Freya's brows furrowed as she stared at the two Tri-Union knights standing before her, "Raina? Why exactly has she requested my presence?"

  The more senior-looking of the two knights shook their head, "Unknown, Experitor. Lieutenant Warren just informed us to come find you and inform you of the summons."

  "Kassandra, huh?" Freya said with a raised brow.

  Freya's eyes fell, feeling slightly concerned and confused. She knew the lieutenant of the Royal Guard unit wouldn't lie about Raina summoning her. But it also made Freya wonder what would have prompted Raina to request her presence in the first place. Freya recalled that the only time Raina had ever done something like this was once before, when Freya had just arrived in Tri-Union City. At that time, Raina wanted to ensure that Freya wasn't here with ulterior motives, which Freya thought was a justified reason.

  Coming to the conclusion that there was only one way to find out what Raina would want, Freya looked at the two knights and nodded, "Very well, lead the way." Freya looked over her shoulder at Nicholas and Elianna and smiled, "I'll be right back. Stay here and stay with Zera."

  Nicholas and Elianna nodded, both looking confused and slightly concerned. Especially Nicholas, since in his experience, being summoned was never a good sign.

  Zera smiled, "I'll take care of them, don't worry."

  Freya nodded before turning and walking toward the two knights.

  "Actually, Experitor, we're not here just for you," The younger of the two knights said.

  Freya froze, her brows furrowing. "Then who else has been summoned?"

  The senior knight's eyes flicked to Nicholas and Elianna, recognizing them. "Nicholas... Rinehart, Elianna Vail," the senior knight said, looking back at Freya. "And Celine Argyle."

  Nicholas' eyes widened, and he paled, hearing the knight say his actual last name. He felt his stomach drop since he had desperately tried to keep his ties to his father a secret. In the past, individuals always used Argyle as his last name, and he never corrected them.

  Freya's brows rose, also looking perplexed and shocked at the knight saying the name Rinehart. She knew Raina would never reveal that information and came to the conclusion that her brother might be involved in this.

  Elianna looked at Nicholas, seeing his shocked and uneasy expression. She reached out and gingerly took his hand.

  Nicholas looked at her, surprised, but soon they shared a comforting smile.

  Freya's brows furrowed, becoming more defensive. She didn't want to risk walking into a situation that would make Nicholas uncomfortable. However, she knew she had to answer these summons. She wanted to ask what this was all about, but knew it would be useless since the guard had already said he didn't know.

  Freya sighed, knowing she had no choice, "Very well. However, Celine is not here. She is currently at the academy, and I would appreciate it if she were not disturbed."

  The knights shared a gaze before looking at Freya and nodding while the senior spoke, "Understood, Experitor."

  Freya looked at the guards for another moment before she turned and looked at Zera, "Go find Lucian and tell him about what is happening. I'm sure he will want to know that Elianna has been summoned to the palace."

  The two royal knights flinched and shared an uneasy gaze upon hearing Lucian's name. However, they also seemed almost relieved.

  Zera nodded, "Will do."

  "Thank you," Freya said, watching as Zera turned and began to walk off. Freya then looked at Nicholas and Elianna with a smile, "Alright, you two. Let's go."

  Nicholas and Elianna nodded and followed Freya as she and the two knights started to head toward the palace.

  "This is going to be a long walk," Elianna lightly grumbled, trying to lighten the mood.

  "That's good," Nicholas said, his tone sounding more serious than Elianna's.

  Elianna tilted her head slightly. "Why?"

  "Because it gives Mr. Vail enough time to catch up with us."

  Elianna looked confused, "Why would my father being there change anything?"

  Nicholas looked at her, "Because his word will carry more weight in case there is some argument or something."

  "His word?" Elianna said, perplexed. "But, aren't you and your aunt... you know?"

  Nicholas sighed and nodded, "Indeed, we are royalty. However, our authority remains within the jurisdiction of Gavaria. Here in Tri-Union City, Lucian has more authority since he is the Knight Commander of the Tri-Union City forces."

  Elianna's brows raised, "I didn't know that."

  Nicholas smiled at Elianna, "That's because I don't exactly talk about my status as a prince, remember."

