I manage to get the silver cart carrying our breakfast stuck on the stairs of the secret passageway that lead to Styre’s rooms. Between Hikari, Shadow, and I, we keep this path in working order while Styre is off in Aeronautica or wherever the Elders send him. Our continued presence gave rise to rumors of the tower being haunted.

I tug the metal legs of the cart. A soft ting echoes through the corridor. I cringe and tug gently. My mind wanders to last night.

I kissed Styre.

He kissed me back.

He said he loves me!

My chest warms at the memory. My heart is as alive as the Great Forest at dawn, when the Dryads sing their praise to Solaris. No one else hears their hollow wooden voices. Trapped inside the trees they once protected, the Dryads have become forgotten. I hear them now, a low hum in the distance. Their growing chorus means the sun is rising over the canopy. The palace will soon be crawling with servants. I tug at the cart again, hoping to dislodge the wheel from the crack it’s stuck on.

I wonder how the maids are able to push these things through the narrow servants’ stairs. The maid this morning narrowed her eyes in suspicion when I asked for double breakfast. Rumors of my secret rendezvous will spread all day. My guards will stay silent. Their silence will only spur the gossip.

My alleged affair will hopefully overshadow any talk of dead bodies in the Vault. If I’m fortunate, the talk will change to Styre and I having a secret meeting instead. Such talk will make it easier when he becomes my guest at official events. Not that he’s agreed to be my guest. I can’t help hoping after last night.

My smile warms my cheeks. I hang my head in my hand. He kissed me. I hope to share even more kisses in the future. I hope to have even more of him.

I’m leaving everything to chase a ghost.

I push the cart. A creaking squeak fills the narrow hall as the cart rolls onto the next step. I almost laugh with relief, but stifle my voice. While rumors persist of haunting, certain noises will alert the two guards in the tower.

I pick the cart off the ground and waddle with it between my arms so the wheels don’t touch the stairs. Trying to wheel it up is what got it stuck the first time. Once at the top I set the cart down and click the latch to open the secret door. The room looks even more disheveled in the morning light.

I don’t immediately see Styre. My heart catches. He’s gone after the girl.

Curtains float in the sunlit balcony drawing my eyes to the opened doors. Blue-to-purple hair streams on currents of wind. Styre stares up at the shifting sky. Pink turns to gold as Solaris continues his rise across the expanse, bringing morning. The Dryads’ song carries on the breeze. Wind tugs at Styre’s opened shirt. I catch a glint of silver. He turns sensing my presence and leaves the balcony. Dark circles bruise under his eyes. He didn’t sleep.

Does he regret last night?

“You look like you need this more than me,” I push the cart next to the table in his study.

He doesn’t speak as he falls into the chair. His hair dances around his face. I stare at his lips, searching for evidence of our kisses. I wish I could kiss him again. I long for more. So much more. I pour tea instead.

Mother’s special blend, a hearty brew of black tea, roses, and apples from the palace gardens made in batches for Phoenix’s Day. The aroma wafts through the room. Styre adds three heaping spoons of sugar then lifts his cup. The steam drifts over his nose and dances across his pale skin. He doesn’t sip, not yet. It’s too hot. He’s too thin as he crosses his legs and holds the cup just out of reach from his lips. Lips that met mine.

I pour my tea, add a spoon of sugar, and take a sip for distraction. The warm floral brew refreshes my senses. I remove the shiny lid from the largest plate. Cheese toast, berry compote, honeycomb, and a pair of bright sunny eggs greet me. Another lid reveals a bowl of fresh green melons cut into flowers that drip juice like morning dew. The last plate is honey-basil scones, my favorite. I take a scone and rub a knife full of white cream over the surface before taking a greedy bite.

I feel ravenous for other reasons than food. I avoid Styre’s eyes, afraid to reveal my longing. Last night his cheeks flushed pink as he pushed me away. His eyes searched for solace away from my face. I wonder how much he already knows of my desires. Even if he can read my thoughts, I hope he doesn’t think I would ever push him. I hope he understands that last night was a miracle for me. That even my wildest dreams couldn’t have imagined him reciprocating my feelings and kissing me back.

I try not to stare, but my thoughts are rings that round back to him. I’m almost finished with my scone when he takes his first sip of tea. His lips grow tight from the strength of the liquid, but he swigs the rest down. He slathers a piece of cheese toast with berry compote before nibbling. I watch his neck constrict as he swallows. His thin collarbone leads me to believe he doesn’t eat much.

