Prin left the hallway and re-entered the party, which seemed to have thinned out a bit. Prin wondered how long he had been gone. Between twenty minutes and two hours he figured, having no sense at all for the length of time that had passed while he was out, or not himself. He crept along the outer edges, feeling dirty, like a sneak thief. Although he was actually something so much worse.

The band was playing soft ambient music.

Prin headed to the bathroom, and seeing no sign of anyone he recognized, he went in and washed his hands and face, rinsing out his mouth with cold water. The mirror over the sink revealed nothing, not one drop of blood.

Almost as though there had never been a body after all. But he could taste it. Memory could lie, eyes could lie, but the sticky sour copper taste in his mouth was all too real.

He needed Elwin.

Prin left the bathroom and went looking for, well anyone, really. He took a glass of champagne figuring his headache couldn’t get any worse anyway. And he had to do something about this awful taste.

He still was afraid that he had done something to Valor. He was there, he was there with the monster, and then he wasn’t. What else was the most logical conclusion?

Prin drank down the champagne and saw Dru coming toward him. Great, the second most useless one.

“Hey.” Dru smiled at him. “You don’t look so hot. Drink too much?”

Prin frowned and shook his head. “I don’t know, just tired I guess.”

“You and me both. Do you think we’re getting ready to leave soon?” She cast a furtive look behind and around herself, as though avoiding someone. “I am so over it with this place.”

“Have you seen the others?” Prin asked.

Dru shrugged. “I dunno, off and on. Have you seen a girl in a slinky black dress with lace at the cuffs? Blond hair? If you do, warn me, would you?”

“Most of them are wearing black dresses.” Prin pointed out.

“Young and very pretty. Brunette.” Dru added helpfully.

“What did you do to her?” Prin asked. Did she already forget what this person looked like?

Dru laughed. Her lack of an answer was telling in itself. “Let’s split up and find the others. Then we’ll all meet up by the door?”

“I’ll try.” Prin said.

The two of them went off, one to the right and one to the left.

Prin wound his way through the people, not paying any attention to them if they stared, if they tried to talk to him. They were background scenery to him at this point. He almost cried when he saw Elwin coming toward him through the crowd.

Elwin’s dear, serious eyebrows were scrunched in concentration as he scanned the crowd. His face relaxed and he smiled when he saw Prin, his eyes alight.

The prince couldn’t help himself, he ran to Elwin and hugged him tight.

“Nice to see you again too.” Elwin said. His voice right next to Prin’s ear made his insides flutter. And for a moment he even forgot his distress. For a moment.

“Something happened, I don’t . . . I can’t talk about it here.” Prin said. “Where’s Valor?”

“I tried to keep him distracted so you could take your time but I think he was getting annoyed with me.” Elwin said.

“How could you tell?” Prin asked.

“He said, You’re annoying.” Elwin cracked a wry smile.

Prin wanted to laugh but he was in too much misery. “Where is he though? Where is he?”

Elwin’s brows went together again, trying to figure Prin out.

Prin wished sometimes he would just stop trying.

“I had to leave him in a chair. He was feeling sick from tiredness and drink, even though he wouldn’t admit it. This is a lot of excitement for him.” Elwin said. “I guess. Being he doesn’t leave the house much, and spends half his time looking over his shoulder. Er, figure of speech, you know what I mean.”

“Wouldn’t you?” Prin asked. “If you were him. Did you, you mean just now?”

“Yeah, just now. I wouldn’t leave him for long. I just wanted to find you, really. Or maybe the Captain and Aster.” Elwin said.

It was Prin’s turn to try and figure something out. “But you weren’t with him the whole time I’ve been gone were you? I mean aside from the last few minutes.”

“Sure, of course. You never know what he might get into. Or other people might try to take advantage. Of course I was with him. We split up with Aster, but Valor never left my sight.” Elwin said. He had gently pulled away from the hug (people were staring), and looped his arm through Prin’s as they walked. “You haven’t seen the others, have you?”

