“That was amazing!” Charlotte exclaimed, hugging Micah’s arm as they ambled down the road to the Asterly estate. Great big trees canopied this street, creating a makeshift archway that filtered moonlight in spotty patches. “The way you figured out how to catch the Spritlit… that was so clever! I never would have thought of that.”

  He watched the makeshift butterfly on her head, steady in place yet alive and bright. “It’s certainly a fascinating little thing,” he said. “I’d like to know more about them.”

  After a long, side-winding course down the forested path, they came to a marble wall, partitioned by an immense gate of white steel bars twisted to form an intricate arcane design. Beyond the gate, paradise awaited, and far in the distance, a story-book castle topped a grassy mount, its highest tower framed by the moon’s ivory crescent. A man in pomp attire stood beside the gate, smiling pleasantly. They approached him, and Charlotte produced the invitation they won from Maglin.

  The porter took the slip and bowed without reply, and the gate gracefully swung wide on its own, eliciting all the grandeur one could expect from such a place. The well-maintained path led a course through the gardens of so many rumor and speculation, and the first impression did not disappoint. A variety of lush plants and manicured trees lined the walkway, which formed a helix. The double paths crossed each other at regular intervals as far as Micah could see, illuminated by lanterns on golden, cane-shaped posts.

  “Do you know what this kind of path is called?” Charlotte asked excitedly, letting go of his arm and turning in place to look at him as they walked.

  “There’s a name for it?” he replied.

  She nodded, turning again to walk alongside him. “It’s called a ‘Lover’s Treaty.’ See how the two lanes run alongside each other, then twist to cross paths every so often? Here…”

  As they came to one of the crossings, she placed a hand on his shoulder and nudged him so that he took the right path while she took the left. They still walked together, but a few feet apart now.

  “What is its purpose?” he asked.

  “I actually know this!” she said. “It’s Rypsian history, you see. In the days of the Old Kingdom, when warlords wanted to make treaties, they came together at predetermined places where two fortified walls ran alongside each other. And on top of those walls was a path for each ruler. The walls would go for miles and miles, long enough for lengthy discussion, but far enough apart so the kings couldn’t attack each other. Then, when the terms of the treaty were agreed upon, a special magic requiring both rulers’ participation was invoked to cross the walls together, so they could quickly exchange a handshake before continuing along.”

  “Intriguing,” Micah said. “So how did the kind of path we’re walking on now become known as a Lover’s Treaty?”

  “Well, over time, that method of forming treaties was abandoned, but the walls remained. So they were used for other purposes, such as negotiating contracts or paying personal restitution for evils committed against others, and it became part of Rypsy culture. When making amends with someone, you ‘walked the treaty’ as you might sometimes hear people say. Eventually the walls were abandoned in favor of simple paths – the ritual became the important aspect. This was especially true with slighted women. When their husbands or boyfriends affronted them, they would drag them out to the nearest ‘Treaty Path’ and make them walk it with them, where they could talk, but at a distance. Then, once they resolved their differences…”

  The paths crossed again, and Micah and Charlotte met in the middle. “…they could rejoin, symbolizing a treaty and a fresh start.”

  She passed Micah, turning onto the right path while he took the left this time.

  “But for the last hundred years or so,” she continued, “the Treaty Path has taken on a different meaning. Instead of reconciliation, young boys and girls began using it as a method of courtship – they could walk with each other, but at a distance that invoked mystery and longing. And when the path finally crossed, they could steal a kiss or two.” Charlotte grinned mischievously. “As you can imagine, one crossing was never enough, so when new Treaty Paths were constructed, the two sides would cross more often and at shorter intervals. Eventually, it took on this form where they cross many times. And that’s how it got its name: the Lover’s Treaty. It’s considered the premier romantic setting among Rypsians… a walk on the Treaty with the one you love. Every girl dreams about it.”

  “How fascinating,” he said, folding his hands behind his back. “A truly insightful piece of history.”

  “Well as you know, I’m nothing if not perspicacious.”

  He hummed, making her giggle.

  “So what do you think, Micah?” She glanced at him, batting her lashes and turning her shoulder up. “Want to make a treaty with me?”

  He blinked. “I don’t understand. Are we at odds?”

