As Ashkan and I got closer to The Roaring Witch, the music grew louder, and my hesitation grew with it. This was easily the busiest I'd ever seen it. People were sitting out on the tavern's veranda even though it was snowing. There were others hanging around out front, drinking and chatting away, and I could see that the interior was just as crowded. With this many people around, one of two things was bound to happen: Either it would be too crowded to notice us, or everyone would instantly recognize us.

  "Ash, are you sure we should be here?" I said under my breath, trying not to sound alarmed as he opened the door.

  "It's fine," he replied dismissively. "We're both wearing hoods. And everyone here is surely pie-eyed by now. Besides, we could use a bit of a celebratory evening, right?"

  Before I could answer, I was unceremoniously shoved aside by a very rowdy man bursting out of the tavern.

  "Thanks a bunch, mates!" he slurred in a very intoxicated tone. "Have a bonnie night!"

  I blinked and caught myself from stumbling, but not before colliding into Ashkan's side. He put his hand on my shoulder to steady me, and I instinctively flinched at the contact. He frowned a little as he removed his hand.

  "You all right?" he asked.

  My face flushed in embarrassment. I looked away. "Uh, yeah. Let's just get in before I change my mind."

  I headed straight in, making sure not to touch him as I walked past, though my cheeks burned as I felt his gaze linger on me. I had to duck under an arm of a woman carrying a drink before stepping inside. Smoky, candlelit lanterns hung from the exposed timber ceilings. Faded pennants covered the walls. Laughter filled the air as patrons chatted loudly while playing darts or arm wrestling or chatting over mugs of frothy drinks. Many tables and benches had been pushed up against the walls, allowing the dance floor in the centre to stay clear and the servers to move more efficiently through the throng. The bar area, on the other hand, was absolutely packed.

  I kept my head down as we weaved through the room. We had a couple of close calls with drunken revelers, but thankfully our hoods stayed in place. After stepping around a drunk man who looked as if he could topple over at any second, I spotted an open space at the bar counter. A pair of women had just finished their drinks and left their spots. Without any hesitation, I lunged for the two empty seats. I hopped onto a stool and grinned victoriously, earning an amused look from Ashkan as he slid in beside me.

  As I brushed the snow out of my hair and off my shoulders, I turned towards the bartender – Elliott. His face lit up as his eyes met mine, and he made a beeline in my direction, sliding drinks to four customers along the way. He reached across the bar counter and shook my hand enthusiastically.

  "Brielle! It's been too long!" he exclaimed, voice carrying over the general din. "What brings you here tonight, of all nights?"

  I gave a friendly nod. "Just a bit of unwinding."

  Elliott leaned forward a little, tossing a damp rag over his shoulder. "I'm glad to see you. And is that Ashkan? Where've you been hiding?"

  "The usual. Just working," he replied coolly.

  "Always working, always on the go... I'd expect nothing less." He straightened up and smiled. "Now, what can I get for the two of you?"

  Ashkan's gaze met mine, and he raised a brow, inviting me to go first.

  I drummed my fingers on the table. "Um... Do you have any recommendations?"

  "Always!" he responded. "Right now, we have some really delicious hot ciders, mulled wines, and spiced teas. But, if you'd prefer a mixed drink, we have an abundance of options. What's your fancy?"

  "Hmmm." I glanced over the bar shelves. "Something sweet?"

  "I'm on it," he replied. "And Ashkan, the usual?"

  Ashkan nodded. "Please."

  We watched as Elliott dashed over to the other end of the bar. Ashkan crossed his arms and leaned on the counter.

  "So," he said, tilting his head slightly. "'Unwinding', huh?"

  I shrugged. "Figured I'd take your advice."

  His expression turned smug. "Oh, so I'm getting the credit for this one, am I?"

  I rolled my eyes, though a smile tugged at the corner of my lips. "Don't get used to it."

  He winked. "You're not wrong. You've certainly earned it."

  "We both have," I said softly.

  Elliott soon returned with two glasses in hand, a smile plastered on his face. He set down a few ounces of amber liquid in front of Ashkan before placing a fizzy, transparent drink in front of me. I held it to my lips and took a small sip. It was nicely sweet, and had the taste of citrus mixed in with flowery honey. Elliott rested a hand on his hip, expectantly awaiting my verdict. I nodded enthusiastically.

  "Delicious. Thank you," I said.

  "Anytime. Just wave me down when you want another." Elliott gave Ashkan a pat on the shoulder, then turned away.

  Ash chuckled and shook his head. He raised his drink in my direction. "To our accomplishments, I suppose."

  "To us," I added with a laugh, clinking my glass with his.

  I took a bigger gulp from my drink, and we fell into easy conversation. After the rough start to the evening, it was comforting to just spend time with Ashkan as simple friends. No Inkbloods, no League talk, and no doubts. Just some casual talk about our thoughts and opinions. I barely remembered the last time we had a normal conversation about nothing serious. It wasn't a momentous or meaningful conversation at all, but after our particularly eventful day, I think we both needed it.

  Our drinks were gone before we knew it. We were helping ourselves to a third soon enough. I wasn't sure what kind of alcohol Ash had been given, but it looked pretty strong. So strong that one whiff of the stuff was enough to make my nose scrunch up.

  "That smells awful," I commented.

  "Oh, really?" He lifted the glass to my nose, and the overwhelming scent made me flinch. He laughed and pulled the glass away. "Let me guess, you had one bad pour, one time, and suddenly you're too good for rewhijl?"

  "Bold of you to assume I even know what that is," I pointed out.

  Ashkan closed his eyes and took another sip. After holding the taste in his mouth for a moment, he sighed. "Perfection."

  I made a gagging sound and he burst into laughter, almost spilling his drink. He looked so carefree for once. Seeing him smile made something spark within me.

  "I never would've expected this side of you, you know," he remarked.

  I looked over my glass at him. "Hm?"

  He looked contemplative for a second, but his mouth then curled up in a half-smile. "The one who speaks her mind. Who makes snappy remarks."

  "Really?" I tilted my head slightly, giving him a coy look. "What kind of impression was I giving off in the beginning?"

  Ashkan raised his glass to his mouth, then paused, considering. He gave a thoughtful hum. "I'm not sure." He tilted his drink in my direction. "Quiet. Nervous, maybe. But you were grappling with the existence of a bloody alternate universe. Who could blame you?" He gave a shrug, and then downed the rest of the liquid in one swig. "In any case, that's not how I see you anymore. Not in the least."

  My cheeks felt warm – a combination of the drinks and our conversation. "What do you see now, then?" I asked, prepared to regret the question.

  "An...unpredictable force," he answered, tapping the side of his glass with his finger.

  I wanted to come up with something clever to say. But as I met Ashkan's gaze, the words vanished. My stomach was full of butterflies and my heart felt as if it were doing cartwheels. It felt so surreal to be here with him right now, in the middle of a lively celebration. Everything else around me seemed to melt away. There was something magnetic about him that I couldn't quite explain. I felt the overwhelming need to be closer to him. And yet, at the same time, I was afraid. The thought of moving closer terrified me. So instead, I stayed in place, unsure of what to say or do, my mouth feeling as though it were sewn shut.

  I must've stared for longer than I intended, because Ashkan shifted uneasily under my gaze and looked away. His brow creased slightly.

