Mary.

Mary had spent most of the evening dancing with Theodore and worrying about Ronan. She didn't want him to leave. She told herself it was because Ronan was her friend and she didn't want any friend to be in danger. But if it had been her current dance partner, this guy she liked, who had left, she wouldn't be this worried.

Was it normal to be dancing with Theodore while thinking about Ronan?

"Did you have a good time, Mary?" the green-eyed mage asked as he walked her to the girls' dormitory.

"Yes, of course."

"Can we sit for a few minutes? It's a nice night out."

He pointed to some benches not too far from the garden area they were walking through.

Mary hesitated, but accepted. The temperature was still pleasant; the cold hadn't arrived yet.

From those benches, they could see the rest of the attendees leaving the ball building. They weren't particularly secluded.

"You seem more distant than when we were in Brindale. Have I done something to upset you?"

Theodore was looking at her intently, as if trying to read every change in her expression.

"No, not at all. You've been very kind and attentive to me."

"Mary, I really enjoyed going to the ball with you. Do you want to meet up tomorrow? It's autumn break, and we could go eat in the city. I'll be going home with my family afterward, but if you'd like to come, you're invited. Alistair and Lily are coming too."

Mary sighed. She wasn't in the mood for either of those things. Since the night of Emmy Oakley's rescue, her feelings toward the necromancer had grown more complex. Though she also didn't want to be rude to Theodore, who cared about her and had helped her so much.

"I think I'll end up going on vacation with my parents during those days. Theodore, I appreciate both invitations. Another time."

The young man looked at her with some sadness and reached his hand toward her—it seemed he wanted to tell her something difficult. At that moment, quick footsteps and a female voice interrupted them.

"There you are. Theodore, your mother was looking for you. It seems important."

Mary turned and saw Sol, the student who had been unpleasant to her during the first weeks at the academy. She'd forgiven her, but still didn't feel entirely comfortable in her presence.

"Really?"

"Do you think I'd go out of my way to tell you if it weren't?" Sol replied, offended.

"Well, I'll walk Mary to her room and then go."

"I'm going to my dorm too. You can come with me, Mary."

She hesitated. She didn't want to go with Sol. However, she also didn't want to keep Theodore if something was wrong with his mother. Besides, people changed. If Sol wanted to help and do a good deed, who was Mary to stop her?

"Don't worry, it's right nearby and you can see I won't be alone," she smiled at Theodore as she stood up.

He did the same and took her hand to squeeze it and kiss it, holding it between his own for a few moments longer.

"Thanks for the evening. Rest well, and see you soon, Mary."

He also said goodbye to Sol and left to find his mother.

Mary walked alongside Sol, who wasn't talkative. Before leaving the gardens, the noble adjusted a lock of hair, touched her earlobe for a few seconds as if puzzled, and then asked her to wait.

"I just realized I lost an earring. They were a gift. Wait for me, I won't be long. I'm going to see if it's in the ballroom."

She didn't even let her answer—she hurried off.

Mary stayed there. Alone. People weren't passing through the gardens anymore. By sitting with Theodore for a while, they'd fallen behind and were among the last ones. Still, there was plenty of security at the academy that day because of the royal family's presence. They'd even given Bianca's bodyguard the day off. She felt safe.

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Time passed and Sol didn't return. Then she heard strange sounds, like something large stepping on the path's pebbles. Also someone shouting—a male voice she didn't recognize—and those loud footsteps leaving.

She didn't know what to do.

Then Sol came back and seemed, for a few instants, annoyed to see her there. Mary thought it was her imagination, because the girl immediately smiled at her and showed her the earring in her hand.

"I was lucky and found it. Let's go, let's get some rest. Sorry for the delay."

"No problem, it's fine."

Sol insisted on walking her to her room door, since Theodore wasn't there to do it. Honestly, Mary thought that was quite kind of her.

She didn't run into Theodore the next day, so she couldn't ask him about his mother. She hoped the urgency hadn't been anything bad. But since she was still worried about Ronan, she soon forgot about it.

Life goes on, I think.

Vincent comes to see me in the infirmary. He's very worried about me and calms down when he sees I'm fine after the healer's spell. The dress, though, is destroyed in the back. Obviously, I'm not going back to the ball.

"I hope my encounter with Sol didn't cause much of a stir."