  She exhaled, laughing ruefully. “Never mind.”

  They walked in silence for a while. Crickets a thousand fold created a joyful melody, and a slender wind swished through trees in accord to their chirps. While Charlotte looked all about, taking in the whole of their pleasant surroundings with rapturous delight, he could only see her. The way she moved, quiet and graceful. The way the Spritlit illuminated her hair with dashes of vibrant colors. The way her words became a song at the slightest lilt of her voice and the way her pale skin glowed in any source of light. She was so beautiful – that fact became more evident to him as each day passed, but his recognition of it was now far more personal.

  Yet, he understood so little about these feelings, which were increasingly becoming both pleasurable and painful. He found himself longing to touch her all the time. To hold her, even when there was no purpose to it.

  “I want to know more about you,” he said. The words came without complete approval from his brain, and he stopped short of saying anything more. He felt embarrassed by the sudden statement.

  The request didn’t draw the reaction he expected. Instead, she beamed her usual smile. “What do you want to know?”

  “May I be frank?”

  “Of course.”

  “Everything.”

  Their paths crossed again, and they stopped before each other. Charlotte’s eyes dazzled behind her mask, searching his face with a bewitching blue flicker. He could have looked into them forever, but she smiled and continued on. He did likewise.

  “Everything is a lot,” she said. “Where should I begin?”

  “You have avoided speaking of your past before now,” he said. “I have done my best to respect your wishes and not broach the subject, and I will continue to do so if that is your desire.”

  Her face relayed the longing to sigh, but she did not. “It’s alright. Things are different now, and you deserve to know. It’s not that I’m ashamed or afraid of my past. It’s just… difficult to talk about my struggles, because they are personal and, perhaps, meritless.” She rubbed her hands together nervously, as if to shake away the jitters. “So, how do I start…?”

  “Tell me about your family,” he said.

  “Well, my father, Allendale Goodsteel, is the counselor to the Chevron of Astenbury, as I told you before. Though he’s from Carnel, the Chevron appointed him because he’s strong and well educated. My mother, Sophia, met my father very young, and they married soon after. Raised an aristocrat, she has fine taste and impeccable refinement, a true lady. But to my everlasting shame, she’s a bit of a scatterbrain, and she hates the outdoors, especially during the daytime. Unfortunately, her recluse behavior rubbed off on Olivia, my younger sister. Olive looks very much like me, but that’s where the similarities end. She’s a complete bookworm and a bit of a wet blanket, always negative about everything. But she’s really smart, and there are times when she can be your best friend in the world, depending on the time of day.”

  “It sounds as if you love them very much,” Micah said.

  “Oh, I do! I do. More than my own life!” She began to wring her hands. She seemed close to tears, biting her lip hard. “In fact, I often wonder if I deserve their love.”

  “How do you mean?”

  “Because I’ve been such a burden to them for so long. It wasn’t always like that, of course. When I was just a little girl, I had a happy childhood. Born with the proverbial silver spoon in my mouth, I received all the finer things in life. A truly blessed existence I took for granted. But that all changed when… I opened my first Sealed Eye.”

  She paused. Micah considered asking her if she was alright, but thought better of it and waited until she calmed down. Now the sigh came, full of loneliness.

  “About nine years ago, my sister and I were playing in a field near our estate when Olive fell into an old well. It was dry and deep, much too dark to see anything, but I could hear her crying. Oh, I still remember how she cried. She was in so much pain. It was awful… just awful.” Charlotte removed her mask. Tears coated her cheeks. “You see, I was so scared that I unwittingly activated Heartbreaker. That was when it all started. Without realizing what I’d done, I found myself inside Olive’s heart. She was there in the darkness, crying and scared. But I was able to comfort her until someone found us and rescued her.”

  Micah and Charlotte crossed paths again. He offered her a handkerchief, which she gratefully accepted. They continued walking on opposite sides.

  “You would think such a thing would be a miracle, right?” she said, dabbing her eyes. “But it was a curse.”

  “Why?”

