"Okay, let's see… Toys, check. Bottled milk, check. Diapers, check..." Mrs. Lewis, my neighbour from down the block, rifled through her tote bag before handing it to me. "Everything's there!"

    "Did you remember the wet wipes?" Mr. Lewis asked from where he stood in the doorway, a soaked umbrella over his head.

    "Yes, yes, they're in there," she replied.

    It was around eight o'clock on a Tuesday night, and I'd agreed to babysit their four-month-old baby daughter, Winona, while they were going out for date night. I'd babysat for them a few times before, so all of this was practically routine by now. This was the first time I would be doing so at my own house, however, because my parents had left that morning for their friends' wedding in Las Vegas and wanted me to watch over the house for the weekend. They were always weirdly particular about that kind of thing. Regardless, they weren't going to be back until sometime tomorrow, so I was alone for the time being. Well, I guess I had a baby to keep me company.

    "We'll be back to pick her up at around midnight," Mrs. Lewis said, giving her daughter one last kiss on the forehead. "Text me if you need anything. And thanks so much for doing this again, Chloe."

    I nodded. "It's no trouble at all. Have a good night, you two! And try to stay dry in this rain!"

    With Winona cradled snugly in one arm, I waved goodbye to the couple as they drove off.

    "You've definitely done some growing since I last saw you," I told her, gently adjusting her head so it laid better in the crook of my elbow. She just looked up at me, studying my face with wide, seemingly vacant eyes. I chuckled. "So, what do you feel like doing?"

    We played with toys for a little while, and Winona was laughing and babbling like usual. Later, I cleaned her up, changed her diaper and then fed her her dinner bottle. She drank it as normally she would, and I carefully burped her next. After I read her a short story, I could tell she was getting sleepy, so I put her down for a nap in the portable crib in my parents' bedroom. While she slept, I did some homework beside her on the bed, keeping the room quiet and dark.

    It wasn't until after Winona woke up from her nap that things started to fall apart. Out of nowhere, she started crying frantically. I jumped up to see what was wrong, and for the life of me, I couldn't figure out what. Panic filled me as I watched Winona squirming about in the crib, her face a bright red, tiny fists clenched. I swept her into my arms. Her cries were in a pitch I didn't recognize.

    She can't be hungry or tired.

    And she ate the same stuff she always does.

    Diaper's dry.

    She doesn't feel cold or hot.

    No bright lights, no noise, nothing to be afraid of…

    No visible signs of illness or injury.

    What is going on?!

    I gently rubbed Winona's back while making soft shushing noises as she wailed and cried. That seemed to soothe her a little, but only a little. After that went on for around twenty minutes, I finally decided to text Mrs. Lewis for advice…

    …To no avail. As if I wasn't already anxious, she never replied. The better part of an hour went by with no answer, and poor Winnie was still upset. She seemed to be crying almost just because she could, so I figured calling 911 was overkill, at least for now. I weighed my options. Her mom isn't replying, and I don't know Mr. Lewis' number. They don't have any relatives in the area; they moved here in August. My parents are in Vegas, a six-hour drive away, so what are they gonna do? I don't want to worry them, either. Spencer is hanging out with Joel tonight, so it's unlikely that she'd pick up the phone. Besides, she couldn't possibly be more helpful than the internet…

    After a quick Google search, which just suggested things I had already thought of, it felt like every option was exhausted. Still comforting Winona, I sat on the living room couch, scrolling through my phone's contacts. Mentally crossing each one off one at a time, my thumb eventually stopped on a name I forgot to consider: Luke. His mom is a nurse… I figured. But is this worth bothering him over? After all, we hadn't spoken much at all since Farrah's disaster-birthday, save for a handful of polite, brief chats about school. I glanced over at Winnie in my arms, who was still sobbing and had now buried her face in my neck. I felt awful. This wasn't about me; this was about her. So, if there was even a sliver of hope that Luke could help, I had to take it – regardless of how awkward things were between us. Figuring I couldn't text fast enough with one hand, I finally mustered up the courage to tap the 'Call' button.

    Luke picked up after the fourth ring. "Uh, hey…?" He sounded tired, and understandably a bit confused.

    Even just hearing his voice gave me a spike of nervousness. "Hi, um, sorry for bothering you. I just had a random question: How much do you know about babies?"

    A brief pause. "Well, enough to know that something's wrong. Is that the source of all the crying and screaming I hear?"

    I sighed. "Yeah, sorry for the hearing damage. I'm babysitting but she won't stop wailing, and I have no clue why. Her mom isn't answering my texts. I just thought, y'know, your mom's a nurse... Maybe you'd have an idea of what to do?" Nothing but silence followed my question. "...Luke? You still there?" I asked after a few more moments.

    "I'm here," he said, "I was just listening to the baby. The cries don't sound like hungry cries, or tired cries, or anything like that. At least from what I can recall."

    "That's what I was thinking."

    "Oh, y'know what? It could be colic."

    "Col– What?"

    I heard movement over the phone. "Hold on, I'm coming over." Another pause. "Er, I mean, if that's okay...?"

    "Oh! Um..." I hesitated, taken aback. "You really don't have to; it's fine. Especially not in this downpour, and this late..."

    "It's really not a big deal," Luke answered with an airy laugh. "I can be there in ten minutes."

    I bit my lip. "Well, if you think you can help, then I would appreciate it greatly."

    "Cool. See you soon."

    I hung up, tossed my phone aside, then pulled Winona closer to my chest. Her crying had subsided a little more by now, but she was still in distress. I slowly leaned back farther into the couch while patting her back. Just then, something occurred to me: Luke said he'd be here in ten minutes, but it doesn't take that long to walk here from his house… Is he not at home right now? My eyes widened. Is he at Farrah's?

    Roughly fifteen minutes later, there was a knock at the door amidst all the sounds of rain. Resting Winnie's head on my shoulder with her hands gripping my shirt, I carried her to the door.

    "Hi," Luke greeted me when our eyes met. He closed his umbrella and I quickly let him inside. Raindrops rolled down from his hair to his forehead and nose. His leather jacket was covered in them too, but I was glad that it seemed to repel the beads rather than absorb them. "Sorry I'm a little late," he said, "It took a bit to convince my uncle to let me leave."

    I led him to the living room after he took off his shoes and jacket. "Damn, really?"

    "Yeah. But it's fine," he replied dismissively. His gaze then landed on Winona, who was still crying at random intervals, and his expression turned worried. "Poor poppet…" he mumbled so quietly that I nearly missed it. "Still no word from the mom?"

