The sun was setting, and the sky and clouds were a beautiful orange by the time Nicholas, Celine, and Elianna stepped out of the theater. The temperature had dropped slightly, and a crisp, gentle wind blew around the area. The once bustling street was now less occupied as people were heading home since it was beginning to become late.

  "Woah," Elianna whispered, her eyes settled on the sunset. "The sky looks beautiful."

  Nicholas, who was descending the theater steps, stopped and looked at Elianna before following her gaze. His lips curved as he eyed the sunset, and he nodded in agreement, "Yeah, it is. I wish I had my painting materials. I would love to paint it."

  "Come on you two!" Celine yelled. Elianna and Nicholas looked toward Celine, who was already at the bottom of the steps, waiting for them. Celine gestured to them to follow her, "It's getting late; we need to go."

  "We're coming," Nicholas said as he and Elianna descended the steps. He looked back to the sunset, a little bumbed out. "I'll try to paint it later."

  Elianna looked at him curiously, "Why do you say it like that? Do you not want to paint it?"

  Nicholas shook his head, "No, it's not that." They reached the bottom of the steps and followed Celine as she began to walk away from the theater. "It's just that painting something in front of you can capture the image better than painting something from memory."

  Elianna smiled at him, "Is that why you'll sit there drawing whatever catches your eye instead of drawing it later."

  Nicholas smiled and nodded to her, "That's exactly why. I find it better to draw or paint something in the moment when it's directly before you."

  "It also helps that you're a fantastic artist," Celine cut in and smiled at Nicholas over her shoulder. "You've always been good at painting and drawing."

  Nicholas smiled and shrugged, "Thanks. It's always given me some peace of mind."

  "It's good to have a hobby," Celine said and looked forward. Her eyes darted around, gazing at the few people walking around. "It's definitely less busy than earlier. Guess everyone is either home or out having dinner."

  "Speaking of, do you know what Aunt Freya and Uncle Mathew are having the staff make?" Nicholas asked.

  Celine looked down, thinking, "I'm pretty sure Mom said they were planning for tenderloin today."

  Nicholas smiled, and his mouth watered at the idea, "Oh, that sounds good." He looked at Elianna, "Don't you think so?" His smile faded when he noticed she wasn't listening, and her eyes were locked across the street. He followed her gaze, seeing she was looking at the enchanted store they were in earlier.

  As Elianna looked at the store, she couldn't help but think of the gorgeous necklace she had been eyeing. She really wanted to get it, but she knew it was expensive, and her parents probably wouldn't appreciate her spending that much on a necklace.

  "Lia?"

  Elianna snapped out of her thoughts and looked at Nicholas, raising her eyebrows. "Huh? Yeah?"

  Nicholas smiled at her, "Are you okay?"

  Elianna returned his smile and nodded, "Yeah. I was just thinking about the enchanted item store we were in earlier. They had a lot of cool things."

  "I should've bought that zapper," Celine chuckled and looked back at both of them. "Would've been fun to bring to the academy."

  "Yeah, I'm sure the other students would've loved it," Nicholas said sarcastically.

  "Oh, lighten up, Nick," Celine laughed and looked forward. "Harmless pranks are fun."

  "Harmless but annoying," Nicholas grumbled and rubbed his palm that Celine had shocked.

  Celine and Elianna laughed, and the three of them continued their way down the sidewalk. They eventually reached the stables, and Celine approached the small stand where a middle-aged dwarven man stood, scribbling in the notebook.

  The man looked up as Celine approached, and he smiled, "Good evening. How may I be of assistance?"

  "We are here to pick up our carriage," Celine told the male, placing the tile the carriage driver had given her on the stand.

  The man nodded and picked up the tile. He then flipped through his notebook and settled on a page, "Ah, here it is." He looked behind him at the employees who were standing around, "Brian!"

  A young elven male ran up to the stand, "Yes?"

  The older man gestured to Celine, "Inform the carriage driver in spot D forty-nine that their riders have returned." Brian nodded and ran off, heading toward the stables. The man looked back at Celine and smiled, "It won't be long now."

  Celine returned his smile and nodded, "Thank you." Celine turned and walked over to Nicholas and Elianna, who were waiting a few feet away. "They'll be down shortly."

  "Good," Elianna commented as she hugged herself and rubbed her bare arms. "It's starting to get a little chilly out here."

  Nicholas nodded, "A little bit."

