#Chapter 25: Masquerade

DEREK The Masquerade Ball was a different kind of spectacle than the Alpha Ball. Where last night had been about power and alliances displayed openly beneath the amphitheater’s vast sky, tonight was meant to be a night of mystery, of fresh starts, of the Moon Goddess weaving her golden thread between lost souls. The playhouse had been transformed into a world of whispered possibilities—masked figures gliding through candlelit halls, soft laughter behind velvet curtains, stolen glances in shadowed alcoves. It was designed for mystery. For second chances. For fate. I hadn’t come for any of those reasons. I’d come for her. I lingered near the balcony overlooking the dance floor, the golden glow of chandeliers flickering off the polished wood below. The air was thick with the scent of wine and roses, sumptuous and intoxicating. Laughter drifted up from the couples weaving through the room, strangers seeking their other halves, hopeful souls chasing the invisible bond of de