    I shook my head. "Radio silent. It's not like her."

    "Bizarre. So, what's the little one's name?"

    "Winona. Or Winnie, for short."

    Luke reached for her. "Is she okay with strangers?"

    I shrugged and gingerly passed the baby to him, relieved to get a bit of a break. "As far as I know, yeah."

    He took her into his arms with ease, making it clear that he had at least some experience with infants. "All right Winnie, what seems to be the problem?" He started patting and pressing lightly on her back, and she burped a few times – which was wholly unsurprising considering how much air she'd probably swallowed from all that crying. He then sat down on the couch and rolled Winona over onto her stomach, with his hand under her belly and her head turned to the side on his forearm.

    Curiously, I questioned, "Why hold her like that?"

    "It can help treat colic," Luke explained. "Certain positions relieve the discomfort. Worked on me like a miracle when I was a baby."

    "What is colic, anyway?"

    "Basically when a baby cries for a long time, for no reason. It usually doesn't happen this late, but sometimes it does. Anyway, scientists still aren't sure what causes it, but they believe it could be related to gastrointestinal irritation."

    I simply watched the two of them, not sure if I should be impressed by or suspicious of Luke's apparent skills with babies. Suddenly, a drop of rainwater fell from his nose onto Winona's cheek, causing her to startle and cry more.

    "Damn, sorry! Sorry…!" he said in a hushed tone, continuing to sway her back and forth.

    I suppressed a laugh. "Here, I'll go get a towel for your hair."

    As I searched for a small one in the laundry room down the hall, the quiet echoes of Luke's voice reached my ears as Winona's cries slowly grew less frequent and less agitated. I realized he was humming to her a song I didn't recognize. A smile tugged at my lips. Okay, it was kind of cute.

    "It's really pouring out there, geez," I commented when I returned to the living room. Luke nodded and kept humming absentmindedly. Winnie now had her head resting on top of his shoulder and was crying softly, with the occasional hiccup. I draped the small towel over my hand, then stepped closer. "Is it okay if I…?"

    Luke smiled and angled his head towards me. "Sure. Thank you."

    I reached up and ruffled the towel through his hair, scrunching lightly to get the water out. He tensed slightly as the towel ran down the back of his neck, then relaxed again. I told him to look up, and he did, his blue-grey eyes flickering to mine. His expression looked neutral, but I thought I caught a glance of something unusual in it. Still, I kept my gaze locked on my covered hand, which was now cautiously gliding over the contours of his face, catching every bead of rain. Across his forehead, down his nose, then his cheeks, chin, and jaw. The towel lingered there for a bit longer than needed. I wasn't sure why, but it was oddly...calming, being close to him. I squinted. For a fraction of a second, I felt myself almost falling into a strange trance, but the thought that I was being kind of weird about this quickly snapped me out of it.

    "Much better," I announced at last, withdrawing the towel. "Seems like Winnie's really calmed down, huh?"

    He looked away. "Yeah, thankfully something worked. I think now she's tired herself out from crying."

    That much was true – she now was on the verge of falling asleep in Luke's arms. Before she could, I scooped her into mine and returned her to her crib in the bedroom, where she almost instantly dozed off. I also kept the door ajar so I could see and hear her from the living room.

    "I really can't thank you enough," I said to Luke. "I don't know what you did, but whatever it was, it worked like a charm."

    He shrugged. "Ah, don't mention it. Babies are crazy finicky, so I'm just relieved it fixed the problem at all."

    I sat down on the sofa. "Where'd you learn to do that?"

    "My mom works with patients of all ages, including infants, so I've heard countless stories about all kinds of stuff – as well as the fact that she's told me about what she had done when I was a colicky baby."

    "Regardless, thanks again. I appreciate it. Seriously." Luke smiled, but before he had a chance to reply, I added, "Right, I have something for you! Be right back."

    Less than a minute later, I returned from my bedroom with his baseball cap in hand. I then gave it back to him without another word. He chuckled briefly and set the hat aside before turning back to me. His smile faded. I was pretty sure that I knew exactly what was going through his mind. That cap, although not valuable in and of itself, had an unfortunately significant memory attached to it. It was an obvious reminder of the fight at Farrah's party, as well as a highlight that Luke and I haven't spoken much since then.

    After a few more seconds of silence that felt deafening, Luke said, "Can I…ask you about something?"

    My pulse quickened. "Sure."

    He inhaled, held it, and then exhaled slowly. "Why didn't you tell me about Nathan?"

    I felt my heart drop to my stomach. Why did he want to know about that? "What do you mean?"

    "I mean…" He scratched his chin. "The way he acted at Farrah's. He was trying to hurt you. And I think I happened to walk outside right after… You said nothing about it."

    "Wait, how do you know that?" I exclaimed. It was clear that Nathan was completely in the wrong, but I still felt a weird sense of embarrassment regarding it, so I'd been trying to keep the whole thing under wraps.

    "A few of my soccer teammates were at the party. They saw some of what happened through the window and then told me about it a couple of days ago, after a game. I…kind of got angry at them for not intervening."

    "Well, I didn't know I have to tell you everything," I retorted, crossing my arms.

    Luke seemed disheartened by my response. "You don't, Chloe. But that was something serious; you know that. I guess what I'm trying to say is…" He hesitated, trying to find the right words. "We are friends, so I evidently...care about you, so... I'd like you to know that you can tell me about things like that, if you want to. Any secret is safe with me. And it's not like I think you need help, or protecting, or that you don't know how to take care of yourself – because I know you well enough by now that I'm worried you'll interpret it as that. I just...want to put that out there."

    My mind felt overwhelmed by the way he put things. I had a million thoughts going through my mind as I tried to process all of that. I didn't know he was that understanding, or that mature. Or that he cared as much as he seemed to.

    "Also," Luke continued, "I hope you haven't been thinking this, but none of that stuff with Nathan was your fault. It's clear that he has some major issues. I confirmed that for myself."

    "Shit, what happened?" I asked, sitting up straight.

    "He…may or may not have slugged me in the face after you left with Spencer," he admitted, wincing.

    My jaw dropped. Looking him over thoroughly, I couldn't see any evidence of a black eye or broken nose, but that absolutely sounded like something Nathan would do. "Please tell me you're kidding."

    He shook his head. "I deflected the next jab, but that first one caught me by surprise."

    "Oh my god," I said, then laughed bitterly. "I… I'll kill him. Geez, I'm so sorry, Luke. Were you okay?"

    "Fine. He was trashed, so the punch really only half-landed. Don't worry."

