Side chapter: Cinderella part 3

The noise from the ballroom filtered onto the balcony, a chaotic blend of laughter, shouting, and the occasional crash of glass.

Layla stepped back reluctantly, her eyes lingering on Zaya's face. The kiss had shifted something between them, something unspoken but undeniable.

Zaya straightened, her poised demeanor slipping back into place as if the moment had been folded and tucked away for later examination. But her fingers still brushed against Layla's, a fleeting connection that neither seemed ready to sever.

"What do you suppose that commotion is about?" Zaya asked, her voice calm but edged with curiosity.

Layla tilted her head, listening. It wasn't the usual din of drunken nobles or overeager suitors. There was something sharper beneath it—panic. A scream rang out, distant but bloodcurdling.

"Doesn't sound like a toast," Layla said dryly. Her smirk faltered as another scream pierced the air.