The cool fingers of the night scratch at my spine as they prepare to burn Alyx.

Firelight dances on the walls that protect the village as we stand at the entrance watching the men carry Alyx's coffin to the clearing between the walls and the forest. They settle it down on the bed of wood and then step away, holding their breaths as Metri lights it with a torch and then steps away.

The smoke rising from the coffin creates a blurry fog over the stars. Nobody speaks a word as the air clouds around us. The glowing embers leap and twirl in the air, spitting towards the fire and creating a dull glow that wards off the darkness of unwanted visitors.

Kenna sidles up beside me and slips her hand into mine. I squeeze her hand back when I notice hers shaking. I didn't know Alyx well, but to Kenna, he was a close family friend.

One by one, people retreat back to their homes until there is only a small crowd of people still watching the coffin slowly burn into ash. I stay still, holding Kenna's hand in my own as the air flickers orange around us.

"It isn't fair," she breathes as the fire begins to burn out, leaving nothing but a dark pile of ashes. "Alyx was so kind."

"I'm sorry, Kenna." I rest my head on her shoulder wishing my words could bring comfort. "Death isn't known for being fair."

She sighs, turning to look over her shoulder. "Do you think he'll really find the killer?"

I follow her gaze to the well where Will Marule leans lazily against it as he speaks to Alyx's father. My stomach tightens as I watch him.

What if he is the killer?

"I don't know." I bite the edge of my lip.

"We should ask him," Kenna says as she tugs on my arm.

"What?" I resist as she pulls me behind her. "Kenna, no -"

But she's already off, her hand unclasped from mine as she waltzes gracefully towards Will Marule. She moves at just the right moment too because Metri walks away from Will and back towards the burnt pile of ashes.

She reaches Will, curtseying for him as his gaze shifts to her. Begrudgingly, I force myself to follow her, wavering behind her and trying to avoid Will's eyes.

"Mr Marule," Kenna says, cheeks flushed. "I was wondering if I could have a moment of your time."

Will's eyes dart over Kenna's shoulder and look directly at me, his mouth tilting sideways as my stomach flutters. Pictures flicker in my mind of Will moving through the forbidden forest and tearing Alyx's throat out.

"Of course, miss..."

"Federov, Miss Federov." Kenna's cheeks redden and she ducks her head to nod at me. "This is my friend, Miss Thelene."

Will raises an eyebrow when he looks at me, grinning in a way that makes my stomach twist. "It's nice to see you again, Alera."

I swallow as blood rushes to my cheeks and Kenna's curious gaze burns my skin.

"We wanted to ask you some questions," I clear my throat and nudge Kenna in the ribs. "About Alyx."

Will leans against the well and reaches up to brush his hair from his eyes. "I see."

"He was a friend of mine, sir," Kenna says. "I just... I suppose I wanted to know whether or not you know who killed him."

Will doesn't say anything for a few moments as he stares at Kenna. I'm relieved to see that his stare seems to make Kenna blush too. It fills me with relief to know that no one is exempt from his charm. Perhaps I am just getting caught up in the novelty of Will; perhaps his touch never sent tingles down my spine.

"Miss Federov..." he trails off. "I'm sorry but I can't share that information with you."

Did you kill Alyx?

I bite my tongue to keep myself from speaking - it doesn't work. "Why not?" I narrow my eyes, stepping closer. Will's gaze flickers to me, his eyes filled with shadows. "You are here to investigate his death, right?"

I try to keep my voice level, but I can barely breathe as I stare at him and wait for the answer to the question I asked earlier – the question he seemed to avoid.

But Will doesn't shift uncomfortably as I'd expect, he just quirks an eyebrow and shrugs. "Of course I am."

Why couldn't you answer me before?

Why do you go outside the gates?

What are you hiding?

A shiver travels down my spine.

"Kenna," I grip her upper arm, staring at Will cautiously. "We should go."

Kenna nods. "Thank you for your time, Mr Marule. I am sorry if I wasted it."

She lets me pull her away and back towards the village, past the glowing torches of light and into the empty marketplace. I glance over my shoulder, half expecting to see Will staring after us with dark eyes and that confident stance that seems to make everyone feel uneasy around him. But there is nobody standing at the well. Once again, Will Marule has vanished into thin air.

"How do you know him, Alera?" Kenna whispers as she pulls her arm from my grip and turns to face me.

"I – I don't." I continue forward without looking at her.

"He called you Alera," She says, holding onto my upper arm to keep me from moving. "And it was like... he seemed to know you."

Warmth rushes to my cheeks as I bite the inside of my cheek. "I bumped into him yesterday, that's all. I don't know why he called me that."

Kenna narrows her eyes. "Why are you blushing?"

My cheeks burn at her words and I duck my head so my hair falls in front of my face. "I'm not. I'm just... hot."

"Alera Thelene!" She gasps, pulling my hands from my face and giggling. "I knew you weren't exempt from Mr Marule's charms. You fancy him just like the rest of us."

I shake my head and wish I could melt into the ground. "I – I don't."

