He slows his pace though the music doesn’t, and I realize what’s happening. He’s leaning forward now, and his eyes close. His mouth puckers. I swallow the nervous lump forming in my throat, nerves buzzing in a chaotic symphony. I am apprehensive about doing such a thing in front of so many people, but at the same time, I want to. I want to kiss him, and I resolve that it might be romantic to share our first kiss during our first dance. I lean in and feel his warm lips draw near.

A bone-curdling scream rents the air. More cries follow, and then two guards grab us. “Idalia!” Braizen shouts as he’s dragged away.

“Braizen!” I scream, reaching out my hand.

Our fingers stretch in full extension towards one another, but to no avail.

The guard’s grip is tight. I don’t know what’s happening, but everyone is shouting, and I see King Lester order Teddy and Lachlan to be taken from the room. The Deep’s King then claps a hand over his mouth. The wails heighten.

“It’s the Queen!”

“She’s dead!”

“She’s been murdered in cold blood!”

“Poisoned! It was her wine!”

“This was the plan all along, wasn’t it? Is this why we were all dragged here?!”

I kick against the guard’s shins in futile resistance until I realize I can use the crowd’s frenzy to my advantage. I squirm, and when his grip slightly loosens, I push against his chest as hard as I can and thrust myself forward.

He drops me with a curse on his tongue, and I land on my hands and knees. Shouting guests now flee the room, shoving each other aside on their way to the door. There isn’t enough space for me to rise, so I crawl toward the dais.

There, Braizen clings to his mother’s side, and she holds him tight against her voluminous skirts. King Vaskis grips his forehead and is shaking. Where’s my father? I crawl closer. He’s hunched over something on the dais steps. The guard shouts my name, and I swiftly crawl under the table until I can see what he hovers above. I gasp.

My mother lies still, her face turned towards the room. Her cheeks are flushed, but her eyes…her eyes are void. Crimson wine drips down the steps in the same direction as her outstretched hand. One that seems to reach out for me on the floor. A lifeless attempt to touch me one last time.

“You did this! You killed her! My Revna!” My father flares, rising and swiveling to meet King Vaskis’ stare.

The Baellilean king’s face slackens in shock, and he points at my father.

“I did no such thing! Poison your wife? Are you mad?”