"Actually, you can relax—everyone's still at the ball, so hardly anyone found out. The headmaster informed me since you're my fiancée. My parents also know, and I imagine yours and Sol's family do too. In fact, your parents are outside. They've been very kind; they insisted I come see you first."

Makes sense—from the little I've seen of the countess, she must be so delighted with my engagement that she's going to be all courtesy with the prince.

"Thank you."

"You don't need to thank me. Sol crossed a line she shouldn't have. It's one thing for her to pursue me and another to attack you like that."

I see his face harden. I think he feels it was his fault. Maybe I should tell him what I did, that I'm not really such an innocent victim.

Ugh, I couldn't. I couldn't bear to see the disappointment in his eyes.

"Don't be too harsh on her because of me being your fiancée."

"You're too kind, Bianca, but I understand. Expulsion from the academy if the headmaster considers it is one thing, and execution for attacking a member of the royal family is another. I'll talk to my parents, relay your wishes."

"Thank you so much."

I feel a bit less guilty. When I decided to answer her with her own weapons and cut off her bullying once and for all, that other possible consequence never crossed my mind.

Vincent hugs me, kisses the top of my head, and we stay like that for a few seconds. He's very sweet. Then he steps back and my parents come in.

My mother is being a bit dramatic, I think, about the offense the ducal house of Vassilea has committed against ours. My father tells me he's glad I'm all right.

"Are you coming home with us tomorrow?" he also asks me.

"I'd like to stay at the academy, if possible."

My mother must think I just want to spend time with my fiancé, because she quickly says, "Of course." I spend some time with them and they say goodbye. Shortly after, the healer comes in and tells me I can go to my room. There don't seem to be any aftereffects from the blow to my head.

Vincent was waiting outside. He walks me back. This is weird. My heart fills with warmth because of him, but I still don't feel right—that guilt about Sol lingers.

In any case, I don't go back to the ball. I say goodbye to my fiancé at the door, and when I go inside, I'm greeted by the seed of evil, who seems exceptionally happy to see me.

"This wouldn't be about the dark affinity, would it?" I ask suspiciously as the pup jumps, wags his tail, barks, and tries to get me to pick him up.

Hmm, he looks as adorably angelic as always. I take that as a yes: he knows about my new affinity and is thrilled.

"Come here," I end up giving in and pick him up from the floor. I pet his head while I walk over to the bed and sit with him in my arms.

He's adorable—his fur is clean and soft. I even let him give me a couple of licks on my face. I can't get mad at him; I never could. He won my heart the day I saw him, so small and defenseless, about to be killed by those white wolves.

After a while, I set him on the floor and go clean up. Then I return to the room and try casting my new spell. As its description states, it's a small, dark zone. For example, if I put my hand inside, I stop seeing it. I cast it a couple of times, and just as I'm about to get into bed to sleep, the room door opens partway.

I can hear Judith saying goodbye to Marco. It comes off a little sugary.

"How was the ball?" I ask her once the door is closed and my roommate is inside.

She blushes.

"Um, Bianca, it's not what it looks like. He was feeling really bad when your engagement to the prince was announced. I was just giving him encouragement."

"Judith, don't worry. I'd already broken up with him; it just wasn't official. I think it's wonderful that you two get along," I tell her.

"Really?" Her face lights up.

"Really."

"Thank you. I felt awful because ever since you received his letter with the bracelet, I thought you had such a thoughtful and romantic fiancé. And he works so hard for his future barony," she sighs.

We chat a bit more and go to sleep. I'm grateful because I'm exhausted. At least the "matchmaking operation" seems to have been a success—even bigger than I expected—and it didn't blow up in my hands like my plan to get Sol expelled.

Before falling asleep, an unwanted thought crosses my mind.

Did the Sol thing really go that badly for me?

Sleep wraps around me quickly, and the next morning I barely remember what I dreamed about, but from the bad feeling that lingers, they were nightmares.

Actually, I do remember one.

It started with a memory: me dancing with Vincent and seeing his brother rush into the ballroom and go toward the queen. Both of them left the room and I stayed there, nervous. Then what actually happened changed, and instead of coming back and acting like nothing happened, they entered accompanied by the royal guard who arrested me for execution. And Sol was laughing, covering her lips with her red-gloved hand.

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