A knock on the door woke me the next day.

I stumbled to it, tightening the blanket around me to cover up some of my nightgown.

I slowly opened the door to find Kymra standing there, her chocolate eyes full of concern. She was dressed differently, this time with her armor. "I'm sorry to have awakened you, my lady, but your presence is requested by the King."

I shook my head. "I don't want to see him."

Kymra shook her head. "It's a meeting about last night with all of the Guard. We all want to know what happened before the Alteazor arrived."

I groaned. I really didn't want to see Damien, I just wanted to forget about last night. I wanted to forget everything we had said to each other. I'd spent most of the night curled up on the bed crying. His words hurt deeply.

I had made sacrifices through the years being his friend. When I was younger, my parents were concerned about me because I'd made comments about my friend, the prince of darkness who lived in a kingdom only he and his kind could go to.

While at first, my parents thought it was a joke of an over-imaginative child, when it continued through the years they became concerned even going as far as getting a counselor. That was when I knew I had to keep him a secret.

From then on, I wasn't invited to other kid's birthday parties - but I was happy despite it.

Because my best friend was worth it.

He was the kindest, most selfless person I'd ever met.

And then there was what he told me last night....

I still wasn't able to process it.

And even though I was madder at him than ever, I still needed to tell him and his guard what happened.

"Fine. I'll be ready in ten minutes."

I grabbed the first thing I could from the closet and put it on, then sat in front of the mirror in the room, the only thing other than the bed that didn't seem to be damaged from the night before.

I looked like hell.

I didn't recognize the girl in the mirror. My eyes were pink and puffy with large shadows beneath them. I imagined it was from the crying I did the night before after Damien left. I even seemed paler, like I hadn't been in the sun in months instead of days.

I placed my head in my hands. I looked as tired as I felt, my face felt like it was weighed down as if I hadn't slept in days.

Just a small appearance, I told myself. Five minutes and then I can come back and crawl back under the covers.

I sighed and ran a fast brush through my long hair. I placed a messy bun on top of my head, not caring how I looked.

Kymra waited for me outside of the room and handed me a cup as soon as I stepped out of the room.

The cup warmed my cold hands as I held it and I breathed in the comforting cinnamon smell.

"It's a tea," Kymra explained. "It will help with your nerves after what happened yesterday."

It was glorious. I reveled in the warm liquid as it moved through my body. She led me down long corridors and staircases until we were in front of the same room I had been in what seemed like weeks earlier.

The Throne Room.

Or had it been days?

The guards waited for Kymra to nod before opening the heavy doors they stood in front of as before.

Everyone was already there. I recognized the men and the woman from the guard. Oren was there as well with the group all standing in front of Damien and Leah. Damien sat on his throne while Leah stood next to him, leaving the largest throne in the room vacant.

Leah looked beautiful, it seemed she'd taken a more serious role in her new duties.

Damien sat with an elbow on the armrest a clenched fist under his cheek. When he saw us, he stood. "Well, it took you two long enough."

Indignation rose within me. After what he told me the night before and the lack of sleep, I was already snappy. I took a deep breath before speaking but Kymra spoke before I could, placing a delicate hand on mine. Did she know I was going to snap at him?

"Forgive me, Alteazor," she bowed quickly as soon as we met with the group. "That was my fault."

He sighed. "In all that time, you couldn't have at least made her look presentable?"

This time Kymra couldn't stop me. "Oh, bite me."

Everyone turned to me, their eyes wide.

Leah suddenly appeared next to me from across the room, an arm around my shoulders and a gentle hand on my arm. "Emmy's just tired. She had a rough night."

I questioned her sudden pleasant behavior with my eyes, looking at how she stood regally next to me, a smile plastered on her face.

She looked at Oren, "I think you can start your line of questioning now."

Oren nodded at Leah then walked closer to me. He gave a small smile. "How are you feeling today, Lady Emylin?"

The fact that he called me Lady Emylin instead of Emmy like he had the day before didn't escape me. Was it because he was in front of others? Or was it because of what happened the night before with Damien? "I'm sorry about yesterday."

He shook his head. "That is not your fault. Are you all right?"

I nodded running a shaking hand through my hair. "I managed to get some sleep at some point."

Oren got down to business, his voice was curt. "I need you to think back to last night. Can you tell us what happened? Don't leave any detail out."

I nodded towards him and looked at the group as they quietly watched me. I avoided Damien's gaze at all costs.

I took a deep breath. "After I was back in my room-"

"Where were you?" Damien's cold voice interrupted.

This time I did look at him, he didn't seem concerned only bored. His usually radiant violet eyes were cold, they looked nothing like normal. My friend seemed to be gone.

"We went out for a walk," Oren answered as he turned towards him. "In the royal gardens. She was upset so I took her for a walk. I thought she would want some air."

I gave Oren a small smile. "Thanks again for that."

He smiled back. "And when you got back ... ?"

I sighed. "I changed and went to bed. I woke up a while later and he was there."

"Did you see anything?" Oren asked. "How did you know to wake up?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. I just felt like someone was watching me. I opened my eyes and he was there."

"How long was he there?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. I didn't hear the doors open."

Oren sighed and shifted where he stood, his arms crossing. "He didn't use the door. He appeared in the room using his magic."

I frowned. "I thought no one could appear in the rooms in the palace?"

Oren shook his head. "The protections were down. The Magister is looking into it, he's not sure what happened."

I looked at Kymra. "Protections were down?"

She nodded solemnly.

Oren continued making me look back at him. "Did the man say anything to you?"

I shook my head. "No. Nothing."

Oren looked to the others in the group who all nodded as he looked at them. Finally, he turned to me. "He confessed. He said he thought you were the Alteaza."

I frowned. "What?"

Oren nodded. "It was as we thought. He wanted to kidnap you wait for the Blood Moon to pass so he could take over the throne."

I shook my head. "He's lying."

Everyone looked at each other.

"He's not lying." Damien walked down the small platform towards me, his fist clenching as he did. "I made sure of that myself."

I watched him as he approached, my eyes on his clenched fists. As he came closer to me I noticed the bruises, the scraped skin, the blood on his knuckles. My mouth was dry. Could he really mean what he was saying? Had the boy I had grown up with grown to be one to beat others with his bare hands?

Yes, he was. I'd witnessed it last night.

Knowing the answer anyway, I asked. "What does that mean?"

He didn't answer.

Which was answer enough.

An overwhelming feeling of remorse coursed through me. "He didn't do anything to me. He barely got close enough."

Leah spoke up nearby, her voice grave. "He got close enough to Mia, Emylin. He got what he deserved."

My heart pained - the familiar twist of the knife came again.

"He is not dead," Kymra whispered carefully. I watched as her eyes flitted between myself and Damien. "Only detained at the moment."

I let out a long breath and she placed a hand on my shoulder. "I understand how much you value life, Lady Emylin."

I shook my head. "He lied. He isn't capable of this on his own. He barely knew how to handle himself around me. How could he orchestrate something like this?"

Oren frowned. "What do you mean, Lady Emylin?"

Damien scoffed. "It doesn't matter now. They are both safe. There is no more threat. It is time to take Emylin back home."

Leah stopped him as he reached for my arm.

I watched the exchange between them in bewilderment.

"Dearest," Leah cooed. "Do you really want to leave your best friend out of the festivities? She can at least stay for the party tonight before the wedding tomorrow."

She turned to me with a smile. "Emmy, you're staying at least just for tonight. I will take you back home myself after tonight's party."

I shook my head. "I'd really rather not stay-"

"Nonsense. After the party, I will take you home myself. It'll be fantastic!" Her smile grew wider. "This party will be to die for."