    "Did you retaliate?"

    "Wasn't worth it. But I'll admit, it was hard not to."

    I face-palmed. "What a lunatic. …Thanks for the nice words, though."

    Luke smiled. "No worries. So… We're good now, right?"

    "Yep," I answered, returning the smile. "I mean, we weren't ever really not good, there was just…awkwardness. Thanks to other people."

    "Okay. Just wanted to be sure about that." He relaxed, sinking into the couch slightly. "That's a bit of a relief, actually. Chemistry was starting to get super boring without our conversations to pass the time."

    "Y'know, I was thinking that too," I said. "That's funny."

    For the next two hours or so, Luke and I just hung out and talked while keeping an eye on Winona. The time felt like it flew by. Eventually, just before midnight, Winnie's parents came by to pick her up. Mrs. Lewis apologized profusely for the lack of contact. It turns out that her phone had died. I explained to her that everything turned out fine, save for a bit of fussiness. After she thanked me some more and gave me my pay, we exchanged goodbyes, leaving me alone in my house with Luke.

    I expected him to leave right then, but he didn't seem in any rush to do so. Still, he must've taken that as a polite request for him to hit the road, so he started gathering his things. I quickly made it clear that I wasn't kicking him out, and he was welcome to stay for a while longer if he wanted to. It wasn't like I necessarily wanted him to go. After a little bit of prodding, Luke revealed to me that he was somewhat anxious to return home because he had been fighting with his uncle, who was still awake, and he had snuck out of the window to get to my house. Apparently earlier that week, Luke took his uncle's car out for a late-night drive – he had given him that permission after Luke got his license – but since he "caught him on a bad day", this made his uncle angry. So long story short, after reassuring him that I had literally nothing to do for the rest of the night, Luke ended up staying.

    "Wanna watch a movie or something?" I suggested, settling back down on the living room couch. "Have any favourite genres?"

    "I'll watch just about anything. It's up to you," Luke answered, sitting beside me. Upon seeing my surprised expression, he said, "Um, is it okay if I sit here? I can't see the TV screen very well from the armchair..."

    I nodded, then shifted my attention to the TV and began flipping through a streaming service's selection. We eventually decided on V for Vendetta, which I'd already seen, but Luke hadn't. Soon enough, we were cracking jokes and laughing, building off each other's comments as the plot progressed. Yet, despite that, I found myself spacing out in between the remarks. Maybe it was because I already knew what was going to happen in the movie, but I couldn't tell for sure. It felt like something was weighing on my mind. All I could figure out was that it had something to do with Luke.

    I was extremely thankful that he'd helped me that night, maybe more than he knew he did. I felt kind of sheepish that I couldn't figure out Winnie's problem on my own, but that was overshadowed by how relieved I was that she got the aid she needed. I felt like I owed him, though. Like he should be getting paid for babysitting, not me. Or maybe I could get him a gift? What kind of thing would he like? But even that didn't feel right. That was too easy. It had always been my sort of go-to, to buy things for people I liked...or people who I wanted to like me, in the case of Joy. It was all I knew. That was pretty embarrassing, I now realized. No, for the friends I had now, it had to be something thoughtful, something heartfelt, not just something expensive.

    I knew very well that I was privileged, not just financially, and the last thing I wanted was to become unappreciative. Lately, that fact was starting to become more apparent as things around me changed drastically. In response to a lot of my problems in the past, I would use money to get my way if I could – sometimes without realizing it – because it was easy and convenient. Hell, I was forever convinced of that being the sole reason why Joy and her friends kept me around, because I would buy them things out of desperation for amity. Now that I had actual friends who didn't care about that kind of thing, it sometimes felt strange that kind words were enough for them. I had to remind myself every now and then that what I had back in Minnesota was not a healthy friendship, in any aspect. They were the kind of friends who would come over to your house just to use your pool and then leave, friends who didn't actually care about you, friends who didn't want to get to know you better. In other words, not real friends by any definition.

    Before I knew it, the movie was over, and the end credits began rolling. "That was good, don't you think?" I asked out loud.

    "…Mm-hmm," Luke said sleepily. I looked over and saw that his eyes were drifting shut, his eyelashes casting shadows onto his cheeks.

    Uh oh. He's definitely falling asleep. My parents aren't home, so I guess it doesn't matter… He did seem pretty tired today, now that I think about it.

    "Um… You feeling okay?" I said quietly.

    When he didn't respond, I adjusted my position so I could see him more clearly. His eyes remained closed, his head rested on the back of the couch, and his breathing was slow and even. I turned off the TV and moved over to the loveseat as I myself was hit with a wave of fatigue. I figured it wouldn't be cool to be right beside him as he slept.

    Since it was past two in the morning, it didn't take long for me to drift off either.

---

    When I woke up, it was early morning. Pale light streamed through the windows. I yawned, then looked over at Luke, who was still sleeping, but was lying down. I let out an airy laugh. His hair was messy, and he had a red crease mark on his cheek from the pillow. My own hair fell loosely over my shoulders. I probably looked like a mess.

    Luke must've been half-awake already, because he stirred and then sat up, taking in his surroundings. "Hey," he said, giving me a sleepy smile. "I am so sorry."

    I stretched and smiled back. "Don't sweat it."

    "I didn't know you moved over there; I almost thought you left," he added, running a hand through his hair.

    "Seemed like you wanted to stretch out," I replied.

    "You should've just kicked me out."

    "No, why would I do that? I didn't care. And it's not like anyone else is home."

    "Well, thanks for letting me stay. It was nice of you." He glanced at his phone, then back to me. "It's almost seven, so I should get going, but thanks again for the movie and all that. I had fun, despite falling asleep."

    I laughed. "So did I. Besides, I should be the one thanking you for the help earlier. You're a lifesaver."

    "No problem at all," Luke assured me while making his way to the door. I followed and watched as he slipped on his shoes and jacket. The sun was up, giving the room a golden glow. When he turned back around to bid me farewell, something totally unexpected popped into my head.

    Hesitantly, I outstretched my arms. This was either going to end well or make things awkward all over again. "Is it okay if I give you a hug goodbye?"

    Luke blinked, looking surprised, and then shrugged. "Oh... Sure."

    He stepped closer and I wrapped my arms around his torso, being careful not to hold him too tightly or for too long. His arms encircled my shoulders and back. My stomach did a backflip. As I turned my head to the side, my ear pressed against his chest for a second, and I could've sworn I had heard his heartbeat. That relaxing, trance-like feeling from earlier began creeping back, so I pulled away moments later.

