The grand ball

[Natalie Grey]

Another insult washed away. She might have commended his sharpness if she weren't so weary of her surroundings or the strings he tried to tie about her wrists. The second time she brought the conversation to an end he let her leave, but the urgency to do so had diminished beyond simply disliking his company. By now Jay was no longer alone; whatever had disturbed him forgotten or soothed away. Nox looked well recovered, and Natalie blinked her attention away.

The crowd moved like flowers towards the sun when Brandon unveiled himself, but she chose not to notice. She ought to make some effort to discover the identity of her thoughtful 'benefactor', but the blur of faces and inane chatter around her only itched her skin with frustration; she couldn't bring herself to play the game, so she spoke to no one as she threaded through the guests. Each step stung through her foot, but the pain tethered her imagination from darker things; it seemed a fair trade.

She was seeking air, deliberating the merits of feigning illness and making a swift exit before they were seated, when Evelyn approached, draped in velvet nightfall and stars. Natalie's expression softened somewhere close to a smile; genuine, if subtle, for the slim hint of uncertainty she sensed in the other. She didn't need Evelyn anymore, at least not for her original purposes, but her interest in the Congresswoman's work had not been disingenuous.

"Evelyn, you are the very picture of loveliness."