Prin frowned, his thoughts racing. Nothing made any sense. Come to think of it, it didn’t make sense for Valor to have come and found him on his own like that. I mean, how? Maybe that’s what had been bothering Prin. How had a blind boy been sent to come and find him? Unless one of the others was just standing very nearby. Even still. And he had made no indication that one of the others had walked down the hall with him.

“I saw Dru. She’s ready to leave and said we should round everyone up and meet near the front entrance.” Prin said absently, barely thinking about his answer. “Let’s go back to Valor.”

Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

Elwin led the way. And they soon saw a grouping of ladies and gentlemen clustered around a decorative armchair.

Prin let go of Elwin quickly and ran to Valor, afraid that something was wrong.

“He’s with me!” He told the people. “Is everything okay?”

A young lady who had been holding a wet towel and preparing to apply it to Valor’s face and another who held a glass of water, turned to Prin.

“Oh good, you’re here.” One of them said. “This is his date.” She said to the others. “Maybe ill? He seems to be out like a light.”

“We were worried!” Said the other.

“Thank you.” Prin said awkwardly. He was sure they were judging him for leaving the vulnerable boy alone. Even if it had been Elwin who did it.

Valor was fast asleep in the chair, leaning a little too far to the side as though he was in the beginning stages of sliding onto the floor.

“We’ll take it from here.” Elwin took the glass of water and the towel from the other party guests and stood between them and Valor, giving them a look meant to shoo them away.

One of the girls frowned in disapproval, but her and her friends wandered off, looking back over their shoulders and no doubt gossiping about them.

Prin sighed. “He’s okay, I think.”

Elwin put the wet towel on Valor’s head, which made his eyes shoot open. “What did you do that for?” He put his hand to his head.

Prin couldn’t hold himself back any longer and hugged Valor, pulling him to his feet. “Oh, you’re okay, you’re fine. Thank the gods!”

Valor’s mouth opened in a startled o, and the towel fell off his head and hit the floor with a wet plop. “You’re the one who ditched me, not the other way around.” He reminded. “Did you talk to her?”

Prin chose to ignore this question, as he didn’t know how to answer it even if he wanted to.

“We’re all tired. Shouldn’t we head home?” Prin suggested. He couldn’t wait to get Elwin alone and tell him all about what had happened, as much as he could remember anyway. Maybe have a cry about it. He definitely felt like he could use one.

“I’m fine.” Valor said, undercutting it in the middle with a yawn. Very cute.

Prin kept his arm around the smaller young man as they reentered the fray.

“As soon as we can find everyone.” Elwin said. “Easier said than done.”

Valor wrinkled his nose. “Did you hurt yourself?” He asked.

Prin had a flashback to him asking it before, are you injured. “No, no, I’m fine.”

“You – There’s a smell of blood in the air.” Valor said. “Are you sure you aren’t cut?”

“Maybe it’s you who’s had a scrape.” Elwin suggested. “We’ll check you over when we get home.”

“Oh. I don’t think so. But maybe.” Valor said.

Prin rather wished he would shut up about it.

Luckily, before any more questions could be asked, they spotted Aster and the captain a little ways away, chatting with another couple. Aster spotted them as well and disengaged from the other couple.

It seemed like they were having an interesting conversation, Aster and Captain Thompson, as they walked over to meet the others.

“Which one?” Captain Thompson was asking. “Her too? Both of them?” He shook his head, a note of amazed irritation in his voice, but his little smile, evoked grudging admiration.

Aster shrugged. “It’s not like it’s my social life. It’s just work.”

“Fair enough. I would have done it for free. In my younger days.” The captain laughed, his beard waggling jauntily. “You can understand though, I want you all to myself.”

“That’s what they all say.” Aster laughed.

When they got close enough to touch, Prin considered hugging Aster too. But, decided he had been weird enough out in public for one night, especially considering the circumstances. He didn’t want to draw any further attention to himself (wasn’t there still a dead woman around here somewhere unaccounted for?). Also, his hands were full with Valor, who was leaning against him heavily.

Aster gave him one of her more angelic smiles. “Why hello boys, fancy meeting you here.”

