If Maize could have melted into the stone wall behind her, she would have.

Instead, standing there like a spectacle as Laris worked his way through the crowd directly to her, she had nowhere to run, nowhere to hide.

How do you hide from the Prince of Dreduor?

He stopped directly in front of her, giving her the same smile as he had when they crossed paths in the library. Only this time, he was the Prince...

"You're not a courtier," was the first thing she could think of to say.

"I never said I was."

She opened her mouth to respond, thinking back to their brief conversation... and he was right. She assumed working with the prince meant something other than actually being the prince.

"So you allowed me to think you were someone you weren't."

"I didn't allow you to think of anything. You did that all on your own."

The irony of the situation was not lost.

"I see you've received the dress I sent you," Laris said with a purr, his eyes respectfully thorough hungrily roaming over her black and red-clad

Under that gaze, she could feel every inch of the dress on her skin like a lover's caress. "How did you even know who I was or where to find me?"

"I didn't. I still don't. But I would like to."

Maize hadn't considered using a false identity. The fewer lies she needed to maintain the better off she would be anyway.

"Maizelyn."

"Laris." He smiled.

"I know who you are."

"And I may not have been back here for long, but I do make a point of knowing who's supposed to be representing me. And that they are presented in their very best."

Maize glanced around the room. "I don't see any of the other courtiers in your red and black finery."

"I didn't want any of the others to compliment me."

She glared at him slightly. "That's extremely presumptuous of you."

"I'm an extremely presumptuous man, especially when I expect you to join me on the dance floor before the evening is over."

"What if you're otherwise indisposed?"

"I'll make the time."

"What if I'm otherwise disposed?"

"You won't be."

She scowled, even at the Prince. "I don't dance."

"A lady of your stature? I don't believe that."

Right. She was supposed to be a lady. Or at least Lady enough to be considered as a courtier for the Prince. "Then I supposed there will only be one way to find that out."

"Indeed."

A servant who looked surprisingly like Ress offered them each a flute of sparkling wine while they stood there. Maize hated being watched, hated being seen as a spectacle. It wasn't her fault she crossed paths with the estranged Prince of Dreduor while sneaking around the library. How was she to know one little chance encounter would flourish into a new dress and the direct attention of the prince during the ball that was supposedly thrown in his honor?

And the banter came almost too naturally that Maize forgot who she was addressing. Just as naturally as the silence between them while they each sipped at their glasses.

"Prince Laris, a word?" an auburn-haired man asked a short distance away, and Laris, of all people, gave her a bow before he silently excused himself to greet the lingering lordly couple vying for his attention.

It was surreal, and Maize blinked away the dreamlike haze that was never there to begin with. Refocusing, she caught sight of Lawson Forge, glaring at her from across the room as if she had something to do with attracting the Prince's attention. She gave him a playful wave, knowing well there was nothing he could do about it.

On the other side of the room, with his try still serving a tray of drinks to partygoers, Ress had also observed the whole spectacle.

She remained by the banquet tables as her partner moved towards her, playing his part as a willing servant and offering drinks as he approached. He used the guise of refilling his tray to speak with her.

"How did you manage to capture the attention of the prince so quickly? I'd have at least considered serving him three drinks before coercing him in your direction."

Maize took another glass of sparkling wine and drank it in one gulp before replacing it on Ress' tray. "The same way I was able to do so in the library, I suppose."

Ress looked up at her at that. "You're not saying-"

Maize nodded but her attention remained on Laris as he worked through the room. "I don't think you're going to be able to get that first taste now."

"Neither are you."

"Oh, I don't know about that." She smirked. "He bought the dress, so maybe he'll be just as eager to take it off."

"He what? How did he know-"

"I don't know. Maybe I don't want to know. But I'm thinking maybe we can use this to our advantage."

"By sleeping with the prince?"

"Exactly- wait what? No." She considered. "Not exactly. But if I can find myself better in the Prince's good graces..."

"... maybe no one will pay much attention when we need to find what we're looking for."

"Exactly."

"And maybe he knows what we're looking for?"

"If we could only be so lucky." She sighed. "It doesn't help that he's so pleasant to look at."

"Oh, he's not that-"

The tray clattered to the floor, glass shattering and drinks spilling everywhere. Immediately concern coursed through her, and she looked to Ress assuming the worst.

Had something happened to him? Shot through with an arrow? Stabbed by an unseen blade?

No blood. No obvious wounds. But he hadn't even moved to begin to clean up what mess he made.

"Ress, what's wrong?" she asked, placing a gentle hand on his arm as if trying to pull him back from whatever had startled him so.

"It's him." She could barely hear him speaking over the sound of the gathering crowd and the murmurings of the servants on reserve coming to clean up the mess he had made.

Following his gaze, Maize saw Laris speaking with the same auburn-haired man and his raven-haired consort. A rather well-put-together couple.

"Yes. That's the Prince. I already told you that."

"No, not him," Ress breathed. "Him."

Maize looked more attentively to where Ress was staring. There was nothing particular about the couple speaking with Laris, nothing glaring that made them stand out as if they were a celebrity or well-known to the kingdom. They looked diplomatic, nothing more.

She turned back to face him. "I don't understand-"

Ress' eyes were wide and clenched fists shaking at his sides.

"Maize... that's Cade."