was nothing more than a silent whisper as I floated through the dark tunnels inside the walls of the Ether Castle. A ball of magic light glided in front of my eyes, soft, amber rays illuminating scarcely the dim passage, even as the fire did nothing to ease the growing cold in this emptiness of bricks and rocks. There was no air, no wind past the one I had conjured to carry me, and not a bit of life as I walked deeper and deeper, fulfilling Father's commands.

I had vanished to my rooms the moment Perdiel had left, grabbed one black cloak dulled from all sorts of adornments—the one I had during our three months long trek—and picked the golden scroll before vanishing again into the secret tunnels.

The scroll had been, just like the king had said, in the lowest drawer of my vanity—the one that was magically sealed and could be opened only by limited souls—right next to the horn I had cracked from the centaur's head back in Rimelia, the tubes of water collected from the Eye, and a piece of paper carefully folded that I had made sure to snatch along the scroll.

I floated down one narrow, steep path, cloak hovering several inches above the ground and covered in dust, before I turned right. I had memorized the map of all secret tunnels shrouding the palace leading both in and out that my father had momentarily projected into my thoughts through the bond of our suns. Thus, taking the road leading to the Prelius Chateau was made much easier.

A few more minutes of gliding through darkness and taking turns and turns, I stopped in front of a dead end made of old rocks, and leaned closer, resting both my hands on the rough surface. I could feel a soul vibrating past that barrier, could almost see light pouring brightly and sweeping across the massive library I knew this route led to.

Light shimmered from my fingertips and the first barrier of stones and cement became invisible, showing me a watery image of what laid behind this wall. At first it was nothing but a pile of books that also turned to nothingness before I saw his back, body slack in his chair, one hand in his hair, the other flipping through one of many, many, books.

I couldn't fight the smile that gently tugged at my lips as I observed him, even when he was nothing but a blurry reflection of reality. More magic flared from my hands, creating a passageway between where I stood and through the stones and woods and books and right into the room. I stepped inside, momentarily lingering in that empty dimension between realms and stared at him a bit more, especially when I noted his shoulders merely straightening.

He felt a presence coming by, and I knew that his hunter's instincts were aloft, magic already at his command. I stepped in more until I was half torn between existence and nothingness, and then, as though he knew it was me, his soul eased. Leon rose from his chair the moment I was out, hair disheveled and his tunic replaced by silk night cloths, the top merely buttoned, showing a glorious chest of toned muscles and sun kissed skin.

"Ramos has once hinted that you bear a special mark on your skin that keeps fueling you with strength. I should make you ink one for my own," I said as I walked closer, admiring that disarming smile before I was met with strong arms.

I held him tight through the embrace, forehead pressed against his warm skin, hands fisting the silk of his shirt as I inhaled deeply in his scent.

"That old man couldn't keep that secret, it seems." He laughed, the sound rumbling through my core and bones. I chuckled silently as I made myself stare into those ocean eyes and the messed tangle of rich, brown hair.

He squeezed me tight for a heartbeat before he pulled away, giving me his back and lowering the colar of his shirt enough to reveal the skin below his nape. And the symbol inked on it.

He pointed with one finger to the rune vaguely shaped like an eye with fire instead of an iris and said, "Mother inked it the day I was born. It helps in renewing energy." He turned to look back at me, a flicker of amusement washing his face. Leon added, "Call me whenever you wish and I'll give you one."

I smiled again despite the weariness eating at my muscles. Oh, I could truly use that symbol in days like these. I reached the inner pocket of my cloak and removed the golden scroll—the invitation to tonight's final meeting—and handed it to him.

"My aunt was actually wondering why she hasn't found any yet,'' Leon voiced as he opened it and read its content.

"Father sent me to hand it personally," I replied, taking in the impressive library.

There were no visible walls, all of them hidden behind shelves after shelves of books, both old and new. One look up and down made me realize the library was consisted of twelve floors, a staircase standing in the far end and spiraling all around. We were on the ninth level.

I walked towards the table he had sat at before I came, then at the other, bigger one supporting a massive map. Small figurines dotted its surface, the light one signaling our forces, the dark one, Lysithea and Blake's.

I rested my hands on the head of one chair, staring at the map and added as I heard him following me across the spacious room, "There had been another attack, Leon."

"Where?" There was no emotion in that question. Nothing but an empty echo that reverberated through my own thoughts.

I didn't reply. Instead, I pulled some of the figurines, the ones with black and red flags I knew were responsible of the onslaught, and placed them on both Rimelia and Nevora's main ports. The statues were brought to life, moving and fighting our weakening powers, then they scattered around in groups before being brought down by rebellious forces.

When all movements stopped, the map became a mirror to what had resulted, broken, white soldiers signaling the troopers who had fallen defending their people.

Leon came and stood behind me, silent and stiff. I didn't turn back as I said, "We won because we can't afford losing those trade points, but it costed us too many souls. And the fact that they are breaching some of the most crucial laws Lysithea and Ramos had agreed on in that treaty," I paused, hands clenching the chair hard.

Ramos had made that truce after Father was poisoned and the continuous attacks on the four continents. We were in no position to fight back then, and Lysithea was still planting her sources, armies perhaps capable of taking over one continent, but not all of them. So she had agreed, knowing she won through the majority of signed conditions, especially having the bigger part of Rimelia to her. But we were so weak, so broken we only needed to save ourselves for a few more years.

