Before Ellie could do anything, the music came to an end, and the sides around the dancers suddenly spilled into the dance floor. “Shall we go to the breakroom?” Ellie asked, in a pleasant voice. Although she spoke to Max and Cy, her eyes were still fixed on the pair of women trying to rejoin them. “There’ll be some refreshments there.”

  “I could do with a drink.”

  “It’s not going to be real,” Max muttered in a low voice. He didn’t need to; Ellie was too focused on the others. “And definitely don’t go piss-”

  “I know.” Cy jabbed at Max’s ribs, like how BB teased her crew. “I’m trying to fit in.”

  “How’s your eyes?”

  “Adjusting.” BB rejoined with a huge grin on her face. On the other hand, Jacquotte didn’t seem too pleased. “How’s the dance?”

  “Ended too quickly.” “People were starting to stare.”

  “Ignore them,” Ellie was quick to dish out the reassuring words. “Most people here are morons.” Speaking of which, she quickly glanced back to where her family was lurking only to find they had vanished. “Let’s go before trouble starts. We may as well relax until the music begins again.”

  With her leading the way, it was easy to follow behind Ellie, but it was hard to ignore the whispers. Rumours and gossip were already beginning to circulate as they took in Ellie’s associates with wide eyes. Entering the break room, the atmosphere wasn’t much better. But the large arrangement of extravagant displays of food and drinks were eye opening to Jacquotte and Cy. They had never seen anything like it.

  Seizing the opportunity, BB whispered to Jacquotte, “Those are really tasty.” She pointed over to a display of macaroons. “Shall we get some?” She made eye contact with Max to get permission before escorting her girl. It was a rough start, but BB was starting to step up to the challenge.

  “Anything you want to try?” Max asked Cy. Compared to the hearty, simple meals made by Darius and Bessie, the food must look unbelievable with the wide range of shapes and colours.

  “It’s not real…”

  Max whispered back, “Doesn’t mean it can’t taste semi-real. Haven’t you ever eaten something in a dream?” The words were the encouragement Cy needed to start calculating which treats to try. He spoke in a louder voice for Ellie to hear. “I can’t make any of this, so you might as well try it here.”

  “Which one do you want first?” Ellie had been watching everyone’s reactions. Her smile spread to Cy, as she pointed out the trifle. “Have you ever had a trifle before? Let’s go get you some.” Her smile dropped when she saw a cluster of women beside that section of the desert table. A second later, the smile returned. Cy had missed it completely. Max didn’t. “Why don’t you two go ahead? I have a few people I need to speak with.”

  Even without knowing the situation or the tension hidden behind her fake smile, Cy managed to give a glorious answer. “I’ll go by myself. I’m sure you two have a lot of catching up to do.”

  Ellie watched him weave between the guests until he found himself at the desert table. “Looks like his blindness is cured.” She held her breath, as Cy walked obliviously past the pack. A sigh of relief came tumbling out when he reached the trifle. “You don’t have trifles in your hometown? That’s quite tragic.”

  Max was keeping an eye on the women too. Both his and Ellie’s posture instantly straightened when they noticed they were beginning to move. “Looks like the dogs are coming.”

  “Funny, I thought you were close friends with dogs,” Ellie said under her breath. The comment came like a punch to the gut for Max. How was he supposed to justify betrayal, again? The system made him do it? He needed to act against his own volition because sub-goals were more important? They were just excuses. Just like the weak excuses he gave Cy. Even when he tried to semi-explain last time, it didn’t go down well… or at all really. His train of thought was suddenly broken by an intense punch to his side. “It’s done. Move on. We’ve got bigger things to worry about.” Her stern and reliable voice caused him to refocus.

