They stepped down out of the carriage, and Madelynn slipped her hand through her mother’s arm. “Shouldn’t General Aldrich have met us here?” she asked, feeling completely out of her element. The crowd in front of them was sprawling, even from across the field. They weren’t swaying or spinning or buzzing with a charged tension like at the ball. It was calm, filled with chatter, and alight with an instability Madelynn couldn’t place.

“Not at a Banquet,” her mother responded, leaning in close to whisper. “He’ll likely meet you when we’re all seated for dinner. That’s how it was when I was a Young Lady, at least.”

They were nearing the crowd now, and Madelynn could feel the nervous sweat pooling on her upper lip and palms. “You’ll stay with me, right?”

Her mother smiled, tightening her hold on Madelynn’s hand. “Always. As long as you’ll let me, that is.”

Madelynn smiled tightly, but leaned into her mother. She felt like she was going to explode with all the tension in her belly. The crowd looked so… grown. She felt like a toddler amongst such accomplished men and women. “I don’t know if I can do this,” she murmured as they entered the heart of the crowd. A gentle flow of conversation encompassed Madelynn, but it felt like an unbearable force, wrapping around her in a serpent’s grip. Her breathing was growing increasingly ragged and her heart rate was thumping loudly in her ears. Suddenly, her corset was too tight and her shoes were rubbing too much and her dress was wildly inappropriate.

Men and women passed by her, dressed with elegance and grace, and Madelynn couldn’t help but feel immature and out of place.

She blinked rapidly, trying to regain her composure as her mother pulled her forward. She was going to faint if she couldn’t control her panic. It was all just too much.

And then, she saw him.

His uniform was posh and neat, decorated with badges and ribbons Madelynn didn’t know much about. His hair was neatly pushed back and slicked with gel, and his tight smile showed that he felt uncomfortable amongst the crowd as well. Maybe not as much as she did, but enough that he was the most important person in the crowd to her. His posture was rigid exuding authority, even as he sipped on the drink in his hand.

“Mom!” Madelynn stood on her toes and pulled on her mother’s arm, whispering frantically in her ear. “That’s him. That’s Casimir Aldrich.”

Her mother followed her gaze until she found him. “Oh!” She perked up, a look of surprise on her face. “He’s much handsomer than I thought he’d be. The rumors did him no justice.”

Madelynn made a mental note to ask her about the rumors at a later time. “Should I approach him?”

Her mother shook her head, dragging her sideways. “We should find our names before dinner is called. He’ll find us when it’s time. We shouldn’t interrupt any conversations he’s having.”

Madelynn nodded, biting her lip. He wasn’t who she wanted to see, but knowing there was at least a semi-familiar face in the crowd left her feeling a bit calmer.

They pranced around the crowd for a moment more before they found their names on little plaques at a round table uncomfortably close to the dais. Lady Penelope Hawtrey, Lady Madelynn Hawtrey, and General Casimir Aldrich. Madelynn took her seat and adjusted her dress under her. She turned to scan the crowd, but her mother grabbed her hand, drawing her attention.

“Don’t stare, it’s unladylike,” she said tightly, and Madelynn just nodded, righting her posture.

“How long until dinner is called?” she asked, staring ahead at the empty stage.

“I’m not sure.” Her mother pulled a napkin from the center of the table and draped it over her skirt. “But, Madelynn! He is so handsome. You made it seem like he was unapproachable when you were describing him yesterday.”

“You didn’t see the way he looked at me,” Madelynn deadpanned, not liking the way the conversation was headed. “I’ve never been called on before. What am I supposed to talk about? How do I hold a conversation with someone I don’t even know?”

Her mother chuckled, bringing up a hand to cover her mouth. “Ask him questions about his achievements. That always gets these military men talking.”

Madelynn smiled, thinking back to her easy conversation with Callum. It was barely even a conversation, but there had been no expectations, no rules of engagement. She shook her head, her curls bouncing around against her cheeks. This wasn’t the time to be thinking about him. She shouldn’t have been thinking of him at all. And despite everyone else’s certainty, she was almost certain he wasn’t here. Her and her mother had walked the whole perimeter of the crowd and she didn’t catch even a glimpse of his white hair against the backdrop of the crowd.

Just as Madelynn began wondering if dinner would ever be called, an old, wrinkled gentleman took to the stage and adjusted the microphone to his- small- height. He cleared his throat, drawing the crowd’s attention. “If everyone could take a seat, dinner will be served momentarily.”