  "...I don't mean that in a bad way," he finally added.

  A weak laugh escaped me, breaking the tension. "Not an answer I expected. But I'll take it."

  "Thought it'd be less complicated?"

  "Something like that."

  He clicked his tongue. "It never is. I'm just glad I can read you a bit better these days. When we first met, there wasn't much to go off of. You mostly seemed like a...question. Now, there's answers."

  I chuckled again. "That makes absolutely no sense."

  "Sorry, sorry," Ashkan replied. "The drinks are getting to me a bit, I'll admit. Gets me talking a bit senselessly..."

  My head was getting a little fuzzy, too, but I had a hard time pinpointing whether it was from the drinks or something else. "I'd rather that than you not saying anything."

  He paused and looked at me. "Meaning?"

  I gave a shrug and kept my tone casual, but my response came surprisingly easily. "I... I like when you share your thoughts with me."

  A flush spread over his cheeks and up to the points of his ears. He let out a heavy exhale, almost like a sigh. "...Come on..." The embarrassment was audible in his voice.

  "What? What's wrong with that?" I asked with a laugh.

  He propped an elbow on the bar and pressed his forehead into his hand. "...Doing a bloody bang-up job of keeping cool and aloof, aren't I?"

  "There's no one to impress," I assured him, my own face going warm.

  "Yes, the drinks are helping with that," he muttered, dragging his hand down to cover his mouth. The redness lingered in his face. A crooked smile peeked out from behind his fingers. It was the expression someone made when trying to hold in a laugh – an unusual one for him, but not a bad look. His green eyes looked bright with mirth and...something else I couldn't quite place.

  Just as quickly as he smiled, Ash took on a much more stern expression. Then he cleared his throat and broke our gaze, swirling what was left of the liquid in his glass. His demeanour was as relaxed as ever, and yet at the same time his gaze was sharp, piercing right through the air. Through the noise and chaos... That restless look of his was focused on nothing in particular. I followed his gaze. As far as I could tell, the only thing that held his attention was a candle sitting on a table. Nothing interesting.

  Elliott passed by to give us each another refill. We talked a bit about nothing in particular and joked around. Before long, I had already downed a fourth drink. My cheeks felt perpetually warm, and the room had started to spin slightly. It had been a while since I'd drunk enough to actually feel something. But this time, I was definitely starting to feel it. Ashkan wasn't faring much better. Our conversations were getting increasingly punctuated with laughter and gestures. At least we were both having fun.

  Suddenly, the music switched over from a more traditional, jazz-sounding melody to something much more folk-like and upbeat. The crowd on the dance floor let out a chorus of excited cheers. It was an iconic song, one even I recognized. I watched with amusement as many of the patrons clamoured to clear an open space on the dance floor and began to dance, some stumbling slightly. A few people grabbed partners, and in mere seconds, the entire dance floor was packed with bodies. The floor vibrated beneath us, the sound of boots thumping and hands clapping in time to the beat.

  Ashkan gave the space a once-over, his eyes lingering on the people gathered on the floor for a split second, but didn't offer anything further. I could practically sense the question on his mind. But the look on his face was indifferent. Was he hesitating to ask? He'd never been one to shy away completely from dancing, at least not after some convincing. But his expression told me now wasn't going to be one of those times. Not that I was eager to jump right into it myself. After all, we were trying to lay low. I took a sip from my drink and stared into the crowd.

  "You don't want to join?" I questioned, teasing slightly.

  A ghost of a smile appeared on Ashkan's face. "No."

  I frowned. "Really?"

  "Really."

  "Now I'm worried."

  He let out a soft snort of laughter. "Nothing to worry about. I'm content where I am."

  I noticed he'd hardly glanced away from the dance floor the entire time. He looked like he was at war with himself. As if part of him wanted to join, and the other part didn't. Like his head and heart were at odds. A sentiment I could very much relate to. A type of struggle I was just getting familiar with. It was a bit ironic.

  Just as I was about to change the subject, someone grabbed my elbow and pulled me off my stool in a single motion. Before I could react, I was thrown into the fray of dancing bodies. At this point, I was a little disoriented from the drinks, so I reeled and flailed at the motion. My stomach dropped. Curses burst from my lips, and I fought to hide my face with my hood.

  I whipped around towards whoever had pulled me, fully ready to defend myself. It was some guy I didn't recognize – dark hair, high-collared jacket, and a very dashing physique to say the least. There was a carefree air about him, too. Drunk enough to touch a total stranger without a word of warning, it seemed. Still, there wasn't any malice in his gesture. Just a grin and two raised hands as an invitation to dance.

  Unperturbed, he raised his brows in amusement. "Dance?"

  My eyes narrowed and I gave a firm shake of the head. "Sorry–"

  I didn't have a chance to finish; he spun around me and my arms were grabbed again. He moved a bit clumsily and held on loosely, as if he might fall over at any second. However, he managed to pull me onto the dance floor with just enough force to encourage me to move along with him. Against my better judgement. More people noticed and began to join us in the middle of the floor.

  Panic surged through me. "Seriously, no thank you!" I blurted out, struggling to pry my arms free.

  "Come on!" he urged. "Live a little!"

  Despite my protests, the man was determined. He gave another spin and managed to trap one of my hands within his own. Taking advantage of the proximity, he wrapped his other arm around my waist. He dipped me dangerously low before pulling me back up. All I could do was to not trip over my feet and hope it would end soon.

  "Let's make this interesting, huh?" He waggled his brows, clearly amused.

  "What?"

  Then, I was twirled in a wide arc and released into a tangle of flailing arms. Someone grabbed me and pulled me into them. Then I was thrown to another set of hands, and the cycle repeated. It went on and on like a whirlwind, people grabbing and swinging me about in some dizzying pattern that I had no hope of understanding. I wasn't alone in this either. Laughter and exclamations carried throughout the room from others who were being passed around just like me. I kept trying to escape, but every time I turned to go one direction, another person was there to push me into the fray once again. I bumped shoulders with a couple people as we were tossed back and forth, all of us scrambling to find our bearings.

  In a sudden move, one of the participants shoved me back into the young man who'd started this whole mess. I slammed into him and nearly fell to the ground, but his arms were around me, and caught me before I stumbled.

  "Hey there, darling. Did you miss me?" he quipped.

  His face was dangerously close, and I had to admit, he was handsome. But my mind wasn't on romance. My face felt hot, my legs wobbled, and the music sounded like it was a mile away. All the spinning made me sick. The floor seemed to tilt underneath me. It was just a bunch of shapes, colours, and lights swirling together. People were singing and laughing and yelling, the sounds all muddled together. My hood fell off as the stranger twirled me around. My heart leapt into my throat. I had to get out of there.

  The music swelled, and I was promptly shoved towards another stranger in the dance circle, alongside a handful of others. The last thing I needed right now was to have more people grabbing and shoving me around like a pinball. I braced for impact and tried to come up with some sort of plan.

  As I was swept around the circle, a hand shot out and latched onto me, intercepting the motion. A very familiar one. I looked up.

  "Found you," Ashkan said with a slight smile. The momentum carried me into him. He took hold of my waist and pulled me out of the way of a pair of passing dancers, twirling us in a half-circle as he went. We moved to stand behind a large, wooden pillar.