  Nicholas casually reached out, wrapped his arm around Elianna's shoulder, and pulled her close to him so she was pressed against him. Elianna immediately went wide-eyed, stiffening straight as a board, and her cheeks burned heavily as her face turned apple red. The chill she felt a moment ago immediately melted away as she felt Nicholas press her against his warm and muscular body.

  Celine quickly bit her lips between her teeth, trying to keep herself from grinning at Elianna's reaction. Trying not to laugh, she covered her mouth and quickly looked away.

  Nicholas nonchalantly smiled down at Elianna, "Better?"

  Elianna slowly lowered her face, hoping Nicholas didn't see her blushing like a complete idiot right now, "Y-Yeah. T-Thanks."

  "Good," Nicholas said. "Because if not, I could always cast a warming spell on us."

  "No," Elianna said faster than she meant to. Her lips curved slightly with her stomach fluttering, leaning more into Nicholas, feeling his comforting warmth, "This is more than fine."

  "Your carriage is here!" The man at the podium yelled.

  Celine, Nicholas, and Elianna looked toward the stable entrance, seeing the carriage they had ridden in on emerging from the stables. Elianna mentally grumbled, wishing the carriage driver had waited a little longer to emerge.

  The carriage driver rode near where Elianna, Nicholas, and Celine were standing and smiled at them, "Ready to head home?"

  Celine returned their smile and nodded, "We are."

  The carriage driver began to climb down from his driver's seat, and Nicholas removed his arm from Elianna. Elianna sighed dejectedly at the loss of his warmth and comfort as he began to walk toward the carriage, and she soon followed.

  As Celine, Nicholas, and Elianna approached, the carriage driver opened the door. Celine smiled to the carriage driver, "Thank you."

  The carriage driver returned her smile, "Of course, My Lady."

  Celine climbed into the carriage first, and Nicholas stood to the side, motioning for Elianna to go in before him. Elianna shot Nicholas a smile before she climbed into the carriage and sat in the seat across from Celine. Nicholas looked at the carriage driver, who gave him a respectful nod before Nicholas climbed into the carriage. Elianna looked at Nicholas and smiled happily as he sat beside her.

  "Well, that was a fun day," Nicholas expressed as the driver closed the door. He looked at Elianna and smiled, "Did you have fun today?"

  Elianna looked at Nicholas and happily nodded, "I did." The carriage rocked back and forth as the carriage driver took his seat. "It was a nice change of pace from staying at the mansion or at the garrison," Elianna said as the carriage jerked forward.

  Nicholas nodded and chuckled, "Yeah. We do hang out there a lot."

  "Well," Celine began, and Elianna and Nicholas looked at her. She smiled jestfully at Nicholas, "I had a nice time, too. In case you were wondering."

  Elianna and Nicholas laughed a little before Nicholas smiled and said, "Thanks for putting up with us today."

  "Of course," Celine smiled. "It was nice to get out and hang out with you too. I'm not opposed to doing so again."

  "When are you going to head back to the academy?" Elianna curiously asked.

  "Not for a couple of days. The academy is out on a long weekend," Celine replied.

  Elianna looked at Celine happily, "Oh good, so we have time to hang out."

  Celine smiled and nodded, "We sure do. So if you want to come back to the shopping district anytime soon, we can."

  Elianna smiled at the idea, "I would like that." She curiously looked to the side, "I haven't really heard anything about the other illusionaires currently in the theater, so I don't know if they're good or not."

  Celine shrugged, "Neither have I. But I did like this one a lot. I especially liked how they did the romance."

  Elianna nodded, "Yeah. It wasn't rushed or anything, and I loved how they got along."

  "Oh, the chemistry between them was evident," Celine chuckled. "And the tension between the prince and the hero was well done. I'm glad she got with the prince in the end."

  Elianna nodded and smiled, "It was a nice ending." She curiously looked at Nicholas, "What about you? Did you like the ending?"

  Nicholas smiled and nodded, "Yeah, I liked it." He leaned back in his seat, thinking, "It must be cool to be a renowned hero and have everyone respect you."

  Celine shrugged, "I don't know. It seems like a lot of attention. I'm not sure I would like that."

  "What about a prince?" Elianna asked, and Celine's eyes flicked to her. Elianna chuckled, "Or a princess, I guess. Would you rather be a princess or a hero?"

  "Oh," Celine looked down, her brows furrowing, pondering the question. "I, uh, I don't know."

