If u don't go through with this then we're NEVER going out for ice cream EVER AGAIN ????

  I read Spencer's text and sighed as I walked down my neighbourhood street. Both her and Shaye were in perfect agreement about my whole situation with Luke, despite not knowing anything of the other's existence. They were like two pillars of advice in my life: one to talk me away from bad choices and one to egg me on into the unknown. But on this particular issue, they were both on the same page. I knew I needed to strike while the iron was hot. Before I got a chance to lose my courage. Before my opportunity to say 'fuck it all' came crashing down like the rest of my life seemed to do on the daily.

  It was a cool Wednesday evening after training. Since the Academy wasn't open on Wednesdays, I always had some more time to myself in the middle of the week. That usually meant more chores and schoolwork. But tonight was different. This time, I had an excuse to do something a bit...unorthodox, for me. I needed to put all that excitement to good use before I lost it again.

  I was a girl on a mission as I walked towards Luke's house. And a nervous wreck as well, of course. The closer I got to my destination, the faster my heart was beating, my nerves running high with adrenaline. No matter how much I'd tried to prepare myself, I didn't quite know how I was going to do it – but I did know that I wasn't going to run away anymore. I wasn't going to chicken out like I always seemed to do with him. I had my plan. It was simple, it was straightforward... It was something that even I couldn't mess up.

  Would you want to go out on a date sometime?

  It was a question that I'd rehearsed about a million times. In the shower that morning, as I got dressed, as I ate dinner. And right now, as I stood at the base of his driveway, the words were ringing loudly in my head. I didn't know why I was nervous. We already knew we liked each other. It wasn't like I thought he'd say no. Even if he did, it was only words, right? I could deal with being rejected. Ironically, what was more nerve-wracking was what to do if he'd say yes. If we did go out, and things went well... I still felt a pang of guilt at the thought. Some kind of voice in the back of my mind was still trying to hold me back. Still trying to tell me I wasn't allowed to have a boyfriend, because I had much bigger, more important things to deal with.

  But I wasn't going to let those thoughts get the better of me. Not now. If Spencer and Joel could make long distance work, why couldn't I? If we both stayed in California for college, we could always take flights to see each other instead of driving for all those hours...

  I walked up the porch steps. There was no turning back now. At least, I didn't want to. Despite everything. Despite how much I tried to ignore the idea, to ignore what it could lead to. I knew I liked Luke, and I knew I was going to regret it for the rest of my life if I didn't give us a real shot. So I rang the doorbell and stood there on the porch.

  Waiting.

  Waiting.

  Waiting…

  Finally, it was his uncle that opened the door. My heart dropped immediately at the sight of Dean Ottinger's confused expression. He was wearing pyjamas and slippers, even though it was only seven p.m. It was sort of awkward. And I could only take so much more awkward right now.

  "Hi," I said with a small wave as he looked down at me like I'd just rung his doorbell on accident, like a twelve-year-old playing ding-dong ditch.

  "Uh, hey. Chloe, right? Geneva's daughter. How's it goin'?" he greeted. It felt like his eyes were boring right through me.

  "I'm good, thanks. Um..." I hesitated.

  "Something you need, kiddo? Luke didn't cause you any trouble, did he? Because if he did–"

  I was quick to shake my head. "Oh, no! Nothing like that. Um, is he here? I just wanted to talk to him about some stuff. Just for a second."

  "Hah, and you couldn't just text him? Or, hell, I don't know – call him?" he teased with a grin. My face warmed slightly as I tried to formulate some kind of answer, but before I could say anything, Dean just laughed. "I'm kiddin'. He's upstairs getting ready for his soccer game at seven-thirty. Don't keep him long, okay? His team needs their star striker."

  "Of course. It'll only take a minute," I replied, feeling both a rush of excitement and pressure at the news that Luke was here, but had to leave soon.

  It wasn't too late to back out, was it? Maybe it wasn't the right time, or I shouldn't have even bothered. Maybe this was a sign. I was overthinking again. I shook the thoughts away and told myself that no, this was as good a time as any to ask him. That it would've been much worse if I'd just done it via text message. This way, I could at least see his face and have some idea of how he'd feel about my offer. And, honestly, I was getting a little sick of beating around the bush.

  Dean turned and hollered behind him, "LUKE! DOOR!" and then disappeared back inside the house.

  Not even ten seconds later, Luke appeared, bounding down the stairs, dressed in his white and green soccer uniform.

  His eyes lit up as he spotted me on his doorstep. "Hey! This is a surprise."

  I tried to fight away the heat rising to my face, but the way his eyes looked into mine made that increasingly hard to do. "Hi… Hope I'm not bothering you."

  Luke leaned against the doorway, folding his arms. I felt my heart flutter in an unexpected rhythm. "Never. What's up? Everything okay? Oh, did you figure out that kinesiology worksheet? The names of all those bones were killer."

  I laughed at the unexpected comment. "Uh, yeah. That one took me a while, too."

  He grinned. "Glad it wasn't just me. Did you want to study together for the test next week? I have to be on the field in ten, but I can–"

  I cut in, "No, no. I mean– Yes! Um, yeah. Definitely. We should. Study together. But actually...that's not why I'm here."

  "Okay...?" He arched a brow. I had his full attention.

  It felt like there was a spotlight shining on me, making the flush on my cheeks unavoidable. I took a deep breath and mustered up the courage that'd led me here to begin with. I couldn't keep Luke waiting forever, especially not when he had to leave any minute now to have enough time to warm up before the game.

  "Sorry, I... I just wanted to ask you something. That's all," I explained, wringing my hands. "Something I figured would be best to ask you in person."

  "No worries. Shoot."

  This was it. Now or never. I needed to tell him how I was feeling, how I'd finished processing everything we'd talked about on that bench on the boardwalk. That I was ready. That I wanted to go out on a real, honest date with Lucas Ottinger. No more hiding, no more excuses, no more pretending like I was trying to focus on school, on my saviour responsibilities – like I wasn't already. It wasn't the perfect timing, and we weren't perfect, and maybe he'd say no. Maybe he didn't even like me like that anymore. Maybe this would just end up a joke. A fun anecdote we'd look back on, someday. But if that was the case, then at least I would know. At least I wouldn't always wonder what could've been.

  "You're...really looking at me..." Luke said with an awkward laugh. I suddenly realized I'd been staring at him silently, probably with a dazed, blank look on my face.

  I blinked and cleared my throat. "Oh. Sorry. I, uh. Um... Wouldyouwanttogooutonadatesometimewithme?" It was rushed. I said it too quickly, like the words couldn't come out of my mouth fast enough. Okay, yes. That sounded real smooth, Chloe. Gold star. You didn't want to make a fool of yourself, yet here you are doing it anyway.

  "What–?"

  "What?"

  "What?" we said in unison.

  He gave me a lopsided smile. "Uh, can you repeat that last part? I didn't quite catch it."

  I took a breath before looking into his blue-grey eyes again. "Would you want to...go out on a date...sometime...with me?" This time it wasn't rushed. I felt more confident about what I wanted. Even if the timing still felt weird, or awkward, or uncertain, I knew we both liked each other. So if he was willing to try it, I was too.

  Luke blinked. Once. Twice. Then, a bright grin stretched across his face. "Did I hear that correctly?"