    "I know I sound like a broken record," I said, "but thank you. Again."

    Luke grinned, one of his hands still resting atop my shoulder. "You're welcome. I'll see you at school, all right?"

    "I'll be around. See ya." I waved as he turned and jogged down the driveway, feeling a strange mixture of things.

    My heart felt lighter than normal. It was so easy to be happy around him. Our conversations always flowed so effortlessly, and Luke was so chill and understanding. It was definitely a friendship that I treasured, and every time we hung out, I found myself hoping more and more that that would last a long time. Perhaps that was the cause of this heart-fluttering, stops-you-in-your-tracks feeling I would get around him every so often. I would get over it.

    But a small part of me told me I wouldn't.

---

    Almost one week later, December had barely begun, and preparations were well underway over on Emiarhia for our next gemstone retrieval quest. If it hadn't already felt like the chain of arduous battles towards the prophesized war was in full swing, then it certainly would've by now. In fact, it felt like we had just finished the last quest. Talk about no time for breaks.

    As Kadia and the other trainers decided, the next target on the checklist was the air gem. It was located in swampy Noslux, far south of Winithas. Once the weekend arrived, and I didn't have Earthian duties to attend to, we would commence our expedition. But since it was only Friday at this point, we weren't quite ready yet. However, we'd already begun our journey days ago, in increments that I could afford without compromising the delicate balance of my dual identities. One day was spent packing and arranging our affairs, including those with the queen of Noslux (who was still mourning the fairly recent death of her king). Two days were spent travelling – one by train through Opios, and one by horse-drawn caravan until we reached northwestern Noslux. Not all of my professors were happy about me skipping several days of school.

    Imagine my shock when I was told that we would be staying in the royal castle for the length of our trip. At the Queen's request. Sure, it would be in the guest's quarters located in the lower levels, but that still meant absolute luxury. It goes without saying that we graciously accepted. Not only that, but our group was also cordially invited to join the festivities of a holiday that was currently happening – Rosary Day (which was not a perfect translation, as I understood, but the most accurate name English could call it). As far as I know, all eight of us were happy to attend. Or, rather, Kadia was fine with letting us attend. Maybe it sounds totally out of character for her, but she actually encouraged us to get immersed in some culture while we travelled from realm to realm. I didn't ask, but I secretly wondered if it was because she was worried we'd never get the chance to visit these places after the war.

    I took a deep breath, snapping out of my brain fog. I was standing in front of the mirror in my chamber, tying my hair up high into a braided ponytail. A cool breeze wafted in from the ajar window. The bedroom was made of neutral-toned stone and wood, with an elegant spiral pattern comprised of colourful tiles covering the floor. Sunlight flickered in and out of the trees surrounding the castle.

    There was a knock at the door. "Lady De Mavset? May I enter?" I recognized the voice of the housemaid that had been assigned to look after me while I was here.

    "Yeah, come in," I answered.

    She opened the door slowly, bowed her head, then set a pile of clothes on the bed. "Your attire for the festivities, milady."

    Surprised, I walked over to inspect them. "From who?"

    "These are gifts from the Queen, milady. Are they not to your liking?"

    "Oh, I'm sure they're beautiful. I just wasn't expecting them," I explained. "Please give Her Majesty my thanks."

    "Of course, madam."

    The housemaid then helped me get changed into the new garments. Not that I actually needed help getting dressed, but it was more of a precaution that I wouldn't wear anything wrong, considering I was a quasi-celebrity in a whole different realm. Still, it felt very bizarre being treated like nobility, with honourific titles and everything.

    Soon, I was ready to go. I wore a loose, layered, short-sleeved wrap tunic made from forest green and dark amethyst fabrics that were both lightweight and sturdy. The tunic ended in asymmetrical points and also had delicate, golden embroidery along some edges. It was secured with a long, black belt around my waist, with a shorter golden chain overtop. Underneath, I wore a long-sleeved, black shirt with thumb loops, and dark brown, leather leggings. The look was complete with knee-high, black boots, a dark brown leather bracer, and – strangely enough – a grey archery glove. The housemaid also gave me asymmetrical, golden earrings to wear before adorning my braid with matching 'piercings'. Finally, she insisted on dusting my cheeks and nose with some light coral blush. Apparently, a flushed face signifies good fortune in Noslux, since it's what happens when you spend a while in the wind – or, in their eyes, connecting yourself to the god of air.

    "Your companions await your arrival in the great hall, milady," the housemaid said, bowing her head deeply before departing. I thanked her, took one last long breath, then left my chamber.

    I didn't even reach the great hall before finding Ashkan and Shaye, the latter of which was tidying the former's outfit. Similar to myself, they were both dressed in loose, soft layers blended with military-like elements. As I got closer, I could tell they were also both wearing a light dusting of blush. Clothing in Noslux was interesting indeed. Essentially, the more casual and high-status the outfit is, the more airy and soft it is. Functional attire was almost the opposite of this and followed utilitarian, soldierly, practically post-apocalyptic stylings, including a curious variety of plaid. Renaissance and Medieval-like elements could be seen everywhere, along with veils, lots of jewelry, platform shoes, ruffles, and plenty of layers.

    Shaye squealed when she saw me. "Brielle, you look so nice! Aren't these clothes unique? And comfortable, too."

    "I'd guess you're probably more comfortable than Ashkan," I noted, giving him an amused look. He was wearing something that looked great, admittedly, but definitely unusual for him.

    Ashkan shrugged, proving my theory wrong. "Can't remember the last time I've worn lavender. Can't say I hate it."

    "Fair enough," I said. "Well, we should go meet up with the others now."

    We quickly found our five trainers in the great hall of the castle. After a brief chat, we wandered outside to join the celebrations. To generalize the culture and customs of Noslux, it was clear just from looking around that height equalled enlightenment, and this manifested in many different ways. For one, the Queen's castle was extremely tall. Our group was standing at the top of a giant staircase, so we could easily see everything around us. I took a moment to observe.

    Noslux was a swampy and marshy realm, with some sections being covered in murky, waist-deep water. As such, there was no shortage of bridges or boats. Most cities and towns were well above water, however, so I didn't have to worry about that for today. There was also no shortage of trees, either, and there were lots of leafy varieties that sort of resembled willow trees. I'd been told that in some areas, the foliage was so dense that barely any sunlight would reach you. These trees would apparently act as natural windbreakers to disperse Noslux's often dangerous air currents. Naturally, it was pretty breezy out today – which I didn't mind, because any still air would increase the humidity rapidly. Besides that, the air felt incredibly clean and clear to breathe.