Madelynn’s stomach lurched. She clamped her eyes shut and tried to steady her breathing. Her mind wandered back to Casimir’s eyes on her, the way she felt violated from just a passing glance. She shouldn’t have agreed to come tonight. She should have just stayed home and accepted her parents’ judgement and Elise’s disappointment and moved on with her life.

“Good evening, Ladies.”

The voice made her back go rigid. She wanted to disappear. To bury her head in the dirt until the party ended and then run away from society forever. But, as her mother turned and stood to greet him, she scrambled to do the same.

Golden eyes locked onto hers, and her breath caught. They lacked the predatory intensity of their last meeting, but they were no less piercing. Swirling with flecks of gold and brown, they seemed to see too much, and yet revealed nothing in return.

“Good evening, Sir,” Madelynn greeted, curtseying on unstable feet as she held his gaze.

Then, he smiled- bright and cheerful, but calculated and distant at the same time- and the chill left her, the air feeling just a bit lighter. A breathy chuckle left his lips and he motioned toward Madelynn’s seat. “You don’t have to stand to greet me.” His voice was smooth, disarming, and entirely unexpected. It was the kind of voice that could make her forget, for a moment, the danger lurking just beneath its surface. “I invited you here, after all.”

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Madelynn nodded and fell back into her chair. He took the seat next to her, and turned to face her with a kind smile that just seemed off. Tainted, somehow.

“So,” he started, motioning to the open air around him. “How do you find the company? Suffocating, isn’t it?”

Madelynn found herself smiling, despite herself and nodded again. “I can’t help but feel I don’t quite belong here.”

His smile broadened as he scanned the crowd. “I’ve been in the military since the day I turned eighteen. That feeling never goes away.”

She laughed stiffly, glancing back toward her mother, who just motioned for Madelynn to ignore her. She turned back to Casimir, whose gaze was still fixed on her.

Madelynn couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong, even when the conversation seemed to flow easily. Something about the way he set his jaw, the calculated movements of his eyes, even his smile felt practiced. Like he was hiding something.

“I must apologize,” he continued, leaning in closer to speak in a hushed tone, “for not approaching you at the ball. I was coerced into coming by a colleague, and I saw the way you absolutely tore into that young lad and-” he chuckled- “I wasn’t sure I could handle the same treatment.”

“Oh gosh.” Madelynn felt herself flush, remembering back to the horse boy. “I’m sorry you had to witness that.” His colleague. Callum. What if it was all a set up? To try to get Casimir interested in her? Her stomach tightened once again.

“Oh no, it was incredible,” he laughed out. “I’ve never seen someone’s ego deflate so quickly. However, I also know that if that were me, I probably would’ve broken down right in the middle of the dance floor. I tend to crumble under any sort of degradation.”

“For some reason, I don’t believe that,” she responded playfully, and leaned in toward him, despite her intuition screaming at her that this was a bad idea. “I get the feeling you would have thrown it right back in my face. You don’t seem like the type of man that falls silently.”

He looked away from her as he continued chuckling. “You’ve got quite a sense of humor, don’t you? I can’t help but wonder why no man has snatched you up yet.”

Madelynn bit her lip at the compliment, just as her mother had taught her. “It may have something to do with my inclination toward rudeness over diplomacy.”

He bit the inside of his cheek, stifling a smile. “Well, as long as you promise not to injure my pride too much over the course of the evening, I’m sure we can find some mutual ground.”

“Deal,” she said, as he reached his hand out toward her. She accepted the offer and wrapped her hand around his.

Then, plates were placed in front of them, and dinner passed in a haze of forced laughter and calculated smiles. Casimir’s charm was undeniable, but there was something about the way his eyes lingered on her that set her nerves alight. As the plates were cleared again and the awards ceremony was announced, Madelynn felt the weight of the evening settle heavily on her chest. She hadn’t seen him all night, but the nagging feeling that Callum was here clawed at her mind.

“Do you expect to get many awards tonight, Sir?” Madelynn’s mother leaned across the table to talk to Casimir, speaking loudly over the hum of the crowd.

He furrowed his brow and thought for a moment. “I took a more passive role in this campaign, so I don’t see much recognition coming my way this evening.” He leaned back in his chair and folded his hands in his lap. “My colleague, General Whitlow- I believe you met him at the ball, Lady Madelynn- I expect him to receive more than most. He’s quite a formidable soldier.”