  I let out a soft chuckle, my face growing even warmer as he looked at me in disbelief. "Uh, yep."

  "Hold on." His expression turned serious. "I didn't pressure you into this with our talk, did I...? I thought you'd need more time to process everything."

  I shook my head. "Nope. You didn't. This was my idea. I just... I just figured if we both like each other, we should just, I dunno. Just see where it goes."

  He beamed. "Hell yeah, I wanna go out with you. Are you kidding me? That's the easiest question I've been asked all week." His cheeks darkened as he tapped his chin. "Y'know, I was kinda thinking I'd be the one asking you first."

  I shrugged and smiled. "Sorry to steal your thunder."

  "That's all right. I don't mind if it's you." He winked casually.

  My cheeks burned. "I mean... We might as well, right? No harm in trying."

  "For sure," he replied with a stern nod. "We could always end up hating each other. Maybe we're completely wrong about this. Who knows?"

  I grinned at his sarcasm. "True. Maybe it's doomed to fail. And if so, we should find out sooner than later."

  "Precisely. Best way to find out."

  "Exactly."

  We shared a smile that made me feel light on my feet. Like the only things anchoring me to the ground were my shoes. This was really happening. This wasn't a dream. It felt like something out of one. Maybe I'd fall flat on my face at the end of all of this, or maybe we'd live happily ever after. I was left in a sort of haze. One where everything felt too good to be true, and yet too true to not be real. It was a nice change, at the very least.

  Luke took a quick glance at his phone, and I was immediately brought back to the present moment. "Damn it. Sorry to cut this short, but I'm gonna be late for my game. If my coach asks why, I'm telling him it was all your fault."

  "Excuse me, my fault?" I exclaimed, feigning offense.

  He chuckled as he grabbed a jacket that was hanging by the door. "Yes, it's all your fault, because I got too distracted by how cute you are that I lost track of time." He stepped outside and locked the door behind him.

  My stomach fluttered. "Yeah, yeah. Don't blame me for your poor time-keeping. Now go win your game."

  "You're not watching?" He faked a pout as he followed me down the porch steps.

  I felt a twinge of disappointment. "Sorry, I really wish I could. But I have a history paper due at midnight, and I've barely even started it yet."

  "Oh, yikes. Good luck with that, then. Don't forget to get up and stretch once in a while, if you're staying up late. I learned that the hard way last semester." He slipped on his jacket.

  "Duly noted. Thanks."

  "But... Um," he began, stuffing his hands in his pockets. We'd reached the end of his driveway. "Listen. I don't want to sound like a douche for saying this... Uh, my schedule isn't exactly easy to plan around. Especially with games, practices, and school, and...everything my uncle drags me into. So, I can't tell you off the top of my head when I'm free next. But, if I'm making time for you, then I want to be intentional about it. I don't want to just...cram in a mediocre date in the middle of our already crazy schedules. You know what I mean?"

  I nodded in agreement. "That's totally fair. Actually, I really appreciate you saying that."

  He smiled. "Basically, what I'm saying is, let's plan the logistics later. Tomorrow, maybe. When I can give you my undivided attention. Because I have a feeling the rest of my tea  m would not like it if I was constantly distracted by texts."

  "Ah, I see," I said with a smile of my own. "Of course. You should probably get going."

  "Right, I should." He glanced at his phone. "Shit, I really should. Okay. Good luck with your paper. I'll see you at school." He stepped forward and quickly pressed a chaste kiss to my cheekbone, then took off down the sidewalk at a sprint, duffle bag slung over his shoulder.

  My face burst into flame. Trying to stop it was like trying to stop a volcano with a cork. My fingertips traced over the spot where he'd kissed me as I stood there in utter shock, mouth agape. A small laugh escaped me. "I hate you...! Now I'm definitely not gonna be able to concentrate!"

  He glanced over his shoulder and yelled, "Consider it payback!"

  As Luke disappeared around the corner, my chest filled with excitement, anxiety, and a slew of other feelings. I didn't know whether I wanted to scream, laugh, or cry. So instead, I stood there in silence for a while longer, as the reality of what just happened washed over me like a tidal wave. I couldn't believe I'd actually done that. I'd never asked out a guy before. It was like a giant weight was lifted off my shoulders, and yet a brand new, bigger weight had settled on top of them. One that said: Okay, you did it, but what's next? What's after? How will it all work out? How can you possibly think about a relationship at a time like this? What about your saviour duties? How can you even be so happy when everything is going to crumble any day now?

  It was an odd mixture of thoughts. Some rational, and others irrational, but they all added to the storm in my head. I knew there were bigger things at hand – there always were. Shaye told me I needed to act more selfishly. That I needed to make myself a priority every now and then, or I'd lose myself entirely. She was right. Maybe, just maybe, it wouldn't hurt to have this one good thing. Even if it didn't work out in the end, or even if we had to call it quits in the next month for some reason. I just...wanted to know that I had tried. And that maybe, I deserved this one thing to go right.

  As I walked home, I shot a text to Spencer: I DID IT. I might need a defibrillator right now but I did it. HE SAID YES

  She texted back almost instantly, WOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!! LET'S GOOO

  A string of heart emojis followed. I was smiling from ear to ear.

  It was like walking on air for the rest of the week. Not a whole lot changed. Not that much could really change. But it felt good. I was starting to feel a little bit normal for once. A little less like a robot with only one objective: Save the World from Certain Doom. The world was brighter, I had more energy, my heart beat a little bit faster when I saw Luke at school, and I was smiling a bit more, too.

  Luke and I decided to plan a date for next Saturday – which I was thankful for, because I had to be in Opios, risking my life for a shiny rock, this weekend. It gave me something to look forward to. After some brainstorming, I suggested a picnic, which he whole-heartedly agreed to. I was glad that we didn't go for a classic date and just do dinner and a movie. A picnic seemed much more relaxed and fun, and I had an idea of the perfect location. Besides, Luke and I were far from strangers at this point, so going on a 'basic' date, whatever that really meant, wouldn't be us. Not by a longshot.

  I tried to keep my excitement in check while I was on Emiarhia. I didn't need anyone asking me embarrassing questions or giving me weird looks. And I had a mission to focus on. The more I focused, the faster this would be done with, and the sooner I'd be back on Earth, safe and sound, with Luke. I just hoped nothing would go terribly wrong this time. Rather, that what would go wrong could be easily fixed. There was always something to worry about on gemstone retrieval quests. Always. With some luck, this time, I wouldn't faint...or be envenomated...or have to perform emergency first aid.

  "Brielle?" Shaye whispered. "You seem...distracted."

  I blinked and came back to reality. She was sitting beside me in the Vitality Management lecture hall as Professor Xiph blabbered on about which breathing techniques could help channel more magical energy. I was barely listening to the lecture, even though I probably should've been. Vitality management was all about being more efficient and productive with magic, which were important when you were trying to save the world. As a healer, it'd help a lot to master those skills. The course was about using energy effectively and making every moment count, as well as how to build up resilience. One can easily become drained to the point of exhaustion by casting too many difficult spells too close together, so this class helped students mitigate that by teaching us breathing techniques, and biophysical and mental tweaks to help extend our magical abilities. This way, we could cast more powerful spells for longer, and each one would tire us less. I needed to listen if I had any hope of defeating Vhinrud one day.