    The country's architecture was also a sight to behold. It was chiefly similar to Medieval European, Romanesque, and Byzantine styles from Earth. There was lots of stone and concrete (likely for anti-wind purposes), but also wooden buildings and plenty of glass – including gorgeous tesserae mosaics here and there. These decorations were typically the most colourful objects in their vicinities, as muted tones were way more common than bright hues in the architecture. Other common elements included spiralled pillars and turrets, vine overgrowth, high ceilings, complex wind vanes, and various walls or dams to prevent flooding from neighbouring swamps during rainstorms. Buildings were in great shape considering their seemingly harsh environments, with little wear and decay even in exceptionally tall structures.

    I shifted focus onto the people walking around and taking part in holiday activities. From what I observed, Noslenes seemed largely shy or otherwise introverted, but not necessarily cold. Some gave off vibes that they didn't trust us, though. I figured they were naturally more or less suspicious of outsiders, which perhaps had something to do with the moderate number of guards and constables everywhere.

    Besides that, like in Shialumura, I found myself calling upon what Miss Lucera had taught me during our history lessons to remember details about Noslux's native race. Deiqs had very distinctive and otherworldly traits such as skin tones in any shade of grey. On average, they are easily the tallest out of all Emiarhians. They're also typically quite dexterous and are known to be able to jump to relatively great heights. Wavy, curly and coily hair were dominant, but I did see a handful of people with straight hair. Shades of black, grey, and cool-toned brown hair were frequent, while very few matched Reyshore's white shade. Likewise, Reyshore's wine eye colour seemed to be rare too, as the only ones I noted were black, brown, hazel, grey, and silver. Speaking of eyes, Deiqs are also known to possess excellent eyesight, largely due to their pupils that morph into beaded slits under bright light, which help them perceive distance and can adjust to all light levels in various environments. More often than not, people had three eyes instead of two. According to Reyshore, this allowed for a greater field of view, improved acuity, improved depth perception, easier calculation and triangulating of exact positions, and greatly improved hand-eye coordination. Noslux's extensive history of archery made sense now, as if it hadn't already. Lastly, Deiqs definitely had the largest ears of all races, with their long, highly pointed, almost entirely opposable shapes having the ability to enhance every sound.

    "So," Reyshore began, stepping in front of everyone, "shall I commence this little tour?" Kadia opened her mouth to speak but was promptly cut off by someone approaching us from the castle entrance.

    "Any queen in her right mind should welcome her guests herself, don't you think, Lieutenant?" said a voice.

    I watched Reyshore's eyes widen. "Y-Your Majesty!" he stammered, immediately dropping into a dignified bow. Upon realizing that it was the Queen, the rest of us followed suit.

    When I rose from my bow, I took a good look at her. She was dressed in an asymmetrical, airy gown made of layered, smoky grey and burgundy fabrics. Her head was covered in a matching veil with glass embroidery, and she had delicate piercings in her ears, eyebrows, and nose. On her feet were tall platform shoes with intricate beadwork.

    The Queen's eyes landed on Kadia first. "Captain Lowell. Your reputation precedes you. It's my pleasure to welcome you and your lieutenants to my realm."

    "Thank you kindly, Your Majesty. It's an honour," Kadia replied.

    "And then there's Lady Onusch-Eires, Lord Wroet'by, and of course, the ever-exceptional Lady De Mavset. I could most certainly say your reputation precedes you three," the Queen continued. "'Tis truly spectacular to finally make the acquaintance of the Luminaries."

    Looks like that name isn't going to wear off anytime soon, I thought. Ever since we attended the Nyvar Festival in Shialumura and our identities were officially publicized, the King and Queen there just decided to give us that title as a way to separate us from the rest of Emiarhians. As I understood it, it was like an archbishop being called 'Your Eminence', or an ambassador being referred to as 'Your Excellency'. Since Emiarhia, and Shialumura in particular, is pretty heavy across the board on deifying light, we saviours were being seen as Gavphine's holy knights, banishing darkness and guiding the world to a better future. Flattering, sure, but I wasn't really a fan of being called 'Your Luminary' when just trying to buy something from a store. I internally laughed wryly at what my life had turned into. What had become normal for me wouldn't be anything close to normal for anybody else.

    As the Queen led us down the castle's main staircase, she elucidated upon the holiday everyone was celebrating. "Rosary Day is an annual festivity to commemorate and celebrate the historic victory over Hezura, our neighbours to the north, as well as remember the lives lost. You see, in the year 493, over a century ago, Hezuran troops attempted to invade Noslux through sea and sky. The Battle of Dridoh, as we call it, which is the region where the troops first landed – and where we are now."

    I glanced over at Ashkan. "I read about that," he mouthed to me. "Bloody."

    "I'm sure you all know that Hezura is the second-smallest country, next to Shialumura, hence why they wished to claim more land," the Queen explained. "The battle lasted twenty-two days, and thousands of lives were lost…on both sides. Eventually, we pushed them back and emerged victorious, losing no land. Granted, that was not the only time disputes have been made over land, but it is generally quite frowned upon. Realms have always been the sizes they are today, and changing that would be going against our gods' wishes. Relations with Hezura have been…strained, but they improve with every passing year."

    This time, I glanced over at Shaye, who understandably had an almost undetectable expression of discomfort on her face. I recalled that she was one-quarter Hezuran, hence the dark red hair, so I hoped she wasn't worrying too much about her own presence.

    "Lieutenant Reyshore," the Queen asked, "would you care to enlighten us about why today is named Rosary Day?"

    He cleared his throat. "Right away, ma'am. Evidently, a rosary is a string of beads with religious significance. Our rosaries have about forty to sixty glass beads in various colours, with differing spiral patterns. Higher-ranking members of society typically have more beads. Most Noslenes carry one to show their devotion to the lessons of Iton, the god of air. The eight larger pearls on a rosary, as well as the spiral pendant, represent those eight lessons."

    "I would hope you still remember those edicts, after all that time away from home," the Queen asked with a smile.

    Reyshore nodded. "Work for the common good. Live not a life full of vanity. Detach oneself from dark desires. Strive to cause no harm, including to oneself. Abuse not power in any form. Persevere through times of struggle. Do everything to the best of one's ability. Explore the world and all its wonders." The Queen seemed pleased by his answer, and he added, "Anyhow, Noslene soldiers found themselves constantly losing or damaging their rosaries, but since a great deal of us have long hair, they decided to string the beads into their locks instead."

