The City of Lights was a couple hours away by flyer, a long enough trip for Corinne to go through several entire cycles of nervousness, excitement, second-guessing, and wishing. By the time she arrived, she was already wrung out, and nothing had even happened yet.

It was late afternoon. The shadows had gotten long, and flying in, Corinne had a birds eye view of where the City of Lights had gotten its name. It was like something out of a fairy tale, bright and glittering and beautiful. This was a Swan city, the Kosuri capital, and it showed.

Corinne’s flyer circled the city, angling down towards a section where the city thinned and greenery took over. Tiny lakes and trees and delicate, sweeping buildings filled this part of the city. Lights embedded in the trees, in the water, strung along the architecture illuminated and defined perfectly crafted pastoral spaces. Among these sprawling estates, her craft landed.

Frost was there to greet her with his customary bow, which Corinne returned out of a reflex that was becoming habit. She’d gone the entirety of Shadow Court without giving in to this ritual, but a few parties with Frost and days with Yeijiro and Corinne’s resolve had thoroughly crumbled. It helped that when both Frost and Yeijiro bowed to her, they didn’t seem to expect any response. Which only made it seem rude not to return the gesture.

“A pleasure to see Sur Corinne again,” Frost said as the flyer lifted off behind Corinne.

“I was surprised,” Corinne admitted. “Another party so soon.”

“A fortunate opportunity.” He led her towards the house, along a walkway outlined in gently shimmering points of light that moved from cool white to pale blue and back. Once it was truly dark out, this was going to be magical.

Past trees full of lanterns. Past a fountain where the nima themselves danced within the water to make it glow.

Ahead of them, a low-slung mansion of glittering windows and sweeping arches, soft lines and glowing decor. On a high balcony to her right, where he mansion curled around the courtyard, Corinne spotted Lady Snow.

Her talk with Yeijiro last night hadn’t clarified anything in Corinne’s head. If anything, it had only made her less sure of what she was doing. So she slowed her steps and turned to Frost. “Can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“Does she—Lady Snow, I mean—does she do this…” Corinne realized she wasn’t even sure how to ask. “Does she pay…special attention to people often?”

“From time to time, certainly,” he answered lightly. “Certain special people catch her eye.”

“And then what happens?”

He, too, glanced up, where Snow sat with another companion that Corinne couldn’t identify at this distance. “You’re asking for assurances,” he said softly. “Those are not mine to offer.”

“I’m just trying to figure out what I should expect.” She didn’t know Frost, couldn’t confess to him how invested she’d already become in Snow’s feelings towards her. Or how much she already suspected she was going to get hurt.

“Expect to have a memorable few days,” he said. “Let the rest see to itself.”

Good advice, if Corinne could convince her heart to follow it.