But now...

"They are preparing for war," I finally breathed out, feeling the weight of the words crushing my soul. "Our time is limited." I took in a shuddering breath, one hand reaching back into the pocket of my cloak. I toyed with the other piece of paper. "My father wants all Second Crowns assembled to inform them and see what they possibly have to suggest. He wants you to be there, to see with him what plans our armies can still form."

Because Leon was not only the leader of Nevora's armies and troupes and head of rebellious powers in both Cantelot and silently in Amlisha--Nevora's capital--but highest general of all armies of Ardoria.

He had an unseen sort of sharpness in his thoughts, a mind, just like Estelle's, that was powerful and keen and gifted by the Great Five. It had been three years since he held that post, and for all Ardoria had suffered before, those three years were the ones with the least of deaths in our ranks.

"But it is not why I am here." My voice was no more than a cracked whisper. I was grateful for the arm Leon had snaked around my waist, left hand pressed against my stomach. I held it with both my hands, fingers digging in hard as I inhaled sharply.

"I told him,'' I admitted, shoulders trembling as I recalled how broken my father had looked like, how lost and in pain his eyes were.

The Shadow's other hand was gently squeezing my right shoulder, relieving the tensed nerves beneath it as his breath tickled my neck, the tip of his nose and lips occasionally brushing it. "I know," he whispered, mouth pressed to my skin. "I've seen the thunder and lightning and knew it was no normal power at work."

"Did you see what happened after the storm, the sunrays?"

"I did." The hand on my stomach moved until its fingers were interlaced with my own. "That light was different, more pure and bright than any at that time," he commented.

"It was," I replied, "and it was symbolic in a way. Father believes that maybe there might be another way."

"I believe there is." Leon lifted his head, arms releasing me only to turn me so I could stare at his face as his hands cupped mine. "There must be.''

I pulled the paper slightly crumbled from how hard I'd gripped it handed it to him. "He wants you to see through Estelle's studies if you can find anything for what's written inside. I didn't read it, I-I—"

He kissed my forehead before he hugged me once again, whispering to my hair, "I'll see what I can find."

He rubbed my back in gentle, soothing patterns and I breathed in his scent of musk and sea and warm nights once again, fearing that our time together was more limited than we knew.

"Will you be in the gathering?"

I shook my head gently as his fingers ran through my ponytail. "I will be meeting you three by the thrones once the meeting ends. By then, Father should have told Ramos about everything."

"Then you should rest,'' he murmured, lowering his face until I could feel his breath caressing my cheeks. "Take some time to breathe; today was tedious. Have you eaten anything?"

I shook my head again, closing my eyes and savoring the warmth emanating from him. I didn't need to stare at him to know there was a crease of a frown between his eyebrows or flickers of worries in his eyes.

And perhaps just to lighten the air that had befallen on us, he said, "As absurd as it sounds, I am glad we didn't kiss under that willow."

I peered at him through my lashes. "And why that?" I mumbled, one hand trailing to rest on his chest just over his heart.

"Because," he answered, "I want our first kiss to be perfect, away from sorrows and everything that can take even the slightest joy from you."

"And do you plan on having that perfect moment soon?" I mused, tilting my head slightly as I wondered if he ever doubted that our first kiss would also be my very first one.

Leon laughed, eyes closing and head tilting back. And for him, for that smile and to ensure that his heart would not stop beating on that battlefield, to ensure they would all survive, I would die. And I hoped, if I didn't come out of that war alive, that there wouldn't be as much heartache as I feared. And perhaps Aether might bless me enough to make sure all their hearts were cared for, safe from breaking, even if it meant vanishing entirely from their lives and memories.

Yes, for them, I would give it all up. Would live alone in my memories of all those days together while being even lesser than a shadow crossing their thoughts. I would bear that pain to save them.

Leon might have wanted to say anything but he stopped as the feint scent of roses and jasmines washed the air before soft footsteps echoed. Rhiannon's soul was mere minutes away, searching for her brother.

I pulled back and Leon didn't stop. He opened the piece of paper, grabbed one random book from the nearest shelf and stared at me long enough for me to understand what he wanted.

I built a connection between his soul and mine, his thought gently seeping in as I put on my neutral mask.

'Spare me the pain of going through an unending interrogation for the night and play along.'

I fought the laugh building in my throat.

'And what do I get in return for this?'

He gave me a perfectly arched eyebrow as he started speaking about forces and armies and newly set plans as something else echoed in my soul.

'Whatever you want.' And I could swear the words were accompanied with a gentle, teasing purr that made my blood pump harder.

It was only moments before Rhia found us, stopping short at the head of the stairs the moment she saw me and immediately realized who was under the hood. She was about to bow when I raised a hand and stopped her. "Whenever we can afford it,'' I said, ''let there be no formalities between us."

Unlike Perdiel who was granted this right for once in a lifetime. And then, one look at her, at how she and Leon were so much alike and yet so different, I realized because of that instinct that hummed in my blood like it had happened last night at the ball, that not only would she be a part of our team in the upcoming future, but also a part of that family we'd built for ourselves.

"As you wish," was her reply adorned with a smile that was both gentle and true.

Yes, she would become one of us, more than she already was to Carter and Mayra who had been close to her their entire lives. She and I would be close, and I could picture it with ease: a Lady and Countess and Heiress bound by a friendship like no other.

I smiled back.