Keith couldn't help himself, he wrapped his free arm around Henrietta protectively; the one he'd had bracing her.

His other hand still held a full glass of champagne.

The stem was only slightly cracked."You can forget asking–""To be clear," Henrietta tilted her head and observed the Marquis.

"If I dance one dance with you, then you will honour your word and annul any magical contracts between us?"The Marquis placed a hand on his heart, "Princess, if you give me one dance, I will try to convince you to marry me.

If you still refuse after my attempt, I will issue terms.

But," he stared at Keith, looming over me.

"I will do so as respectable adults who speak for themselves.

Away from your captor.""I'm not–""He's not–"The Marquis cut off Keith and Henrietta as he replied, "Do we have a deal, or not?"Keith wanted so desperately for Henrietta to say no.

There were a thousand ways to break a magical contract if one knew the terms.

There were always loopholes… of course, they had no idea what those terms were.

And he doubted the King and Queen of Drendil were foolish enough to bring the contract here where he could easily steal it.Though, knowing them…"I'll do it." Henrietta said.Keith winced, feeling her pull away from him.

"Are you sure? It's probably a trap."Henrietta smiled up at Keith.

She gently placed a hand on his cheek.

"If it's a trap, then I'll just have to punch my way out… I really don't want to summon Jacqueline if I don't have to - the repairs would be substantial unless I use her official Summon, and that takes time and a lot of Mana.""I heard that." Grand Duchess Calisto came forward and stood beside me.

"Please don't destroy my Palace.

Though," the older woman eyed the Marquis, "from all my years of experience, I might as well start preparing the bill now.""You can't be serious?!" Chloe nearly yelled.Keith’s eyes and heart burned as Henrietta accepted Marquis Chadwick's hand and walked back towards the dance floor.His Princess and the Marquis were just in time to start a slower song.

Instrumental music filled the room, as the two started a leisurely pavane perfect for a shared conversation.Something didn't feel right."I told you Monfort." King Simon stared after Henrietta and the Marquis and then back at the Dark Lord.

"I would have the last laugh."Keith couldn't remember him ever saying that, but then again, Keith had stopped bothering to read letters from Drendil.He regretted that now."King Simon." Keith ground out, watching Marquis Dorset say something that obviously upset Henrietta.

Keith felt his blood boil in his veins, but he schooled his features.

He looked down on Henrietta's parents and said, "If anything happens to my Princess, I will not rest until the perpetrators have suffered all the injustices they have wrought upon your Heroine of Justice.""Do you hear this, Duchess Calisto?" Queen Thalia snapped her fan shut, "Threats! At your Spring Ball.

I demand that you ask the Dark Lord to leave.

He is a menace and a danger to us all!"The Grand Duchess replied with all of the grace and poise of her station.

"Queen Thalia, that is only a threat to the wicked.

I cannot imagine that you or your husband have ever treated Henrietta with anything but the love of a parent."Henrietta's mother turned red with fury, and her father choked.

King Simon was the first to recover.

"Of course, Your Grace, we have given everything to raise our child.""And can you imagine? This is how she repays us." Queen Thalia used her closed fan to point at Keith from his head to his feet.

"By joining the forces of evil! She is a shame upon the family.

Her only option now is to secure a good match."Keith couldn't listen to this any longer.

He downed the glass of cider in his hands; ready to go out and get Henrietta back with his own two hands.Suddenly, there was a scream from close by.

It resounded across the hall.

"P-p-poison! Help! She's been poisoned!"Keith's head whipped in the direction of the person shouting.

Rage filled his chest; he knew this had to be part of Drendil’s trap.He was there in mere moments.

Bastian, the Knight Commander of Peldeep, leaned over the body of a young woman choking on the floor.

Her fingernails were turning green, and white foam flecked her lips.

It was, if he recalled correctly, Countess Peregrine Fern of Sumbria.

Keith stopped and opened his [Mind Map].

Henrietta was still here.

He turned away.

He had time.Wuarg poison started mild, but within a minute the Countess would be in a world of suffering.“She’s been inflicted with Wuarg poison.

Tip her head back and hold her shoulders down.” With practiced ease, Keith pulled the prepared antidote from his ring.

Bastian did as asked, tipping the young woman’s head back while Keith unceremoniously dumped the vial into her mouth.It was over in seconds.She coughed and spluttered, but in a few moments her skin would slowly lose its purple sheen.Keith stood back up, dusting off his jacket.

“She’ll be fine.

I - ”He was interrupted by an excited cheer and applause.

They’d been surrounded by a circle of onlookers.

Keith stamped down a sickening feeling.

He craned his neck to see over the crowding sycophants, but all he could make out was a sea of frills and flounce.And according to his map, Princess Henrietta had left the ballroom.