  My heart felt like it was about to jump right out of my chest. "Uh... Thanks."

  "Are you all right? I wasn't expecting it to be quite so..." He paused to survey me, his brows knitting together in concern. "...Rambunctious."

  I nodded quickly, a bit winded. "I'm good. Thank you."

  The song continued around us, with people still clapping and shouting the lyrics. But I barely processed any of it. All I could think about was Ashkan, and how close we were to one another right now. Our faces were inches apart, with my hands on his shoulders and his still firmly on my waist. It was impossible to not stare at him, and the same went for him, I realized. We'd been swept into each other's orbit. There was something different in his eyes tonight, but I couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was. He was hard to read. As usual.

  Ashkan abruptly let go of me and stepped back. "Oh, sorry... Sorry."

  I blinked a couple times. "No, no, it's fine..."

  We stared at each other in awkward silence for a few moments. It felt like someone had suddenly dropped an ice cube down my spine. My heart felt as though it were about to punch its way out of my chest, but it also felt as though it were being wrung out like a damp towel. And I hated, HATED to admit it, but...I missed the closeness the instant he'd let go.

  What is this...? I asked myself, silently pleading for my mind to clear. But it was as foggy as the snow outside. And Ashkan didn't seem to be in much better condition. He stood before me, looking almost bewildered. As if he were struggling with some internal question just as badly. The only thing I was sure of was that we were both too drunk to figure it out right now.

  "HEY!" A chorus of cheers sounded around the room, drawing my attention for a moment. People clapped their hands in unison and stomped their feet against the wooden floor. "Cross, sour, glum, no matter! Mend your soul again, again! With glee and drink, twice the latter, regret is beyond our ken!"

  Ash stuck his hands in his pockets. His head nodded from side to side with the beat. Then, he'd catch himself and resume his pose, keeping his expression carefully calm. I bit my tongue. Come on, really? Don't give me the 'it's not my style' act now. He was hesitating – that much, I could tell.

  I broke the awkwardness by throwing a gesture toward the direction of the dance floor. "Song's almost over. Last chance."

  The hint brought a quiet, contemplative look to his face. His mouth twisted into a frown. It felt like he were sizing up the odds, or evaluating whether or not this was worth it. To stick out a bit. Embarrass himself, maybe. The air was heavy with a sense of uncertainty. That is, until he finally pulled his hands out of his pockets and took a step closer.

  His frown morphed into a wry smile. "Only because it's you."

  Heat bloomed over my face, but I had no time to process it. Ash took both of my hands into his, and then... We were dancing.

  I wasn't quite sure who'd started it. One moment, we were staring at one another, and the next, we'd launched ourselves into the middle of the maelstrom of bodies on the floor. Ashkan guided me in a series of movements, giving me an easy sequence to focus on. A chance to catch my breath. The alcohol made us both clumsy, but it was quickly tempered by laughter. And what we didn't have in coordination, we made up for in enthusiasm.

  "Dance and jig 'til your knees fall weak! Charm a beauty; kiss her on the cheek! Call a toast to all our flawwws... We'll mend our souls again!" the crowd sang.

  An increasingly uncontrollable and jubilant grin spread across my face, mirrored by a matching expression on Ashkan's. People whirled around us. For a brief, intoxicated moment, it felt like we'd entered another plane of reality entirely. Nothing else mattered aside from us and the music. The weight on my shoulders was forgotten. The doubt, buried somewhere deep in the pit of my stomach. For those fleeting seconds, all those distractions, all that tension, none of it was anything more than a distant thought. I'd never known that feeling of lightness, of...rightness could manifest in such a chaotic way. Or that the person I would experience it with would be Ashkan, of all people.

  As the song neared its ending, and the crowd erupted into cheers and roars. A collection of whistles, applause, and laughter filled the air. I burst into a fit of giggles. Ashkan smiled, letting out a short laugh. The look on his face... It was unlike anything I'd seen before. I'd never seen his features so lit up with pure joy. ...It was adorable. And before I had the chance to think about it any further, I felt myself being lifted into the air. Ashkan raised me into a spin before carefully lowering me back to the ground. My grip on his shoulders tightened out of surprise. I laughed in both bewilderment and amusement.

  I looked up at Ash's face, beaming. "What was that for?!"

  He shrugged and gave a nonchalant tilt of his head. "Don't know. Felt right."

  We stood together, breathless and laughing. His hands left my waist to run them through his messy hair.

  I was almost stupefied. "I...I can't believe we did that. We're gonna get in so much trouble if we're ever found out."

  "Don't care," he admitted, shaking his head. "Worth it."

  My cheeks were so warm, I was sure I was blushing. And he wasn't faring any better in that regard. Between the two of us, it seemed we could probably generate enough heat to start a small fire. But I liked the burning in my chest, because for once, it wasn't a bad feeling. I couldn't put my finger on exactly what it was, but...it was nice. At least when it came from him.

  We left The Roaring Witch not long after. Ashkan's arm was slung across the back of my neck as we made our way through the cobblestone streets of Nelorismel. By this point, I'd sobered up a fair bit, but Ash was still tipsy. He stumbled a bit as we walked, giggling every so often to himself. I kept him upright and let him lean his weight onto me. Good thing his house wasn't a long walk away.

  I couldn't help but laugh with him. "I think you overdid it a little, Ash."

  He didn't reply right away. When he did, he spoke in a sing-song voice. "'Regret is beyond our ken'… Isn't that the line, Brie?" he slurred.

  "Mhm."

  His footsteps faltered a little. He chuckled again. "What a great night. What a great, great night."

  "You can say that again," I laughed, hoisting his arm up to keep it from falling off my shoulder.

  Ash glanced over at me and his grin widened. "Hey. Y'know, I... I don't think I tell you this often enough."

  "What's that?" I asked him, my voice still filled with mirth.

  He turned his face upwards to the stars, as though looking at them would make him speak more clearly. "I appreciate you. So much." He leaned into me more and sighed heavily. "Really...'preciate you."

  The warmth from earlier came rushing back to my face. I laughed awkwardly, looking straight ahead so that he didn't notice. "You're just saying that because you're drunk. C'mon. You'll be home soon. Don't start spilling your guts to me."

  "Nuh-uh, not jus' 'cause that," he slurred again. He pulled away from me, then whirled around to my front.

  I stopped walking.

  He planted his hands on my shoulders. "Brie. Brielle. Brie." His gaze was hazy as he looked at me, but serious too, despite how out-of-it he seemed. The combination of his half-lidded eyes and blank stare resembled what happens when you pause a movie in the middle of a character speaking.

  I arched an eyebrow. "What?"

  "You're... You're...a great friend," he told me earnestly, leaning his weight onto me as if his words were physically weighing him down. I bit back a laugh. "And... I care about you."

  I placed both of my hands over his on my shoulders. "Okay, Ash," I replied. "I care about you too."

  His eyes fell to his hands. Then, his brows knitted together in confusion, and he moved them up to either side of my face. "Wait a sec..." he trailed off, studying me. I didn't move. My heart seized. His fingers felt nice in my hair, as embarrassed as I was to admit it.

  I stared at him for a moment before asking, "What are you doing?"

  "Lookin'," he answered plainly.

  "For what?" I pressed, unable to resist.

