Water streamed down Elianna's body as she washed herself off in the shower. She felt both nervous and excited for tonight. She was excited because today was her sixteenth birthday, and she was going out to celebrate with her family and friends. But she was also nervous because while tonight was a celebration, it was also the night she and Nicholas were going to enact their plan.

  With a nervous and excited sigh, Elianna washed the rest of her hair out before flipping it back. Turning off the water, she then opened the door and grabbed her towel before stepping out of the shower and drying herself off. She wrapped the towel around herself before grabbing another towel to dry off her hair, then wrapped the towel around her hair to help soak up the rest of the water.

  Approaching her bathroom mirror, Elianna wiped away the condensation and stared at herself for a moment. While she knew she was now a year older, she didn't feel or think she looked all that different. With a shrug, she looked at her sink and conducted her personal hygiene. Once that was done, she discarded her hair towel, releasing her messy, damp hair, and grabbed the wind rod lying beside her sink. It was a simple, enchanted item that Elianna appreciated. It had a metal ring attached to a wooden wand and was designed to create a warm flow of wind. Using the wind rod, she quickly dried her hair before opening her cabinet, which was filled with different fragrances. While she had multiple fragrances to choose from, she smiled as she grabbed the one she used the most, the cinnamon one, since it was Nicholas' favorite.

  Elianna applied the fragrance before stepping out into her bedroom, where she saw her undergarments laid out. And, neatly laid out beside her undergarments, was the elegant and beautiful dress she had picked out.

  Discarding her body towel, Elianna quickly got dressed and made her way to her vanity, where she sat down. Grabbing her comb, she promptly straightened her hair before tying it back into a low ponytail. Not because Nicholas liked that style or anything... but because she wanted to.

  Elianna quickly but carefully applied her makeup, as she didn't want to mess up her dress accidentally. She wasn't really a fan of lipstick and usually let her lips remain their natural color. However, tonight, she was feeling a little dressy, so she grabbed lipstick in the same shade of red as her dress and neatly applied it.

  Once she was done, Elianna did a once-over of herself in her vanity mirror before she stood up and walked over to her floor-to-ceiling mirror. She looked herself over and contentedly smiled at herself. Her eyes fell on her short-sleeved red dress that hugged her torso nicely, and she had a wide skirt that fell just below her knees. The dress itself had a sheen, which Elianna thought made her seem like she was glowing. And she was glad she went with the red lipstick since she felt it added well to her appearance.

  Looking at her door as she heard a knock, Elianna said, "Come in." The door opened, and Elianna smiled as Katarina peeked her head in, "Hey, Mom."

  Katarina's eyes glimmered, and she smiled warmly at her daughter when her eyes fell on her, "Oh, Sweetie, you look beautiful."

  Katarina stepped into the room, and Eliana observed she was wearing a beautiful blue dress, and her hair and makeup were neatly done.

  "I can say the same to you," Elianna chuckled.

  Katarina smiled as she came to stand beside her daughter. She looked her up and down through the mirror, noticing her feet were bare, "Which shoes will you be wearing?"

  Elianna pursed her lips and canted her head slightly, "I'm not sure. Maybe my red slippers?"

  Katarina hummed, "Red over red can look nice. It may be a bit too much, though." Her eyes widened slightly. "Oh, what about your black heels?"

  Elianna's eyes flicked to her mother's through the mirror, "Think that will look nice?"

  Katarina nodded, "Definitely, the contrasting color will make your dress pop out. Here," Katarina walked into Elianna's closet and came out with her black heels. She handed them to her daughter, "Put these on."

  Elianna nodded but also mentally grumbled since she hated heels. She walked over to her bed and sat down to put on her heels. After strapping her heels to her feet, she stood up and immediately remembered why she hated heels. She stumbled a little, earning a small, comical smile from her mother. She made her way over to the mirror and smiled contentedly at how well the black heels went with her dress.

  "You were right," Elianna said as she looked back at her mother. "It does go well!"

  Katarina chuckled, "I know how to dress up quite nicely." She jerked her chin, "Now, let's get going; your father should have the carriage ready."

