One. Two. Three. Four. Leyla counted the guards on the mezzanine level of the ballroom as Jara spun her around the dance floor. They had greeted guests, performed the welcome toast and were now in the middle of the first dance, but the murderer had yet to show.

"La-La?"

"Hmm?" She watched as a waitress step through the staff doors with several drinks on a tray. Red feathers, little nose, slight limp; she recognized the girl as Vimay who was meant to be serving drinks on the mezzanine floor near the balcony doors. Her eyes followed the girl all the way up the stairs before she noticed Jara was squeezing her hand.

"Sorry, did you say something Mahsap?" A tall female from the Guadap tribe caught her attention over his shoulder. Beneath the rings around her elongated neck, the bodice of the woman's dress seemed disproportionately large; large enough to hide a weapon.

"I said let's make it real," Jara replied.

Catching the gaze of a guard, Leyla shifted her eyes to the Guadap female so he would know to keep an eye on the woman. Feeling her hand being squeezed once again, Leyla blinked, "My apologies. Make what real?"

"This marriage, let's do it for real."

Leyla looked at Jara for the first time since they started dancing, ready to tell him it was not the time for jokes, but his expression stopped her short. Suddenly Raphael's words came back to her: if that Mahsap asks you any ridiculous questions, just say no. "I'm sorry, Mahsap, but I can't."

"At least you should pretend to think about it!" Jara laughed, though the mirth didn't quite reach his eyes. Then he was spinning her around until they were in the centre of all the dancing couples. "Is it because of Ra-Fa-El?"

Raphael? Why would the Mahsap think this had something to do with the Prorex?

"I know he isn't your brother, La-La" Jara said, reading the question on her face. "No brother looks at his sister the way he looks at you. And you don't treat him the way you treat May-Kal or anyone else for that matter. You are cautious around him. Aware of him...it's frustrating actually." The humour left his face as he moved them gracefully to the music. "In all our years together, I never manage to get your attention that way."

"It's not what you think, Mahsap," Leyla began, but she wasn't sure how to explain. Raphael, what was he to her? A fake fiancé? A saviour? A responsibility? She didn't know and didn't want to think about it. "Once we catch the murderer I must leave here. I'm sorry I cannot give you any explanations, but I hope you will live a good life, Mahsap. You and Asya both. Be well, be happy and please don't look for me once I'm gone."

Jara pulled her close, his eyes growing darker even as he kept his tone jovial. "Are you saying goodbye, La-La? Am I not even going to get a letter this time?"

Leyla was about to respond when movement over his left shoulder caught her eye. In the next instant she grabbed Jara by the shoulders and twisted just in time for a hurtling knife to hit her in the back. Pain from the impact of the metal shot up and down her spine, but the blade which failed to penetrate the Goddess Cloth fell to the ground.

"La-La!"

She pushed the panicked Jara towards the two guards who were rushing their way and whistled low before taking off after the figure who had thrown the knife. Hearing the signal, the rest of the guards in the room ran to block the exists.

The figure moved quickly through the guests, veering away from the blocked staff exist and taking a straight line towards the stairs. Blue trousers, tall, broad shoulders - it was a man, but who? And why had he aimed at Jara rather than Leyla?

Focusing on the chase, Leyla pushed her muscles to move faster up the stairs. There was no exit from the mezzanine floor and the sheer drop from the balcony couldn't be survived. She had to reach the man before he realized that he was cornered and tried to take a hostage.

Pushing at the guests who kept getting in her way, Leyla kept the murderer in her line of vision. Just a few more seconds and she'd reach him...

"La-La?" Asya's voice reached her from where she had just come in through the balcony doors.

No! The culprit veered towards Jara's sister.

"Asya run!" A woman with large girth moved into Leyla's path and a moment later she saw Asya on the floor, her terrified eyes staring at the open balcony door.