  His eyebrows raised. He shook my head ever so slightly as if the movement would jostle a realization out of him. "Somethin'..." His words trailed off again. "Don't...know."

  I rolled my eyes, and this time, I couldn't suppress my laugh. Ash looked at me as if I had done the most offensive thing in the world.

  "You're funny," I chuckled. Deep down, I knew exactly what I was doing. Deflecting. I couldn't let myself read into things. I couldn't let my feelings grow. It wasn't a good idea for anyone involved.

  But as his gaze locked onto mine, a wave of clarity washed over Ashkan's expression, and a softness took the place of confusion. Carefully, lightly, he rotated my face to the side.

  "What is it?" I asked again.

  It felt as if he was studying my face for an answer to an unspoken question. My heart was in my throat. I wondered if he could feel my pulse thundering. It felt like everything around us had frozen. I waited. I couldn't breathe. What is he thinking about? What is he seeing?

  Then, without warning, he leaned down and planted a slightly clumsy kiss on my cheek.

  The air in my lungs disappeared, replaced by pure electricity that zipped through every part of me. The moment seemed to last forever, but it couldn't have been more than a second. It took all my self-control not to react. The urge to turn away and hide my blush was almost overwhelming. I knew my expression had shifted, that he could see the way his action had affected me.

  "Wh–? Why...did you do that?!" I exclaimed, stunned.

  His hands dropped to his sides. It took a second for his mind to register the question. He blinked slowly, then tilted his head. "'Charm a beauty; kiss her on the cheek'... S'another line...from the song, isn't it?" he finally mumbled in explanation.

  My face must've gone even more red because his smile widened and he laughed. It wasn't the kind of reaction I would've expected if he felt something for me. Did he really not realize how this looked?

  "Are...you messing with me?" I breathed, unable to think of what else to say.

  Ash shook his head and lifted one shoulder in a shrug. "Why would I...?" He smiled, looking me right in the eye, then turned to start walking again as if nothing had happened at all.

  For a few seconds, I stood in the middle of the empty street. What just happened? I looked around me, dazed, before quickly catching up to him. Ash was completely oblivious to me as he rubbed a hand over his forehead and then into his hair. He continued to mutter the lyrics from the tavern song under his breath, repeating them like a mantra.

  He's just drunk, I thought, willing the butterflies in my chest to calm down. I walked slightly ahead of him, leading the way to his home. Just drunk, just drunk. Just...drunk.

  "You're gonna be so hungover tomorrow..." I grumbled. I glanced over my shoulder, only to find him watching me again. My face felt like it was on fire.

  He simply chuckled. "Maybe."

  "Definitely," I replied.

  My head felt fuzzy and full of light. My cheek tingled where his lips had met it, and I wondered if he would even remember the exchange in the morning. Part of me didn't want him to. But...another part of me...

  The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  No. Stop it.

  He was my friend. My coworker. It wouldn't have been good for our friendship, or the work we had to do, for either of us to catch feelings.

  …Still, for a few minutes, as I walked to the soldier barracks under the glittering night sky, I wondered if it was worth the risk to find out.

  After my second League mission and my subsequent night out with Ashkan, I was beyond exhausted. But a saviour's duties stop for no one. The next day, training felt twice as gruelling as usual. I had to really fight to keep up with my instructors. I assumed Ashkan was feeling the same – mostly because he didn't show up at all. On the bright side, I wasn't distracted by his presence or my growing turmoil over him. On the not-so-bright side, it wasn't like him to miss a session, so I was worried he wasn't doing well. But, like most days, my lessons and other duties didn't leave much room for dwelling on it.

  Kadia approached me as I was practicing hitting targets with various spells in rapid succession. "Brielle, where's Ashkan?" she questioned as I paused to catch my breath.

  "I'm not sure," I huffed, taking a moment to lean forward with my hands on my knees.

  She eyed me strangely. "Is that right?"

  I frowned at the judgmental look on her face. "What, you think I keep tabs on him constantly? I'm the one who's on Earth half the time."

  "True," she replied, crossing her arms over her chest. "It's just odd. He never misses training without notifying me first. He knows I'd worry otherwise."

  I bit my lip, trying to decide how honest to be. Kadia definitely wouldn't be happy to know about our outing last night, and there was no way I was letting her know about the League. But I knew Ash was most likely just hungover. If anyone was in trouble for anything, it should be me for letting it happen. "Well, if I had to guess, I'd say he's sleeping it off."

  "Sleeping what off?"

  "Kadia..."

  Her eyes narrowed. "I don't have time for games, Brielle."

  "All right. Don't kill me," I said, straightening. "Ashkan and I went out last night. We stayed up late drinking at The Roaring Witch. He was...a bit out of control, so I cut us off and took him home."

  Kadia's lips turned down, but she didn't seem overly upset. "You shouldn't be out drinking together. That is how rumours start."

  I cringed at how bad this probably looked from her point of view. "It's not what you think."

  "No? Why don't you explain it to me then. And, by all means, please go at a glacial pace."

  I groaned at her sarcasm, wishing for once that I'd kept my mouth shut. "We were just hanging out, okay? We went to the tavern to unwind. That's it. But I got carried away and let it get too late. We both just…wanted some company."

  She raised her brows. "I can't decide which of you I'm more disappointed in."

  I gave her a helpless look.

  "Don't you know how this could affect you? You both are public servants. Your number-one priority is to fulfill the prophecy. There will always be time for friendship, but for the moment, we have a world to save. You need to learn how to keep yourself in line. It is important to maintain an image of self-control, or citizens won't have faith in you. Your every move reflects on our whole society. So don't act like children. It's just...sloppy," she chided, "and life-threatening at worst."

  I lowered my gaze. I couldn't argue with her, really. I had known the risk we were taking. We were both aware, in a general sense, how it would look. But it hadn't mattered at the time.

  Kadia shook her head. "You've already been through too much to risk it all for a late-night hangout. I expect more from you than this."

  "Okay. I'm sorry," I replied, feeling thoroughly scolded.

  "Very well," she said with a sigh. "Now go on with your lesson."

  I gave her a short bow and turned away, but then stopped and looked back. "Wait. I, um, I've been wanting to ask you something. Unrelated."

  Kadia regarded me with an exasperated look, as if she didn't know how many more things she could be expected to deal with that day. "Yes?"

  I hesitated. "...Were you...planning on changing your last name? I mean, I completely understand how being my sister looks bad, with the whole conflict of interest thing... Not to mention being a halfling. I know it probably wouldn't go over well. I've just been wondering...how long you're gonna go by Captain Lowell."

  She blinked a couple of times, surprised by the question. She considered me in silence for a few moments before her expression shifted to one of faint sympathy. "It is...a little tricky," she admitted, glancing down. "I wouldn't want anyone to question the integrity of this programme. But, no, I have no plans to reveal my true surname. Not right away. It is something I want to be sure about first. I want to be ready when people find out, which they inevitably will, eventually. For now... I think it is best that we don't discuss this. We shall see where we are in the future. With any luck, this might all be over by then."

  I nodded. "Sure. Thanks."

  With that, she turned away, and I got back to work. I tried not to think about how there was still time for her to own up to the truth before the war started, and admit to everyone we were actually sisters. If she waited, it'd give her time to plan, but the war would've begun wreaking havoc by then – and one or both of us would possibly be dead. But I supposed that was her business, not mine.