  Elianna nodded, followed her mother out of her room, and made the challenge of descending the stairs in her heels. To her accomplishment, she only stumbled twice. When they exited their mansion, her eyes fell on her father, who was dressed in a lovely black suit and casually speaking with the carriage driver in the driveway.

  Lucian looked toward the front doors, noticing they had opened, and smiled warmly at his wife and daughter. Watching them descend the steps, he chuckled a little, seeing that Elianna wasn't very used to walking around in heels. "You alright there, Munchkin?"

  Reaching the last step, Elianna smiled at her father and said, "I'm still getting the hang of these heels."

  Lucian nodded, "You'll get used to them; you have incredible balance." He looked her up and down, "You look beautiful tonight."

  Katarina nodded in agreement, "That's what I said." She chuckled, "She'll definitely make Nicholas' jaw drop."

  Elianna blushed slightly and looked to the side.

  Katarina smiled at her daughter's reaction and glanced at the carriage. "We should get going if we want to make our reservation."

  Lucian nodded, "Agreed." He looked at the driver, and they shared a nod.

  Elianna followed her parents as they climbed into the carriage, but she found it a little difficult to do so in heels. She took her seat across from her parents, and the carriage driver closed the door.

  "So," Lucian said as the carriage jostled back and forth as the driver took his seat. He smiled at Elianna as she and his wife looked at him. "Are you going to tell us what you want for your birthday yet? You said you'd tell us tonight."

  Elianna smiled and shook her head, "Later."

  Katarina hummed, "How mysterious. Can you at least give us a hint?"

  Elianna looked up and curiously tapped her chin with her index finger before she smiled, "It's not expensive."

  Lucian narrowed his eyes as the carriage jerked forward, "That's barely a hint."

  "But it is a hint nonetheless," Elianna chuckled.

  Katarina sighed lightheartedly, "I suppose."

  The rest of the carriage ride was filled with blissful conversation about their week, which included topics such as Katarina's class at the academy, Lucian's job, and Elianna's training. When they finally reached the dining district, Elianna looked outside.

  While the shopping district was filled with stores where you could shop, purchase various items, and seek entertainment, the dining district was entirely made up of restaurants, bars, and other places where you could sit down and eat. The dining district was split into different sections, corresponding with how much it costs to dine at the establishment. The more high-end restaurants were in one place, while the less costly ones were in another. And tonight, they were going to a very high-end restaurant.

  Elianna looked out the window and watched as they rode by different restaurants. Individuals walked along the sidewalks, all dressed differently for the night. Some wore casual apparel, while others were dressed fancier than others. The establishments they passed looked nice, but there wasn't anything special about them as they were regular-sized brick buildings. However, the moment they entered the high-end section, the scenery changed.

  The individuals walking around were all dressed elegantly, and the buildings themselves were huge, with intricate designs. The restaurant they were going to was no different as Elianna's eyes settled on the large building.

  As the carriage rolled up to the front of the building, she and her parents waited until the employees opened the door.

  "Good evening, Sir and Ladies, " the male employee said, gesturing for them to exit. "And welcome."

  "Thank you," Lucian said as Katarina exited first.

  Lucian followed Katarina out, and Elianna exited last. Elianna looked up past the steps and saw the large, elegant, light, and dark-brown two-story building. To the right of the building were the restaurant's private stables, where the carriages could be stored.

  "Your ticket," An employee said, giving Lucian a ticket.

  Elianna looked at the employees, seeing that they were all neatly dressed in suits.

  "Thank you," Lucian said and took the ticket.

  The employee then walked over to the carriage driver and provided them with a ticket. The driver nodded before riding off.

  One of the employees smiled and gestured to the restaurant, "Please, enjoy your stay."

  "We will, thank you," Katarina nodded.

  Elianna followed her parents as they ascended the large brown stone steps to the restaurant. And, lucky for her, there weren't that many. When they reached the top of the steps, Elianna's eyes fell on the large, beautiful double doors where two employees stood.

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  The employees nodded and smiled as they opened the doors, "Welcome."

  As she entered the opulent restaurant, chatter and beautiful music filled her ears. While the outside looked stunning, the inside was absolutely gorgeous.

