I could breathe.

  And, to be perfectly honest, it was a smudge titillating being up where guests weren't supposed to be. Being just another anonymous attendee, I could get in trouble. A part of me wanted to get caught by some guards so I could pull off the mask and be affronted they would stop me in my own home. Then Lady Marigold would berate me for being childish, but so what? It was all in good fun.

  I paused at a tall window overlooking the gardens. Down below, the magnolia trees had been turned into constellations, draped in nets of tiny starlike lights that outlined their branches against the night sky. The reflecting pools mirrored the moons and danced with the faerie lights that floated just above their surface. It was breathtaking.

  A sharp whisper broke through the silence, coming from a corridor to my right. I froze, then smiled beneath my mask. Who didn't love a bit of palace gossip? Especially when no one knew who was listening.

  I slipped off my heels and tip-toed silently toward the sound. As I drew closer, the whispers became clearer, and I recognized the voices - Lord Cassius and Lady Marigold. How absolutely scandalous! I pressed myself against the wall beside a large potted fern.

  "-completely irresponsible!" Lady Marigold's voice was tight with anger. "Inviting that flamboyant foreigner to the palace! What were you thinking, Cassius? Do you not vet these people?!"

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  "Oh, calm yourself." Lord Cassius replied calmly. "Bellamy is harmless."

  "Harmless? He's filling her head with all these ideas about foreign lands! It is imperative to the country that she stay put!"

  I held my breath. They were talking about me. Even better!

  "The situation is well in hand." Cassius said. "He's a new plaything, some foreign pillock that will entertain her for a while, then she will grow bored, as usual."

  "And if she doesn't? If she gets it into her head that she wants to see these places for herself?"

  "She is well aware of what happened to her father; she understands why she cannot leave."

  I leaned forward, straining to hear better, and my elbow knocked against a decorative vase. I caught it before it toppled, but not before it made a ringing sound against the side table.

  The conversation inside went silent. Footsteps approached the door, and I straightened up as it swung open.

  Lord Cassius filled the doorway, his figure silhouetted against the light from the room behind him. His eyes narrowed as he spotted me.

  "Ariella?" he asked. "What are you doing skulking about out here?"

  My mind raced. The color-changing clips - with my hair and styling matching Ariella's, he thought I was his daughter! I clasped my hands in front of me, mimicking Ariella's posture when dealing with her father.

  "I was just..." I kept my voice soft, hoping he wouldn't notice the difference.

  Lord Cassius stepped into the hallway. "Never mind that. Lady Marigold is getting overstrung about the Queen. Tell me your assessment - is there any chance of the new ambassador stealing the Queen's affections?"

  "That's preposterous!" I said. "She is mildly fascinated, at best; he is shiny and new, and she loves her trinkets, you know that."

  "See?" Cassius turned his head slightly toward the door. Then he returned his attention to me, his voice lowering. "That being said, increase the speed of your efforts. I should like to get this marriage done this decade."

  Marriage?

  "Yes, Father. I should... get back to that."

  I dropped into a quick curtsy. Lord Cassius nodded and turned back to the door.

  "The council meets tomorrow at noon." he said over his shoulder. "We have other matters to discuss."

  I backed away as he reentered the room, the door closing behind him. Their voices resumed, moving on to other topics, but I couldn't make myself stay to listen. The upper hallway suddenly felt suffocating. I needed air, needed space to think. The gardens - they were quite deserted.