She hooks an arm through mine. "Oh, Alera," she says. "There's no point denying it, he is ever so dreamy."

But he could be a murderer, too. And I'm somehow still very attracted to him.

"I'm not interested in him," I say as we turn the corner. "Honestly."

I don't know if I'm trying to convince her or myself.

"And you are in denial," she laughs. "Maybe we can invite him to your birthday celebration this week."

"Don't be silly." I roll my eyes.

I'd forgotten about my birthday celebration, but the reminder isn't a pleasant one. Our 19th birthday celebration is the day that all potential suitors will come to meet us. Most girls in the village look forward to the day, but it has always frightened me. I'm not sure I'll have anything to worry about considering I might not even have any suitors after Ethii sabotages me.

"He is from the Palace," I remind her. "Besides, he must be leaving soon."

"You're right." She giggles, nudging me. "And if he was staying, I would be the one to marry him."

I swallow the jealousy that works its way up my throat at her comment. I have no right to be jealous. I have no claim over Will and I shouldn't even be thinking of him that way. He could be a murderer.

But she's wrong, anyway. Even though Kenna is incredibly beautiful, if Will Marule really was going to marry somebody from Adaymos, it wouldn't be either of us. It'd be someone from the higher status families, someone more suited to his lavish lifestyle.

"Are you sure you could beat Imelda to it?" I smirk and spin around to face her as we reach the front door to my family's cabin. "And what about Jorge Mendoza? He's infatuated with you!"

"He is, isn't he?" She bites her lip, her cheeks pink. "I do like him very much, Alera. He's very kind."

I can't help but smile. On paper, Jorge Mendoza isn't the best suitor in the village because he is of low status. But Kenna deserves someone gentle and kind and Jorge is the perfect man for that.

"I'll see you tomorrow," I say, squeezing her hand before turning around and slipping into the cottage.

Papa sits at the dining table, brushing paint against his stones while Imelda sits at the other end fiddling with string. She looks up when I step in the room, her eyes still red but brightening when I flash her a sheepish smile.

"Alera!" she says, pushing to her feet and smiling tensely. "I'm preparing decorations for your celebration at the end of the week. We have to make a good impression on your potential suitors."

"That's great!" I try to sound enthusiastic but it comes out tense and forced.

Imelda's smile cracks. It doesn't surprise me that she's trying to help. Whenever Imelda is upset, she hides it by burying herself in other people's business. "Do you want to go over small talk with me?"

I'd rather stare at a wall for three hours.

"Another time?" I ask. "Alyx's memorial has made me quite tired."

Papa looks up and puts a hand over Imelda's to keep her from saying anything. "Get some sleep, Alera," he says gently. "Your sister and I will prepare for your celebration. Don't you worry, sweet heart."

"Thank you, Papa." I move over to him and kiss on his cheek before going to my bedroom and get prepared for bed.

I rest against the window sill like I did the night before, scanning the gate and waiting for any movement. But the only thing that changes is the drizzle that begins to leak from the sky and patters against the roof of the cottage.

I shudder, wrapping my arms around myself to generate warmth. What I'm doing isn't right. I shouldn't care about Will Marule, I shouldn't be excited to see him, I shouldn't be hoping he'll appear in the entrance. But I can't drag myself away.

But Will Marule doesn't come through the gate. I fall asleep with the small candlelight flickering against the wall as I wait for somebody who never comes.

#

"And what about Alec Wayers?"

I wrinkle my nose and lean against the well, pausing to stare shoot Imelda a look of distaste. "Do we have to do this now?"

"Your celebration is tomorrow, Alera," Imelda snaps. She twists her lips in thought as she looks at the list of names in her hands. "We must absolutely do this now. Now answer me."

I finish filling one bucket with water and move over to fill the next one after placing the full one at Imelda's feet.

From the moment I woke up, Imelda has pestered me about the details of my celebration. She's already asked what kind of decorations I would like and what refreshments would make me happiest. Now, she's moved on to the invite list.

"Then no to Mr Wayers," I say. "I don't want Ethii's best friend telling everyone not to go near me."

I pretend not to notice when she flinches at the mention of Ethii. "You've said no to everyone, Alera." She sighs and folds her arms across her chest. "At this rate, you won't have any potential suitors because you've declined them all!"

Water splashes from the last bucket as I drop it to the ground and lift myself to sit on the edge of the well. I gather the bottom of my dress to keep it from dragging on the ground.

"I'm only turning 19, Imelda," I sigh, squinting my eyes from the harsh glare of the sun.

"You know how it goes in Adaymos," Imelda warns, putting her hands on her hips. "If you don't marry in your 19th year of life then you're going to be suitor-less for life."

I raise my eyebrows. "You only met your suitor when you were 20."

She throws her hands in the air. "Exactly! And look where that got me – completely and utterly alone." She collapses against the wall and buries her head in her hands. Guilt clutches at my throat but before I can say anything, she looks up, her eyes brightening. "That's it; I'm inviting everyone."