Madelynn could feel his eyes on her, even as hers dropped to watch her hands fiddle on the table. So, he was aware of her and Callum’s time together. She felt her mother’s hand on her thigh, and she turned to look at her.

She smiled at Madelynn, and Madelynn returned the sentiment, hiding her shaking hands in her lap. All she had to do was keep her facade up until the night was over. After all, Casimir wasn’t being outwardly mean or anything of the sort. In fact, the comment was quite innocent, despite the venomous undertones.

She put on her best smile, turning back to Casimir. “I do believe I had a brief run in with him,” she said in a sweet voice. “But, if the decorations you adorn attest to your own proficiency, it would seem that you’re quite the soldier yourself.”

He raised an eyebrow at her, and suddenly she could feel the tension in his gaze. He was testing her, seeing how she would respond to the mention of Callum’s name. “I try not to brag, but yes. I’ve had a relatively outstanding career.”

Finally, Madelynn was playing a game she knew the rules to. “And do you plan on staying with the military for long? Or will you retire once you reach the age?”

Casimir chuckled, his smile tightening. “Well, not to age myself, but retirement is still around ten years out for me even if I decide to take my leave as soon as I can. However, I imagine I’ll be staying in the field beyond that.”

“I can’t say I know much about the inner workings of the military, but you rose to the rank of General quite quickly, did you not?” She fluttered her eyelashes daintily, watching as he rolled his shoulders.

“I wouldn’t say I collected promotions any quicker than anyone else.” He leaned forward, the smile on his face turning devious. “Let’s just say I’m quite passionate about my line of work.”

Madelynn furrowed her brow, leaning back again, putting space between them. He was an enigma. He fell somewhere between terrifying and utterly charming, and it left her completely uneasy.

Thankfully, their conversation was interrupted by a large, muscle bound man as he crossed the stage and scooped up the microphone. “Excuse me everyone,” he announced, his tone awkward and uncomfortable. “I’ll begin announcing awards now. When I call your name, just stand for applause. Then, after the dance, you can come and collect what you’ve earned.”

A silence fell across the banquet, and Madelynn straightened in her chair, watching Casimir out of the corner of her eye.

The man carried on, announcing names Madelynn was unfamiliar with. A man would stand, give a wave, the crowd would cheer, then the next name would be announced. It was an endlessly boring cycle, and Madelynn found herself fighting off slumber.

“And next, I’ll call on General Callum Whitlock.” Madelynn perked up, feeling the blood rushing to her cheeks. She could feel the adrenaline picking up where her lack of sleep left off, pulling sweat into her palms once again. “General Whitlock, if you’re here please stand for recognition.”

Madelynn turned her head, searching the crowd while trying to seem nonchalant to Casimir. There was no chance he didn’t notice her searching efforts; however, given how he’d questioned her on him earlier. She didn’t really care, either. If Callum was here, that was all that mattered.

Then, white hair flashed at a table on the opposite side of the courtyard. Madelynn’s breath caught in her chest. There he was—General Callum Whitlock—standing tall amidst the sea of applause, his silver-blue eyes cutting through the crowd until they locked onto hers. And suddenly, the entire evening felt like it had been leading to this single moment.

“General Whitlock is recognized for…”

The sounds of the banquet faded. He didn’t smirk, or raise his eyebrows, or show any sign that he recognized her, but his eyes held hers from that moment until applause filled the crowd. And once he’d sat back down, Madelynn could feel the weight of Casimir’s gaze on her. Her skin crawled as he bore a hole in the side of her head.

She turned back around, trying to act natural as she folded her hands on the table in front of her.

“See?” Casimir prodded, leaning in to talk in a hushed tone to her and her mother. “I’m sure General Whitlock will be quite decorated, as well, after tonight.”

Madelynn just smiled distantly. The rest of the ceremony dragged on as her mind replayed Callum’s gaze over and over again. He seemed so much colder than the last time she’d spoken to him, almost as if he was a completely different person. She didn’t expect him to stop, mid ceremony, to speak to her, but his eyes were like stones as he’d stared at her.

Then, as it was announced that the party would be moving into the great hall for the dance portion of the evening, Madelynn pushed herself to stand.

“Madelynn!” Her mother caught her arm in her hand, but Madelynn pulled it free. She couldn’t be here any longer. It was all just too much.