Return to the head of the ballroom.

You return to the head of the ballroom where you first came into the fete. The celebration is still going strong. The night is still young. Your guests dance, dine, mingle. You scan the ballroom for who you’re looking for…

{if LyraVisited1 = true}{if LyraVisited2 = false}You spot Lyra outside. The silver moonlight spilling over her black hair makes her look somehow ethereal, otherworldly. Beautiful. She’s smiling icily at a Rinvari man who looks **** for her attentions, taking long, bored sips of wine.{endif}{endif}

{if MadelineVisited1 = true}{if MadelineVisited2 = false}You find Madeline inside, surrounded as she had been earlier in the day by a gaggle of raucous Rinvari. She’s changed into finer clothes, but still looks more rugged than any other royal in attendance, more down to earth. She’s sitting at the head of a game of cards, smiling like she’s about to win the whole pot.{endif}{endif}

{if RaviVisited1 = true}{if RaviVisited2 = false}You see Ravi outside. He’s alone, hasn’t seen you, and is looking all around and behind him with bewildered, guilty eyes. It’s somewhat adorable. Thinking himself hidden, he fiddles with something heavy-looking in his hands, poking one of your garden statues with it.{endif}{endif}

{if VaughnVisited1 = true}{if VaughnVisited2 = false}You spot Vaughn beside your ballroom’s massive decorated fireplace. He’s dressed like a King, all gloves and cape and careful grooming. He swirls dark liquor in a glass goblet, talking quietly with an official-looking royal whose clothes mark him as from the Eastern Vestyr territories.{endif}{endif}

{if LyraVisited2 = true}You spot Lyra where you left her last, her long blue dress just barely visible in the darkened alcove outside.{endif}

{if MadelineVisited2 = true}You find Madeline at the table where you left her last. She’s gazing over the ballroom, lost in thought.{endif}

{if RaviVisited2 = true}You can just see the edge of Ravi’s finery draped partially over the balcony where you left him last.{endif}

{if VaughnVisited2 = true}You spot Vaughn still seated in the chair beside the fireplace. He has not moved since you left him.{endif}

Straightening out some wrinkles in your clothes, you...