  Elianna looked at Nicholas, "What about you? Would you rather be a hero or a prince?"

  Celine's eyes flicked to Nicholas, and Nicholas' gaze fell, staring at the floor. He shifted in his seat and shrugged, "Uh, I don't know. Probably a hero. I don't think being a prince is what it's all chalked up to be."

  "Really?" Elianna asked, looking at Nicholas curiously. "You don't think living in a palace and being royalty sounds cool?"

  Nicholas shifted again, almost seeming uncomfortable, "I don't know, maybe."

  "I agree with Nicholas," Celine cut in, and Elianna looked at her. Celine casually shrugged, "I'm sure there is a lot that goes into a royal life that we don't know about. I'm sure it's not as grand as we think."

  "Plus," Nicholas said as he looked up and jestfully smiled. "Being someone with no responsibilities is probably better."

  "Responsibilities?" Elianna asked.

  "Like running a kingdom," Celine said.

  Elianna hummed, "Huh, I didn't even think about that." She smiled and shrugged, "You two are probably right."

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  "Anyway," Celine said, moving on from the conversation. She smiled at Elianna, "How has your training been going?"

  Elianna returned Celine's smile, and the three of them fell into casual conversation. They spoke and laughed together until Nicholas looked out the window on Elianna's side and said, "We're here."

  Elianna followed Nicholas' gaze, and her eyes fell on a mansion just as grand as her family's. There was a cobblestone road leading to a circular driveway in front of the mansion, which had a large fountain in the center. The carriage approached the road and made a right-hand turn, beginning to head toward the mansion. The carriage reached the circular driveway and road around the fountain until it stopped in front of the mansion steps. The carriage swayed as the driver dismounted from his seat, and a moment later, the door opened.

  The driver stood to the side and bowed, "We have arrived at the Argyle mansion."

  Elianna smiled and got up from her seat, "Thank you."

  Elianna descended the steps and looked up, seeing the beautiful marble steps that led up to the incredibly large white and gold two-story mansion. In front of the mansion was a beautifully well-kept garden, with white stone paths cutting through the garden in multiple directions as walkways.

  "Home sweet home," Celine said as she exited the carriage, followed by Nicholas. Celine looked at Elianna and Nicholas, jerking her chin toward the mansion, "Come on."

  The three of them began to ascend the mansion steps, and as they approached the large light brown wooden doors, they opened before they had a chance to knock.

  An older human male with charcoal gray hair that was neatly combed to the side and orange eyes stood in the doorway. He was neatly dressed in a black and white suit and stood with an air of elegance around him.

  "Hello, Quinton," Celine greeted with a smile, recognizing her family's head butler.

  "Hello, Lady Celine and Lord Nicholas," Quinton said. His eyes flicked to Elianna, and he respectfully bowed, "It is a pleasure to see you again, Lady Elianna."

  "Hello, Quinton," Elianna said with a kind smile. She looked at Quinton curiously, "Are my parents here yet?"

  Quinton nodded, "They are, My Lady." Quinton stepped aside, allowing for the three of them to enter the entrance hall.

  As soon as she entered the large entrance hall, which had elegant dark brown flooring and white-painted walls, Elianna noticed the double staircase before her, which had a walkway leading to another door between them. To her left and right were two more doors, each leading to other parts of the mansion. Above her was a beautiful chandelier with lumous stones, which illuminated the room.

  Quinton closed the front door behind the three of them and continued, "Lord and Lady Vail arrived with Lord and Lady Argyle when they returned. They're all currently in the sitting room, awaiting your arrival."

  Celine smiled and nodded to Quinton, "Thank you. And when will dinner be ready?"

  "The cooks just finished, My Lady," Quinton replied. "I was just about to inform the Lord's and Ladies until I saw your carriage approaching."

  "I'll go tell them," Celine said.

  Quinton nodded, "Yes, My Lady. I'll inform the staff to begin plating."

  Celine nodded, and Quinted walked off, heading through the door between the staircases. Celine looked at Elianna and Nicholas and smiled, "Why don't you two go and sit down?" She began to walk toward the door to the left, "I'll get our parents."

  "Sounds good," Nicholas said and smiled at Elianna. "Come on."

