Back at the palace, Sir Albert knocked on the door of the crown prince and entered before hearing a response. Albert had scoured the palace, but Theo wasn’t to be found in his quarters or among the knights, despite Albert’s uncanny ability to know where everyone in the palace was and what they were up to. Luckily, he knew someone who could easily find him.

“What is it, Albert?” Yuki asked without raising his head from the desk and the documents atop it. Few visited him in his private study, and fewer still knocked on his door with an almost melodic sequence of raps.

“I have a special mission for you, Your Highness,” Albert replied vaguely, hoping to pique his interest. Yuki took the bait, lifting his face from his dull documents with a curious gleam in his eyes.

“A special mission for me?” Yuki leaned back in his chair and then narrowed his eyes skeptically upon seeing Albert's gleeful face. “That’s quite unusual. Did you discover some intel as you frolicked around town today?”

Albert would normally take issue with the prince’s depiction of him “frolicking,”—but he was a shrewd man and picked his battles wisely. Biting his tongue, he let it go for the sake of Emaline. He wouldn’t fail his dearest granddaughter. Besides, selfishly, he couldn’t wait to see the look on Yuki’s face when he handed him the letter.

“Not exactly. I saw the Yarn Spinstress and asked her to fulfill your next order, as you requested. While I was there she entrusted this letter to me.”

“A letter already?” Yuki spun around twice in his office chair before leaping up to take it. “Perhaps she’s more straightforward than I took her for,” Yuki said with a smile, his carefree persona filling the room.

Right as Yuki reached for the letter, Albert snatched it back. “It’s for Commander Theo. Would you deliver it to him?”

Yuki tilted his head in confusion.

For Theo?

Yuki nodded slowly as he processed Albert’s words, then held his hand out to retrieve it—staring at Theo’s name scrawled on the envelope in fine cursive. Thinking back to Emmy and Theo’s greeting at the bakery, he recalled Emmy’s faint blush.

But they’re already delivering love letters to each other? Impossible!

Albert chuckled quietly, inciting Yuki’s irritation. He took a few steps backward until he bumped into his desk. Devoid of princely decorum, he scootched onto the desk and crossed his legs.

“Perhaps they have business?” Yuki asked optimistically, but Albert simply raised his eyebrows with a know-it-all smile. Whenever Albert had a bit of intel, he loved to milk it for all it was worth. Usually, Yuki didn’t mind, but today…

“Well, no matter.” Yuki settled into his characteristic grin. It wasn’t as if it had anything to do with him. “You’ve come to the right person. I know just where I can find him.”

“Very good, Your Highness. You’re always so reliable.”

Yuki released a forced laugh, “Isn’t that something I should be saying about you?”

Albert, knowing the full story, wished to divulge the contents of the letter, but his desire to scheme topped his desire to gossip. He’d love to share the details of Emmy’s scathing letter, but his sixth sense was tingling. He’d known Yuki since birth and cared for him more than he’d let on, but he had a propensity for putting other people’s feelings above his own.

Better for him to figure it out himself, he thought, as he meandered back out of the study and down to the servant’s quarters.

Yes, better for him to know his own emotions. A little misunderstanding never hurt anyone.

* * *

As evening approached, Theo could often be found inside the library of the palace. Of course, few were aware of this due to the unpopularity of the old library, tucked far away from the eyes of the royals. Unlike the flashy library in the main hall, packed with leather-bound tomes, this library contained old scrolls and forgotten books of yore. As such, it was rarely frequented, and it afforded him the space and solitude he often sought. After all, he was surrounded by men morning til night.

Engrossed in a book beside the roaring fireplace, Theo felt his unease of the previous few days dissipate, at least for a short while. He felt anxious about placing Turrin on probation, but he couldn’t see a way around it. He had been seen in the hall just prior to his arrival and had openly discussed pranking him. Still, his conscience nagged at him.

Just need to keep my mind elsewhere.

Yet, within seconds his mind wandered back to his humiliation, forcing him to start at the top of the page once again. It was somewhat chilly in the library, making Theo grateful for the oversized fire beside him. Looking into the fire, he somehow felt a bit of comfort in all his confusion.

Whoosh.

