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[Mia Casuana]

"What do you mean Everett is here?" Mia asked in horror.

"I'm sure he's here for the Ball," Leonard said casually, like this wasn't a catastrophe in the making. "Don't worry, Mia, it's not the end of the world."

No, no, no... Mia thought. "It may as well be the damned Lord Ruler, I can't go see Everett! I'm... busy."

"Don't worry," he repeated, harsher. "Corin's with him now. He likes Corin, after a fashion. Kind of. That'll have to do."

"It won't work..."

Corin was Julian's mother, and Leonard's brother. They had joined Lucius Casuana in building a Keep in Luthadel. And Mia was fortunate to have them, especially Leonard, as his copper made him indispensible.

Everett, Julian's uncle on Lucius's side, however, simply needed to stay in the Southern Dominance where he belonged. He ran the business side of things, and he should have stayed there!

Mia cursed.

"M'lady," Leonard said, gripping her shoulders. "Pull yourself together, or he will eat you alive."

"He'll do that anyway."

"Well... probably. But!" Leonard grinned. "It'll be harder for him if you aren't pissy about it, yeah?" He laughed. How could he be so jovial now?

She took a deep breath. Not the end of the world, she assured herself. So what if she had a thousand things to do today? She only had a massive Ball to prepare. Not the end of the world. Ha!

"Okay, okay. I think I'm good," Mia lied. "Where are they?"

"Probably off staring at the ballroom fountain."

"Lord Ruler, the chandelier!"

"Yeah, he was displeased about that."

"It's not my fault. It has to be spectacular for the Ball!"

"He believes you could have cleaned it, you know, last week."

Mia flared her nostrils. She had her reasons for taking down the chandelier on this day. "I shall see to him," she said, storming off.