  Elianna smiled and nodded as she followed Nicholas through the door between the staircases. They walked through the hallways, passing several rooms until they approached another room on their right. Turning into the room, it opened up to a large and beautiful dining room. A grand dark brown dining room table with a table runner was situated in the middle of the room. Around the room were multiple glass cases with ceramic decorative vases and plates on display. Above the table was a small chandelier, illuminating the room with its lumous stones. Floor-to-ceiling windows were built into the wall across from the door, showing off the backyard. On the right side of the room was a set of double brown doors leading into the kitchen.

  "I don't know about you," Nicholas said as he and Elianna walked further into the room. "But I'm starving."

  Elianna chuckled and nodded, "Yeah, me too. We did do a lot of walking today, and we didn't really eat lunch."

  Nicholas nodded, "That's true." A burst of laughter caught Nicholas' and Elianna's attention, and they looked toward the door, hearing multiple voices approaching. Nicholas jokingly looked at Elianna, "Think they've been drinking?"

  Hearing the voices getting closer, Elianna laughed and nodded, "Oh, for sure."

  Katarina was the first to walk into the room, and she smiled warmly as her eyes fell on Nicholas and Elianna, "Ah, there they are."

  Freya walked in behind Katarina and also smiled as she saw Nicholas and Elianna, "Did you have fun?"

  Elianna smiled happily and nodded, "Yeah, we had a lot of fun."

  Mathew and Lucian were the next to walk in, laughing together obnoxiously, both with glasses in their hands that were filled with an amber liquid. Freya and Katarina looked at the both of them before sharing a gaze and sighing.

  Nicholas leaned close to Elianna and whispered, "Called it, didn't we."

  Elianna smiled and looked at Nicholas.

  Celine walked in last and walked toward Nicholas and Elianna, then gestured to Lucian and Mathew. "Well, it seems like they're having fun."

  Elianna looked at her father and Mathew, seeing them mumbling and laughing together, and smiled slightly, "Seems like it."

  "They're like children when they drink," Freya pointed out, giving Celine a deadpan look.

  Mathew looked at Freya, "Nu-uh."

  Lucian nodded and held up his glass, "We can handle our liquor."

  Katarina gave Lucian a deadpan look, "You broke their coffee table."

  Lucian shrugged, "How do you know it wasn't already broken?"

  "That's a good question," Mathew whispered to Lucian.

  Freya sighed and facepalmed, "We literally saw you break it."

  Nicholas looked confused, "How exactly did he break it?"

  Katarina looked at Nicholas with a deadpan expression, "He was telling a story, and in his infinite wisdom, he punched the table with a mana-clad fist."

  Lucian shrugged, "Maybe it jumped out at me."

  Katarina sighed and looked at Freya, "Sorry."

  Freya chuckled and smiled at Katarina, "Don't be. Mathew's the one who brought out the alcohol." She shrugged, "Besides. I can always buy another."

  The kitchen doors opened slightly, and Quinton peeked his head in, "Excuse the interruption, but is dinner ready to be served?"

  Freya smiled and nodded, "Yes, please."

  "Very good," Quinton said before going back into the kitchen.

  Freya clapped her hands loudly, making sure she had everyone's attention, and gestured to the table, "Alright, everyone. Let's take our seats."

  Everyone silently obeyed Freya's order, and Mathew took his seat at the head of the table. Lucian sat on Mathew's left, with Katarina taking the seat beside him. As Elianna sat beside her mom, she smiled warmly as Katarina placed a loving kiss atop her head. Freya took her seat to Mathew's right, with Celine taking the seat beside her and Nicholas sitting beside Celine.

  As they took their seats, mansion staff began to exit the kitchen and placed plates and drinks in front of everyone. Eyeing the food, Nicholas' mouth watered at the sight of the tenderloin beside the mashed potatoes, seasoned rice, and vegetables. Once the food was delivered, the mansion staff walked back into the kitchen.

  "Well," Mathew began, picked up his fork and knife, and smiled. "Dig in everyone."

  Everyone at the table picked up their silverware and hummed happily as they tasted the delicious food.

  "This is very good," Katarina commented. "I'll have to make sure to give my compliments to the chef."

  Freya nodded in agreement before she looked at Nicholas and smiled, "So, how was the illusionaire?"

  Nicholas looked at his aunt, "It really liked it! It was a nice story."

  "What else did you do?" Katarina asked, looking between Celine, Elianna, and Nicholas.

  "We walked around the shopping district," Elianna responded, taking another bite of her food. "We got some sweets, went to a book store, oh, and we went to an enchanted items store. I bought a new top for when I exercise."