  Accompanied by our four personal guards, Shaye and I decided to check up on Ashkan after training. Even if I thought it was most likely due to the night of revelry we'd had, I wanted to make sure he was all right. We also picked up some of Mr. Sindo's red fried dumplings as we passed through the market.

  "Do you really think Ashkan's okay?" Shaye asked as we made our way to the edge of the forest.

  "He's fine," I replied. "I mean, he will be."

  She pulled her cloak closer around herself and shivered. "Forgive me if I implied your confidence is misplaced. I just have this terrible feeling. He's usually so responsible. It's...out of character for him. You don't think someone hurt him?"

  I shrugged. "We'll find out soon, won't we? You worry too much, Shaye. We've already been through worse."

  "Yeah... I suppose you're right. I can't help it. I just get nervous when we're apart for too long," she replied with a sigh.

  I reached out and squeezed her hand. "I know."

  Ashkan's cottage near the edge of the woods came into view a moment later. A plume of smoke rose from the chimney, meaning a fire was going. It looked peaceful – the snow had even been shovelled, which told me he must've gone out at some point. Unless Wendyll knew how to cleanly shovel snow without a single track leading to or from the cottage. Which seemed highly unlikely.

  "Do you think Lev will be home?" Shaye asked as we stopped a little way down the path from the front gate.

  I gave her an uncertain look. "Who?"

  "Ah, sorry. Mr. Wroet'by, that is," she clarified.

  "You call his dad by his first name?" I questioned, amused by that.

  She just pursed her lips. "Well... Just because I'm afraid of someone doesn't mean I respect them."

  I shook my head, laughing a little. "He can't be that bad. Besides, maybe he won't be here. Maybe he's working."

  "Do you think you could just leave the dumplings and go?"

  "I mean... That would probably look even worse, wouldn't it? If we showed up to see how he's feeling and then ran away."

  "...Right. You're right."

  We walked up to the gate. I pressed the buzzer on its bars. The chime inside the house was clearly audible from where we stood, but no one responded right away.

  "I suppose he could just be sleeping. And it is a weekday. Should we come back later?" I suggested.

  "I don't know," Shaye replied, frowning.

  I buzzed a few more times. After about a minute, a tall, slim figure appeared in the window. The door swung open to reveal Lev Wroet'by, looking irritated. It was the first time I'd ever seen him. His hair was wavy like Ashkan's and brown like Wendyll's, with streaks of grey. It was short and parted on the side. His fair-toned features were sharp and diamond-like – typical of Yce-Stels – with angular cheekbones, a pointed chin, and a thin nose. His eyes were like chips of blue ice behind the frames of his square glasses. They fixed on me first, but then moved to Shaye. When she caught his gaze, she looked away. I was surprised to find he wasn't quite as ugly as I'd imagined. But his aura was far uglier.

  Lev leaned against the doorframe, and the look on his face could only be described as joyless. The glare he was shooting me made me feel about as unwelcome as a swarm of spiders. "Can I help you with something?"

  "Good afternoon, Mr. Wroet'by. I'm so sorry to disturb you–" I began.

  "Don't worry," he interjected, giving us both a sharp once-over. "You must be here for Ashkan. Yes?"

  I swallowed. "Uh, well, he hasn't come in for work today, so... Shaye and I wanted to check up on him..."

  "He's upstairs in bed." The man gave us an indifferent shrug, then unlocked the gate from a small panel inside the house and let it swing open. "Don't be long."

  He entered without another word. I shared an anxious glance with Shaye. This was weird. Really weird. We cautiously approached the house and slipped in through the door, letting it close behind us.

  "I don't like him. Not one bit," Shaye murmured as she removed her shoes, eyes wide with discomfort.

  I slipped off my boots and set them by the door. "Me neither."

  Ahead, Mr. Wroet'by disappeared down the hall. Shaye and I immediately made our way upstairs. We made sure not to touch or stare at anything. The last thing we wanted was to attract any attention. It seemed like Lev was in a sour mood and probably didn't want us around any longer than necessary. The stairs creaked with our footsteps as we climbed to the second floor and started down the hallway. The door to Ashkan's room was slightly ajar. Shaye and I walked towards it and paused. We looked at each other for a moment, hesitating to intrude. I took a breath, then knocked quietly.

  There was a faint sound, like a mumble of acknowledgment, and I pushed open the door. The room was dark, save for a few rays of sunlight spilling through the window, which had the curtains partly open. It took a second for our eyes to adjust to the dim lighting, but when they did, Ashkan came into view.

  He was sprawled on the bed, lying on top of the covers. He looked tired – a little bit pale, his hair unbrushed and askew. Overall, nothing too out of the ordinary. He turned to us and blinked confusedly.

  "Ashkan, we came to see how you're doing. You missed training. We were worried," Shaye said, keeping her voice hushed as she set the dumplings on the nightstand.

  I leaned against the doorframe and folded my arms. "Yeah. I see you've just been lounging all day."

  He lifted his head slightly, like he was just now waking up, and squinted. "Oh... Yeah. Sorry about that. I had a headache."

  Shaye took a seat on the edge of the bed. "Is everything all right?"

  "Uh... Yeah. I'm just a bit...sleepy." Ashkan glanced away for a moment, as if something else was on his mind. But he seemed to brush it off and forced a smile.

  I furrowed my brows. He didn't look sleep deprived – in fact, he seemed fully rested. There wasn't any sign of illness, either. He looked fine. Not completely himself, but fine.

  "Did you get something to eat today?" I asked.

  "Um, not really, but I'm all right," he replied, sounding almost dismissive. "It's kind of you both to come and check in."

  I exchanged another glance with Shaye. We both had the same question. Was he trying to get rid of us?

  "Okay, well... We got you some red dumplings. You should eat," I prodded.

  He made a face. "Oh, not now. I'm not that hungry, actually. But you're both sweet. Maybe I'll try a bit later."

  I pursed my lips. "Okay, what's wrong? They're your favourite, aren't they? Are you coming down with something?"

  He sat up slowly and stretched. "No. It's not that."

  I waited a beat. When it didn't look like he planned on going any further with that explanation, I shook my head in disbelief. "If you don't want us here, that's fine. Just don't act weird about it."

  He glanced back at me and met my gaze. There was a hint of concern there, a bit of sadness, but no regret or embarrassment. It was a strange look on him. It just didn't seem right.

  Ashkan shrugged. "I'm...just not up for talking right now, that's all. Sorry."

  Shaye eyed him anxiously. "All right, we won't bother you then."

  "Thanks," he mumbled.

  She gave his hand a little pat, then stood up and joined me in the doorway. "Well... Call us if you need anything."

  "Of course," he replied. "...Have a nice day."

  Shaye gave a small nod and stepped past me. I stayed for a moment longer, searching Ashkan's expression for something, anything to make sense of the situation. He avoided my eyes, but his shoulders slumped as he turned away and leaned over the nightstand to get at the food. I didn't know what to do. Maybe he remembered kissing me on the cheek last night. Maybe he was regretting it.

  "See you tomorrow, Ash," I murmured before slipping out and closing the door behind me.