  “I became a freak show, that’s why!” She angrily stamped her foot. “People talked and whispered about what happened, and my parents let them perform tests on me and sent me to wizards and specialists. It was as if I wasn’t even a little girl anymore. I felt like a circus attraction. Then, my father brought a man all the way from Carnel to take a look at me, and he was the one who somehow determined I had other dormant abilities. It wasn’t long before people pieced folklore and fact together and concluded I was the Moon Eye Child.”

  This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

  She paused, breathing deeply and letting her anger subside. “But that was only the beginning,” she continued quietly. “About a year after Olive’s accident, I was kidnapped from our home. I don’t want to go into many details. I shudder even thinking about these things. But a group of men stole me away from my bed in the dead of night, then held me for ransom. Daddy paid them the money, and I was returned safe.”

  More tears came. “Six months later, I was kidnapped again. Not for money this time. It was a group that wanted to hide me away and use my eyes for their cause. Daddy hired mercenaries from Carnel to find me, and they eventually did. All the men who took me were killed.”

  Micah listened with rapt attention, astonished by her story. “How many times has this happened?” he asked.

  “Six times…”

  He did a double take.

  “Six times,” she repeated. Her eyes drooped with terrible sadness. “For every reason you can think of. So many people died on my account, and I was forced to see all of it. Sometimes I would get thrown into duffel bags or put in dark cellars, other times tied up and gagged. After the second time, Daddy hired bodyguards. I couldn’t go outside anymore, and someone had to be around me no matter what time of the day it was. Yet, they still came for me.

  “It was a nightmare, even though Daddy always saved me in the end. The consequences ran much deeper than it first appeared. My family became pariah. Some of the folk in Astenbury began to wonder if we were cursed. They distrusted us. Daddy struggled in his position as counselor. And our entire fortune was whittled away by the expense. From ransoms to all the hired guards and soldiers, it became too much. In seven years, we were nearly bankrupt. My parents never said so, but I know we were just days away from losing our home.”

  “But you didn’t?” he asked.

  She shook her head. “It happened so quick, and they didn’t tell me or Olive what happened, but suddenly our money problems were over. Like it happened over night, all the attendants we let go were back, our estate was being restored after years of neglect, and we enjoyed fine meals and other luxuries we had taken for granted.”

  Charlotte raised her head, looking deep into the night sky. “But at the same time, something happened to Daddy. I know the events are related, but he never talked about it.”

  “Someone attacked him?”

  “No, no… nothing like that. He just became… distant. It was subtle at first, but with each passing day, the signs became more apparent. He worked more and hardly ever smiled. Rarely would he eat at the dinner table with us, and nothing impressed him or gave him joy. My mother endured it all with a smile, but me and Olive, we knew she was suffering, too. In time, I came to see it was my fault.”

  Micah frowned. “You can’t blame yourself. You were just a child.”

  “Maybe not, but it doesn’t matter. I blamed myself at the time, so things got worse. While he would still attempt interaction with my mother and sister, he eventually couldn’t even speak to me anymore, and I eventually stopped trying. It was poisonous in our home, and I felt like an outsider. Sometimes, I could convince myself things would get better, but then one day, my worst nightmare came true.

  “About six months ago, Daddy came to my room and said he was sending me to Carnel. He told me he wanted me to complete my education in our homeland. Olive was to stay behind, but he wanted me to go to Carnel.”

  “And you think he was lying?” Micah asked.

  “What would you have thought if you were in my shoes? Wouldn’t you have thought that he just wanted me gone… that he couldn’t stand the sight of me anymore… that he hated me?”

  They came to the last crossing of the path. Charlotte stood before Micah looking small and helpless. Tears flowed in a continual stream. “The rest of the story you know,” she managed. Her breathing hitched many times. “I came to Carnel with a dozen armed escorts, but Riser had me arrested the moment I stepped off the boat, accusing me of being a spy.”

  She burst into tears, crying at the utmost peak of her heart’s sorrow. She buried her head in Micah’s chest. He held her close.

  “They threw me in that prison! They blindfolded me and chained me up! They treated me like I was a criminal! And Daddy… Daddy didn’t come for me this time,” she wailed. “He never came, he never came. Why didn’t he come for me? Why?”

  The soul-rending sobs made Micah’s heart and throat ache. Seeing her in such pain, he wanted it to be gone, but he didn’t know how to chase it away this time. For several minutes, she cried into his chest, shivering uncontrollably.

