A masked orchestra plays a lively tune from a balcony above the dance floor. Silks and velvets swirl in a riot of deep reds, golds, and midnight blues beneath them.

At the edge of the crowd, a young man in a dark blue doublet and a silver half-mask scans the room with restless urgency. His jaw is set tight.

Then, across the marble floor, a girl in a pale gold gown turns. Her mask is simple—white, with a single sapphire at the temple. Her hair is dark, loose, catching the light.

Romeo stops mid-step. The music seems to dull, the voices fade to a hum.

The girl’s eyes meet his through the crowd.