    The Queen smiled once more and went to reply but was interrupted by an approaching military officer. Two lower-ranking soldiers trailed behind him. They bowed respectfully. "Your Majesty. Your Luminaries…and company," the officer greeted. "His Majesty King Typhis of Winithas requests to speak with you, ma'am. He awaits on the telephone."

    "Please excuse me, all. I must return to my duties, but please do enjoy yourselves. Also, do not hesitate to ask for assistance should you need it tomorrow," the Queen said before leaving us be.

    The officer then signalled to another guard beside us. "Switch," he commanded, pointing to one of his men.

    The guard nodded and jogged over to his captain, but lost his footing on the stairs, stumbling right into Ashkan. "Oh, sorry," he said quietly.

    "Soldier!" the officer barked, his voice almost making me jump. "You will refer to Lord Wroet'by as 'sire' or 'milord'. Do I make myself clear?"

    Red-faced, the soldier bowed to Ashkan. "My sincerest apologies, sire. It was an accident."

    Visibly dumbfounded by that, Ashkan just shrugged. "Uh, it's okay…" With one last quick bow, the captain and his soldiers returned to the castle.

    "Well then, I suppose that covers my tour," Reyshore spoke after a beat of silence. "I was planning on gathering with some friends and family now… You're all welcome to come along, should you want to."

    "It'd be nice to say hello," Kadia mentioned. Everyone collectively agreed. So, that's exactly what we did.

    About a five-minute walk away, Reyshore's folks were gathered together, presumably waiting to see him. They all rushed to give hugs when we rounded the corner. Most of them were Deiqs, but not all. The thing that stuck out to me was his parents, and how different they looked compared to him. I mentioned this quietly to Kadia, who explained to me that Reyshore was actually adopted very young. Apparently, Noslux used to have this societal pressure on conformity. Although that belief had been declining, some still lived their lives that way, shunning anything that didn't fit the norm. Reyshore, being essentially a walking amalgamation of his race's rarest traits, stuck out like a sore thumb even in his hometown. His parents didn't want to risk ex-communication, so they gave him up.

    Reyshore later told me that he moved to Winithas to become a soldier partially because of the steady pay, but mostly because he had a childhood friend that also wanted to become one. The two of them trained and practiced every day they could since they were little. Unfortunately, twelve years ago, there was an overnight raid in his town where bandits ransacked everything. His friend ended up getting killed by one of them. To this day, Reyshore swore they were Inkbloods, which was a scary thought. Regardless, besides his talent for combat, Reyshore decided to continue training in honour of his friend. This story also explained the bracelet that he never took off, which was given to him by that same friend. He moved to Winithas because he wanted to escape his memories, and he ended up finding a home.

    After a quick visit, we figured it was best to leave Reyshore to catch up on his own, so the rest of us split off in different directions to explore the festivities. Tyrath and Morgina went to check out the local cuisine, while Kadia and Thorne decided to go observe the massive kites around the outskirts.

    Ashkan, Shaye and I found ourselves wandering over to the archery field, where a competition was taking place. For those who weren't keen on competing, there was a section off to the side where you could practice at your own leisure. We all picked up a bow and took some shots, but I tapped out pretty soon after half of my arrows missed. Yeah, my archery skills were questionable at best. Ashkan was next to quit after a guard politely asked him to not hold the bow horizontally, something that ironically improved his aim since he was used to a crossbow.

    "Oops," Ashkan said with a grin, joining me on the grassy hill overlooking the field.

    "Think we could get that guard fired for crossbow discrimination?" I joked.

    "Probably, and I hate that they would take us seriously."

    "Me too." I looked back to Shaye, who was still shooting arrows at various targets. Though she had near-impeccable aim with most things, I wouldn't call her an excellent archer. Whip-swords and throwing rounds definitely suited her better. It was simply her perfectionism that pushed her to keep trying.

    "Oh, who's that?" Ashkan piped up. Following his line of sight, I saw a guy, about our age, talking to Shaye and holding a bow of his own.

    I gasped, smiling. "Do you think…? I mean, he has to know who she is."

    "He has to, right?"

    "He must."

    We watched attentively as this boy talked to Shaye for a bit longer, then seemingly began helping her with archery.

    "No way," I laughed. "That is so cute."

    "He absolutely fancies her," Ashkan said. "I'm glad that nobody's harassed her for being Hezuran, though. Seems like everyone's long since moved on."

    "I'm glad too. I'll admit I was a little worried when the Queen said that, considering how introverted this realm seems."

    "Seems like the Queen's done a good job of keeping her people safe and respectf–"

    "Oi!" yelled a voice. "Eh, girlie!" Ashkan and I rose to our feet, our eyes landing on the source of the commotion. Ten feet away stood a group of drunk-looking civilians, snickering in our direction. "Yeah, you!" one of them called out. "Earth scum…" He paused to hiccup. "You aren't fit…to be breathing the same air as us!"

    Fucking hecklers. "All right, thank you!" I waved to them. This was one of the more blatant occurrences of hostility I'd experienced, but it was ultimately nothing new.

    To my surprise, Ashkan took me by the hand and began leading me away. He said nothing until we were far from the group, sitting on a log bench near where a dozen kids were busy making crafts. "People who are crass around children won't be standing for long with all the guards," he finally said. "You should be safer over here."

    "Thanks," I sighed. My breath was carried away into the late afternoon breeze. "Some people really hate me, huh?"

    "They're drunken gits, Brie. They hate themselves." He looked away. "You're Earthborn. That's all they care about. Everyone likes or hates you depending on that."

    My eyebrows furrowed. "So, that's my only redeeming quality…?"

    "I didn't say that."

    "No, but you implied it."

    He shook his head. "Sorry, that came out wrong. I just meant that maybe… Maybe certain people try to get close to you solely based on that. Maybe they think you'll get them a free ticket to Earth or something."

    I frowned. "You really think so?"

    "It's plausible," he admitted. "I know that's not exactly a pleasant thought. Just... People are selfish. A little caution never hurt. And I know you feel quite out of place in this world... You don't deserve to be taken advantage of." A ray of sunlight illuminated his face as he glanced at me, making his eyes resemble glinting emeralds. The locks of hair around them were also brightened, almost like they were engulfed in gold flames. My focus faltered for a moment. He didn't smile, but something about him was definitely reassuring.

    "That's nice of you," I mumbled, unsure of how to answer.