As Theo gazed into the fire, it suddenly disappeared, as though doused with water. Next, the lights were clamped out, drowning the room in utter darkness. As a trained commander, Theo kept his composure as he glanced about the room. An unintelligible whisper reached Theo’s ears, causing him to slowly rise to his feet and unsheathed his sword.

An intruder?

A supernatural howl pierced the air.

I knew this confounded place was haunted!

Yuki had spun such terrifying tales about this place when they were children. As the dark and cold seeped into his bones, Theo began to wonder if they weren’t tall tales after all. A rapid succession of fireballs manifest from pale hands near the door of the library, momentarily illuminating a cloaked figure. The fireballs ceased as quickly as they began, leaving Theo disoriented.

Then, they came again from the other side of the room. Theo walked back slowly, listening for footsteps, but none were to be found.

“Show yourself, apparition!” Theo demanded into the dark, drawing his sword.

Theo heard a snap, and immediately, the light returned to the room. The fireplace resumed its roar as if it had never been interrupted.

The light revealed the cloaked figure to be none other than Yuki, sporting a cheeky grin.

“You!” Theo pointed in indignation at his friend.

“No, you!” Yuki laughed, wiping away a stray tear, “That was too good. This was way better than your pathetic prank last week! I simply asked Albert for a new chair when the last one collapsed.”

“Oh, you feel flat on your rear, and you know it. I bet it’s still bruised!”

The two were known for trying to one-up each other with small pranks or sarcastic jokes. Yuki’s prank was, notably, on a bigger scale—but Theo was more irritated that he didn't think of it first! It seemed Yuki had a talent for bigger and better schemes, much to Theo’s chagrin. He thought about Princess Celia. Scheming must be a Clarion family characteristic.

“Whatever, that was too far! I could wring your scrawny neck!”

“Ah, but I am but an apparition,” Yuki held up his hand between them and produced one fireball. “Boo.”

“Don’t use your fire power that way, you nitwit.”

“How many people even have fire magic? I’m astounded that you didn’t know it was me!” Yuki said without giving him a chance to respond, not that Theo had a comeback prepared anyway.

“Enough silly nonsense,” Yuki waved his hand dismissively. “I came here for business!”

“Yeah, yeah,” Theo crossed his arms defensively as he exhaled in relief. “That was some business intimidation tactic.”

“Okay, I’m sorry. I came here to give you this letter.” Yuki shoved his hand into the cloak’s inner pocket and produced the item.

Theo grabbed the letter and walked three paces away from his irritating friend. He didn’t recognize the scrawl on the letter. And who would give him a letter anyway? His parents were deceased, and he had, essentially, no friends.

“Who is it from?”

“Who is it from!” Yuki exclaimed. “Come on, you don’t have to hide your little tryst from me, Theo.”

Theo turned beet red and started stammering. A tryst? What could he possibly be talking about?

He had all of one female friend, and it was Yuki’s sister, Celia, though half of the time, she seemed to hate his guts. Theo could not imagine Celia sending him a letter via Yuki or a letter at all. She was one of the most outwardly indifferent people Theo knew, so a letter made no sense. Not to mention, she seemed to still hate his guts.

There was one person who floated into his mind, however. Theo pictured Miss Emaline and her sweet smile. Regaining his senses, he chased his thoughts away with the shaking of his head. They’d barely exchanged names and it was impossible for her to be the sender.

“Just open it already,” Yuki demanded in exasperation. “You’ve become quite boring in your old age.”

“You’re a mere two months my junior!” Theo ground his teeth. “Never mind, you oversized pest. Get out. Shoo.”

“What? No, please, I’m starved for a little entertainment.” Yuki pleaded. In all honesty, he wanted to know the contents of the letter and understand why the Yarn Spinstress was sending it to Theo. Yuki pretended to pout, but even Theo could see his eyes brimming with curiosity and a light sprinkle of jealousy.

At Theo’s belabored sigh, Yuki decided it was time to surrender, though he dragged his feet as he walked toward the door. He paused dramatically after swinging the door open with one hand placed on the handle.

“Okay, I’ll go. But let me know if anything happens,” he begged. If his friend was seeing Miss Emaline, Yuki wanted him to be the one to tell him. They were friends, for heaven's sake.

“Fine, fine.” Theo agreed while physically scooting his friend out the door. As the door clanked shut, he tore open the envelope, his eyes widening as he read the sender's name.