******

I was training with Elise when something burned me.

Heat cut through the layers of my skirts, and I emitted a reflexive yelp. The spell I was casting suddenly broke off, and Elise too gave a yelp of surprise when my magic came crashing down on us.

It wasn't a powerful spell, thankfully. Just a warm-up cantrip which sharpened minds and relaxed muscles. However, the sudden way my melody cut off made my Core retract, as though it were flying at first, climbing higher and higher, before plummeting down the face of a cliff.

My knees felt so weak. I gritted my teeth, fighting to stave off the dizziness that came along as a side effect. Elise's blurred form didn't seem as weak as mine, although she looked slightly wobbly on the feet. In my peripheral vision, a faint glow pierced through the cloth of my pouch. The ring. Josef. Apparently he'd forgotten to mention that the ring was scalding hot when it glowed.

About time. It had been four days since I'd last seen him.

Elise quickly recovered from the aftereffects, probably used to such mistakes from her former students. "What is the meaning of this?" she demanded.

"I—I'm sorry. I was—I was distracted," I stammered. My pouch still burned. At least the pain was bearable.

"Well, let this be a lesson for what will happen once you abruptly stop a spell," she said. Her tone wasn't snappish, but there was a hint of steel and ice in it that made a chill crawl up my spine. She then narrowed her eyes at me. "It must have been a big distraction, considering that this is the first time that something like this happened."

I shrugged my shoulders, trying to look as nonchalant as possible. "It's nothing. Just a sudden thought that occurred to me."

"And what was that sudden thought?"

"Something that I'd like to keep private, thank you very much," I said.

Her expression hardly changed at my curt words. It kind of hurt, that she'd opened up a little the other day when Frederick had duelled with me, only to have her close herself off again. Despite everything, I was intrigued by her. I wanted to know her better, to find out what secrets lay beneath that cool, unflappable exterior. I couldn't explain how I knew, but I just knew that she was also itching to tell me everything, for some strange reason.

However, there was still that unseen wall between us. The wall that lay between mentor and student, woman and girl.

And the fact that she was Lord Himmel's mistress.

And the fact that I couldn't quite place her allegiances. I suspected that she knew her master's true identity. The only question was, was she another mastermind behind everything?

Anyhow, Elise opted to completely forgive my previous blunder, and proceeded with the lesson. No major spells, as she'd grilled me so intensely two days before. Even now, I haven't fully regained my strength. At least she decided to give me an easier time today.

When we were finally done, I eagerly curtsied towards her and took my leave. I hobbled along the hallways—I could almost ignore the throbbing in my bad leg now, I noticed—making my way towards the gardens. I hoped that Josef knew each and every corner of it. Preferably we could meet up in somewhere that was out of everyone's scrutiny.

Sweet sunlight and vigorous flowers greeted me once I stepped into the gardens. It took up most of the castle's outer grounds, only allowing a patch of land for the stables, training grounds and other necessities to be accommodated. Winding paths were cut between the dense foliage, and it gave me an idea of how safe the forests used to be until the plague had arrived.

"Milady, I was wondering when you would arrive," a voice grunted behind me just as I stooped to admire a brilliantly red rose. I wheeled around, head craned upwards to meet Josef's eyes. Only to see that it was Lord Himmel. I rubbed my eyes.

"Not too bad, eh?" Lord Himmel's mouth quirked up in a grin—Josef's grin. "You're not the only one who can weave illusions, you know?"

I took his appearance in. Average height, fair hair, aristocratic features, nobleman's clothing. He looked exactly like Lord Himmel.

"Josef?" I said.

"Not so loud." His eyes darted about, watching for unseen ears. "Can't exactly let anyone see my real appearance, can I?"

"I suppose not." My shoulders sagged in relief. I should have known that he would use such a simple and effective trick beforehand. "You could have woven the illusion the other day, instead of having me exhaust myself."

"It takes time for me to prepare a spell. Besides, like you said, it made for excellent practice."

I suppressed a huff of irritation. Josef just chuckled.

He then walked past me, slowly, deliberately. I caught up with him I no time. To the outsider's eye, we might look like the lord and his lady taking a stroll in the gardens, chatting away amiably. If the outsider observed closer, however, he might have noticed that the lord's gait was far too stiff to belong to a true nobleman. "Anyway, I have a plan."

"So I've noticed," I said dryly.

"Listen very carefully, Lady Klaudia," he continued. "It will be tricky to pull off, but there is a good chance that it will succeed..."

******

The carriage was not the one which had been used to ferry me when I'd travelled from Hamelin to Heidelberg. It was Lord Himmel's personal carriage: the interior was plush and befitting for a lord, while the exterior was elaborately engraved with stories of the saints, all gilded with gold. The crest of House Himmel—a shield with a serpent curled up in the middle of it—sat proudly on both doors, inducing awe and envy from anyone who saw it.

