The moment the royal doors closed, the spell broke.
"Well," Lord Hudson said loudly. "I suppose the party is over. Too bad. I was enjoying it."
Immediately, guests started leaving one after the other. No one wanted to stay in a room where such a scandal had occurred. They wanted to go home and write letters about it. They wanted to rush to their clubs and recount every detail.
The room emptied quickly. The orchestra packed away their violins. Servants began to move around the edges of the room, snuffing out candles. The light dimmed, turning the grand hall into a cavern of shadows.
Ines stood still. Her hand was still clutching Carcel's arm. Her heart was slowly returning to a normal rhythm.
She looked up at him.
Carcel was looking at the door. His jaw was tight. He looked exhausted, but relieved.
"Where were you?" Ines asked, whispering softly.