  When finally her sobs were reduced to sniffles, he ventured to comfort her. “You said… that your father sent you to Carnel for school. Couldn’t it be possible he doesn’t even know what happened to you? Governor Riser certainly wouldn’t have alerted him to what happened.”

  She stopped sniffing, but held him closer. “I guess that’s true.”

  “Considering Riser and Vash plotted to take you without the approval of the king, it’s even feasible they did everything possible to prevent your family from discovering what happened.”

  She looked up at him now. “You mean like sending them fake letters or something?”

  “Was your family expecting letters from you?”

  “My mother was. I considered writing her while we traveled, but thought better of it in the end. She wouldn’t be too concerned if I didn’t write her after only two months… knowing my habits. I was never much of a letter-writer.”

  “Well then, it could be they don’t know a thing.”

  She placed her head back on his chest, wrapping her arms around him again. “You’re probably right. But… I’m still afraid to go home.”

  “Why?”

  “What if I go back and find things happier than when I left? Wouldn’t that mean they were better off without me? What if Daddy is upset that I was kidnapped again? Does he even want me back? And what if I put them in danger by going back? Aren’t they safer if I’m not there? Oh, Micah, I just don’t know what to do.”

  “The way I see it, you have two options. Stay away from your family and always wonder about the truth, or go back and learn the truth. You may indeed discover that your father no longer wants you to be part of the family, as unlikely as that seems. But it would produce the same results as the first option, except you would at least know the truth. Not knowing would haunt you forever. Our travels through Rypsy can go through Astenbury. You should take the opportunity.”

  “It makes a whole lot of sense when you put it like that.” She looked up at him, smiling. “Thank you, Micah. I think you’re right, and I feel a bit braver now. Though, I wouldn’t be able to do it if you weren’t with me.”

  He nodded. “Tomorrow, we’ll chart a course for Astenbury.”

  She took a deep breath, mustering up resolve. “Okay.”

  It was in that moment they realized their new surroundings. Charlotte held her breath, and Micah followed suit in marveling where they stood. The path ended, fading into a small, grassy meadow. A lake was tucked within the secluded wood, just beyond where they stood. Its water shimmered under the moonlight, ripples sparkling in the wake of gliding swans.

  “Crickets…” was all she could muster. He wholeheartedly agreed.

  A carved marble settee overlooked the lagoon from a veranda with pristine vantage. Charlotte led Micah to it with coy playfulness. They sat, and she curled up beside him, taking his arm and resting her head on his shoulder. Together, they enjoyed the lush quiet of the garden. Fireflies drifted to and fro over the lake’s surface, and the glow of the festival haloed the highest treetops. Micah had no way of telling how much time passed, but if he could have wished for the moon and stars to stop in their rotations, he would have done so.

  Never had he been so happy to do nothing. His mind whirled with a thousand incredible sensations. The pleasant ambiance of the night with its perfect cool breeze, the florid scent of Charlotte’s hair so close to his face, the softness of her breasts as she pressed against his arm, and the way she held his hand as if it were the most important thing in the world.

  It wasn’t difficult to understand what was happening, despite how scary the revelation seemed at first. He wanted her. He wanted Charlotte to be his, to be closer to her in every capacity he could comprehend. And, more to the point, he wanted to be the only one to share such intimacy with her. It seemed selfish, but he knew in such cases, a man need not feel guilty. This was the order of things.

  But he knew nothing about the rituals of courtship beyond what he read in books. And the books he normally read rarely discussed such a topic that most considered instinctual. That unfortunately left him lost, but he dared not simply ask her, for fear of ruining their relationship due to his ignorance. More research would have to be done, but what he really desired was access to another female to consult on the matter.

  “Micah, are you alright?”

  Charlotte’s voice snapped him out of his inner thoughts. He glanced at her. “Yes, I’m fine. Why?”

  “Because judging from the serious look in your eye, you were doing some major soul searching. Either that or something you ate tonight isn’t sitting too well at the moment.”

  He laughed, but didn’t reply. She can be far too perceptive.

  “You know, I’ve told you a lot about myself tonight,” she said. “But where’s the give and take?”

  “What do you want to know?”

