Thisbe didn’t smile. She’d seen Quince immediately. Her face went gray as she realized the Revinir couldn’t see him, and she deduced that Quince was floating outside in stealth mode. Was he alone? She couldn’t see anyone else just yet in the darkness. “I think you just made that up,” she said.

Rohan’s eyes widened to hear her speak like that.

The Revinir cackled uproariously, and Thisbe flashed an uneasy smile. Quince had to be here to eavesdrop, and Thisbe had to give him proof to take back with him. “Our plans will come together as soon as you agree to my stipulations,” she said. “I’m ready to proceed. I want to be your partner! But you’re standing in your own way.”

“Your demands are unreasonable,” the Revinir purred.

“Everything about you is unreasonable,” Thisbe retorted.

“But that’s why you like me,” the Revinir shot back. “You do like me now, don’t you? I can feel it—a bit of admiration, no?”

“Oh,” said Thisbe, jamming her fists into her pants pockets, “oh, yes. Your intuition is strong—it always has been.” Thisbe abruptly turned. “Let’s go back inside. This… fog… is making my hair frizzy.”

Rohan couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Thisbe was complimenting the Revinir. The two had laughed like friends. Rohan knew that Thisbe was a good actor. But was she this good? And for what purpose? He was more confused than ever. And now she was leaving the balcony. Obviously she must have seen Quince since she had black eyes too. But was she trying to keep away from him? Rohan lifted his head another inch, and then another.

The Revinir didn’t seem pleased about going in, and she stayed in place, blocking the doorway so Thisbe couldn’t get in either. Thisbe looked annoyed and nervous. She glanced at Quince and narrowed her eyes.

The ghost dragon stared back, surprised, because this was the friend of the ghost dragons—they answered to her call. Didn’t she recognize him? Or couldn’t she see him in stealth mode? In his confusion, Quince’s body slowly materialized from the fog, revealing two human shapes on his back in the process. One of them slipped out of sight, but the other lifted his head. Light from the ballroom revealed Rohan’s face.

Thisbe caught sight of him and gasped. The Revinir turned to look and gasped too. “That patch of fog—it was a ghost dragon in disguise? And Rohan! What is the meaning of this?”

Maiven, who had slid to the far side of Quince, stayed hidden under the base of his wing. But Rohan was caught. He ducked down and muttered under his breath. He hadn’t realized Quince had returned to his normal form.

The Revinir snarled. “Rohan!” she said again. “What do you think you’re doing?”