  White walls and marble flooring covered the inside, with an intricate design along the walls. A large chandelier with lumous stones hung from the ceiling, hanging above the open second floor, which could look down on the first. In the center of the restaurant was a beautifully carved fountain full of winged statues, whom Elianna thought were divine beings.

  In front of Elianna was a podium where a lovely young lady in a black dress stood, looking at a notebook. But, looking to her right, Elianna smiled widely. Her gaze settled on Nicholas, who was dressed nicely in a black suit that matched his uncle's, who stood beside him. Freya, dressed in a beautiful green dress, stood beside Celine, who was adorned in a stunning blue dress.

  "Ah, you're already here!" Lucian announced happily.

  Nicholas and the Argyles looked in their direction and smiled. But when Nicholas' gaze fell on Elianna, her heart nearly skipped a beat as his expression changed. His brows raised, his lips went agape, and his cheeks turned incredibly red. She watched as his deep sea-green orbs traced her figure up and down, and a shiver ran down her spine, as it was almost like he was feeling her with his eyes. Her soft-looking red lips curved into a smile as she loved the look he was giving her.

  Katarina grinned, also noticing Nicholas' expression. "Told you," Katarina whispered into Elianna's ear, making her jump a little. "Jaw dropped."

  Elianna's smile grew, and she blushed.

  "Hello, everyone," Mathew said as the four of them approached the Vails. He looked at Elianna and said, "And happy birthday to you."

  "Happy birthday, Elle," Celine said with a smile, giving Elianna a quick hug.

  "Happy birthday," Freya added warmly.

  Elianna returned their smile and Celine's hug, "Thank you."

  Breaking Celine's hug, Elianna's gaze flicked to Nicholas, who approached her with his lips still agape. Clasping her hands in front of her to keep her fingers from fidgeting from nervousness, she smiled, "Hey, Nick."

  Nicholas' eyes flicked up and met Elianna's beautiful celestial blue pearls. He could feel his heart racing like it was beating a mile a minute, and his face felt hot. Finally, he cleared his throat and managed a smile: "You uh... you look... you look... wow."

  Elianna looked to the side, feeling herself blush heavily, "Thanks." She cleared her throat and looked at him from the side, "You don't look too bad yourself."

  The sound of snickering caught their attention, and they looked toward the sound, seeing Freya, Celine, and Katarina watching them with grins. However, as soon as their gazes met, they quickly looked away, finding anything else interesting. All the while, Lucian and Mathew were having their own conversation.

  "Elianna," Nicholas said softly. Elianna looked at Nicholas, seeing him smiling while holding out his hand. "Happy birthday."

  Elianna's eyes fell to Nicholas' extended hand, seeing a rectangular-wrapped present. She smiled, knowing she had told Nicholas she didn't need a present. But, knowing him, she still knew he was going to get her one anyway.

  "Thank you," She said softly as she took it.

  "So," Nicholas began and stepped closer to her. He looked at Elianna curiously, "Did you ask yet?"

  Elianna shook her head, "No, not yet." She looked to the side, seeing her father talking to the female at the podium. "I thought it would be best here."

  Nicholas chuckled, "Because we're in public, and they won't make a scene in case they get angry?"

  "I doubt they'll get angry," Elianna said before she looked at Nicholas. "But yes. Plus, this way, we can explain together."

  Nicholas nodded, "Sounds good."

  "Alright, everyone," Lucian began, getting everyone's attention. "Our table is ready."

  "If you would please follow me," One of the females said, holding several menus.

  They all followed the hostess as she made her way to the stairs and ascended to the second floor. As they were climbing, Nicholas' brows furrowed, seeing Elianna stumble once. He looked down, his face heating at the sight of her bare legs in front of him, and noticed she was wearing heels.

  "I thought you hated wearing heels," Nicholas said before looking at Elianna with a raised brow.

  "I do," Elianna said, looking at him over her shoulder. "And tonight reminds me why."

  He chuckled, "Hey, at least they make you a little taller." He smiled jestfully, "Maybe not as tall as me, though."

  Elianna narrowed her eyes on Nicholas playfully before looking forward.