  The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

  “Richard!” The leader of the pack cried out in joy, as she drew her fan across her cheek before fanning herself gently. There was little doubt that compared to the stuck-up noble ladies, who suffered from the oppressive rules of society, she was clearly enjoying the freedom of being a top dog around these parts. Having never endured a day of hardship, her skin and makeup was significantly smoother and paler than the others. Unlike what is suggested by her innocent expression, Max and Ellie had little doubt she was aware of her appearance and basked in her own vanity. Although their assumption was now based on experience, they had initially drawn the same conclusion based purely on the bright, provocative clothes she would wear as her gestures and voice were hyperbolised to make her seem more special. The spoiled, only child of the Duke of Roky. “I mean, Lord Woodstock,” she feigned making a mistake with their supposed closeness.

  It was irritating. The source of Ellie’s biggest worries. All because of a few sub-goals-

  “Lady Alice Roky.” Ellie gave a deep curtsey with slight glee from seeing her fan be briefly placed on her left ear.

  “Lady Elanor Piggott,” she got a grumble back.

  “What a pleasant dress you have. It is one of Madame Follet’s, is it not? It must’ve cost a pretty penny.”

  Suspicious, Lady Roky narrowed her eyes while slowly replying. “I’m surprised you can recognise it, Lady Piggott. One wouldn’t have thought you could even appreciate it considering the rags you have on.” Ellie didn’t say anything, but she kept her smile. Lady Roky put away her fan to accept two glasses from the pack of women around her. Without hesitation, she offered one clearly to Max while keeping a firm grip on the other. “Lord Woodstock, Lady Hampton says the wine came directly from France. Why don’t you-”

  Taking advantage of the element of surprise, Ellie snatched the extended glass and downed it quickly in front of everyone. She handed the empty glass back to Max. “You must’ve not heard about the news,” Ellie lied effortlessly, as she eloquently wiped the corners of her mouth with her gloved finger. “Lord Woodstock began his sobriety streak a few days ago for religious reasons. It would be cruel to provide him with temptation-”

  With a sudden splashing sound, the room quietened. Eyes quickly turned to the source of the newest scandal. Even Jacquotte and Cy stopped their exploration of new flavours while they tried to decide whether-or-not to return. Only BB’s hand gestures kept them still.

  “Oops, my hand slipped,” Lady Roky’s voice was cold. Without even trying to hide what happened, her now empty cup was pointed in Ellie’s direction. Although her dress was a ruby red, the red wine still managed to stain the fabric around her waist and skirt. Ellie kept a calm face, as she watched the evidence being handed from accomplice to accomplice amongst the group of women until it was out of sight. In exchange of the glass, audible whispers were passed forward.

  “Lady PIGgott really lives up to her name.”

  “You really can’t teach a pig how to behave.”

  “Is that mud on the hem of her dress?”

  It was obvious the pack were trying to encourage their leader into playing along with the childish insults. When she did finally speak, it enraged Max to the point where he forgot he was the master of this dream. “What a bumbling mess you are, Ellie the elephant.”

  Max was about to move when an arm swiftly shot out to block him. Beside him, Ellie didn’t even look a little bothered. It was a sore spot in this lifetime. Another sub-goal urged him into creating an original nickname to help Lady Roky torment Ellie. It was the first thing that had come to mind at the time. A misremembered children’s song from his original world, ‘Nellie the Elephant.’

  “Wow, a real DICK must’ve helped you come up with that insult.” And that was why Max hated his own name in this life. She would always jab back with one of the natural nicknames that came with Richard whenever she got irritated by his actions. “But Ellie, huh? I like it. You may call me Lady Ellie Piggott from now on if you wish.” Ellie hooked her arm around Max’s. “Come on, darling. It’s getting a little crowded here.”

  “You can’t go back to the dance floor looking like that-”

  Turned away so Lady Roky didn’t even have the privilege of a front row view, Ellie tugged at her neckline, causing the weak seams to break. The excess fabric fell quickly to the ground before the embedded magnets clicked the fabric into place around her. The first appearance of the dress was a startling ruby-red gown with a fabric loaded top, but the current dress fitted with the times with a rich, sapphire colour. Max couldn’t be prouder. By the time Ellie finished the design, she never got a chance to use it since Lady Roky had already fallen to the scandals they planted or revealed. This time, she got a chance to use it. Finally, Ellie turned to acknowledge Lady Roky.

  “I’m sorry, did you say something?”