JACE

"What is this? What did you do?" cried Penelope.

"Payback is a bitch."

Her eyes went wide. She scrubbed her face and her hands came away dirty from the brown powder. She screamed like a banshee and launched herself at me. The next thing I knew, she was shoving her fingers between my lips. She rubbed her face all over mine. And then she tried to kiss me.

The grit of the ground mushroom coated my mouth.

I pushed her off of me and spit out as much as I could out.

She sat on the ground and laughed like an insane person. She took off her mask and flung across the roof. Next, she ripped the wig from her head and chucked out me. I dodged, still trying to expel the powder she fed me.

It was on my face, my clothes. I dusted myself off, but it clung to my hands. My mouth was started to tingle, and panic exploded.

Penelope was ripping at her clothes. Then she took her nails and dragged them down her cheeks. Blood welled from her wounded skin. "Don’t touch me!" she screamed. She jumped to her feet and extended her arms, hands pushing away whatever she was hallucinating.

"No. Stop! I’m a good girl! I’m a good girl! You can’t touch me." She was backing away, fighting whatever horrors she was imagining.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a shadow. Tall. Broad-shouldered. Dressed in a black and silver uniform.

"Who is it?" I yelled. I whipped around.

And saw him.

The Duke.

Nathan Stonehart.

His torso was mangled, bleeding through holes in the fabric. One of his legs had been ruined. He was limping, dragging the scabby green leg as he headed toward me.

"You’re dead!" I yelled. "Stay away from me!"

I turned and ran, but there was nowhere to go. I could hear him behind me, shuffling. Groaning. My heart pounded so hard I thought it might burst from my chest. Sweat rolled down my face.

I turned again. He was closer. Eyes filled with rage. Entire being radiating pure vengeance. "You killed me," he rasped. "Now I’m going to kill you."

"Noooooo!"

"Don’t touch me!" Penelope screamed as she launched herself at me. "I’ll rip your face off! Stay away!"

Her nails dug into my cheeks. While keeping on eye on the advancing Duke, I pried Penelope off of me.

But whatever nightmares she was experiencing had shattered her mind. She forced me backwards. Clawing. Yelling. Kicking.

And Duke Stonehart was relentless in his pursuit, too. He was close enough now to grasp my shoulder.

"Get off me!" I pushed Penny away and scrambled back even further. Out of the Duke’s reach.

Penny laughed and laughed and laughed.

Nathan pushed and pushed and pushed.

I felt my boots scraped the edge of the roof. I tried to escape. Tried to get away from the edge.

But Penny was too far gone. She jumped on me, legs wrapping around my waist, and I tipped over the point of no return.

Falling. The rush of cold wind. The screeches of Penelope. The face of Nathan Stonehart watching me die.

And then...

Nothing.

***|***|***

SOPHIA

I stood near the French doors that opened onto the winter garden. I was fanning myself with my hands. Dancing made me hot and a little sweaty. Nathan had gone to get us refreshments.

Suddenly, people surged forward, pushing their way out of the French doors. The music stopped. The horrified whispers started.

Who is it?

They jumped off the roof!

There were two people. They smashed into the stone porch.

Goddess, I bet that was like splitting open watermelon. Can you see anything?

Someone committed suicide at the Governor’s Ball. A man and a woman. Maybe it was a murder-suicide.

"What’s going on?" asked Nathan as he put a cup of punch into my hand. "Why is everyone trying to get out to the garden?"

"I don’t know," I said. "I think someone might’ve jumped from the roof."

"I’ll go check it out." Nathan handed me his punch cup, too. "Stay here. I’ll be right back."

More people pressed in as word spread that a tragedy had happened in the back garden. I found myself plastered against the wall, holding up the cups of punch so they wouldn’t get spilled.

It would be impossible to worm my way out of this space, but I had to admit I was getting a little claustrophobic.

Finally, Nathan reappeared. He wore a grim look on his face that made my stomach drop to my knees.

"What is it? What happened?"

"Let’s get out of here first." He picked me up with one arm, lifting me easily. Most people immediately gave way as Nathan approached. Well, who wouldn’t move aside when a mountain was coming at you?

We passed by a table and Nathan paused long enough for us to rid ourselves of the punch cups.

When we go to the foyer, we heard a deep voice called out, "Duke Stonehart! A word, please."

"That’s Governor Devine’s assistant. I better see what he wants."

"I’ll go outside and wait for you," I said.

"I’ll make it quick."

Luckily, the foyer wasn’t crowded and I was able to step outside and breathe fresh air. I had walked a little down the path to where the carriages waited to take noblepersons home.

The night air was chilly, and I had forgotten my furred cape. I rubbed my hands together to create some heat. I stamped feet, too, as the cold seemed to seep into my bones.

I felt a passerby hit my shoulder hard enough that I stumbled. "Excuse me," I said, indignant. "Did you not see me?"

The person who’d nearly knocked me off my feet looked at me with a vacant gaze. I squinted at him, trying to figure out what was so different about this man. Then I recognized him.

"Mr. Velle, are you all right? You don’t look well."

"I’m fine. Just trying to..." He blinked. Shook his head. Then he put his fingers to his temple and rubbed circles. "Damned headache."

"Maybe you should see a doctor. Do you want me to call one?"

"And ruin my fun?" he said, though his voice was flat. His eyes were strange, too. Like the lights were on but nobody was home.

"Fabian!" yelled a woman’s voice.

We both looked at the pink carriage with its gold scrollwork and white horses. A blonde woman had pulled aside the window curtain. She waved a handkerchief out the window. "Fabian. Let’s go."

"Yes," he murmured. He walked away without even saying good-bye. He climbed into the carriage, and it took off into the winding streets of the Capital.