  “Well, I know you don’t remember much about your past,” she said, frowning a bit. “But do you ever wonder about it? I mean, you were born to someone, right? Isn’t it possible you have a family out there somewhere?”

  “I’ve never really thought about it,” he answered truthfully.

  “I haven’t dwelled on it too much until now, but when I cut the seal around your heart, I saw things.” She leaned back against him, and he put an arm around her. “Weird things. Just brief glimpses of random places and people I couldn’t identify, but they seemed personal. The same thing happened when I broke Marshall Kalem’s seal, too. I think they were memories.”

  “Do you remember them?”

  She bit her lip. “Not really, but I bet if I really think on it a while, some of it will come back to me.”

  “Sometimes, I see things, too,” he said.

  “What kind of things?”

  “I’m not really sure. Same as your visions, they’re too brief, gone even before I can dwell on them, but I believe they are lost memories of my past as well.”

  “It’s too bad,” she whispered.

  “Why?”

  “Family is important, Micah. You had a mother once, right? And a father. Maybe siblings. Isn’t it possible they’re still out there? What if they’re looking for you? I’m sure your mother must miss you, at least.”

  She snuggled further into his embrace, resting her head in the crook of his neck and closing her eyes. She yawned, and Micah felt the unwanted effect on his own eyes, but he refused to suggest they make their way back.

  “Thank you, Micah,” she finally said after a while, sleepiness dragging her words.

  “For what?”

  “Everything. For saving me and protecting me. For being there when I needed you, even when I didn’t know it. For talking to me and always telling me just what I need to hear. I don’t know what life would be like without you now. And honestly, I don’t ever want to know.”

  “I thank you, as well,” he replied.

  “For what?” she managed as she slipped into slumber.

  “… everything.”

  *       *       *

  “I took the liberty of restocking your provisions this morning,” Simon said. “It should last you a few weeks, or at the very least until you arrive in Astenbury. And here’s a meal for the road.”

  St. Meran’s priest offered Charlotte a basket. She reached down from the floating chariot seat and accepted it with a smile and words of gratitude. Micah’s fire horses drew the attention and admiration of everyone at the church who had gathered to see them off. Simon circled round the magical wagon to Micah’s side and reached up to shake his hand.

  “Be safe, lad,” he said. “May God be with you and Miss Goodsteel wherever you might go. Look after each other. Protect each other. And if you should ever find yourself lost, just take a look at that scar on your hand. It will lead you straight.”

  “Thank you, Roshi. I will,” he replied. He reached into a pocket and produced a Cure Stone and a small booklet, handing them to Simon. “We can’t thank you enough for all you’ve done, but hopefully this is a start.”

  Simon gaped at the crystal, incredulous. “Is this what I think it is?”

  Micah nodded.

  “Son, I can’t accept this!”

  “Take it. I have tons more. This is my plan for helping people.”

  Simon shook his head as absurdity morphed to laughter. “Just who are you, Micah sinChamplain?”

  Micah cracked the reins, and the horses tugged the chariot into a trot. Raising his hand in salute, he replied, “A man on a mission.”

  An hour later, Micah and Charlotte’s wagon crossed St. Meran’s town border. At the fence line, half buried in dead shrubbery, a gaunt and twisted scarecrow stared back at them.

  “Oh gross,” Charlotte remarked with a sneer, pointing it out.

  Micah looked where she pointed. The scarecrow was incredibly life-like, with a leathery head cocked sideways, an evil and twisted smile, and several layers of fabric covering its limbs that drifted on the faint breeze. There was definitely something vile about the thing, and they stared at it for an extended period.

  “Just a scarecrow,” he finally replied. He prodded the horses on.

  When they were out of sight, the scarecrow slowly turned its head. His wicked smile broadened, and a high-pitched chuckle issued from behind black teeth.

  “The second one!” he said. “That’s definitely him! The second Precision user! I found him!” His arms came together, rubbing hands in delight. “Miss Dragon Lady will be so pleased! So pleased with me! It’s finally time to unleash the boy. The boy! The boy!”

  With demented mirth, the scarecrow jumped free of the bushes and skipped down the opposite side of the road. “The boy! The boy! The boy to set my master free!”