  I shot my best friend a weak smile and leaned over to whisper back. "Yeah. Just thinking."

  She arched an eyebrow and said, "About a boy." It wasn't a question. She already knew.

  I looked at Professor Xiph to make sure he wasn't paying any attention to us. The bespectacled, bearded professor was busy writing on the blackboard and didn't notice a thing. I turned my focus back to Shaye and replied, "What gave me away?"

  "The stars in your eyes. You have a dreamy, distant look about you," she replied matter-of-factly, jotting down a couple of notes in the notebook that laid on her desk. I couldn't help but feel slightly jealous of her ability to multitask.

  I gave her a half-hearted glare. "I may be bad at hiding my emotions, but you're not exactly the world's best secret-keeper. I don't want the group finding out. It'll turn into a whole thing."

  "Oh. Well... Is it a good development?" she asked quietly, trying not to disrupt anyone else.

  I nodded with a small smile.

  "You're happy about it?"

  I nodded again.

  She beamed. "That's all that matters."

  Viktor, who was on her other side, leaned forward. "What are we whispering about?"

  "None of your business," I answered.

  "Spoil my fun, why don't you…" he muttered and returned his attention back to his notebook.

  Shaye giggled. From beside Viktor, Ashkan looked over, curious about what the fuss was. I gave him a wave and a smile. He narrowed his eyes a bit and returned it with a nod.

  As the class ended, we filed out into the hall and headed towards our respective lockers. We passed Cassius and Roland walking side-by-side in the opposite direction. Their date must've gone well, because they were chatting enthusiastically as they went.

  "Look at them," Shaye spoke after a quiet chuckle.

  I grinned. "Good for them. They look really happy."

  The two of us stopped at my locker while Viktor and Ashkan went ahead.

  "I should visit the lavatory before we leave for Opios," Shaye said. She then sighed, "I do not look forward to going underwater. Especially after the week I've had..."

  I laughed and put a few books into my locker. "I don't blame you. Hopefully this one won't end as disastrously as our last mission. I hope the water won't be freezing."

  "Well, Opios spans some of the equator. I don't believe it's supposed to be too chilly." She gave a shrug and turned to leave. "I'll be back soon."

  "I'll be here," I replied. She left and I finished putting away my stuff in relative silence. But it wasn't long before I was abruptly interrupted.

  "Hiya," greeted a familiar voice from the other side of my locker door. I didn't have to close it to know who it was.

  I slipped on my duster coat and moved the metal door just enough to peer over at Claude, keeping my expression disinterested. His face had healed completely from the scuffle he'd had with Ashkan's shadow weeks ago. I couldn't imagine what it would've looked like had I not used magic to expedite the process. Claude and I had never been on good terms, but our mutual hatred for each other was growing exponentially as time went on. After I discovered Emiarhia and transferred to the Academy, my schoolmates eventually learned – more or less – to quit sticking their noses into my business. Except him. It wasn't surprising that he wanted to pester me now. What was surprising was that it took him this long to approach me after what had happened with the shadow. He knew now about the imposter. But he hadn't at the time. He was genuinely being that horrible to who he thought was Ash. And for that, I despised him even more.

  I said nothing and arched an eyebrow.

  Claude smirked and continued, "So. Did I hear something about a group trip to Opios this weekend? Or was I imagining things?"

  I stared at him with a look of disapproval while hoisting my messenger bag onto my shoulder. "Get to the point."

  "I just wanted to ask how the prophecy nonsense is coming along. Y'know. Since it's been half a year." He leaned against the lockers and crossed his arms.

  "Contrary to popular belief, I do have a brain. We've got things under control."

  "Oh? Well, that's surprising. Considering Ashkan got kidnapped, the perpetrator's still at large, Shaye's starting to lose it, your tutor quit on you, and nobody can give me a straight answer as to who this prophecy-worthy enemy is… Or if there is even one. Makes me wonder what your team has been doing this whole time."

  My eye twitched. "For someone who's never cared about us or any of the shit we deal with on a regular basis, you sure ask about us a lot."

  He shrugged. "Just trying to stay informed about my country."

  I wanted to leave, but I needed to wait for Shaye to return. I was on the verge of smacking Claude over the head with my bag and telling him to piss off. "I'm sure the magazines can entertain your insatiable curiosity better than I can."

  "Oh, c'mon. Why are you getting so defensive? It's only a few innocent questions. No need to get all uppity."

  "Claude. What do you want? I have a job to do. If you're not going to respect me, then get lost." I made a shoo-ing motion with my hands.

  His gaze sharpened. "...What did I just see on your wrist?"

  My body stiffened. Uh oh. "Uh... Nothing." I hastily covered my left wrist with my sleeve.

  His expression soured as he took a step forward. "Let me see your arm."

  "It's nothing," I repeated. Was the universe messing with me? Testing me?

  He tried to grab my wrist and I stepped away, slamming my locker closed. The noise got the attention of nearby students.

  "It sure didn't look like nothing," Claude said, eyes narrow.

  "It's just a bracelet. You've never seen one before?" I scoffed.

  "Show me then, if you have nothing to hide." He looked more suspicious with every second that passed.

  I pushed up my right sleeve to reveal the silver cuff Ashkan had given me, then held it up to show him. "Bracelet."

  "That's not the one I saw," he retorted.

  I was quickly running out of options. "Were you born infuriating, or did you take classes?"

  He wasn't giving up. "I saw something around your wrist. Something black."

  "Yeah. Another bracelet," I replied dismissively, opening my locker again in an attempt to put a blockade between us.

  "That wasn't a bracelet," Claude insisted, pushing the locker closed with one hand.

  I felt trapped. Students were looking. There were eyes everywhere. My stomach twisted in knots as I stared at him, unable to come up with an answer he'd find believable.

  His voice was low as he added, "It looked to me like one of those shadowbane fetters. The kind they put on dangerous people who are out of control. Or are they for criminals? Either way. Feel free to prove me wrong."

  I clenched my jaw. He had me cornered. There was no getting out of it now. Those bangles were crafted to be very distinct for a reason. They were exactly like ankle monitors in the way that everybody could recognize what they were meant to do at a glance. There was no lying about it. Not convincingly, anyways. It simply couldn't be mistaken for a regular accessory at this distance.

  "So? Are you going to say anything or not?" Claude's glare bore into me as he spoke. I was rooted in place.

  My pulse quickened. "What?! No. What are you talking about?" I snapped.

  He rolled his eyes. "Brielle. C'mon."

  "It's literally just a bracelet. What, do you want me to give it to you or something?"

  At that, his face changed. It was like I flipped a switch; almost like the cogs in his brain had stopped turning. It had to have been a trick of the light, but a pinkish tinge seemed to colour his cheeks. He blinked. "No, but that would prove it's not a shackle."

  "Then what?" I asked, feeling irritated. I looked around to see if I could spot Shaye in the crowd. Unfortunately, no such luck. She must've been fixing her hair. I could've just left to go find her, but I needed to meet Ashkan as well. Us three always met up in the same spot at the end of the school day. And Claude probably knew this. I was just surprised he was without his lackeys this time.