So far, the journey from Heidelberg to Starkfurt was not unlike my very first time on a carriage. Riding for at least five hours straight, stopping for a break, then more riding, and camping for the night. Now that Lord Himmel was with us and I had magic of my own, I was slightly more assured of the fact that monsters would be less likely to attack us. We cast protection wards every morning before we began another day of travelling.

Of course, we still couldn't avoid a few monsters on the way. But the driver, Franz had an Affinity for communicating with animals. Lord Himmel had told me that when the carriage had suddenly picked up speed when a gryphon had been sighted. Thus, he was able to outmanoeuvre the dangers, or simply urge the horses on and cast spells to keep them going.

Meanwhile, inside the carriage itself, Lord Himmel was surprisingly good company. At first I assumed I had to force myself to be amiable with him, but the laughter that bubbled at the edge of my lips was genuine. Every day, I tried to remind myself that this was the Pied Piper, the man who had caused the fall of our lands in the first place. Yet I couldn't. Perhaps it was because he had a whole century's worth of learning how to gain the affections of others, but still...

Being in Lord Himmel's presence for nearly the whole day did little to ease the gnawing anxiety in my stomach, but—to my dismay—I found myself looking forward to our conversations. The situation definitely wouldn't make it any easier for me to execute Josef's plan.

Now silence filled the carriage. I propped my chin with a hand, gazing outwards. We had just entered the borders of Starkfurt, leaving the wastelands behind. According to Lord Himmel, the city was nestled between two chains of mountains, sheltered from all sides, a formidable natural fortress against the outside world. Even if monsters dared to infiltrate the city, they'd be spotted and gutted by the scouts posted on the peaks of each trail.

It didn't have the reputation as the largest stronghold in Aschein for nothing, after all.

The main entrance into the city was a tunnel dug into the mountains themselves. I pressed my face against the window. Magic crackled on my tongue, and I knew that we were past the barrier. Soon enough, shadows crawled into my vision, enfolding the carriage in their safety. The tunnel was lit by blazing steinliohts, almost blinding in the darkness.

It was a long while before we emerged into sunlight again. I blinked furiously. Once my eyes readjusted to the light, I was sure that my jaw had detached itself from my face and was resting on my lap.

If I thought Heidelberg was splendid, clearly I'd never seen Starkfurt before. It wasn't just buzzing with activity—it was beautiful. The city was situated in the centre of the valley, and even from my limited view I still could see that two waterfalls on opposite ends came gushing down from the mountains and into the city. Mist sprayed from where the waterfalls kissed the earth, and the entire atmosphere was clouded in mist, making me feel as though I had just parted an invisible veil into an unknown world.

As we ventured deeper into the city, I noted that the rivers didn't just cut through it—the structures were designed to intertwine with it, going along with the flow. Walkways were built over the numerous branches of the river, and there were even waterways beneath us, little boats streaming by peacefully. Despite the sporadic nature of the rivers, the design of the city never seemed slovenly or unsymmetrical. It was all perfectly designed, keeping true to the fluid nature of the waters that gave the city life, while exuding a sense of dominance and authority at the same time.

The city was no less populated than Heidelberg, but they were more...civilised, somehow. There was no obvious signs of disparity between classes, and everyone walked about in a calm, unfazed manner. There was activity, but it was restrained—hushed. At any rate, Starkfurt seemed more organised than Lord Himmel's ruling province.

"Fascinating, isn't it?" Lord Himmel suddenly remarked. "I remember when I'd first came here. That was about twenty—no, thirty years ago? I can't recall the exact date."

"It's beautiful," I admitted, eyes peeled onto the scenery. Majestic, powerful buildings popped up every now and then, emphasising the fact that Starkfurt was a gathering point of knowledge and culture. The last gathering point in all of Aschein. "It's almost too good to be true, like it isn't supposed to exist in the midst of all this...chaos."

"Savour the moment, Klaudia," said Lord Himmel. I looked at him. He was leaning back comfortably, limbs sprawled all over the seat like a lazy cat's. A charming grin lit up his face; I smiled back involuntarily. "Do you know how the legend of how Starkhaven came to be?"

"No."

"Well then, you should know." He cleared his throat.

He began to sing:

For before the tales of yonder old,

There was a fair maiden and a swain so bold.

Cadmus was his name, Gwayrin was hers,

And there was never a better tale told.

But alas! Fate was a fickle being,

The mountains were in between as a divide.

Her father held her back,

His mother went into a fury;

In these two young hearts settled a blight.

So they decided to venture out one night,

When the dark was thick and the stars bright.

In the valley they came together,

And readied to wander yonder.

But alas! Fate was a fickle being,

Their plans were found out by their families.

Her father threatened murder,

His mother cried death;

And the lovers begged the saints to bring peace.