  Elianna smiled and chuckled, "That's true." Her smile soon faded as she looked a little more confused and worried. "So, do you think there is going to be an argument of some kind?"

  Nicholas looked down, his face contorting, "I-I'm not sure." He let out a long sigh, "Though, I'm sure my father is involved."

  Freya turned her head slightly, listening.

  Elianna shook her head. "Why would you think that?"

  Nicholas looked up and met her gaze, "Because it was me, my aunt, and my cousin who were summoned. We all have relations to the Gavarian royal family."

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  Freya's eyes fell, as that was why she had come to the same conclusion.

  Elianna's brows furrowed. "If that's true, then why have I been summoned?"

  Nicholas looked down, seeming worried, "That, I'm not sure of. But, it's what I'm most worried about."

  Elianna's brows raised, and her lips curved, hearing how Nicholas was worried about her.

  Even Freya was smiling as she listened. Finally, she looked at them over her shoulder, "I wouldn't worry about it. I'm sure it's nothing bad."

  "Right," Nicholas sighed, with his head down. "I guess we'll see."

  Freya looked at him with a bit of worry, knowing how he could become when his father was involved. However, a moment later, her eyes dropped lower, and she smiled warmly.

  Elianna curiously followed Freya's gaze, and her face heated in an instant, seeing that she and Nicholas were still holding hands. Though a moment later, she smiled slightly and didn't pull away, as she liked how it felt.

  Glad to see Elianna and Nicholas were comforting each other, Freya looked forward. Her smile didn't last, though, as she began to wonder what this was all about.

  The rest of the walk was met with silence, with only the sound of their steps along the lush green grass echoing in their ears. Eventually, they reached the palace and went inside.

  As they entered, the three of them looked around, noticing nothing unusual. The royal guards walked around calmly, as usual, and there were no unusual commotions or noises. This made Freya and Nicholas relax a little, as they knew the guards would be busier if there were a monarch in the palace.

  Following their escorts, Freya, Nicholas, and Elianna made their way through the palace until they reached the doors to the throne room. In front of the lavish white and gold doors stood five knights and one mage, who were standing guard. The two knights standing closest to the doors nodded at the five individuals approaching and moved to open the doors, but froze at the sound of a loud, booming voice.

  "Stop!"

  Freya, Nicholas, and Elianna twirled around, and all the guards followed their gazes, seeing Lucian approaching them with a hardened expression. Behind him was Mathew, who looked concerned as his eyes fell on Freya.

  "Dad!"

  "Uncle Matthew!"

  Nicholas and Elianna both smiled happily, seeing their family members. Nicholas also felt relieved, knowing Lucian had made it. And, by how they were rapidly breathing and sweating, he guessed they had run all the way over here.

  "What is the meaning of this?!" Lucian yelled, glaring at the two knights escorting Freya, Nicholas, and Elianna.

  The two knights and the knights standing by the doors suddenly snapped to attention, looking incredibly nervous. After all, it wasn't every day that the Knight Commander yelled at them.

  Lucian quickly approached his daughter and took her into a hug. "Are you okay?"

  Elianna smiled, breaking the handhold with Nicholas and returning his hug, "Yes, I'm fine, Dad. We were just brought here, nothing else."

  Lucian sighed and nodded as they broke the hug, looking relieved. Though a moment later, he glared at the two guards who escorted her, "But the question is why. Why has my daughter been summoned?! Without my knowledge, no less!"

  The senior of the knights swallowed hard, "C-Commander—"

  The doors to the throne room opened, and everyone's head snapped forward.

  Raina stepped out, walking elegantly, with Kassandra standing behind her. Raina looked at Lucian and sighed, "For goodness sake, Lucian. We can hear you from in here even with the doors closed. Just come inside; everything is fine."

  Freya, Nicholas, Mathew, Elianna, and Lucian all seemed to relax a little. But Lucian's eyes snapped to Kassandra, and he said, "Why wasn't I informed of Elianna being summoned?"

  Kassandra raised a brow, looking confused, "What do you mean? The knights sent were supposed to inform you." Kassandra looked at the two knights who brought Freya, Nicholas, and Elianna over to the palace. "Did you not inform the Commander that his daughter was being brought here?"