“You still want to go?” His question surprises me.

“I said I would,” I answer as I refill his teacup.

His eyes flicker over my face. His stare travels across my chin, my jaw, my ears. I feel like he’s memorized all my lines, and it makes me nervous. My heart beats faster. Does he want me to stay? Now that our relationship has advanced, does he hope I will?

“You have to protect her,” he says dispersing my hopes.

I offer a weak smile. “Of course.”

His fingers trace the chain around his neck tugging loose the locket tucked under his shirt. I don’t think he notices. The image conjures memories of a much younger, chubbier version of him. I search his face, the dark circles under his eyes. Nightmares, perhaps. He no longer comes to me in tears over his dreams, but I’m certain they still haunt him, as they do me.

I am right to go, or at least, in ensuring he doesn’t. Princess Amorithia is his weakness. If this is a trap I will lose him. If the Elders hoped he would run, this will thwart their plans, or at least complicate them.

I cut into an egg. Yellow yolk runs across white. My mind flashes with the memory of a bloody hand holding a dagger inches from Styre’s back. “Promise me you won’t go into the Vault while I’m gone.”

He stares into my eyes. His muscles tighten with conviction. “I cannot make that promise.”

My heart is heavier than an ox at harvest. “They’re after whatever’s in the Vault.”

He nods. “Which is why I will likely have to go inside and protect it.”

I frown and force myself to eat the egg. This is not the time to ignore food. “Do you believe the Elders, when they say they don’t know what’s really down there?”

He turns back to the window, his eyes far away. “I’m no longer confident in the Elders.”

“I hate to agree.” I scoop up more egg. “I don’t want to think the Elders had a hand in what happened to those two people.” My throat clenches with breakfast and worry. “But we cannot ignore the possibility.”

He nods and takes another bite of his toast. “Whatever is in the Vault must be powerful. The magic needed to contain it is beyond my understanding. I can’t help wonder if all the Ancient Magics are protecting it.”

“Magic strong enough to keep something sealed for a thousand years.” The thought bubbles softly in me.

“Something or someone.” His eyes drift to the ceiling of stars.

I shiver at the thought of someone alive down there, under a sleeping enchantment like a children’s story. I sip my tea. My gut twists with unease. We’ve always gone into the Vault, Styre and I, as a place of refuge. A place of peace where no one in the kingdoms could reach. I stopped thinking of it as some great forbidden thing long ago. Last night that changed.

“Whoever sent those two people knows what’s down there,” Styre says as he digs a spoon into the honeycomb. Amber liquid pools on the small dish. “They know so much more than we do. They’ve managed to uncover old blueprints, pump magic into normal people, and force their way into the Vault. Whatever is down there must be powerful and they are willing to risk lives for it.”

I spoon some berry compote across cheese toast and take a bite. Styre cuts off a melon petal and dips it in the honey. He lifts the honey-melon to his lips. Juice runs down his chin. He catches it with a napkin and frowns.

“If an Elder is involved, they know everything about us, about magic, about you being able to access the Vault, the High Throne, everything.” There’s a shiver in his voice that leaks the warmth from the room.

“The attacker at the tournament could have been a test to see how far their false magic would protect someone in battle. What they did to that woman was worse,” he grimaces and wipes his hands with the napkin.

“Styre.” I swallow back the rumbling in my throat. I reach my hand across the table and lace my fingers in his. “If the Order knows about the Briga’s powers, then I fear for your safety. Please reconsider going into the Vault.”

He stares at our hands. The blush of last night is gone from his cheeks. His lips are lines of uncertainty. The muscles in his neck tighten. He’s thinking. My stomach knots with worry. He lets out a sigh and grips my hand.

“If there was a way to bring someone else in with me, would that ease your mind?”

I stare at him, dumbfounded. “Is that even possible?”

He shrugs. “After what I saw last night, I think it might be.”

“You don’t intend to try blood-magic?”

He glares at me, square at me and pulls his hand from mine.

“You think I would stoop so low?” His voice is full of hurt rage. My heart breaks.

“Of course not. I’m just worried.” I don’t reach for his hand again, choosing the warmth of my teacup instead. “I’m going to the next kingdom. I’m leaving everything and everyone I love behind. I don’t know what I’ll find, but I know things will be tense here. Whoever attacked will try again.”