  As we crept downstairs, Lev appeared around a corner, catching us both by surprise. His eyes moved between us. I couldn't tell if he had something to say, but his mouth stayed closed. After an excruciating few seconds, he simply stepped past and continued into the kitchen. I let out the breath I'd been holding and grabbed Shaye by the arm to pull her to the front door. We stepped into our shoes and practically ran outside. We made sure to shut the door quietly when we left, then hurried down the path, putting as much distance between the house and ourselves as we could.

  "What a rude, unfeeling person. What an absolute beast. I'll never be accustomed to him, no matter how many times our paths cross," Shaye remarked once we reached the end of the street. She huffed in annoyance.

  I agreed, "I'm surprised he let us in. That man's as cold and uncaring as a rock. How does Ashkan live there without getting frostbite?"

  She scoffed. "Ashkan is the most selfless, empathetic person I know. It's a shame."

  "You don't think... Do you think that's why he's in such a mood? Maybe his dad's mad at him again," I suggested.

  She stopped, her brows raised in thought. "Oh, you think?"

  "Maybe..." I sighed and looked back. "Well, whatever's bothering him, I'm sure he'll work through it. I guess we shouldn't get in the way."

  She frowned. "I suppose..."

  We started walking back towards town, our guards trailing behind us. A light snow had begun to fall. The clouds that were scattered across the grey-blue sky promised a serious one later tonight. Nothing but the sound of our footsteps and the wind broke the silence that had formed around us. It didn't take long for one of us to strike up a conversation, though.

  By the time we'd returned to the square, we were discussing everything about Shaye's new clothing project. Including predicted trends and whether or not to open a boutique in Adares one day – after all of this was over, of course. I loved those moments with her. No matter the time or circumstance, we could always find some way to make it all seem normal.

  "And that's when I said, 'No ma'am, the collar has to be topstitched with a double needle!'" Shaye told me, recounting a conversation with a potential customer she'd met. "And then I added, 'It's not a ruff!' And you know, the poor lady was absolutely confused, but she was so sweet."

  "So... What did you settle on?" I inquired as we wandered up the main street, our guards hanging back to give us some privacy.

  She shrugged. "Well, I showed her my other designs, and we eventually agreed that we should probably start with something more classic."

  I nodded, amused. "Sounds like quite the challenge."

  "Oh, you know me, I love a challenge." She grinned and pushed her hair over one shoulder.

  We'd intended to just go straight home afterwards, but when we passed through the square, Shaye was instantly drawn to the window displays of new winter fashions. And so we took our time perusing the storefronts. You'd best believe that ever since we were assigned our personal guards by the King, Shaye took every opportunity to make use of their extra hands when out shopping. And this day was no exception. They didn't seem to mind, however. I wondered how many people got to experience being shopping bags.

  "There are three main aesthetic elements to a good outfit: colour, texture, and shape. Without at least two of these, the design just feels...flat, somehow. It's like a building without a roof," Shaye explained, rifling through a rack of skirts. "It's all about balance and harmony. But too much harmony and it all just becomes a bit dull, you see? You need some kind of contrast – a bit of spice."

  I stood and watched as she browsed, adding to a small stack of items. It was amusing how focused and determined she could get whenever hair or clothing was involved. And of course I didn't mind, even though I rarely understood her fashion jargon.

  "And what's the spice going on right now?" I asked.

  "Mmm..." She considered for a moment, then lifted a long skirt in deep sapphire blue and held it against me. "Pleats. See, look – interesting texture, interesting colour. That's two already."

  I nodded slowly. "Right."

  She went back to searching the racks, chuckling. "Thank you for humouring me, Brielle. You don't know how much I appreciate it."

  "It's all good. I'm glad we have this time to do things like this. It makes all of the rest seem less...daunting."

  "Yes. Exactly." Shaye flashed me a small smile. She then glanced outside, and her expression turned alarmed. "...What's going on?"

  I followed her gaze to see a group of people gathered around something, or someone. We were too far away to see exactly what was happening. "Maybe a street performance?"

  "In this weather?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

  I frowned. She had a point. It was definitely odd. "Let's take a closer look."

  We exited the boutique and headed for the small crowd. As we drew closer, I heard what sounded like an argument. Or an accusation? I wasn't sure. And the more I heard, the less I could make of the situation. But one thing was certain: A woman in the centre of it all was screaming. She was crying, actually – loud, sobbing wails that made it difficult to make out her words.

  Shaye and I shared a glance as we reached the crowd. Our guards joined us a moment later and immediately cleared a path, using their shoulders to shove through the bystanders. As we pushed to the front of the group, we found the woman, who seemed to be around fifty or so, kneeling on the snow-covered ground. She pressed a hand to her mouth. Her eyes were wide with distress.

  The sobs calmed for only a second when she finally saw us. "Y–Your Luminaries...! Oh, guards! Thank the gods–!" Her voice trembled. She sounded delirious – maybe even a little crazy. She reached out, but a guard immediately stepped in the way, blocking her path.

  "What happened?" I asked, trying to make eye contact over the shoulder of my guard.

  The woman hiccupped a cry as she rose to her feet. "I– I saw him! I know it was him, I-I'm sure of it! It couldn't be anyone else!"

  Shaye gave me a quizzical look, and I shrugged in response. I wasn't sure what to think, either. She tried her own hand at the questioning, asking, "Who did you see, madam?"

  "M-My– My son! My poor darling... They said– They said he died a month ago... But he's alive! He came back to me... He's...!" The woman's words were caught up in more sobbing as she choked out the last of it.

  A man next to me muttered, "Oh, don't get involved in this madness."

  Another, an older woman, nodded. "Her son was killed. No body found, of course. I feel so sorry for her."

  I exchanged another look with Shaye, whose brows had knitted with confusion. "Is he here, your son?" she questioned.

  "He is... But I– I don't know...!" The woman started sobbing again. "I looked away, just for a moment– Oh, gods–!"

  The crowd around us began to stir. Murmuring filled the air.

  "Poor soul's losing it, just like last time," a woman whispered to her neighbour, who nodded gravely.

  I frowned. Last time? This woman has already done something similar? And they all just stood around and watched her have a breakdown? I turned to our guards and gestured to the crowd. "Do something about this, will you? This isn't right."

  The guards nodded. The crowd dispersed in seconds. When we were mostly alone with the distressed woman, who had collapsed to the ground again, I kneeled beside her and reached out.

  "Ma'am, is your son here now?" I asked as calmly as I could manage, putting a hand on her shoulder. "What does he look like?"

  She trembled with each breath. When she finally met my eyes, her voice was raw with fear. "His eyes were dark... I couldn't see much, but he looked right at me–" She squeezed her eyes shut for a second, like she was trying to recall every detail. "I couldn't see his– At first– There was a scarf, wrapped around– But I– And his hands...!" Her expression broke, and she burst into another fit of wailing sobs.

  "It's all right," Shaye soothed as she kneeled on her other side.

  The woman continued to babble, "They told me he was dead... He looked just like him– How could I have–?! They–!"

  A sudden, armoured hand grabbed my shoulder, startling me so badly I nearly jumped out of my own skin. My guard was beside me, pulling me back. "Milady, you shouldn't be here. Please come with me. You as well, Miss Onusch-Eires."

  "No, we're fine! It's fine," I assured her as she tugged at me. "I'm just trying to–"

  The guard shook her head. "Milady, no. You must go. It isn't safe."