  The most senior knight flinched, "Well... Experitor Freya sent another to tell him and—"

  Kassandra sighed, "Enough. Dismissed."

  The knights straightened before quickly walking off, ignoring Lucian's stern gaze.

  Kassandra smiled apologetically, "Sorry about that; they were supposed to tell you."

  Freya looked at Lucian apologetically, "They never told me they were going to tell you. So I sent Zera."

  Lucian nodded, "It's fine." Looking at Raina curiously, he asked, "What is this about?"

  Raina turned, "Come inside. There is someone here with a message."

  Mathew, Freya, Nicholas, Elianna, and Lucian looked at Raina curiously as she and Kassandra walked back into the throne room. Without another word, they followed her, with Mathew coming to walk beside his wife.

  Mathew leaned toward Freya, "I'm guessing this is about William?"

  Freya nodded and whispered back, "I assume so."

  Mathew nodded, and the five of them entered the throne room with the guards closing the doors behind them.

  The throne room was both elegant and massive, featuring white marble flooring and gold tiles that covered the ground. White, smooth, cylindrical pillars with intricate golden designs filled the spaces here and there. Chandeliers with lumous stones hung from the city, bathing the area in bright light. At the end of the room was a dias, with a white marble and golden throne, where Raina moved and took her seat.

  Kassandra moved and stood beside the dias, with more knights and two mages standing to her left and right.

  But the individuals who caught Lucian's, Mathew's, Elianna's, Nicholas's, and Freya's attention were the ones who stood to the side. A young male with short black hair dressed in black and blue apparel stood tall, with three Gavarian knights beside him.

  As soon as Freya and Nicholas observed the individuals from Gavaria, they knew they were right in assuming that William was involved.

  "I apologize for the summons," Raina said with a soft smile. She looked at the young male and Gavarian knights, "These four appeared not long ago from the royal portal. They advised me that they have a message for you." Her eyes narrowed slightly, "But refused to tell me what it was."

  The young man looked at Raina, "As I have said, Regent, it is by His Majesty's orders. I am only to deliver the message to its proper recipients and tell no other."

  "Well," Freya said, stepping forward with a stern expression. "We are here. So get on with it and deliver the message."

  The young man nodded, but his brows furrowed as he looked at the crowd, "Forgive me, Your Highness. But where is Princess Celine?"

  Freya was taken aback slightly, as it had been a long time since she had been addressed by her title. Composing herself, she answered, "Celine is currently preoccupied with her studies at the academy. You may deliver the message to me, and I shall relay it to her."

  The young man looked unsure, "I, uh... The Majesty said..."

  "Just tell us," Nicholas snapped. He was feeling anxious about knowing what his father had to tell them and wanted to hear the message already. "My aunt already said she would inform my cousin. So, just spit it out."

  Elianna looked at Nicholas worriedly, seeing how anxious he looked. But she was also worried because of how cold he sounded just now. It was unlike him, and she hated it.

  The young man looked at Nicholas for a moment before he coughed, "Yes, Your Highness. As you command."

  Elianna looked at the man, confused, wondering why he listened to Nicholas but not Freya.

  The young man walked to the center of the throne room and pulled out a scroll from his spatial ring. He unrolled it and cleared his throat before he began.

  "I, William Rinehart, King of Gavaria, hereby invite Prince Nicholas Rinehart, Princess Freya Argyle, Princess Celine Argyle, and Lady Elianna Vail to Zasaly, the capital of Gavaria, to share in the celebration of Prince Tristan Rinehart's engagement."

  The young man put the scroll back into his spatial ring and took out an envelope. "I have your invitations here."

  The room fell utterly silent, with Freya, Mathew, and Nicholas having wide-eyed expressions.

  Elianna looked at Nicholas, seeing that he looked utterly shocked and worried. She leaned close to him and whispered, "Prince Tristan? Is he..?"

  Nicholas let out a deep sigh, "Yes. My older brother." Nicholas looked down and rubbed his temples, "My aunt was right, though, this isn't bad."

  Elianna tilted her head slightly, thinking that was a good thing. However, she noticed that Nicholas looked as though he was going to be sick. "That's a good thing, right?"

  Nicholas shook his head, "Nope. Because it's worse."