  "Well, if you can prove it's a bracelet, I'll stop being concerned. How's that?" he offered, although it seemed more like a demand than a request.

  I scowled. "I don't owe you anything."

  He smirked. "If it's not a problem, then you have no reason to refuse."

  "You don't have the right to go prying into my business, either."

  Claude frowned, arms folded tightly across his chest. He stared me down, then said, "Then why won't you tell me?"

  I pursed my lips. I was sick of this. It was none of his business, but at this point, my options were limited. If I kept denying him an answer, he'd continue to harass me. I really didn't need the headache. I just wanted this to be over with. "You have two seconds to stop interrogating me."

  "I just want to have the peace of mind that you aren't some dangerous psychopath on a leash," he shot back. "It's a simple question."

  "It's a bracelet," I insisted again, louder this time. A few curious bystanders stopped walking to listen.

  "You're so full of it!" he practically shouted back at me.

  My frustration grew. "Why do you even care?"

  "I care when it seems like the person responsible for the fate of my entire dimension is chained like a wild animal. Because it doesn't look good," he replied in a sharp tone, taking a step closer.

  I didn't back away. I wasn't afraid of Claude. Not in the slightest. And I wasn't going to let him push me around like I was one of the pathetic little cronies that followed him around all day, fawning over every little thing he did. I didn't owe him shit. Especially considering the history he had with Ashkan.

  I stood my ground, matching his glare with my own. "I'm not obligated to tell you anything."

  "Spoken like a true delinquent." He sneered. "I knew you were bad news the day you showed up."

  I was beyond fed up now. He could take his bigotry elsewhere. "Leave me alone. I have things to do." I went to walk away, but he grabbed me by the arm.

  My blood turned cold. He wouldn't dare. Instinctively, my other arm snatched his in a grip that I knew had to hurt. But it was too late – my left sleeve had bunched up when he grabbed me, exposing half of the black band. The two of us froze for a second and looked at each other. It was the closest we'd ever stood.

  Before I could think, I pried Claude's hand off my elbow with a twist, breaking the hold, and shoved him away from me. I didn't want to cause a commotion, but I couldn't risk anyone seeing the bangle. If Claude started spreading rumours, everything would unravel faster than I could blink. I was having enough trouble as it was getting people to trust me. I could see the headlines now – 'The Chosen One is a Criminal!' It would ruin everything.

  Claude was more than a little shocked at the strength in my arms as he stumbled away. I readjusted my coat, trying to act cool despite my thundering heartbeat. His face was turning red in a mix of what I could only assume was embarrassment and anger. I could hear a few muffled giggles in the background.

  He got himself back together and shook his head with a grimace. "See, this is what I'm talking about! You're unstable."

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  My jaw dropped. "You grabbed me!"

  "You shoved me!"

  "You harassed me!"

  "You're hiding something!" He pointed at my wrist and moved to grab my arm again.

  I moved away. "Seriously, back off!"

  His face drew close until it was inches from mine as he continued to corner me against my locker, one accusatory finger hovering above my head. "Admit it! You're–!"

  He was cut off by someone suddenly yanking him back. I didn't immediately process it. All I knew was that one second, he was there, and the next, he wasn't.

  "All right. This is over," a voice I knew all too well spoke up. Ashkan had a firm grip on the back of Claude's collar and was dragging him backwards. Claude tried to swat his hands away, but Ash was stronger than him. He pulled the other boy a few feet away from me before releasing him.

  I stood there in surprise, feeling somewhat dumbfounded. Oh, great. I don't need to be seen as some damsel in distress right now.

  "What are you, her guard dog?" Claude adjusted his shirt and ran his hands through his hair a couple times to get it back into shape.

  Ashkan kept a steely expression and replied, "Leave us alone."

  He shot daggers in my direction, then returned the glare to Ashkan. "Why do you keep getting involved in things that aren't your concern?"

  "If you keep making her uncomfortable, then it is my concern."

  "Get over yourself." Claude glanced my way one last time before heading towards the front doors.

  The small crowd of students that had been watching the spectacle dispersed as quickly as it had appeared. I stared blankly in the direction of Claude's retreating figure.

  Ashkan turned to me, expression neutral. "Apologies if that was presumptuous. I…wasn't sure what else to do."

  I shoved my hands into my pockets and started walking to the exit. "I was handling it."

  He kept up with my brisk pace. "I know. I just figured I would speed up the process so we can get on with our day."

  "Right. Thanks..." I stopped outside to wait for Shaye.

  Ashkan looked out over the front yard. The wind picked up his hair and he pushed it back from his face, squinting slightly. He asked with a hesitant tone, "...What did he want this time?"

  "Claude?" I shrugged. "I don't know. He started with some nosy questions, and then caught a glimpse of..." I glanced around. "The...bracelet."

  "Oh. Mine?"

  "No, uh." My cheeks heated a bit, and I turned my attention to my feet. "The other one."

  He nodded. "Ah. When's the funeral?"

  I huffed out a faint laugh. Ash had this serious talent for making me feel at ease no matter the situation. "I just need to get through the semester."

  Shaye hurried down the steps from the front entrance to join us. She stopped in front of us with a perplexed look, hair whipping around in the wind. "Is everything okay?"

  I nodded. I would've told her about what had just gone down, but I knew she'd insist on getting the Headmaster to punish Claude to the fullest extent, and I really wasn't in the mood to explain to her why I didn't care enough to do that. I could easily squash Claude like a bug if I actually wanted to. "It is now. Ready to go?"

  She smiled. "As ready as I usually am before missions."

  Ashkan rolled his shoulders. "It won't be as bad as our last one. If I can stay conscious this time." He turned to look at me. "What do you say? Ready for another adventure?"

  His gaze was warm and intent. My heart leapt into my throat unexpectedly. It wasn't until just then that I remembered the secret that was burning in my skull. I tried to think of something other than my feelings, or how his hair was fluttering around like it was in a commercial, or how I kind of wanted to hug him for what he did back there, because I knew I shouldn't feel this way towards my coworker. A friend. And especially not if the prophecy was right. I couldn't imagine how the world would react to two champions of the newest prophecy dating each other. Not to mention it could ruin the dynamic between all three of us. It wasn't a risk I was willing to take, so I'd have to shove my feelings back into that locked box of repression and hide it for as long as necessary. Regardless, I had Luke to think about now. He was the only guy I was truly interested in. Ash was just...intriguing. A harmless, unattainable crush that would go away on its own.

  Ashkan watched me as I thought, as I tried to turn the page in my brain. He probably figured that my mind was working through some sort of strategy for the trip.

  "Yep. I'm ready," I answered. I was more ready for him to stop staring at me.

  His eyes lit up a little. "Good."

  "Then let's get to work," Shaye said with a grin, clapping her hands.

  Just like every other gemstone retrieval I'd experienced prior, we were encouraged to immerse ourselves in the cultures of the realm before taking off to do the actual job. Tomorrow and Sunday would be dedicated to the mission. But first, we were allowed to do a bit of tourism. Therefore, the rest of my day, the first of February, was spent enjoying the atmosphere of a monthly festival in Opios' province of Duy. The festival was named Llevanse, which translated loosely to 'sail away'. Since the water realm bordered Winithas to the north, the eight of us took a train to a town called Hauried for about three hours and watched the snowy, coniferous tree-lined landscape slowly transition into warmer weather. The wintery snow became grass and plants, and the sun felt like spring.