“It really is fancy.” Elwin said.

Aster laughed, though she was the only one to acknowledge he was funny. Poor Elwin.

“Can we get out of here?” Prin asked. “Soon?” He tried to keep his voice calm and steady, not wanting to seem too eager to flee the scene of the crime.

“My boy looks like he’s had enough.” Captain Thompson said fondly. “I trust no great calamity has occurred?”

“No.” Elwin said.

“Not yet.” Valor said ominously.

“Well you better get on it then, you’re almost out of time!” Aster teased, looking at an imaginary pocket watch.

“Dru is supposed to be meeting us near the front door.” Elwin said. “I think we’ve all probably had enough.”

Aster looked around the room. “You know, the funny thing about it is . . . Freya never came back with the surprise.” She didn’t mention that Prin had been sent to go talk to her, almost as though she forgot. Or, didn’t want to bring it up in case it hadn’t gone well, more like. She stuck out her lower lip in a cutely exaggerated pout. “I wanted to wait for the surprise.”

“Others have already left.” The captain pointed out. “Maybe there was no grand finale after all? Just a rumor? Or she got distracted with something else and forgot about it.” He laughed.

“That must be it.” Aster’s eyes met Prin’s, searching, then letting go.

Prin was so antsy to get out of there he could only offer a weak watery smile in return.

“Oh, my pup, come here.” The captain took Valor from Prin, looking as though he wanted to pick him up like a baby, and may have been fully capable of it too, but thought better and simply walked toward the front entrance with his arm around his son, supporting him.

“I’m fine. Let go.” Valor protested mildly.

“Sure y’are.” His father agreed.

The others followed placidly behind them.

“Are you alright?” Elwin whispered to Prin.

“I can’t- not now.” Prin said. “Not here. Later.”

Wrena and Dru were both waiting for them beside the door, making their party complete, though Wrena had her arms crossed decisively in front of her and was side eying Dru like they would have a lot to talk about later.

Prin was not sure if their behavior towards each other was normal for cousins, but had more important things on his mind.

When she saw them coming, Dru hurried outside to arrange for their carriages to be brought around.

They got into the carriages in the same configuration as before. Prin squeezed Elwin’s hand, then reluctantly released it as they were separated for the, thankfully short, journey.

Inside the carriage, Valor cuddled up next to Prin, leaning his head on Prin’s shoulder and quickly falling back to sleep.

“Awww. Do you think he had fun tonight?” Captain Thompson asked softly.

“Nothing disastrous happened to him, which was already much better than he expected.” Prin said. Although disastrous things did happen to others. . .

“Sure he did.” Aster cooed. “And now people at least . . . know he exists? May be good for his social life going forward.” She beamed at the captain.

Captain Thompson snorted. “Social life?”

“Boop.” Aster poked the captain’s nose. “Have to let the little birdies leave the nest some time. Might as well get them prepared for it.”

Aster turned back to Prin. “Right? You know him better than me.” She suddenly leaned in close to Prin. “Hey, what’s that? Did your spider catch a bug?”

Prin looked down at his necklace. Hanging from the strand of beads, next to the golden spider, was what looked to be a folded in half green leaf. It was small, only about an inch and a half in length. He was pretty sure it hadn’t been there when Elwin gave him the necklace.

“A moth?” Aster stuck out one dainty finger and poked the “leaf”.

It immediately stirred to life, darting from the necklace and fluttering around the carriage interior in a flurry of silent, silken wings.

“Whoa.” Aster laughed, startled at the suddenness of it.

As quickly as it began, the flapping critter landed on Aster and settled down, all but disappearing among the faux flowers at Asters bust.

“I guess you can come home with me, as long as you don’t eat fabric.” Aster teased.

“Let me kill that for you.” The captain offered, reaching out to capture the thing.

“No, don’t!” Aster put her hand protectively over her chest.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to cause offense.” The captain said. “It will move on to the next flower when it’s ready.”

Aster smiled apologetically at the captain and took his hand, kissing it. “You didn’t. I guess I just have a soft spot for little flying things.”