  They reached the second floor and followed the hostess to a large table. The Argyles sat on one side, the Vails on another, and Nicholas and Elianna sat across from each other.

  Once the hostess passed out the menus and left, Lucian smiled, "Well, thank you for joining us tonight to celebrate Elianna's birthday."

  "Of course," Freya said and smiled at Elianna. "We're more than happy to celebrate with all of you."

  Nicholas looked at Elianna curiously, "Could Justine not make it?"

  Elianna shook her head, "No, we sent her an invitation. But she said she's busy."

  "Probably tutoring someone else," Mathew commented.

  Lucian looked up from his menu and chuckled, "Hopefully they're a better student than Elianna."

  "Hey, I was a great student," Elianna playfully argued.

  "Sure you were, sweetie," Katarina jested, gaining a few laughs.

  They all looked toward the waitress as she approached, and they all provided her with their drink orders.

  When she walked off, Katarina looked at Freya, "Are you all ready and excited for your trip tomorrow?"

  Elianna looked at her mother and then at Nicholas, who shared a gaze.

  Freya let out a sigh and nodded, "We are. Are we excited? Not so much. But, it will be nice to see Zasaly again."

  Katarina nodded, and her gaze flicked to Celine, "Were you able to get the assignments you need to complete while you're away?"

  "Unfortunately," Celine grumbled. "I was hoping my professors would just give me a pass on all the work."

  Katarina chuckled, "If it's any consolation, I recommended that. But the others didn't budge."

  Celine shrugged, "It's fine. There are only a few assignments. We are only going to be gone a few days, anyway."

  "Yes. So Katarina and I have discussed," Lucian said as he and Katarina shared a look.

  Elianna's heart quickened as she looked at her parents. She sat straight and nervously twiddled her thumbs in her lap. Ever since the messenger had come, she had overheard her parents talking about the possibility of Elianna going to Gavaria with Freya. From what she overheard, they weren't happy with it at first, especially with King William not even giving the invitation to her parents or inviting them along. But they had never told her that she wasn't going, leading her to believe they were still talking about it. She never asked her parents about their decision, hoping they would tell her when she was ready. And with Nicholas, Freya, and Celine leaving tomorrow, she was hoping she would now learn their decision.

  "So we have," Katarina stated.

  Elianna's eyes flicked up, and she mentally scolded the waitress as she returned. She practically glared at the waitress as she served everyone their drinks. Once she was done, she hoped the waitress would leave. But she mentally deflated when the waitress began taking everyone's orders. When she looked at Nicholas, she could see he was just as impatient as she was to know her parents' decision. Elianna and Nicholas quickly provided their orders when it was their turn and handed over their menus. Once the waitress was gone, she looked at her parents, watching as they both casually took sips of their drinks.

  Elianna looked at Nicholas, and they shared an impatient gaze.

  Freya noticed their gaze and hid a smile. She knew how much Nicholas was hoping for Elianna to tag along with them. In truth, she was mixed on the idea. She couldn't figure out why her brother would invite Elianna, but she doubted it was for nefarious reasons. Either way, she would keep an eye on her.

  "So, um," Elianna began softly, her patience dwindling. Her parents looked at her, seeing her curious expression. "You were saying you were talking about Gavaria."

  Lucian and Katarina looked at each other. Katarina smiled, giving Lucian a nod. Lucian sighed before smiling at Elianna, "Yes. We decided that you can go."

  Elianna smiled widely, practically reminding herself not to jump out of her seat and cheer. She looked at Nicholas, seeing that he was smiling just as widely.

  "As long as Freya is okay with keeping an eye on you," Katarina said and looked at Freya.

  Freya smiled and nodded, "It's more than fine. And I promise to keep an eye on her."

  Katarina smiled and relaxed, knowing she could trust Freya. "Thank you."

  "So, Munchkin," Lucian smiled at Elianna. "Was that what you were going to ask for?"

  Elianna's smile faded, and she shifted uncomfortably.

  Katarina's brows furrowed at her daughter's reaction.

  Mathew looked at Lucian curiously, "What do you mean?"

