Nothing had gone wrong so far. The night was wearing away, with everyone mingling. Sonnet was hanging out with Chase, leaving me to hang out with Ted and the bland boy he'd found to be engaged to. I couldn't identify a single trait that separated the guy from a cement wall.

Ted went on about something I didn't really care about. I looked over at Sonnet. She was the most beautiful girl in the room. I interrupted Ted.

"I'm going to go check on Sonnet."

He stopped, not saying anything. I made my way over to Sonnet, but I didn't make my way across the room.

A deep voice boomed across the room

"Stand down and no one gets hurt."

I froze. Well, that was what was going to go wrong. At least I wasn't waiting for it anymore.

Everyone's eyes were rising to the platform where me and Sonnet had given our speech. A figure dressed all in black, like the one who'd broken into the government building. My stomach dropped. I turned, ready to head up to face the rebel agent. I wasn't sure what I would do when I got there, but that was an issue for later.

A voice came from behind me.

"Sorry to crash the party."

Was that... Tyena? I spun around. It was her, standing triumphantly in front of the large window between the ballroom and the street.

More agents dropped from the ceiling. I gasped, they were filling around Sonnet. I started to force my way through the crowd. I came smack against the circle.

Sonnet didn't seem to care. My breath caught in my throat. She knew this was coming.

I froze. She didn't want me to stop this.

Tyena looked around. "Guns on the ground, hands where we can see them."

I spun around. Mr. McShane was pointing a gun at her. I looked up. An agent was coming right for me. The crowd was pressed around me. I couldn't move. I had been able to move before. Why couldn't I now?

I scanned the room. I saw now. The crowd had pressed together to get away from the agents pointing guns into the crowd.

There it was, the agent was behind me. I felt cold steel against my neck.

"Stand down," Tyena shouted. She met my eyes. "Or he gets it."

I looked at Mr. McShane. The men around him were dropping their guns, their hands over their heads. he didn't move. I wasn't sure if I wanted him to move or not.

He lowed his gun, letting it fall to the ground. The agent froze. I was stuck.

I felt a warm breath in my ear. A whispering voice came next. "Hands in the air."

I put my hands next to my head. I looked at Sonnet, but she wasn't looking at me. She was staring at Sonnet. I looked back to the rebel.

An agent grabbed Sonnet's waist. She didn't seem to care. It was like none of us were here. She'd never looked at me the way she'd looked at Tyena.

Sonnet rose in the air, her blue dress dazzling the crowd. Tyena smiled. She reached out, her hand waiting for Sonnet's. Sonnet reached out, her hand finding Tyena's.

All I could do was watch. Sonnet ended up by Tyena's side. I watched, helpless.

Sonnet put her hand on Teyna's face, leaning in. I knew what was coming, but it didn't stop the pain.

They kissed. Some gaudier description may have been warranted, but I didn't have it in me. The room somehow went quiet than before. The kiss lasted longer than it felt like I could stand.

I closed my eyes until Tyena's voice interrupted my pretense that she didn't exist.

"It's been a pleasure."

Mr. McShane's voice rose out behind me.

"Surrender the girl."

Sonnet seemed to notice the rest of us, as though for the first time.

"I'm fine."

It came out confident, more confident than I'd ever heard her before. She seemed natural there. I resented that.

"Release Sonnet Alam."

"Not going to happen." Tyena was smirking.

"Sonnet, we're going to come get you. Remain calm."

"I am calm. Sir, I don't think you understand what's happening here."

"Then explain it," he hissed, his voice somehow still reverberating around the room.

"I want to be here."

"You're a rebel."

"You get it."

"Does your family know?"

Yes, yes they did. But she wouldn't tell him that. There was no way the Alams didn't know.

"No. How do you think I got so good at sneaking around?"

"Alam, come down and we'll discuss this further."

I watched as she raised her hands. There it was, even her middle finger looked elegant. I smiled despite myself. She seemed radiant. I was torn between wanting her to be mine and wanting to see her succeed, if only for the drama of it.

Tyena turned to Sonnet. They exchanged a look as though preparing for something.

There was a flash and then the lights went dark. I could see the silhouettes of agents leaving, but nothing else. She would be gone. Was that what I had wanted? I couldn't tell.

I couldn't see anything. I felt the steel lift from my throat, and I knew it was done. This is what Sonnet had known was coming. Had she planned it? It seemed showier than she would've made it. No, this had to be Tyena.

How long had she been planning it? It didn't seem like much of a plan, more about the firepower. Still, getting this kind of firepower for such a high-profile event couldn't have been easy.

The light burned my eyes when it came back. I stood, squinting. She was gone. Sonnet was gone.

I spun around the room. Mr. McShane was next to me.

"We'll find you a new bride."

I didn't say it, but I thought it. Don't bother.

I felt it. I was done here. I needed to figure out how to get home, how to pretend this was all just a dream.

I looked after him. He seemed to be genuinely caught by surprise. I looked up at the ceiling. Where had they gone? Would I ever know? I doubted it.

I pulled off my jacket. I needed to get out. I crossed the room, making it outside. I stumbled into the street. It was cold, colder than I'd thought. I dropped my jacket.

I was ready to read the prophecy.