  "A-At least they are trying to HELP!" the woman suddenly cried out. Her head snapped up as she stared directly at my guard, rage in her eyes. "My son was a noble soldier! He served the crown– He died for this country! And I was told he paid with his LIFE!"

  My guard went completely still, like she was paralyzed or shocked.

  I leaned forward, reaching out to the woman again. "Ma'am–"

  She was on her feet now, yelling at the top of her lungs. "COMPLICATIONS! That's what the Rime Guard told me, in the letter! He passed from complications due to hypothermia! And icelung!" Her eyes were wild. "And when you didn't give me his body to bury, I knew. I KNEW something was wrong–! And now, he's...! He's...!"

  Shaye gave the woman's shoulder a pat. "Please, try to calm down."

  But she ignored her, lunging past to grab one of Shaye guard's. "Do you have something to hide?! DO YOU?!"

  I stepped in quickly. "No one's trying to hide anything...!"

  "But my son–! You must see him, he's... He's–! His eyes..." The woman's gaze trailed away for a second as if she was trying to look past something. When she blinked and looked back at me, her expression was distant. "You... You must be familiar with... He was..."

  A second hand took mine and tugged. "Milady, that is enough. Please come with me." It was my second guard this time, his grip firm around my wrist. I felt myself being pulled up, my feet nearly tripping out from under me. I shot the man a glare and he quickly let go. "Apologies, milady. But we must leave now."

  Shaye rose as well and moved away from the woman, who continued to rant.

  "Please, miss– I know it was my son, and he–! You must see–! Oh gods–! What have you done?! My poor...!" Her voice caught in a strangled sob. She bent over and pressed a hand to her forehead. "An Ink...blood...!"

  I felt my insides twist at that word. That couldn't be right. I stepped closer. "Pardon?"

  "M-My son's an Inkblood... I-I don't understand..." Her head rose. There were tears in her eyes, which seemed to have glazed over as she stared back at me. "You must..."

  I stared back.

  She looked between us as the realization set in. "It was him. You know... I'm...sure of it. Oh... What happened to my boy?!"

  "Madam..." I reached out. "Are... Are you sure it was your son?"

  She looked up at me with the saddest, most distraught eyes I'd ever seen.

  A chill went through my entire body, like the cold had pierced straight through my heart. "Did he... Was he marked? On his throat." I pointed to my neck. "Right here, like..."

  She nodded slowly, tears rolling down her cheeks.

  My stomach lurched. I had no way of proving this. I had no way of knowing whether the woman was delusional or if her son had actually come back from the dead…sort of. I glanced at Shaye, who looked just as dumbstruck. Neither of us knew what to believe, nor what to say to that poor woman. But I knew a little more than she did.

  I knew that Inkbloods were immortal and that they resurrected after 'death', no matter how horrific their demise, unless they were eliminated very specifically. So if this woman was telling the truth, then either her son was an Inkblood before his apparent death, or the Rime Guard had lied about what had happened...which meant they might've known about his imminent resurrection, if they were familiar with that phenomenon. Both options sounded terrible. The only other explanation I could think of was that regular corpses could be transformed into Inkbloods. But if that was the case, I figured Perl would've taught me that by now.

  The scene had caught the attention of a few patrolling guards. They approached, and one of them pulled the woman away from me, muttering some words of comfort to her. I attempted to talk to her again, but one of my guards grabbed me around the waist, hoisting me over their shoulder as if I were a bag of grain.

  I thrashed at once. "Put me down, damn it! We can still–"

  "Please, milady! Stop fighting. If there are Inkbloods roaming around here, you should not be within sight or earshot!" my guard explained as he started carrying me off. "You must return home for the evening."

  I managed to crane my neck enough to watch the distressed mother. She stared back, her face frozen in fear and disbelief as we were taken away. She continued to stare at me for as long as I could see her, before finally being obscured by a building. I sighed and relaxed my muscles as I resigned myself to this position, dangling like a limp fish from the shoulders of this man. It was absolutely ridiculous.

  Shaye glanced over at me and chuckled. Her guards each had a hand on her back, urging her forward. "It could be worse."

  "How?"

  "They could've dragged you away like a bag of flour."

  I shook my head and groaned.

  Back on Earth, I spent my evening ice skating with Spencer at a local rink. It was something I'd spent a lot of time doing when I lived in Minnesota, so it was nice to just coast on the ice with him without having to worry about training or Inkbloods. It was a familiar feeling; one I really needed. I hadn't known just how tightly wound I was until I was on the ice. I think my mind was most at peace when I was on the ice, but it also held memories of when things were simpler.

  "You skate so well," Spencer remarked as she stayed closer to the wall. "Is it easy to get the hang of?"

  "You're just unbalanced. Loosen your stance a little," I told her, and demonstrated. "Your body should be relaxed, just like if you were walking."

  "Easy for you to say..."

  I laughed and took her by the hand, gently gliding backward and pulling her with me. She made an embarrassed squeal that was halfway between a laugh and a shriek. But she went along, her movements hesitant and shaky at first. Eventually she got a handle of it, and after a few minutes, she was even trying a few crossovers.

  I grinned and skated beside her. "You're a natural, Spence!"

  "Not too bad yourself," she said with a little chuckle, eyes on her own skates.

  We took our time around the rink. Eventually she loosened up and took a few daring moves, skating at the same pace as me. But she did still grab my arm whenever she lost her balance or couldn't hit the brakes. The rink was full of families and couples, and seeing everyone have a good time and get along always brought me a sense of ease and calm.

  "This would be a perfect date idea," Spencer commented as we did another lap. "Think Luke knows how to skate?"

  I blinked. "I dunno. Probably." I paused to look around the rink at the other skaters, noting all of the pairs of handholding and the cute couples stealing kisses whenever they got the chance. "...Let's not talk about that right now. I'm trying not to think about him."

  She gave my shoulder a gentle shove. "What's there not to think about? You two are great together."

  "We're not together," I corrected.

  She gave me a look that said she was about to make fun of me, then smirked and shook her head. "You guys act like it."

  "What?" I scowled at her. "No we don't."

  "Yeah you do!" She grinned as she did another crossover and kept up her speed. "I mean, you look at each other a lot, and you're always smiling and blushing. Plus he's always so nice and friendly to you, and he gets so flustered when I tease him."

  I opened my mouth, then closed it. Opened it again. "...We just get along. And we're both still figuring things out. I don't want to rush him. Or myself."

  She arched a brow, and her face split into another grin. "Aha. So things are moving along!"

  I narrowed my eyes at her. "It's complicated. I'm not exactly sure where we stand." I looked at the skaters around us. "Or...what we are, even."

  She seemed to get it then. She reached over and patted me on the shoulder. "You should ask him, you know. Talk it out. I know it's scary, but communication is always important. Even if it doesn't work out, at least you'll have some peace of mind."

  "It's not that simple, Spence," I mumbled. "And it's not something that's just a small conversation. It's a huge topic, one we need time for."

  "Well, then I suggest you start finding some time!"

  I sighed. "I will. I'm just...trying to think through it, I guess."

  She shrugged, her gaze still focused on her blades. "It's not all that scary, really. I've told you all about my relationship. Sure, we had a couple hiccups along the way. But once you find a balance and a rhythm, everything falls into place. You just gotta work at it. There's a lot of good things in life that require work."

