She glanced down, picking at her nails. “Not officially, no. I thought this would be easier.”

“Did you? Why would you think that?”

“I trained for this,” she explained. “I thought I was meant to do this. But I really don’t like men.”

Kerrigan snorted. “I could have told you that.”

“Why are they all so boorish? None of them are…”

“Clover,” Kerrigan offered.

Darby sighed. “They’re really not. But no one else is like Clover.”

“That’s a fact.”

“How is she? I never see her anymore.”

“Do you blame her?”

“Of course not. I was the one who ended it,” she whispered sadly. “I just haven’t seen her or Hadrian much for that matter. I heard what happened at the protest but not even from their mouths that they were there. I had to hear it from you.”

“I’m sorry. I wish it could all be how it had been when we were still in the House of Dragons.”

Darby sighed. “Me too. It was much easier then.”

“Shockingly, yes.”

“And what about you? March?”

Kerrigan wrinkled her nose. “I’m breaking it off tonight.”

“Really? Because of Fordham?”

A small smile came to her face at that question. She didn’t even know how to hide her affection for him any longer. And after tonight, she would no longer have to. “He asked to court me properly after I end things tonight.”

“Oh my gods, Kerrigan!” Darby squealed. “Wait… can you do anything proper?”

She nudged Darby. “Hey!”

Darby giggled. “Gods, I have missed you so much.”

Kerrigan couldn’t even describe how much she had missed Darby. They’d been roommates in the mountain since they were little. That bond didn’t just evaporate overnight. She could sit in this room with her all day and giggle like schoolgirls and have more fun than at the party. But that wasn’t their life anymore. Darby was a Bryonican noble. Kerrigan was very nearly a member of the Society. Their absence would be noted.

“Come on. We can’t stay here forever,” Darby said, coming to the same conclusion.

Kerrigan rose to her feet and followed her friend to the door. “Oh wait, one more thing!” Kerrigan dashed back to the table and retrieved the brooch her father had given her this morning. “Would you help me attach this?”

Darby’s eyes rounded into saucers. “Wherever did you get this?”

She took the ornament in her hand and gently affixed it to Kerrigan’s Parris original gown. The diamonds glittered like star beams, somehow bringing the whole look together.

“My father gave it to me. It’s the House of Cruse livery.”

Darby clasped her hand. “Oh, Kerrigan. I know how much this means to you.”

Kerrigan swallowed and nodded. They didn’t have to say anything else. Years together meant that everything had already been said.

“Together?” Kerrigan asked.

Darby smiled. “Together.”