  Lucian looked at Mathew, "When we asked Elianna what she wanted for her birthday, she said she would tell us tonight." He smiled at his daughter, "We believed she was going to ask us if she could go with Freya to Gavaria. Am I right?"

  "Um," Elianna said nervously and glanced at Nicholas. Nicholas smiled and gave her an encouraging nod. Elianna steeled herself before she looked between her parents, seeing their inquisitive expressions, "No."

  Katarina raised a brow, "No?" She smiled slightly, "Then what is it, Sweetie?"

  Taking a deep breath, Elianna knew it was now or never, "First off, thank you for letting me go to Zasaly. I really wanted to go." Her parents smiled and nodded. Her stomach fluttered intensely with nervousness. "Uh, secondly, for what I'm about to say, I only ask that you consider it without giving me your answer now."

  Lucian and Katarina shared a curious look before they looked at their daughter and nodded.

  Elianna spared Nicholas one more glance before she began, "So, I want to join Nicholas and Zera when they leave for field training."

  The table fell silent.

  Freya's hand stilled, with her glass halfway to her lips. Celine and Mathew both looked surprised. Lucian and Katarina stared at their daughter, almost like they were frozen. Nicholas and Elianna both looked at Elianna's parents nervously, letting them process what she just said.

  "W-what..?" Katarina stuttered. She looked at Lucian, who remained frozen. She looked back at Elianna, "Why?" Her brows furrowed, "If this is about missing him while he is gone, I can understand. But he will only be gone for a year, and you will see him again once he returns."

  Elianna shook her head, blushing slightly, "That's not why."

  "Then why?" Katarina asked.

  Elianna was about to answer when two waitresses returned with the food. The table was tense as they passed out the food, and once they were gone, no one touched their plates.

  Celine leaned toward Nicholas and whispered, "Did you know she was going to ask this?"

  Nicholas nodded and whispered back, "It was both of our ideas."

  "Was it now? " Lucian asked, his eyes snapping to Nicholas. Nicholas flinched under Lucian's gaze. Lucian looked between Elianna and Nicholas. "Then perhaps both of you can explain why you want to go together."

  Nicholas and Elianna glanced at each other before nodding. Then, they looked around the table, seeing that everyone was now looking at them.

  "We think going together will be beneficial to our training," Nicholas stated. He gestured to Celine, "When Celine returned from her field training, she said that she learned a lot. She even said she learned more during the one year of field training than her several years of training at the garrison with my aunt."

  Celine looked at her mother, "No offense, Mom."

  Freya chuckled, "Don't worry, I understand. That's the purpose of field training."

  "I understand why Nicholas wants to go, as it can benefit him to train with Zera in the open world," Katarina began. She looked at Elianna curiously and said, "But what does that have to do with you?"

  "Because mages and knights work together," Elianna stated, and Katarina and Lucian's brows furrowed. "At the garrison, we see mages and knights training together every day." She gestured to her father, "You told me mages and knights work together in their squads." She gestured to her mother, "And you said mages and augmentors share the same combat course. This way, they learn to fight together. If I can go to field training with Nicholas, I think it would benefit us in growing stronger and learning how mages and knights work together."

  Mathew took a sip of his drink, "They make good points." He quickly shut up when Lucian and Katarina shot him a look.

  "I'm not asking you for a decision now," Elianna said, her voice cracking from nervousness. "Maybe you can think about it while I'm in Zasaly." Her voice softened as she said, "Please?"

  Elianna and Nicholas looked at Katarina and Lucian as they sat there silently.

  Finally, Lucian sighed, "You do make good points."

  Katarina looked at Lucian, "It could be dangerous."

  Lucian looked at Katarina, "Which is why we will talk about it."

  Katarina looked down, thinking, before she looked at Lucian and nodded. Looking at her daughter, she said, "Okay. We will talk about it."

  Elianna smiled widely, "Thank you."

  "Now that that's done," Lucian breathed out and smiled. "Dig in, everyone."

  Nicholas and Elianna shared a gaze and a smile as the others ate. They were content that their plan worked. And, Elianna was also excited for another reason. Because tomorrow, she was leaving with Nicholas to Zasaly.