  Every realm in Emiarhia was distinctly unique in all facets. Opios was no different. Their architecture was classical and antique-looking, with carved columns, sculpted archways, and decorative arches and keystones. Their streets were mostly made from bricks, and homes were painted in a multitude of muted pastel tones, with ornate woodwork. Dewdrops covered the foliage. Everything sparkled in the sunlight. There were cliffs and valleys surrounded by turquoise waterfalls. A soft haze of fog seemed to perpetually hang over the hills. The buildings and structures were made out of all kinds of stones, from light to dark, smooth to jagged. They looked as if they were hand-carved into the landscape itself, seamlessly integrated with nature. It was peaceful, tranquil, and absolutely stunning.

  Everyone wore our travelling circlets and pins, though that didn't stop us from getting stared at, naturally. I was used to it. Besides, I was eyeing people with equal attention. The race native to Opios was the Erviyps, like Lilwen. They had a wide variety of typical skin, hair, and eye colours, but those were mostly cool-toned. This meant that complexions with blue, grey, or violet undertones were the most noticeable. Hair and eye colours ranged from black, light brown, aqua, jade, and seafoam, to steel, amethyst, silver, and periwinkle. Webbed fingers and toes were standard, as well as neck gills. If you did any amount of research on Erviyps, it'd quickly become very obvious that the goddess of water had designed them to be swimmers. Their spines were known to be very flexible and contain two or three more vertebrae than humans. On average, they had larger lung capacities. They usually had long legs, fusiform bodies, and streamlined appendages. Dense eyebrows and lashes helped keep water out of their eyes. A partial or total lack of body hair was a common trait, as was straight hair rather than curly. Complex oil glands made it difficult for Erviyps to get dry skin or damaged hair. Straight or downturned noses, slightly smaller ears, high foreheads, tapered chins, and pupils that could change into upwards crescents were all typical.

  Interestingly, Opian fashion contrasted a bit with their architecture. The styles were sleek, almost futuristic, and slightly avant-garde. The emphasis was usually placed on colours and patterns rather than textures or shapes. Matte fabrics were favoured over shiny ones. Bright colours were always paired with neutrals. Form-fitting clothes were very popular, unlike Noslux's penchant for layers and excess. I also saw more curved lines than angled. And I probably could've counted on one hand how many times I'd seen a woman wearing pants. Everything was generally smooth and minimalistic: straight hems, flat shoes, no jewelry, hair styled in natural, soft shapes. They preferred clothes that moved with them. Colour-blocking was another common theme, as were mesh, zippers, pockets, and geometric cuts. Perhaps the most unique element I noted was face and body paint – or marbling, as they called it. It was usually subtle, with watercolour-type effects in soft pastel shades. These paints were typically worn around the eyes, neck, and hands.

  Llevanse was celebrated at the beginning of every month. The Ormsesi river that flowed through most of Duy was, today, filled with a variety of sailboats and rowboats. Races went on all throughout the day. People could bet on the outcomes of the races, or enter one of their own, which made it very popular. There was also a big buffet feast and tea party happening that evening. All in all, the vibe felt more like a regatta, or some sort of high-society yacht event.

  After a brief meeting with the King and Queen of Opios, Ashkan, Shaye, and I were gifted – like usual – two outfits each: one heavy-duty one for the mission, and one casual one to wear while enjoying ourselves. The large villa where we would be staying for the night was close by, so we stopped there first to unpack and get changed. My new outfit, thankfully, was very comfortable. A soft grey bodysuit that covered my arms and legs, a cerulean trumpet skirt that cut off right at my knees, a curved corset belt in black, brown boots with low heels, and a matching capelet. I tied my hair in a low ponytail before meeting everyone out in the street again.

  We headed over to the Aqux river, where all the festivities were being held, and separated from there. Everyone went their own way to find food or participate in some of the events. Ashkan, Shaye, and I all chose to sit by the river and watch the races together, but not before grabbing some tea and snacks from one of the stalls. The view was breathtaking. There were so many boats going by. The ones actually racing were separate from the ones that were simply cruising, of course.

  I gazed down at my reflection in the water. "You think they have swimming races here too?"

  Ashkan bit into a small tart. "Likely. The river's perfect for it."

  "I'm sure Lilwen would know," Shaye commented. "In any case, I hope nobody is in the water right now. The boats would be quite the hazard."

  I turned my attention to the giant, wooden board hovering high above the river. The races were scheduled at the top, while the betting tables and numbers were at the bottom. Six metal knobs moved slowly across a long line, all numbered. They indicated which rowboat was in what place in the current race. These boards were placed all along the river, synchronized with one another. There was one person at each board who could take bets and another person who updated the standings based on what was being called in by the judges.

  Shaye retrieved a small sketchbook and quill from her bag. She always liked to document our trips by sketching landscapes, people, animals, and anything else that piqued her interest. Ashkan and I sat beside her and enjoyed the rest of our food and tea in silence while watching the boats float past.

  After a while, Ashkan pointed at something on Shaye's paper and said, "You're missing a branch."

  She laughed, erasing a leaf. "Thank you."

  I tilted my head. "What are you drawing?"

  She kept her eyes on the page as she sketched. "A view of the river, like what you're both watching right now. See?"

  She held up the paper, revealing an extremely accurate representation of what was in front of us, including all the boats on the water and all the people on the shore. On the side, there was a small but detailed rendition of the three of us, sitting together on the grass with snacks in hand.

  "Wow. That's impressive." I grinned.

  "Is that really what my hair looks like right now?" Ashkan asked before adjusting it with a few swipes.

  "Yes. That's the point." She returned to the task, glancing back and forth between the real and imaginary scenes.

  A man passed by, dressed in a grey suit and carrying a teapot and teacups on a tray. He held up the teapot. "Refills?"

  We nodded in unison. After filling our cups, the man glanced down at Shaye's work and hummed in thought.

  "What a lovely drawing! Are you an artist?"

  She looked up, blushing, and laughed softly. "Ah, I'm no visionary. Thank you, though."

  Ashkan looked up and replied for her, "She is an artist, and she's wonderful."

  "You should see her landscapes. And portraits," I chimed in.

  Shaye's blush deepened and she shushed us both, continuing to work on the sketch. I hid a laugh.

  "Magnificent work, Lady Onusch-Eires," the man said. "'Tis a pleasure to have you three in Hauried today. I hope you've been enjoying Llevanse!" He tipped his hat and moved along.

  Ashkan took a sip from his teacup. "Do you think the King and Queen sent out some kind of alert that we're here? You know, to make sure that people stay on their best behaviour and whatnot?"

  "Could be," Shaye answered.

  "We're not exactly strangers," I pointed out. "Our reputation has a tendency to precede us."

  He nodded. "Makes sense."

  It was quiet for a moment. I drank the last of my tea, placed the cup aside, and looked to the water. It was clear enough to see the plants and pebbles below the surface. The racers had yet to pass us, so we were just enjoying the view. A few clouds moved across the sky, making the reflection of the sun shimmer on the water's surface. I was just about to lie down in the grass when I spotted something on the edge of the river bank. I leaned forward, eyes narrowing, trying to see it better.

