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I didn’t knohen she’d found the tiet herself ready, but she had, and now she looked as polished as any of the women who’d been raised as courtiers As lovely as any queen

"Wow, Brook, if I’d’ve seen that gown," I teased as I reached for her gloved hand, leaning on her while I slipped off one of ed my foot Already my toes felt pinched in the tiny slippers

"You wouldn’t have worn it," she answered with a sideways grin, winking at Zafir "It’s too revealing"

She was right, of course The black corset-style top barely covered her chest, plunging deeply down the center of her brsts And of the two of us, she was the one who had a chest in need of being covered Black beads, which dangled from her neck, fell into the exposed valley of skin

"You know, for such a tall woman, Queen Neva has iuess," I said, putting the shoe back on

When we reached the party, I nearly gasped aloud, and I was certain that Brooklynn did

I’d never been to a circus before, but even children born in Ludania--where circuses had been outlawed years earlier because they were populated by outcasts--knehat they were

I are the h the open doorway to the ballroom: This was no ordinary danceIt was an event

It was a dark spectacle, co painted tears There were ladies riding one-wheeled cycles ore the snohite tulle of dancers paired hi from one side of the ballroom to the other, on which a wo a black lace ue that tickled her alabaster shoulders carefully glided Toe over toe she , from one end to the other All around us there werefabrics that hung froold and ruby and sapphire and silver

I sirls whose faces were painted to irl carried a tray with a different candied treat: sugared fruits, iced cakes, and petite chocolate bowls filled with puddings of various colors, each with aa stab of sadness that Angelina couldn’t be here to witness the ht of the flags, all hanging side by side on one wall, representing each of the queens in attendance The white flag of Ludania was at its very center

Standing beneath the i with Avonlea and Sebastian

"Oh, hell," Brooklynn ed her in their direction