#13. On a Night Like This, When the Stars Twinkle (14)

As twilight settled softly over the green treetops, House Béarn’s townhouse, nestled in the heart of the darkness, shone ever more brilliantly.

Beyond the balcony, the hall below was still noisy.

People’s laughter rang out, rising and falling in pitch.

Mixed in among it were occasional low, measured voices.

And the bright clink of glasses striking one another.

The final night of the Founding Festival.

Or rather, the party celebrating Eleonore’s safe return rang out with elegance and beauty beyond the wide-open doors of the annex, beneath the dark, dark sky of an early-summer night where even the moonlight had faded.

And Eleonore, the guest of honor, had stepped away from the crowd.

The balcony set aside for Eleonore stood at the very center of the second floor.

The curtains had been drawn just far enough to screen the young woman with ivory-colored hair, who lay beside Eleonore with her head resting on her thigh...