  "Oh!" I blurted. Without thinking, my hand shot out to grab the person closest to me, which happened to be Ashkan. "Look!"

  He flinched, alarmed, and looked down at where my hand was tightly gripping his upper arm. "What, what?"

  "Look! Baby kraoi!" I pointed at the family of aquatic fowl a short distance away. Kraoi were like ducks, only bigger and fluffier, with long legs and two pairs of wings.

  Ashkan's gaze followed my finger. "Where?"

  "Near that rock. In-between the reeds."

  He moved closer to me. "Oh. They're pretty small, aren't they?"

  "So cute...!" I mumbled.

  The kraoi were paddling around and chirping, trying to navigate around the moss-covered rocks. It looked like a mom and five kraolings. Their mother had dark grey feathers and the babies had browner, speckled plumage.

  "I hope the boats don't scare them," I said. "Or hit them."

  "Don't worry. They can fly."

  "The babies? Really?"

  He nodded.

  "That's good." I relaxed and leaned back, letting go of his arm.

  He watched me, tilting his head slightly as if I'd said something amusing. Then he calmly returned to his tea and scone.

  Soon enough, the boat racers began passing our spot. The kraoi had moved on by then. We waved and shouted encouragements as they sped past. Each boat had three rowers, all of which had incredible arm muscles. The oars cut through the water, spraying droplets as they flew by. The crowd roared. The flags on each boat waved in the wind. A judge at the end of the river would announce who the winners were and record it on the boards.

  Boat #2 ended up winning the race. They received a big medallion and a hefty bag of coin for the effort. A series of cheers and boos erupted from the shore and the boats alike, depending on who won or lost their bet. Once the race was officially over, some people started heading over to the giant, open field near the river where the feast and party was happening. Yurts and tents had been set up everywhere. Small bonfires burned in the open air. A live orchestra played some folk songs.

  Ashkan got to his feet, dusted himself off, and extended a hand to help both me and Shaye up. She didn't notice his offer at first.

  "We should go check on the others," he prompted her.

  "What? Oh. Right, of course." She snapped her sketchbook shut and took his hand, standing up.

  Ash glanced down at me expectantly. "Are you coming, Brie?"

  I nodded and let him help me up. "Yeah, I could eat."

  We gathered the rest of our stuff and followed the flow of traffic towards the feast. Once we arrived, everyone met up with us again. Thorne was already drinking, Morgina and Kadia were trying some sort of roasted fruit on a skewer, Reyshore was sampling different types of tea, and Tyrath was carrying two big plates of food over to a picnic table.

  "Hey there!" Morgina called. "We were just wondering when you lot were gonna show up."

  Ashkan gave her an amused look. "We came straight from the races."

  She nodded. "Thorne won eighty trooks, Kadia won a hundred, and Rey won a hundred and fifty."

  I smiled, not surprised. "Nice!"

  We all sat down and caught up while enjoying some dinner. The variety was massive. The selection of foods, sweets, and drinks was endless. Everyone was sharing their favourite items with one another, which made for an interesting mishmash of dishes on the table. We chatted and ate and drank until the sun set. After dinner, people milled around to take part in some of the other activities that were happening, like dancing, or taking a ride on a boat. There were games to play and music to enjoy.

  As soon as it got dark, the party area lit up with candles and lanterns. Some of them floated on the water. The orchestra continued to play. The rest of the area was occupied by groups of people either chatting, drinking, playing cards or chess, or just relaxing by a bonfire. It was very laid-back and pleasant. I think we were all just trying not to think about what might be in store for us tomorrow.

  "I'm fancying a stroll right about now," Ashkan said as he stood. "Anyone care to join me?"

  I got up. "I could go for a walk."

  Shaye stayed in her seat and glanced at us. "You two go. I'm going to stay here for a bit and keep drawing..."

  "Are you sure? I'm happy to sit with you," I offered.

  She shook her head. "No, that's okay. Enjoy the evening air."

  My brows furrowed slightly. That made me a bit concerned. Maybe she was just tired from travelling, or wanted time to focus on her art. I glanced over her shoulder to see what she was working on and was surprised to find more words than drawings. Her writing was small, but legible. Certain names jumped out at me – Vhinrud, Balgaur, Lucera, Harwynis. Question marks and notes were everywhere. The Inkblood mark was drawn a few times. My eyes widened a little. It looked like she was trying to decipher something about the prophecy, something about our goals and purposes. I wondered how long she'd been doing that.

  Ashkan gently nudged my side with an elbow. "Are we going, or?"

  "Uh... Yeah, um..." I snapped out of it and reached out to pat Shaye's shoulder. "You're sure you want to stay?"

  "I'll be fine." She gave a faint smile.

  "We'll keep an eye on her," Thorne chimed in. "Don't stray too far, got it?"

  "And don't stay out long," Kadia added with a serious look.

  "We know the drill," I assured them.

  Ash and I walked together back towards the river. The water was shining like black glass. It was nice to get away from all the commotion for a while, but I wasn't sure how keen I felt about being alone with Ashkan. Things had been a little weird between us lately. Or, at least with me. And on top of that, I couldn't help feeling like I was abandoning Shaye somehow. I mean, it wasn't unusual of her to sort through her thoughts by writing them out, but that also meant that something was bothering her, or nagging her to a degree that she couldn't work things out in her head. She was too preoccupied with whatever she was thinking about to enjoy herself.

  "Something wrong, Brie?" Ashkan questioned.

  I flinched a bit, having momentarily forgotten that I was walking next to him. "Sorry? Oh. No, not exactly..."

  He smirked. "Are you trying to find a polite way to get rid of me?"

  I laughed, flustered, and waved my hands. "No, no, no! Of course not!"

  "Coin for your thoughts, then?"

  "Just a bit worried about Shaye," I admitted.

  He glanced back in her general direction, then looked at me again. "Yeah, I saw the writing. Me too."

  "Should we have stayed?" I wondered, frowning slightly.

  He shrugged. "I don't think she'd appreciate us coddling her. I know I wouldn't, at any rate."

  "I don't like seeing her like this, though..."

  "I'm sure she's just stressed about the mission like always. Once it ends, she'll be back to normal."

  I sighed, not completely convinced. "You're probably right."

  Ashkan and I strolled around the area for a while. The races had ended after sundown. The only things going on now were the music, dancing, food, drinks, and bonfires. People had dispersed across the entire field. The farther we walked from the tents, the darker and quieter it got, but we both knew better than to venture too far. The area was protected by guards, anyhow.

  Ash suddenly veered off in another direction, towards where the terrain sloped downward.

  "Where are you going?" I asked, trailing behind him.

  "We should take a boat out," he called over his shoulder.

  I looked out in front of him, where a dozen or so small rowboats sat. They were docked and tied to posts with ropes. The dock stretched over the river. It was dimly lit, but still easy to navigate. A woman sat on the shore, weaving some grasses together.

  She looked up as we approached. I could tell that she recognized us, but wasn't particularly starstruck. "Can I help you two with something?"

  "We were hoping to take a boat out for a short ride, if we may," Ashkan replied with a friendly smile.