    We remained silent for a while as we watched the children in front of us. I realized they were making rosaries, as Reyshore spoke about, but from string, simple beads, and charms. Later on, three girls, each about a dozen years old, approached Ashkan and me.

    "Hi, miss and mister," one said. "Can, can we um...bead your hair?"

    I grinned. "My hair is all tied up. I don't suppose you have a brush, do you?"

    The second girl nodded vigorously. "Yes, miss! No problem!"

    I looked to Ashkan, and he shrugged, agreeing. "Okay, then. We'd be delighted," I told them.

    Soon, we both had a small entourage of children behind us, decorating our hair with beads, braids, twists, crystals, wildflowers, seashells, ribbons, and anything else they could find. The rings that were in my ponytail were meticulously returned to me before it was undone. While the kids chatted amongst themselves about kid things, Ashkan and I resumed our conversation.

    "Tell me about Earth," he suggested, breaking the silence.

    "Why, uh… What do you want to know?" I asked.

    "So… What's your scene?"

    "Pardon?"

    He chuckled briefly. "You know, what's your scene? What do you like to do on weekends? Are you…a trendsetter? An outcast? An athlete?"

    "I don't think I fit any of those."

    "Then what are you?"

    "What am I? I'm me."

    "You're acting like I'm not allowed to get to know you better," he commented with a laugh. "Spoilsport. You're no fun."

    I folded my arms. "Oh, I am fun, just the kind that'll land you in jail."

    "See? Now you have to tell me about that," Ashkan insisted.

    I wanted to turn to look at him, but I had to keep my head forwards so the kids could keep decorating my hair. "I'm kidding…mostly. But I've climbed up buildings, trespassed to visit abandoned places, walked around rooftops… Usually to stargaze and take photos. I try not to do that anymore."

    "Hm. I wouldn't have expected that." I could tell by his voice that he was smiling.

    "It's just the Earth thing that's a dangerous topic," I said, tucking a stray strand behind my ear. "It's not that I don't trust you, it's that I don't want you to be in a situation where that intel can be coerced out of you."

    "I understand."

    "…But if you're really interested, I'd say I'm essentially the same there as I am here. Personality-wise, at least."

    "Authentic. Nice."

    I let out an airy laugh. "Thanks. It's just… We have everything to hide. And more."

    Through my peripheral vision, I noticed him tilt his head more towards me. "What are you trying so hard to hide, then?"

    "Hiding is habitual. It's what I do best. I don't even try," I answered. Leaning away from the children for a moment, Ashkan gazed at me with an expression that asked for clarification. I simply gave a blank stare in return, realizing that not even I knew what I meant by that. "Um, nevermind. I meant I'm really not that interesting, beyond the prophecy stuff."

    "Uninteresting people never say that. It's always the unique ones that do," he pointed out.

    Defeated, I changed the subject. "Why do you care so much about Earth?"

    He sighed. "I don't, usually. Although sometimes I…" There was a pause. "After we spoke about either one of us hypothetically leaving Emiarhia, when you visited my place, it made me think…about what would happen if I left. Sometimes…things look so bleak… Hopeless, frankly. It's difficult not to fantasize about leaving it all behind, starting over. In a place where nobody can follow you."

    My face fell, and I was glad he couldn't see it. "I know how you feel. But that kind of mindset isn't beneficial, believe me. I'm still trying to break out of that running-away-from-your-problems habit."

    "If you count repressing as running away, then I suppose I'm still working on that, too," he confessed. "Some days I don't recognize the world, or anywhere I grew up in. It's too different. Everything has changed…"

    I thought about that for a few seconds, then countered, "No, I think the world's more or less the same. You're the one who's different."

    Ashkan didn't say anything back, and since I couldn't see him, I had no idea if he thought that statement made any sense at all.

    Maybe thirty seconds later, he returned, "Is that a good thing?"

    "That you've changed? I think so, sure. Any growth is good."

    His next sentence was not much louder than a whisper. "I hope so."

    "It'll be okay. You're not alone in this, remember?" On a tentative whim, I reached out sideways to pat the top of his hand. He instantly tensed, but didn't pull away. I didn't want to indicate that I'd noticed his defensive reaction, so I kept my hand atop his. Neither of us moved or spoke for what felt like forever.

    Eventually, I felt Ashkan's hand move ever so slowly. At first, I figured it would pull back, but it flipped over instead, loosely intertwining our fingers. This made my heart skip a beat for some reason. I dared not look over at him. I didn't know what I was expecting, but... Well, it wasn't that. This was...new.

    ...It was nice.

    While we sat still, staring straight ahead, our fingers interlocked in a vague but comfortable grip, I (again) thought back to when I first met him. If someone would've told me that I'd be here with him one day, talking openly about our anxieties, sort of holding hands, I would've called them delusional. Yet here I was, doing just that. As obvious as this sounded, I knew I cared about him. I was delusional too, when I saw him as a hollow, callous guy. And now here he was, letting me comfort him. At the very least, I felt like he was holding my hand for a reason, even if I couldn't guess what that reason might be. So I tried to simply enjoy the moment.

    "All done!" one of the children cut in suddenly.

    I sat up straighter, giving Ashkan's hand a squeeze before letting go. "On three?"

    "On three," he echoed.

    "One… Two… Three."

    At the exact same time, we turned our heads to look at each other. My hand instantly flew to cover my mouth. I was expecting it to be ridiculous. It was certainly an offbeat appearance for him, but it was strangely…good. A side section of his hair was tied back by two small French braids behind his ear, and there were tiny cuffs made of gold wire scattered about. Bundles of little white flowers and greenery were tangled throughout the other side, like they'd been poked into the waves wherever they could fit. The whole thing was a bit gaudy, but considering it was styled by children, it looked great.

    "That bad?" Ashkan inquired, rubbing the back of his neck.

    "No, not at all," I replied. "It's an interesting look."

    "…Yours is as well."

    "Really?" I picked up a small mirror from the table across from us. Upon seeing my reflection, I almost gasped. Again, it was a lot, but pretty well done for kids' work. I had a few braids and twists on either side with blue ribbons woven into them. The rest of my hair was down and held several glass beads at varying lengths. Small, lilac and peach-coloured flowers were knotted into the back, at the crown of my head. "Interesting is right," was all I could think to say.

    I looked back at Ashkan, who smiled slightly. "It's…quite dainty," he added, squinting. "Different."

    "We all know I'm not exactly dainty." I chuckled and leaned back on the bench.

    "That's for true," he bantered.