  "What enchantment does it have?" Lucian curiously asked.

  "A cooling enchantment," Elianna said.

  Lucian hummed, "That could come in handy."

  "I thought so, too," Elianna chuckled and looked around the table. "What about you guys? What did you do today?"

  "Came back here shortly after you left," Mathew said. "Then we just hung out, talked, and drank."

  "Correction," Freya began, pointing her fork at Mathew and Lucian. "You two drank."

  "Freya and I just watched you two break a coffee table," Katarina cut in.

  Mathew pointed his fork at Lucian, "Technically, he did it."

  "Oi!" Lucian said lightheartedly. "Tattle tail!"

  Everyone at the table laughed and continued to enjoy their meal together as they made small talk.

  Once everyone was finished eating and having a casual conversation, Nicholas looked at Freya, "Aunt Freya?"

  Freya took a sip of her drink before curiously looking at Nicholas, "Yes, Sweetie?"

  "Could I be excused?"

  Freya smiled and nodded, "Of course."

  "Before you ask," Katarina jested and smiled at her daughter. "Yes, you can be excused to."

  Elianna blushed a little, "Thanks."

  Elianna looked at Nicholas, who jerked his chin in a 'follow me' motion, and Elianna nodded. They got up from their seats, and Elianna followed Nicholas as they made their way through the mansion and climbed up the stairs. They turned left and made their way through the mansion until they reached a door that Elianna recognized as Nicholas' room.

  Entering the room, Elianna noticed how well-kept his room was. It was a large room with dark brown wooden flooring and dark gray walls. A dark brown dresser was placed against the wall on the opposite side of his king-sized bed, which had a black comforter and a dark brown foot and headboard. On either side of the bed were two dark brown nightstands. Beside the dresser was a door that led to his extravagantly large closet and bathroom. Across from the door Elianna had just entered was another door, which led to his bedroom balcony.

  Elianna felt a little weird as she moved into the room with Nicholas. Sure, she had been in his room alone with him plenty of times. However, over the years, as they got older, sometimes being alone with Nicholas in his room made her heart race.

  "So, um," Elianna began, trying to act casually. She looked at Nicholas as he walked toward the balcony door, "What are we doing here?"

  Nicholas looked at Elianna and smiled, "Earlier at the bookstore, we were talking about the constellations. I wanted to take a look."

  Nicholas gestured for her to follow, and Elianna walked after him as he opened the balcony door and stepped outside. Stepping onto the balcony, Elianna could feel the crisp air and looked around, seeing the other mansions in the area. Looking to the right, she watched as Nicholas approached the telescope he had set up and grabbed it. Nicholas looked up to the clear night sky and narrowed his eyes. He seemed to be looking around until he smiled and maneuvered the telescope to a specific spot.

  Nicholas looked through the telescope and smiled, "There it is."

  Elianna couldn't help the blush that formed on her cheeks or her lips as they curved slightly. She had always loved watching Nicholas whenever he did something he loved, as he always looked so happy.

  Nicholas stood up, stepped to the side, and gestured to the telescope, "Take a look."

  Elianna walked forward and looked through the telescope. Her eyes fell on several stars in the sky, which would look like random specks of light to some. However, Elianna smiled, as the lights weren't random to her. She immediately noticed the constellation, as she had spent countless hours stargazing with Nicholas before, with him pointing out the different constellations.

  "It's The Badger," Elianna said.

  "Correct," Nicholas said. "Now, hold on, I'm going to adjust the telescope."

  Elianna nodded and felt as Nicholas moved the telescope. She watched the sea of stars pass by until it settled on another constellation. "The Ladle."

  "Nice job," Nicholas said. "Let's see if you can get this one."

  Nicholas moved the telescope once again, and Elianna smiled as it settled on her favorite constellation.

  "Oh, this is easy," Elianna chuckled. "It's-" Elianna stopped, and confusion washed over her as something shiny came into the telescope's view.

  Elianna suddenly stood straight and immediately froze, her eyes wide with surprise. Her gaze was locked on the front of the telescope, where Nicholas was holding the double teardrop necklace from the enchanted item store.

  Elianna's eyes flicked to Nicholas, and she saw him standing there with a grin on his face.

  "Surprise," Nicholas chuckled.

  "W-What? W-When?" Elianna stammered, her eyes darting between him and the necklace. Her memory clicked as she remembered back to the store. "The pickup order."

