“You are more than welcome. Please excuse me I must go to help prepare for tomorrow.” Chime gives another bow then heads into the servant’s kitchen.

Ari also leaves the main hall.

***

Soon Zain is surrounded by a lot of young ladies. Taking advantage of the moment Spanx uses the crowd to escape the company of Zain. She keeps herself hidden by one of the many statues. Then someone taps on her shoulder she turns quickly.

         “Hey glad to see you’re ok.” Rexen says with a small smile.

         “Thank goodness, I thought he had found me.” Spanx says with a sigh of relief.

         “Are you disappointed that it’s me and not him?” Rexen teases.

         “Let’s just leave it as; for a prince, he is a bit hyper.” She says.

         “Should I call him over then?”  He acts like he’s going to call Zain over.

         “Oh no; please don’t.”

She lightly places her hand over his mouth. He puts his hand over hers then they both blush shyly at one another.

         “So… um... what happened with that creature?” She asks as she takes a step back getting closer to the statue to keep hidden.

         “I don’t think here and now are a good time to talk about that.” He says as he slowly loses the smile.

         “Was Syi and everyone else ok at least?” she asks.

         “Everyone was ok thanks to you.” He says.

         “How long was I asleep?”

         “You slept for three days. Yet your wound was healed within a few hours after you had been bitten. Do you remember anything that happened?”

         “The last thing I remember was that you and Maxen had fought it together because I wasn’t able to stand after it had bit me.”

         “Why are the two of you hiding over here?” Maxen asks in a low voice.

         “Wait; are the two of you having some kind of secret tryst?” Syi asks as her eyes grow wide, and she smiles.

         “Hugh?” Rexen looks at Syi.

         “Oh no; I’m hiding from Prince Zain.” Spanx says peaking over to make sure he’s not looking for her.

         “He has seemed to be looking around like he’s looking for someone.” Maxen says.

         “Awe the prince likes Spanx; that’s so cute. Lucky, you...” Syi says as she smiles happily.

         “Luck has nothing to do with this; and truthfully it’s not all that cute.” Spanx says as she peeks around the statue once more.

         “Well, I have heard a lot of rumors about him since we’ve arrived at the castle.” Syi says her eyes cast down while in thought.

         “Really; I think I’m going to head back to my chambers. I hope you three can enjoy yourselves. Let me know when a good time would be to talk.” Spanx makes sure that Zain is preoccupied before she starts to leave.

         “Yes. I will.” Rexen says as she’s walking away.

         “What was that about?”  Maxen asks a bit confused looking at Rexen.

         “She doesn’t remember what happened that night; she was asking if we could tell her.” Rexen replies turning to Maxen.

         “Don’t you think we owe her that much; she did after all save our lives.” Syi says as and they each see Spanx as she makes her way out of the grand hall.

Once Spanx is back in her chambers she sits at the table and starts to write a letter to Mila. Telling her about the events that have happened so far.

***

         “Housekeeper have you seen Spanx recently?” Zain asks stopping the housekeeper that’s tending the flowers in the halls.

         “Oh, prince Zain I believe that she retired to her chambers.” The housekeeper gives a bow.

Hearing the voices outside her room she quickly jumps into the bed and pretends to be asleep. There’s a knock then the door opens and Zain steps inside. He walks over to the bedside.

         “Brave, smart and beautiful; just what I’ve been looking for.” He moves the hair that’s lying in her face; then pulls the blanket up over her shoulder.

         “Sleep well.” He then leaves the room.

         “Wow I can’t believe he actually believed I was asleep I thought that only Mila would fall for that.” She sits up with a smile.

         “I wonder why he moved my hair from my face.” She touches the lock of hair that he moved.

She gets up and goes back to the desk to finish the letter for Mila. She seals the envelope and starts to get ready for bed for real when the door opens.

         “Spanx is now a good time too…?”

Rexen stops midsentence. With her back to him she turns her head.

         “Would you mind turning around so I can finish getting dressed please?”

         “I… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to… you know… while.”

         “Just turn around please.” Her face is bright red she keeps her voice calm.

He turns and she finishes getting dressed.

         “Ok, I’m dressed now so you can return around.” She says.

         “I really didn’t mean to… well you know.” He says.

         “Why don’t we just forget it ever happened; we should talk about what happened the day with the creature.” She sits on the side of the bed he sits in the chair by the table.

         “Ok; you were with Syi. Maxen and I had been fighting it together when it had fallen we both thought it was over, so we started to walk back over to you and Syi.

         “I remember sitting with Syi, because she was knocked out and I couldn’t stand.” Spanx says her hand on her chin.

         “We only had a few steps before we would have reached the two of you when you stood up, you said something that neither Maxen, Syi nor I had ever heard before; but because of it you saved all of us.” Rexen looks down at the floor like he’s remembering what had happened.

         “I stood up and spoke to it?” she looks at him her eyes wide.

         “You did, but the stranger part was the look in your eyes was of deep mediation and so much determination. You looked at it and spoke to it in its language I assume. You used water, fire, and air all together you took it out in one hit.” Rexen says with a little bit of amazement in his voice.

         “I used air and fire, yet my element is supposed to be water and none of you reported me; I really don’t even know what I should say because ‘thank you’ doesn’t even seem like it would be enough.” Spanx lowers her head.

         “You risked your life to save ours more than once in the same night. For us to keep one secret for you it couldn’t be that bad, right? Just know your secret is safe with the three of us.” He says as he pats her shoulder.

         “Thank you.” She gives him a hug. He hesitates at first but then hugs her back.

         “May I ask how long you’ve been able to use fire and air?” he looks at her with curiosity.

         “Well, it’s thanks to you that I can use fire.” She says with a half smile.

         “Me?” he gives her a look of confusion.

         “Yeah, the day you helped with the injury I had on my heal. When I encountered fire, I became able to use it.”

         “That’s really interesting.”