He sighs and crumbles a bit of scone in his fingers before putting a small piece in his mouth. I watch the way he licks the crumbs from his lips. Memories return of those lips pressed against mine, the feel of his hunger in my embrace.

I wish I could return to those moments, to the intimacy of last night.

“You didn’t tell the Elders about my powers.” I watch him for betrayal of his thoughts. He doesn’t flinch.

“You felt the need to hide them. I didn’t feel the need to share.”

I reach for his hand and am surprised when he doesn’t pull away. “I trust you, Styre. I trust you with my entire kingdom. Please, trust me.”

We stare at each other. Well, I stare at his eyes as they trail somewhere across my face. This time it’s my lips and for a quick moment I wonder if he’s thinking about last night. I swallow down my shame. This is no time to be wondering about romance.

His eyes turn to mine. His pupils dilate and the muscles in his jaw tighten. I don’t know what he’s seeing in my thoughts, but I hope he knows I am sincere about this. I need to find out the truth of this girl, of the locket, so we can both be free.

“Styre.” My heart swells with my longing, my love, and another confession. “Styre, I…”

A knock comes from the door. Our hands separate as we straighten.

He stands to see who it is. “Stay here,” he whispers as he closes the double doors leading to the drawing room, sealing off my view of the entrance, as well as their view of me.

I listen and wait. I hear the outer door open. Styre’s voice is soft and undecipherable. A deeper voice answers. Footsteps draw close to the double doors. I search for a place to hide, a place to conceal my presence, but there isn’t time.

“You might as well join us,” Styre says as he opens the double doors. Sal walks in a step behind him. His yellow eyes take me in.

“Breakfast?” I offer my most smoldering smile, the one I use at tournaments and galas. He pulls up a chair.

“Orders mean nothing to you two.” He stabs an egg and eats without ceremony. “Let me guess. You’re planning to go after the girl with the Raquian locket.”

Styre falls back into his chair and picks up his tea as if nothing is amiss. I sip mine and pretend Sal didn’t say anything.

“If you’re planning to involve Hikari and Shadow, you might as well tell me everything,” Sal says with a huff. I pour him some tea.

“We were discussing the Vault’s contents and the Order’s plans, actually,” Styre grumbles into his cup.

“Which is somehow going to involve investigating the girl.” Sal shakes his head.

Between Sal and Captain Killian, there’s no use hiding our motives. They probably know the two of us better than anyone. Styre glances at me. His eyes are on my forehead this time.

Sal scrapes some melon and cheese toast onto a plate. “Captain Killian will need to be informed. She’ll be the first to notice you aren’t you.” He points a fork loaded with melon that drips on the table at me, and then shoves it into his mouth. “Your mother could be a problem, but she’ll be busy with the gala. The others won’t notice you’ve left if Hikari helps.”

He finishes off the other egg. “What’s the plan if the Elders realize what you two have conspired?”

“By then they’ll be convinced to send the prince on their own,” Styre says as he sips his tea.

“You’re confident you can keep the illusion long enough to convince them?” Sal’s eyebrow arches upwards.

“I won’t be convincing them, Madam Tiddings will. We all know she will have her way. It’s just a matter of convincing her that Prince Artunnus should join us.” Styre sounds every bit the prince he’s supposed to be, not the servant he has become.

“So you plan to head into the Great Forest, alone, in search of a girl who may or may not be a trap?” Sal eyes me with folded brows. He holds my gaze for a long moment. He thinks we’re both insane. He lets out a sigh and smiles.

“It’s about time there was some closure around here,” he mumbles as he finishes the last of the scones and honey. “The Elders will have my head.”

He sets back and drinks some tea. He stares at the murals on the ceiling, paintings of Raquia believed to have been commissioned by the High Queen during her visits to Earthenwood palace. They’re the reason Styre inherited the tower.

Sal looks at Styre. “Summon Shadow.”

I sit a little straighter and fold my hands together to hide my eagerness. Styre leans forward and peers at Sal. “You know the consequences if you willingly use the Briga to help us.”

Sal waves his hand. “They would be the same whether I’m involved or not, so make sure we don’t get caught.”

Styre nods. My muscles tighten with the anticipation of our plans.