  The woman returned his smile. "Of course. As long as you're careful not to run over anyone out there. No rowdiness, please. And no swimming. And you must stay in sight of the guards, on both banks. And don't go too far in either direction. Got it?"

  "No problem."

  She nodded. "All right. That's sixteen trooks, please."

  "I've got it," I said quickly, and pulled the coins from my pocket before handing them over.

  "Blimey, sixteen whole trooks? Have you some secret riches or something?" Ashkan quipped.

  I rolled my eyes. "I will push you into this damn river."

  He chuckled.

  The woman untied a rowboat from the dock and pushed it over to where we stood. "Here you are."

  "Thanks, madam." He stepped into the water, grabbed each side of the boat, and held it in place so I could get in. "Milady?"

  I laughed a bit at that. "Shut it."

  The boat rocked slightly as he stepped inside, and a bit more when he sat down. He took the oars in his hands and dipped them into the water. I leaned back on the seat opposite to him, crossing one leg over the other, and let out a quiet breath. Ash started to row us away from the dock. It was slow-going at first, but he eventually fell into a steady pace. The music faded into the background. The woman and the shore grew smaller and smaller, as did all of our responsibilities for the moment.

  "Let me know if you get tired of rowing," I spoke up after a few minutes.

  He glanced at me. "Okay. Don't count on it."

  I smiled to myself and leaned my head back, gazing up at the stars. It was a beautiful night. Both the water and the air were calm. The trees swayed in a slow breeze. Some amphibians chirped and croaked from the reeds and mud on the shore. We were still in sight of the guards and the tents, so we were safe. There were also no other boats nearby. Ashkan and I were alone, which felt very odd for some reason. I think it was the setting. The atmosphere was too...romantic, maybe? That's the word that came to mind. Romantic. The word made me want to shrink into a ball and dissolve through the boat.

  "Are you comfortable?" Ashkan's voice broke the silence.

  I nodded. "Yeah. Are you?"

  "Mhm. A little tired, though."

  I leaned forward again. "Then stop rowing."

  He shrugged and lifted the oars. The boat slowly drifted along the water. "What, am I doing a shoddy job?"

  "I'd give a solid seven out of ten."

  He laughed, resting his hands on the bench behind him. "A seven, huh? That's rather low, if I may be so bold to say. I'll have to aim for more zeal next time."

  "Looking forward to it," I replied, amused. I tried to just be funny, but the words 'next time' stuck in my brain. They made my stomach lurch a little. I really needed to stop thinking of him like this. We were just friends. That's all we should ever be. I cleared my throat, hoping to clear the thoughts out as well. "How are you feeling about tomorrow?"

  Ash's expression shifted into something more serious. He took a few moments to respond. "I don't know... Nervous, maybe? Or excited? I've never gone diving before. It's like I have some odd sort of confidence that everything will work out, but I still know that the chances of that aren't terribly high."

  I nodded in understanding. "That sounds about right."

  He met my eyes and raised a brow. "And you?"

  "...Same," I said with a faint chuckle.

  We lapsed into silence. The boat floated along, occasionally bumping against the reeds and plants growing out of the water. It was a serene, soothing atmosphere. The calm before the storm. The calm before the journey, at least. We would certainly have our hands full for the next little while. Really though, it wasn't like we were going in blind. We had a plan. We had tools. We had the best equipment and gear for the job, thanks to the Opian royalty. And we knew exactly where we were going – where the gemstone was probably hiding – thanks to the Elders' riddle, Tyrath's friend who lived here, and the compass-amulet Lilwen had found. But above all, we had each other. A group of capable and determined individuals. We had worked through crazy obstacles before, and we could do it again. I knew we could.

  The boat hit a rock on the edge and shook, snapping me out of my thoughts. My hands automatically went down to brace against the sides.

  "Whoops," Ash said as if it was nothing. He shifted his weight and pushed the oars to get us moving again.

  I stared at the river's surface as we drifted along. A fish was swimming underneath the water. "Careful with those rocks..."

  He laughed softly. "Aye-aye."

  The fish darted off out of sight. I straightened my back, pulled my arms close, and closed my eyes, trying to soak in as much of the ambience as possible. My thoughts drifted off, bouncing from subject to subject like a game of table tennis. They ranged from the mission to Shaye's state of mind, to my own, to Ashkan. The thoughts kept going, kept cycling back, kept lingering on him... I really did try to get him off my mind. I couldn't, though. It felt impossible. There was nothing I could do but acknowledge that my feelings for him were real. It was a reality I couldn't fight off or ignore. It was a truth I couldn't deny, as much as I wanted to.

  I opened my eyes and looked over at him. The gentle evening breeze ruffled his soft hair, the reflections of the water making his eyes glimmer slightly. Silently, I leaned forward a bit in my seat. He didn't seem to notice. His attention remained on the sky. So, I sat there quietly for a few minutes, taking in the view above us, not saying a word.

  Finally, after a while longer, I looked over at him again. He had his elbow resting on his knee, chin in hand. His eyes were now trained on the river.

  "Ashkan?" I spoke quietly, softly, so as not to startle him.

  He gave me a sidelong glance and smiled that disarming smile of his. "Mmm?"

  "...What are you thinking about?"

  He blinked nonchalantly. "...Nothing." He lifted his hand and flicked away a stray hair off his forehead, then looked back at me with those dark green eyes. I could feel my heart getting warm.

  "Are you sure?" I continued. "Because I can tell it's something."

  "Uh-huh, yeah... I... Um..." he trailed off. "You know... I don't know where to start, but I feel that you're the best person to ask this. Since you're...the least biased."

  "Ask what?" I managed to spit out, sitting up a little bit taller.

  He took a deep breath, glanced out towards the horizon, then turned to face me directly. "The...journals. That my mum wrote. Do you think... Do you think Vhinrud was trying to get her killed? By sapping all her strength?"

  "Oh." I didn't expect him to bring up Vhinrud. My stomach dropped at the mention of the name. I sighed softly. "Maybe. Hard to say. On the one hand, he seems like the kind of person to just off people that he wants gone. But on the other hand, he couldn't have known she'd catch such a serious illness after their...ordeal. He could have just sent someone else to take care of it." I frowned. "Why's that on your mind?"

  "I don't know. It's futile at this point... Just been thinking about it." He looked back down at the water. "I don't think I've ever felt hatred like this before. This rage, this need for...justice, for closure, to do something, anything to bring him to his knees, to his grave. To do to him what he did to her." His tone became sharper with every sentence.

  I pursed my lips, feeling the anger radiating off of him, but I kept my expression calm and composed. "Then, that's why we're here. To make him suffer for what he's done. To make him regret what he's done to countless people. We're doing the right thing, Ash. We're doing good. And that's a fact."

  He bowed his head. "Right..."

  "We're all feeling that hatred," I went on. "The pain he's inflicted... You aren't alone in feeling the way you do. Your need to exact justice is the strongest out of all of us, no doubt, but... That's what's motivating us to keep pushing forward. The promise of vengeance, of change. I try to focus on that goal, by itself, instead of all the anger surrounding it." I shrugged my shoulders. "That's how I manage, at least. That's how I got this far, and that's how I'll get to the end."

  Ash's expression softened as he listened. He let out a breath that sounded a bit like a scoff or a chuckle, then looked me in the eyes. "When did you get so wise?"

