Madelynn hiked her skirt up, brushing through the crowd as she headed straight for the carriages. She didn’t care if she was being rude, or even outright mean or scandalous. Casimir’s prodding, Callum’s eyes, the pressure from her mother - it was like a knife being driven through her belly, and she couldn’t stand it anymore.

She exited the courtyard and cut through the designated path, not slowing when her shoe sunk into mud or her dress snagged on a vine.

“Madelynn?”

She froze at the sound of his voice. She turned, slowly, to find him standing at the edge of the courtyard, his chest heaving with each labored breath.

“Callum?” she called back, feeling like an idiot, standing in front of him and still yearning for his attention after leaving the side of another man.

“What are you doing?” He started toward her, and she hated herself for standing still. She should turn and walk away. Everything about this was wildly inappropriate.

“I’m leaving.” Though she made no movement toward leaving. “I can’t be here anymore.”

“Why?” He was nearing her now, and she could see the flush of his cheeks, the wild hairs sticking out where the gel failed.

“I just-” she took a deep breath, puffing her cheeks out as she exhaled. “I shouldn’t have come here to begin with.”

He was close enough now that she could see the lines of frustration on his face. She couldn’t do this. She would be in enough trouble already- probably locked in her room until she reached the age of spinsterhood- and she couldn’t risk tarnishing her name anymore than it already was. Her parents were willing enough to sell her off to Casimir, she couldn’t stand to think about what they’d do now that he was certainly no longer interested in her.

Madelynn forced her eyes away from Callum and turned around, taking a step toward the carriages.

Then his hand appeared around her wrist and she whipped around, finding her eyes locked on his once again. In the gentle light of the moon, his eyes were glowing silver- gentle yet demanding.

“You can’t run from this,” he said sternly, his voice lacking any of the playfulness he’d had at their first meeting. “Casimir is not a man you want to be associated with. He’s cunning and manipulative and-”

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“Callum, I don’t care about Casimir,” Madelynn interrupted. He was close enough that she had to incline her head to look into his eyes. “This-” she motioned behind him, toward the courtyard, where people were slowly filtering into the great hall- “is not my world. I’m not made for politics or cryptic conversations.”

He just stared down at her, his eyes studying her with a feral vigor. “Why did you leave the ball early?”

Madelynn scrunched her face in confusion. “What? What does that have to do with anything? I left because I was drunk and upset and lonely and bored, and probably a myriad of other things I forgot by the time I was sober.”

“I wanted you to stay.”

“What? I-” She shook her head, her mind swirling with a million different emotions. “Why are you telling me this now? Why didn’t you write or call on me if you were so concerned about me leaving early?”

He paused, licking his lips. “Madelynn, I’m a soldier. I spend my days training so I can be better at killing, and my nights studying different ways to kill. I’m never going to be good with words the way Cas is.”

“Hold on.” Madelynn shook free from his grasp, taking a step back, the gravel crunching loudly under her heeled shoe. “I’m very confused right now. What are you trying to achieve? I don’t understand why Casimir’s words have anything to do with what you’re saying.”

He scrubbed a hand over his face, his lips curled in what Madelynn could only describe as desperation. “I can’t explain it, Madelynn. I have spent my whole life working toward what I am today. And I didn’t realize how much I was missing out on until I met you. I don’t have the words to bring the feeling to life, but I know you feel it too.”

So, he did feel the same. She felt her expression soften as she tilted her head, trying to understand. “Are you joking? I’ve spent the last two days trying to convince myself it was nothing – that I read too much into it. But I can’t shake it, Callum. It’s maddening.”

Callum smiled tightly, looking disingenuous. “We shouldn’t talk here any longer – if he notices it’ll –” He glanced over his shoulder and took a deep breath. “Would you walk with me?”

Madelynn stood still, debating taking his outstretched arm. The distant hum of music signalled the dance had begun. Her mother was surely searching for her, and likely Casimir as well. “My reputation is already at stake tonight, and I’m pretty sure I just ruined any chance at a prospect under the age of sixty.”

He straightened, his demeanor changing slightly. “Oh, I’m sorry. The Madelynn I met at the ball would have jumped at the chance to leave her life behind- even just for a moment. My being here with you puts my position at jeopardy, as well. This is the only time I’ll offer this.”

A challenge. She watched his eyes, waiting to see a flicker of dishonesty, but his gaze stayed solid, genuine, as he watched her. The moon cast shadows across his face, softening the sharp angles and making his exhaustion all the more visible. He looked both fierce and fragile, like a man who had carried too much for too long.

“Fine,” she finally broke the tension hanging over them. “But, if we get caught, you owe me a marriage. I’ll never marry with a reputation so tarnished after something so scandalous.”

A smile- a genuine, dimpled smile- spread across his lips as she took his arm. “Deal.”