  Nicholas nodded, "Yep. I bought it when you weren't looking."

  Elianna looked at the necklace, and her eyes teared up at the gift, which sparkled from the light of the moon. She couldn't deny how beautiful it was and how much she wanted it. However, she couldn't take it.

  "It's too expensive," Elianna whispered and looked at Nicholas. "You should take it back."

  Nicholas laughed and shook his head, "Nope, it's yours now. And don't you worry about the price."

  "But-"

  "Turn around," Nicholas said, making a circular motion with his free hand.

  Elianna looked confused until her brows raised with realization. Seeing he was set on giving the necklace to her, she saw no point in arguing and turned around. Elianna grabbed her ponytail and moved it out of the way. She heard Nicholas unclasp the necklace and step up behind her, and a moment later, his hands came into view, with the necklace in his right hand. He brought the necklace to her neck, and she blushed heavily, her lips curving and her stomach fluttering, as she felt his warm fingers trace along the flawless skin of her neck as he clasped the necklace around her neck.

  Elianna heard Nicholas take a step back, and she lowered her hair as she turned around to face him. When her eyes fell on him, she could see his cheeks were red, and he looked a little nervous. Elianna smiled, touching the necklace gently with the tip of her fingers, "What do you think?"

  Nicholas smiled and nodded, "It looks beautiful on you."

  Elianna's blush deepened, "Thank you."

  Nicholas raised his hand and took out the bracelet, which Elianna recognized was bound to the necklace. He clasped the bracelet to his right wrist and held it up, "There." He touched the bracelet with his free hand and pushed mana into it. Elianna gasped slightly as she felt a comforting warmth seep into her from the necklace. "Now we can let each other know when we're thinking about each other."

  Elianna smiled blissfully, her heart full of warmth, "This..." She looked up to Nicholas, and his eyes widened in surprise as she stepped forward and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek. She backed away, blushing heavily, "Thank you. I love it."

  Nicholas' face turned apple red, his eyes the size of moons, completely frozen. He stared in disbelief at the beautiful girl before him, whose silky silvery white hair sparkled in the moonlight, and gorgeous celestial blue eyes glistened blissfully. After a moment, Nicholas looked to the side and cleared his throat, "I, uh, I'm glad you like it."

  They stood there in silence, with Nicholas looking to the side and Elianna smiling blissfully at him. That was, until their head snapped to the side, hearing someone clear their throat. Their eyes fell on Celine, who was leaning against the entrance to the balcony with a grin.

  "Sorry to interrupt," Celine said, noting that Nicholas averted her gaze in embarrassment. She smiled at Elianna, "But your parents are leaving, Elle. They wanted me to come to let you know."

  Elianna nodded before she smiled warmly at Nicholas, "Thanks again, Nick. I really love it." She began to back away, "See you later."

  Nicholas looked at her and returned her smile, "See you later."

  Elianna happily spun around, saying bye to Celine as she practically pranced out of the room with a pep in her step.

  Celine watched as Elianna left the room before she grinned at Nicholas, "You should just tell her how you feel."

  Nicholas looked to the side and crossed his arms, "I don't know what you mean."

  Celine rolled her eyes, "Of course you don't." She chuckled as she walked back inside.

  Nicholas looked up to the night sky, gingerly touched the cheek Elianna kissed, and smiled softly.

  ***

  "Bye, Mr and Mrs Argyle!" Elianna said as she walked down the mansion steps, waving to Freya and Mathew, who stood by the mansion door.

  Elianna reached the carriage at the bottom, and the carriage driver closed the door as she climbed inside. She took her seat, and her eyes fell on her father, who was passed out and snoring in the seat across from her, with her mother sitting beside him.

  "Is he okay?" Elianna asked, raising a brow.

  Katarina chuckled and nodded, "He's fine. He just drank too much." Katarina's eyes flicked to Elianna's necklace, and her brows raised while her lips curved, "What's that?"

  Elianna smiled as she touched her necklace, "A necklace that Nicholas gave me. It's bound to a bracelet with an enchantment, which Nicholas is wearing. It lets us know when we are thinking of each other."

  "I see," Katarina smiled and nodded. "It's a lovely gift."

  "Yeah," Elianna whispered softly, pushing mana into the necklace, letting Nicholas know she was thinking of him. "I really like it." She felt her necklace become warm, and she smiled jovially, knowing Nicholas was thinking of her, too.