Page 90 of House of Blood and Roses: Vol. 1

"Oh. Yes." I look down at the piece of paper, trying to work out how I feel about all of this. It's surreal to think I'm actually getting a say in it, especially as I feel like I've had such little control over everything else since I got here.

"Now, unless you have any questions, I should get to my other work," he says.

"No, I don't." I get to my feet, pausing for a moment. "Thank you."

He raises an eyebrow.

I clear my throat. "For not just choosing for me."

"I truly would rather work with you than against you, Beatrice," he says. "Even if it might have felt like that isn't the case."

I nod and make my way out of the room, my thoughts not standing still for a moment as I consider the situation I've found myself in, and whether I believe everything he's saying or not.

TEN

It's strange to walk into the ballroom and not instantly be able to tell who is who from the colours they're wearing. I've become so used to seeing a patch of teal and knowing it belongs to House Carmichel or green and knowing it's House Vermatchi, that it's strange to have that option taken away from me.

Not that I'm naive enough to think people won't recognise me. If there's one thing I've learned from the previous masked ball I attended, it's that masks don't obscure much when you know who you're looking at. I just need a longer moment to work that out.

Which is going to make it harder to find the women I'm supposed to find to talk to and discover whether or not I want them as my future ladies-in-waiting.

"Beatrice," Lord Fallmartin says.

I turn to him, not feeling the same surge of anxiety at having him talk to him as before. I doubt it's what he intended, but his conversation with me the other day does seem to have helped me come to terms with where I stand when it comes to my relationship with my father.

"The King has requested that you and Prince Lincoln are to only share one dance until the announcement is made."

"Oh." Disappointment floods through me. I was looking forward to dancing with Linc, especially now that I don't have to feel guilty about dancing with him multiple times. "When will it be made?"

"Midnight, when the masks come off," he responds.

I nod. That's not too far away at least. "One dance."

"Excellent."

"Does that mean I don't have to dance with my betrothed more than once?" Bastian asks.

Lord Fallmartin's demeanour changes, but it's so slight that it's almost impossible to notice. "You should dance with your wife as many times as she pleases," he tells my brother.

"I don't see why I should have to when Beatrice only has to dance once," my brother protests.

"Because they are different circumstances," Lord Fallmartin responds. "Beatrice is marrying into the royal family, and what the King wants, the King gets. He wishes for everything to stay quiet until midnight when he announces the betrothal, so that's what we're giving him. Beatrice understands that."

I nod, even if there's a part of me that wants to ignore the instructions.

"I'm glad that's all clear." He doesn't linger a moment longer and heads off to go and speak to someone.

"You're lucky," Bastian mutters to me.

I shrug. "Believe what you want to." I turn around and walk off, trying to find Linc amongst the crowd, but failing.

Luckily, I do spot someone I'm looking for and head over to where Emilia is nursing a glass of wine and watching the dancers.

My friend smiles as she sees me and tucks a strand of blonde hair behind her mask. "They do nothing, do they?" she says as I approach.

I laugh. "Not really, no."

"I suppose it all looks good." She gestures to the ballroom around us. "I don't think I've ever seen so few colours in here."