Taking pity on the poor man, I smile. And then I loop Ana’s arm through mine and pull her against my side. She makes a sound that I would call a squeak, if I were cruel enough to ever point out that she was capable of making such an undignified noise. I lean in to whisper in his ear. Ana tugs on my arm, a question clear on her face even through the mask. The footman arches a single eyebrow, as if to ask if I am absolutely certain of what I have asked him to do. I offer him a single nod in confirmation.

With a look that’s far too incredulous considering his rank, he straightens up to announce our presence in a booming voice:

“Ana Lezama de Urinza, escorted by the Lady Eustaquia de Sonza.”

One of the musicians inside the ballroom misses a beat as his hands fumble on the strings of his instrument. All movement around the entryway ceases as people turn and stare, nearly identical looks of shock and dismay on their faces.

Ana’s hand tightens on my arm as she leans in to whisper, “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

I turn to her. Our faces are so close, our noses nearly brush. “What I’ve always wanted to do.”

With that, I lead her down the grand staircase into the ballroom. The eyes of every noble in the Viceroyalty of Peru are on us. Judging. Analyzing. Measuring. And I cannot find it in me to care. I am here with a purpose with my partner on my arm. She is my equal in all things, regardless of the circumstances of either of our births, and I want them to all to know. She is no less than I and most assuredly better than all of them.

“I thought the idea was to lay low and see what we could find out,” Ana whispers again. And though I may be mistaken, I am fairly certain I detect the slightest hint of pleasure in her voice.

“It was.” I shrug. “But then I had a better idea.”

By the time we reach the base of the steps, another set of nobles have taken our place for the footman to announce. Already, the fickle attention span of the surrounding crowd is hunting for new targets, but there are a few glances that linger, a few whispers behind masks and fans and silk gloves. I smile sweetly at those brave enough to meet my eyes. Few are brave enough to hold them.

“So…” Ana begins. “Now what?”

I swipe two gilded cups from a table absolutely heaving with wine and offer Ana one. I take a sip of my own as I survey Cristobal’s kingdom. The masks do complicate things, but where there is a will, there is a way.