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As my new career crashes and burns before it even takes flight, I take comfort in knowing that at least three more will make it, so I take a swig of the champagne and hand it to Lauren and try to smile through my tears. “To your new job in movies. Maybe you will make one about this night. Reserve me a seat on opening night. I’d love to see how the story ends.”
She nods and takes a swig before handing it to Natalia, and I smile at my gregarious friend. “At least you will get to design your fashion.”
“How do you know?”
She takes a swig from the bottle, looking worried. “What if we’re next? It could happen?”
Looking at their masks lying heaped on the table in front of us, it reminds me how fragile their freedom is and I smile reassuringly. “I think the king is a man of his word.”
“What do you mean, what have you done, Cassie?”
Eloise sounds fearful and I watch as they all stare at me with many questions burning in their eyes.
Sighing, I shrug and reach for the bottle. “Apparently, I’m the only one of us that was unmasked tonight. In being here, you still have your freedom. The plan continues and somehow, when this farce is over, you can make your escape. If you’re not unmasked tonight, there is no obligation for you to stay.”
“Only from our parents who must be mighty pissed right now.”
Eloise looks a little relieved and I know she was more worried than all of us.
“Have you heard from Freddy?”
I stare at her with interest and the pink flush to her cheeks tells me she has and as we look on, she shifts awkwardly on her seat.
“I managed to call him this morning. I was a little worried because I hadn’t heard from him and, well, you know…”
“He loves you, Eloise, you have nothing to fear.”
Lauren reassures her with the words she badly needs to hear and she sighs. “I know he does. He tells me often enough, but I don’t know. Leaving him and coming home reminded me how fragile our connection is. What if he moves on and finds someone else? It could happen, you know.”
“After three days.” Natalia shakes her head. “Of course he wouldn’t. He’s risked so much to be with you. You both have. Why would you doubt him?”
“It’s this place.” Eloise looks around and shivers. “It’s not normal life. It messes with your mind. When I came home, it was like stepping back in time. All my insecurities came with me, and seeing my parents again was a shock.”
“In what way?” I stare at her with surprise because I thought of all of us, she was the one most settled.
“It was my mom. She looked so pleased to see me and could talk of nothing but this night. They were hopeful of me finding a husband and I felt bad for them. They’ll be upset when I return to Freddy and will probably never talk to me again. What if they make trouble for us; I wouldn’t put it past them?”
She looks so afraid I know my decision was the right one as I reach out and rub her back, saying softly, “Everything will be fine. You’ve thought about this and when you leave this place, it will all become clear again.”
“Andromeda is a mind fuck.” Natalia sighs, making us all nod in agreement.
“It certainly is.” Lauren groans and takes another swig of champagne.
Natalia shakes her head. “So, what do you think happens now?”
“I’m not sure.” Staring around the room, I can’t move past what happened not long ago in another one. When Maxim kissed me, it scrambled my mind and made me feel something new. He lit a trail of desire inside me that I never knew was there. Despite everything, I enjoyed the experience, which makes me anticipate what happens next even more because a man like him won’t be satisfied with a kiss. He has a lot more in mind and I’m afraid of that because, like every good daughter of Andromeda, I have kept that part of me for marriage.
Looking at Eloise sitting dejectedly beside me, I know of one of us at least who has already made that journey, and I’m curious.
“Eloise, I hope you don’t mind me asking you a personal question.”
She looks up and smiles. “It’s ok, ask me anything.”
I think she already knows what I’m about to ask and as the others listen with interest, I say slightly nervously, “What’s it like?”
“Sex?” I feel myself blush as the others look with interest because even though we all pride ourselves on being modern women, we are so old fashioned when it concerns physical pleasure. God only knows how we managed to navigate university without being tempted, but somehow we have and, like me, I’m guessing my friends are curious.
However, as Eloise opens her mouth to enlighten us, the door opens and we jump, feeling guilty for our curious thoughts as a woman sweeps into the room who needs no introduction.
Jumping to our feet, we all curtsey low and with respect as our Queen Elizabeth says imperiously, “May I have a private word please, Cassie?”
As I raise my eyes to hers, I see an expression of sympathy I wasn’t expecting, and she smiles reassuringly.
“Your friends will be fine here. Come with me, we need to talk.”
As I make to follow her from the room, something tells me she’s on my side and that gives me the courage to walk away from my friends who watch me go with a mixture of awe and horror on their faces.