As morning climbed over the mountains,

They returned to their homes, beaten and broken.

Yet they turned around and sought the other's eyes,

And promised that one day, as one they would lie.

But alas! Fate was a fickle being,

The saints decided to intervene.

They rooted the lovers to their spots,

Where they stood and cried.

Now they are one in death,

As they had wished for.

But their tears of sorrow flow till this day,

Rivers which meet in the valley,

Where they become one in soul and body.

I hadn't realised that I had tears in my eyes until he stopped singing. Hastily, I wiped them away. "That was beautiful," I said. And it was. His voice was...put simply, magic.

"My mother used to sing that to me," said Lord Himmel. My eyes snapped towards him in shock. It was hard to imagine that he, the Pied Piper, once had a family—a father, a mother, and probably siblings. It was hard to imagine that he was a boy once, that he wasn't the frightening enigma today. He stared into the distance; his eyes took on a dreamy sheen. For a moment, his soul wasn't here: it was floating far off into his past, shrouded in mystery.

"What was she like?" I asked tentatively.

His soul returned to his body. "Kind, caring, protective. Everything a boy could ask for in a mother." He smiled, but it was tinged with sadness.

"Your family, where are they now?" No harm in prodding, I supposed.

His mouth tightened. "Dead. They're all dead," he spat. I recoiled at the venom in his voice. I hadn't expected him to react so aggressively.

Silence permeated the air for a few moments. "I—I'm sorry," I offered. Stupid, I thought. Of course his family would have been long gone, otherwise he wouldn't have inherited his title. Otherwise I'd probably have met them a long time ago.

He shook his head dismissively. "It's no matter. They have been gone for a long time now."

"Oh," I said dumbly.

For the first time in days, awkwardness strained the atmosphere between us.

It was when we crossed a bridge that Lord Himmel finally spoke: "There. The Council headquarters is just before us."

He was sitting at an angle where he could catch a glimpse of the legendary building, while my back was facing the driver's seat. So I could only content myself with the sight of grand columns lining the cobblestone road, and the trees that lay beyond it, swaying gently in the summer breeze.

The carriage finally rolled to a stop. The door immediately swung open, revealing an ever-dutiful Weiss the footman standing outside. Lord Himmel went out first, before wheeling around to help me get down.

I carefully tested my footing on the ground, while swivelling my head about to take in the view. The Council headquarters was smaller than Lord Himmel's castle, but it was no less spectacular. It was built like a cathedral, with its sloping roofs and stained glass windows. Its walls were as white as freshly fallen snow, no traces of stains upon it despite the fact that it had stood for at least a hundred years now.

Or perhaps it had been a cathedral before being converted into the Council's headquarters—I realised that as soon as we entered the building through its wide, gaping doors. Mosaics and frescos lined the main hallway, which was a long, narrow strip that had several diverging corridors extending outwards from it.

I followed Lord Himmel; he seemed to know where he was going. Meanwhile, Franz and Weiss were probably putting the carriage and the horses away. Our footsteps echoed dangerously. We still didn't speak to each other.

Out of nowhere, a woman slipped out of one of the corridors and glided towards us, as though she were a wraith. "Lord Himmel, I see that you've finally arrived," said the woman. Her voice was deep and sonorous, though not unfeminine at all.

"Lady Anya, you wound me for not greeting me at the entrance," said Lord Himmel, bowing deeply towards her. I took it as my cue to curtsy. "I see that you are as lovely as always."

Lady Anya gave a disdainful sniff. "The Council isn't supposed to attend to your every whim and fancy, Markus. Don't expect us to send someone to meet you every time you deign to visit us." She sounded like a mother chiding her child. "Now, the Magus?"

I stepped forward and curtsied once more. "Milady, you honour me," I said.

"Hmm. Stand up straight so that I can see you properly, girl." I did, meeting her steely gaze. Like Lord Himmel had said, she was indeed lovely, but her loveliness was of the frosty sort. Like icicles suspended from up high—untouchable, dangerous, and undeniably beautiful. Her ashen blonde hair was woven into an intricate braid, reaching to her knees. White silk robes draped over her slim frame, belted at the waist with a golden band. She was tall, much more so than Lord Himmel, and held herself with a countenance that radiated confidence. I felt pathetic in her presence.

To my surprise, she actually furrowed her brows when she got a good look at me. Lady Anya continued to stare, as if I were some sort of abnormality she couldn't quite place. I fought very hard to stay still under her interrogating gaze.

"Your Honour, shall we proceed?" said Lord Himmel. Lady Anya tore her eyes away from me; I heaved a small sigh of relief.

"But of course." She turned on her heel and floated down the hallways, beckoning us to follow. We did.

And all the way, although I only saw her back, I still felt her stare pinned onto me.

******