Back in the banquet hall, the party had not slowed down much, but one seat had remained empty for too long.
A few young nobles seated near Darius Aston began to glance toward his table again and again. The music was still playing, servants were still moving with trays, and guests were still drinking and talking, but the absence had started to feel strange.
One of Darius's friends leaned back in his chair and frowned.
"Where did Darius go?" he asked, swirling the drink in his glass.
Another noble adjusted his cuffs and glanced around the hall. "He was here just a moment ago. He looked annoyed, then stepped out."
A third one, a broader man with a sharp chin, nodded toward the doors.
"I saw him leave after that masked guest," he said quietly. "He probably went to deal with something."
The first noble let out a short laugh. "Deal with something? In the middle of his father's banquet?"