I jump down from the well. "Imelda –"

"Yes, Alera, I am inviting the entire village. Whether they come or not is their decision." She nods confidently, her eyes warning me not to disagree. "Come on, we need to take the water we filled up to the Golden Cavern. Old man Jo needs them before tonight."

"Don't you mean the water I filled up?" I say, picking up one of the buckets. Filled with water, it's a struggle to even lift it off the ground.

Imelda picks up the other bucket and waves my complaints away with her hand as she wanders away from me. "I'll do it next time."

I roll my eyes and follow her, trying my hardest not to stumble over my dress as my arms ache from the weight of the bucket. The Golden Cavern isn't far, but I'm almost tempted to give up halfway there.

Instead of collecting stones, Jo offered Imelda and me a job of helping him prepare the Golden Cavern for a special party he's hosting tonight.

When we reach the Golden Cavern, Imelda turns to me pink-cheeked, almost dropping the bucket to the ground as she pats down her hair. "Alera, does my hair look alright? I forgot to brush it this morning?"

As usual, Imelda's hair is neat and pristine. I look over her shoulder with furrowed brows, expecting to see Ethii inside the Golden Cavern. But it is not Ethii who is standing at the counter talking with old man Jo, it's Will Marule.

My stomach clenches with nerves. Suddenly, I'd rather be anywhere but helping Imelda carry the buckets in.

"You look fine," I murmur, trying to think of any way to get away before he sees me.

I could just leave Imelda to carry both of the buckets on her own or I could just dump them and then leave. I need to leave. I can't continue staring in the face of a potential murderer and live with the fact that I am still attracted to him.

"Ah, my favourite Thelene girls!" Jo calls, trapping me from escape. My stomach drops as Will's gaze flickers to us.

Imelda straightens her posture and spins around with a smile plastered on her face. "We are the only Thelene girls, Jo."

"Exactly why you're my favourite." Jo winks with a chuckle.

I stand slightly behind Imelda and keep my eyes on Jo to avoid Will, even as I feel his eyes burn into the side of my face with the heat of fire. My heart skips a beat.

Are we even safe around this man? What is he capable of?

"Good, you've got the water," Jo says, "bring it to the bar, will you? And then come and help me hang some of the decorations."

"Of course." Imelda bustles towards the counter, nearly stumbling over the table leg on her way. I follow her, my steps more hesitant, as I place the bucket down on the opposite side that Will stands. "Mr Marule," Imelda curtseys, her cheeks pink as she fixes her hair.

"Miss Thelene." He nods at her and leans against the bar, eyes flickering to me. "The two of you are here to help decorate?"

"Yes, sir." Imelda smiles brightly.

His gaze is focused on my sister, so I stare at him from behind Imelda. He wears a white shirt that hugs his chest and black trousers. I dig my nails into my skin, hating the way my stomach flips at the way a lazy smile spreads across his face when Jo mutters something under his breath that I don't hear.

Will's eyes dart to me over Imelda's shoulder, catching me staring at him. I swallow the lump in my throat and avert my gaze to the ground.

"Perhaps I could stay to help," He says, still staring at me.

My stomach drops.

Imelda giggles. "Why, Mr Marule, that would lovely –"

"Don't you have a killer to find?" I cut her off and force myself to look at him. He tilts his head to the side slightly and raises a brow.

Imelda nudges me. "Alera," she hisses.

"Nobody is going to die if I take a small break," Will says lowly. His voice sends shudders down my spine.

How can he still make me so flustered? How can he still make me feel like a small child with a giddy crush even though I know what he might have done to Alyx?

I bite my lip and try to read something from his eyes but my attempts are futile. His eyes could be screaming murderer and I'd be too distracted by the way they shimmer to even notice.

"Perhaps not," I say coldly. "But someone is already dead. And you, Mr Marule, are here to find his killer. Not to help decorate, but to find a killer. That is what you're here for, right?"

"Alera!" Imelda is completely horrified.

But Will doesn't seem offended by my outburst, he doesn't even seem bothered by it and that just adds to the mystery that clouds around him. If I had spoken that way to anyone higher in status than me in Adaymos, I would've been punished. But Will simply stares at me with dark eyes full of secrets.

I turn around and walk towards the door. I can't stay here any longer, not while Will stands there spinning lies and making my head spin.

"Alera..." My name flows from his mouth and sounds like the kind of melody that makes your insides hum and tingle.

Why does the sound of my name from his lips make me want to melt into a pool of butterflies?

I turn to look at him over my shoulder as I hover in the entrance to the Golden Cavern. His smile has fallen away, his posture more rigid as his mouth hangs open like he wants to say something. I swallow the butterflies in my stomach.

"It's Miss Thelene." I don't smile, offering him one last stare before spinning around and fleeing from the Golden Cavern.

I try not to think about the fact that I'm leaving Imelda alone with the man every woman in the village, including myself, swoons over.

The only difference between those women and me is that I could potentially know something about Will Marule that could make him very dangerous to us all. But horrifyingly, he still makes my stomach flip.

Not only does it make me foolish, but it makes me afraid.