  I shook my head and laughed. "I'm not. I'm just telling it as it is. You asked for my input. You get what you sign up for."

  His mouth pulled up in a half-grin. "I see..."

  "...We'll figure it out. Your mom didn't have never-ending faith in you for no reason. She wouldn't want you to beat yourself up about what happened, either," I mentioned.

  He sat there for a moment. "...No. I suppose she wouldn't."

  "Hey. Chin up," I said softly, giving him a reassuring smile. "It's hard to think we can't finish what we've started. Especially with the three of us. Isn't that what you said?"

  He seemed a bit stunned by that. "Yeah. Yeah, it is..."

  We stayed quiet for a few moments. Ash's expression gradually became less intense and more neutral, then peaceful.

  "...Thank you," he murmured after a bit. "Apologies for rambling..."

  "It's nothing; don't worry."

  The boat continued to float along. Neither of us seemed eager to turn back. I felt like we could go on talking until dawn. There was never an awkward or uncomfortable moment when we spoke like this. There were always words, always something to say to one another. It was an aspect of our friendship that I felt I could never take for granted. The way he understood, or otherwise made an effort to understand. And he was just easy to talk to. Easy to be around. Easy to like, after you got past the iron walls. It was an unfortunate reality, and I knew it. But I also knew I couldn't say anything about it. So I kept my lips sealed.

  "...I've realized something, recently," Ashkan spoke up, ending the silence. His voice was hushed.

  "Oh? What's that?" I questioned.

  "Well, it's..." he began, then laughed a little bit. "I'm not really sure how to phrase this..."

  I tilted my head. "Try. I promise I won't laugh."

  "No, no, you won't..." He shook his head, sighed, and scratched the back of his neck. "Um, so... When I first met you – well, not when we were two. When I met you again this past summer, I suppose – I think I actually...resented you a bit."

  I was completely blindsided. "Oh... I mean, I know we weren't best friends right off the bat, but... That's news to me."

  He winced. "I don't want you to get the wrong idea, though. It was...really nothing personal. And it didn't last long. Maybe it was jealousy or something, or a lack of self-confidence, I don't know. But...you just...came in with this... I don't know what word to use for it. You had it all. Everything I wanted, it seemed. A life on Earth, away from here, a loving family, apparent wealth... I didn't think we could really get along at first."

  I just stared at him, feeling like he'd just ripped out my heart, but also...flattered? Was that the right word? Flattered and sad. "Wow. Uh. That's..." I had to take a breath. "That's fair, I think."

  "I think the necklaces were a big part of it. We both have one, each with the same capabilities, but... I used to dream a lot about...fleeing to Earth, and going somewhere, anywhere, so long as it wasn't here," Ash explained. His eyes were now cast downward, on his lap.

  "I can understand that. And that's also...fair, in my opinion. But, if it makes you feel any better...I always used to feel like... I was a bit envious of you too," I confessed. I wasn't sure if my face was heating up. Probably. I sure hoped it was dark enough to mask any flushing.

  "Really?" He looked at me with wide eyes. "But why? I'm not exactly the pinnacle of greatness here."

  I chuckled. "The grass is always greener on the other side. You're very hard-working. Very skilled, very resilient, very brave... I know I was super late to the party with everything, so I had a lot of catching up to do, but it still felt annoying at times. To be around someone who's the same age as me, with the same end goal as me, but just so much further ahead and so much more prepared. I felt the same about Shaye."

  He frowned. "I don't mean to offend, but...that sounds kind of ridiculous when you say it like that. N-Not that you're ridiculous!" He hastily added that last part. "It's just... I hope you don't worry about that now. You're doing well, really."

  I smiled. "Thanks, Ash. It means a lot."

  "Mhm. Of course." We made eye contact and I had to fight to maintain it. He soon looked away. "Well, now you know the truth."

  "The truth being that you hated my guts when we met?"

  "Hated is a very strong word."

  "Okay, strongly disliked, then."

  He cracked a grin. "No, it wasn't strong. It was weak. And short-lived. A passing grudge, if you will. We're past all of that, now, aren't we? We've got more pressing matters to worry about."

  I nodded, a little relieved. "Yes, we do."

  "And we're all still figuring out who we are. Who we can be... Who we aren't. That's a long and ongoing process." He stretched his arms out. "...It's still so strange. Thinking about what our lives could've been like had the necklaces not been a part of the equation."

  "It's not worth thinking about," I stated plainly.

  "Yes," he agreed. "You're right, you're right. It's a futile line of thought."

  "It is," I confirmed with another nod. "And if there's one thing I've learned about people in the last year or two, it's that they'll always surprise you. It's nearly impossible to accurately pigeonhole anybody."

  He hummed in acknowledgement. "Good point. You certainly proved me wrong on a few fronts."

  I snorted, grinning a little bit. "Oh, please. I was clueless back then and I'm just as clueless now. The only difference now is I know how clueless I am. You though, you're like...a walking manifestation of the expression 'still waters run deep'. No pun intended."

  At that, Ashkan's face became a bit red, and he crossed his arms, brows scrunching downward. "If you're trying to embarrass me, you're doing a pretty good job..."

  "Not at all," I insisted with a wink. "Just telling the truth."

  He averted his gaze. "...Right." The look in his eyes told me he wasn't aware of my feelings. But would he ever admit it if he did know?

  I pulled myself back down from cloud nine, realizing my fondness for him was starting to slip into the open. I felt a wave of anxiety crash over me and forced myself to change the topic. "We should probably turn back around before it gets too late. The others are going to get worried if we stay out for much longer.

  He nodded, then grabbed the oars and turned the boat back around, heading for the docks. We chatted amicably about lighthearted things on the way back. But even so, my heart never stopped beating somewhat rapidly in my chest, and it never stopped feeling like I had a swarm of butterflies in my stomach.

  ...I had it bad. And I had no idea how to make it go away.

  We climbed out of the boat, tied it to the dock, and bid the woman goodnight. Our group was waiting for us around the same spot we'd gathered earlier. They were in deep conversation with one another. It looked like Shaye had even joined the fray, her mood a bit lifted.

  Within thirty minutes, everyone was walking through the streets and back to the villa for the night. I spent a majority of the time wondering what the hell was wrong with me and why I had to catch feelings for one of my closest friends. It was nothing short of terrible. The timing was horrendous. So many things about it were wrong. Even if he reciprocated – which would never, ever, ever happen, because it was about as likely as a heatwave in Nelorismel – we didn't have the time, or luxury, to entertain that kind of prospect. Our lives were going to be in jeopardy until our goal was completed.

  I wasn't even sure how likely the public would be to accept any of us saviours being in a relationship, even less so if it was between two of us. The masses would likely see it as a distraction. An unnecessary obstacle. And how would Kadia react? The lieutenants? King Typhis? My parents? There was no end to the list of problematic possibilities. The more I dwelled on all the consequences, the worse I felt, so I tried to simply push the thoughts from my mind before I got a headache.

  Everyone separated into their own rooms to rest, with plans to begin the mission on the rise the next day. The sun was long gone, the moons were above, and despite all of my vexations, I somehow fell asleep not long after my head hit the pillow. But my dreams were plagued by a certain green-eyed boy I knew far too well.