As the first golden light of dawn streaked across the sky, Prince Elvis awoke in the palace stables and promptly summoned Commander Lorcan with a detachment of imperial guards to escort him to the Gabriel estate.
At the Gabriel residence, Bonnie had risen hours before sunrise, mortified at the thought of Prince Elvis seeing her with even a hair out of place. After a full hour of meticulous grooming, she realized with frustration that morning hadn't yet broken. Trapped between ruining her carefully arranged appearance and returning to bed, she sat stiffly on her embroidered cushions, counting the moments until daylight.
"Agate," she fretted, turning to her maid, "do I look presentable today?"
"Radiant, my lady! Like the morning sun itself!" Agate curtsied deeply.
"But..." Bonnie twisted