  I smiled at her, thinking about how lucky she was to be with someone as cool and kind and awesome as Joel. "I know. Thanks."

  We took a few more laps. In all honesty, my mind had been too busy with Ashkan to think about what to do about Luke. It seemed that my problems had just gotten more and more complex, with new developments constantly popping up that just made everything more confusing. Ash had become a new and welcome distraction, and I didn't mind the thought of getting closer to him. I just wasn't sure what exactly to do with those feelings. I was scared, too, that the closer I got to him, the more likely I was to screw everything up. Those fears were shared with Luke, as well, although I was far more certain of my feelings towards him. But now, there was also Ash to think about. My brain had been swimming all week, and I was happy that I got to skate to clear my mind for a bit.

  "Did I tell you about my plans after graduation?" Spencer asked suddenly.

  I blinked, having been snapped out of my own thoughts. "Uh... You want to get into game design, yeah? For some fancy game studio."

  She chuckled at the way I'd put it and gave a shrug. "Maybe not a big fancy game studio. But I've been talking to the guidance counselor lately. There are a bunch of really good colleges that have sweet game design and development programs. I'd love to go to SoCal, but the tuition's so high... I might take a gap year to save up for it. And, to work on some portfolio items. That, and to see where my relationship with Joel is gonna go..."

  "Oh?" I hadn't expected that last part.

  "Well, I don't think my current pay as a waitress will get me very far," she joked.

  I laughed. "I was more curious about you and Joel, actually. Have you guys...talked about it?"

  "A little bit, here and there. We're still trying to figure things out. If we'll try the long-distance thing. What our relationship means. That kind of stuff. He wants me to focus on my education. He says he'd feel guilty if I didn't go to college because of him. And...I get it. I think that's really admirable of him. But..." She sighed. "We'll just have to talk about it more."

  I gave her shoulder a comforting squeeze. "Has Joel decided what he wants to do?"

  She made a humming sound, looking a bit frustrated. "He's conflicted about it. On one hand, he wants to travel the world and see if his band gets signed somewhere. On the other... I think he feels like he has to find a stable career. You know how it is these days. The music industry is so overcrowded, but he's also not exactly a 'college' type of guy. So...I dunno. That's the main problem right now. He has a lot to decide."

  I nodded along to everything she said. "That's a tough situation."

  "Yeah... We're figuring it out, though. We've been in the game long enough that we can be patient. And hey, I'm still deciding, too. All we know is that we don't want to break up. I'm just hoping it doesn't come down to a choice between him or my career." She made a face and groaned. "God, we're being such a typical high school couple. Ew..."

  I laughed. "Well, at least you're being responsible. That's gotta count for something, right?"

  "Oh yeah, definitely," she said, then giggled. "So, what about you and Luke, then? Where's that gonna go?"

  I smiled wryly at her, unsure of what to say. I couldn't mention that I'd started to potentially have romantic feelings for another guy, let alone one from another dimension. That'd be a bit of a tough explanation. I decided to settle with, "I'm not sure. There's a lot more to consider than you think."

  She hummed. "Fair enough."

  We spent a while skating after that, catching up about random stuff like class gossip, recent movies we'd watched, and her newest drawings. Then she started telling me about a game idea she'd started drafting up. It sounded like something from an indie studio – the basic concept of an adventurer saving the world, after waking up with their memories wiped, no knowledge of who or where they are. But the story and details that came with it were something else. She had a real knack for imagination. I envisioned for a moment how she'd react to learning about Emiarhia.

  Unfortunately, our fun was cut short by someone barreling into us from the side. We were lucky no one was skating beside us or it might've been an even bigger disaster. I was thrown off-balance, and my training reflexes switched on automatically. My blades dug into the ice. I threw an arm out and managed to keep my body upright while Spencer toppled over. I quickly reached out to steady her before she could crash face-first into the wall. I then whipped around, eyes blazing and a string of profanity on my tongue.

  Imagine my surprise when my gaze landed on Farrah. She'd fallen onto the ice, looking just as surprised to see me there as I was her. My expression hardened. It seemed she had a similar reaction. We hadn't crossed paths since my New Year's party, naturally – and after the stunt she and her friends pulled, I was hoping to never run into her again.

  I bent over and held out a hand. "You okay?" I asked, my tone curt.

  Farrah glanced from me, to Spencer, to my hand, and scoffed. "Don't touch me." She carefully rose to her feet, brushing herself off as though there was some filth on her clothes that the ice rink was just full of. She glowered at me as if she was ready to pick up right where we'd left off.

  "Geez, I was just asking if you were all right," I retorted. "No need to be such a bitch about it."

  Spencer gave me a surprised look, but didn't say anything. I wasn't usually one to call out people like this. Maybe Miseris was having an effect on me. Regardless, I was at my wits' end with Farrah.

  "I'll be just fine as long as I'm away from you," she snapped back. She straightened her coat and glared at us. I noticed her eyes had gone a little red, but she blinked that away in the next instant. She was crying? I wanted to ask what was up with that, but then she spoke up again. "You can just back off, okay? Go play your little 'hero' role somewhere else."

  I bristled, but bit down on my tongue to keep from snapping at her. "What are you even talking about?"

  Farrah shook her head. She seemed genuinely pissed at me. Her tone was ice cold. "Do not call me a bitch. You don't even know me or what I've been through. Some of us don't get everything handed to us from birth, you know."

  "I have a feeling I know exactly the type of person you are," I riposted. "A rude, snippy, backhanded coward. A carbon copy of every other mean girl cliché in the world. You're wasting your life being bitter and jealous."

  Her eyes widened, and she took a step back as if I'd just slapped her. A flurry of emotions flickered across her features, all at once. Surprise and hurt were most evident. "I– I'm not– You don't–" She paused, then took a deep breath and scowled. "You know what? Fuck you."

  I didn't miss how her eyes grew more watery as she turned away, leaving me standing there in bewilderment. She rushed towards the entrance to the rink.

  I just shook my head and sighed, turning back to Spencer, who was gaping at me. She didn't seem upset by what I'd said, more so shocked. "...I shouldn't have done that," I muttered.

  She shrugged. "Maybe. But you were right." She took a moment to think before adding, "She seemed upset about something. Maybe there's something more going on."

  "I guess," I said, not entirely convinced. I had a feeling she was just a plain and simple bitch who felt entitled. She and her lackeys were just the kind of people who used others and then discarded them when they were done, just like Joy and her posse had done with me. They only cared about appearances. But with the way Farrah had looked at me, and what she'd said, it felt like I'd struck a nerve.

  I shook my head. It was pointless thinking about the motivations of those kind of people. You'd never truly understand them, nor did you really need to. What mattered was how their actions affected other people. It wouldn't have surprised me if the real reason Farrah and her friends hated me so much was that I, for once, wasn't interested in blindly following them. I wasn't a sucker for attention like those who got wrapped up in high school popularity politics.

  More importantly, it was a distraction. It would be too easy to let that kind of stuff eat away at me and pull me down. And I couldn't have that happen. Nobody on Earth (except for my parents) knew about the kind of pressure I was under, the weight on my shoulders and the fights I was always having to put up. With everything that had been happening recently, I couldn't afford to be distracted. The fate of another dimension and all of its humanity could very well be hanging in the balance.