At the center of it all, the Queen's announcement still echoed in every mind: "Tonight, and every night henceforth, the palace shall host a daily ball. All are welcome—noble, merchant, and foreigner alike."

The courtiers had whispered behind their fans, eyes darting to the dais where the young Princess sat, a figure carved from ice and shadow. She did not smile. She did not move. She simply watched.

A servant in crimson livery approached the grand doors, his voice ringing above the chatter.

Beyond them, a sea of faces turned—curious, calculating, eager. And at the far end of the room, upon that gilded dais, the Princess's dark, onyx eyes finally lifted.

They found you.