    "Hey!" I laughed, reaching up and ruffling his sandy hair. It was surprisingly soft. I was careful not to mess up its adornments too much. Utterly confounded by that, Ashkan stared at me, frozen in place, eyes searching my face. My grin quickly faded and was replaced by worry that I had crossed some sort of line. My brain had started to run around in circles. I felt a twinge of embarrassment.

    Then, without any notice, he swung his arm around my shoulders and pulled me closer, giving me a noogie right on my head. I cried out in alarm but rapidly dissolved into laughter. He joined in after letting me go.

    "What was that for?" I asked, almost breathless.

    "An eye for an eye," he retorted with a smirk.

    "And the whole world goes blind. How does that help?"

    "Sorry, but I had to avenge those children since you went and mussed up their work."

    I arched an eyebrow. "If you ask me, it looks better now. Or at least more typical."

    "All right, I'll give you that one," Ashkan said. His hand travelled to my hair, causing my breath to hitch momentarily. I stayed still while he smoothed out the top and fixed some of the flowers. Good thing I was already wearing blush because my face started warming up. I mentally scolded myself for being awkward. You'd think I wouldn't react at all, considering how long I'd known Ashkan. I guessed my brain still interpreted his nice gestures as alarming. When he was done, he nodded. His eyes blinked and moved to mine, peering intently as if exploring them, or perhaps questioning something. Then, his expression flipped back to neutral. "We should probably go check on Shaye," he said, standing up.

    "Right." I dusted myself off and followed him to the archery field. Turns out, we didn't have to walk very far before finding her. We ran into her in the middle of the town square.

    "Hello!" she exclaimed when she saw us. "My stars, look at you two! Those hairstyles are lovely! If only I had a camera."

    "Some little kids wanted to practice on us," I explained. "But speaking of new looks, what's with the frock?"

    Shaye held out the pure white garment, which stopped just below her hips and had billowy sleeves. "The mud dancing is beginning any minute!"

    "The what?" Ashkan questioned, looking puzzled.

    "You heard me," she laughed. "Mud dancing! According to Reyshore, Dridoh soldiers would often dance in the muddy swamps around their posts when not on duty in order to relieve stress and improve camaraderie. They also believed it strengthened their bond with the land. It's a Rosary Day tradition to wear all white when doing so, but they have frocks for everyone to borrow over in the corner. Here, I brought a couple."

    I took mine from her and slipped it on, leaving only the bottom of my tunic and my leggings exposed. "I won't lie, I'm up for dancing right now."

    Shaye clapped her hands, then turned to Ashkan. "Ashkan, will you join us? Please?"

    He stared at her as if she'd lost her mind. "You want me to dance in the mud?"

    "Why not?" she giggled. "It's just mud; it washes off."

    "It's not exactly that part that I'm apprehensive of," he muttered. "It's the other part."

    "Come, now," Shaye persuaded, planting her hands on her hips. "It will be fun! I, for one, would love to see you dance."

    He exhaled loudly. "I'll put on the frock, but I'd much rather watch." Shaye threw up her hands in exasperation before making her way over to the mud pit.

    "Who's the spoilsport now?" I quipped to Ashkan before following her. Vexation bubbled onto his face, and it wasn't even thirty seconds before he caught up to us.

    "Challenge accepted," was all he said as he rushed ahead of us, plunging his boots into the ankle-deep mud first. I grinned at his change of attitude.

    The air swelled with fast-tempo, high-energy music. Guitars, flutes, drums and other instruments were being played a safe distance away. Dozens and dozens of people gathered around us, splashing mud everywhere.

    Shaye linked her arm with mine, and we skipped in a circle for a few bars. Within minutes, I was covered in mud from the waist down. We stomped our feet and clapped our hands to the rhythm, smiles never faltering for a second.

    "Ashkan!" Shaye shouted over my shoulder. "You're drawing more attention to yourself by just standing there like a mannequin!" I shifted to see him at the edge of the pit, with his arms crossed but his head nodding along to the music. Shaye swiftly grabbed his elbow and dragged him over. "Dance with us!" she pleaded, taking his hands and moving them side-to-side, making him look more like a puppet than a dancer. I couldn't help but laugh.

    "You're a better dancer than I am," I added in an effort to convince him. "I'm from a whole other universe, remember? Think I have the foggiest idea what the hell I'm doing? The difference between you and me is, I don't care!" I raised my arms and swayed in time with the beat. "Start not giving a damn! It's great!"

    Ashkan chuckled, a reluctant smile breaking across his lips. "Teach me how, then."

    "Only if you teach me how to dance," I suggested.

    He stepped closer. "I suppose I could try. Not that I have much to teach." Soon enough, Shaye's new archery friend approached her and asked for a dance, leaving us two alone once more. Ashkan idled in place for a bit while I danced around him casually, presumably gathering his confidence. "Right then," he spoke eventually, before holding a hand out to me. "Ready?"

    "I am if you are," I said, carefully taking his hand. He answered by drawing me in to a comfortable proximity, guiding my other hand to his shoulder, and placing one of his on my back. A jolt of nerves shot through me, but I shook it off.

    The corner of his mouth curled into a half-smile. "I saw this in a film once. Just focus on the music and follow my lead. How does that sound?"

    "A little insane," I laughed. "Go for it."

    We began moving back and forth in a simple dance step. The tempo increased gradually into a new song, which is about where Ashkan started letting loose along with everyone else. He pushed me outwards and then spun me back in, creating a whirlpool of mud underneath us. His moves became more complex as he added the occasional arm sweep or series of foot taps. I tried my best to keep up. I was just happy he was smiling.

    Pretty soon, the two of us were rotating our stances around and around, almost as if we were swing dancing. Our feet never stayed in place for long. Ashkan would frequently step away from me, pull me back in by the hand, catch my back and then send me the other way. It felt like a roller coaster, my body being guided this way and that. I almost got dizzy a few times, but I trusted him. He switched hands and spun me around behind him, then twisted himself to face me. The music crescendoed as it drew nearer to the end.

    In one swift movement, he swung me outwards before I twirled back in. I somehow managed to lose my footing in the process – no thanks to the mud – and in the blink of an eye, I was falling backwards. But before I could even brace myself or stick my arms behind me, Ashkan had already caught me.

    The song finished and everyone applauded loudly. Everyone except for Ashkan and me, that is. I was frozen in place at about a forty-five-degree angle to the ground, my hands clutched to my chest. He was leaning over me, both arms wrapped tightly around my back, effectively holding me in a dip. Both of us had wide eyes and strained breaths.

    I blinked up at him, looking through the messy strands of his hair. "Sorry!"

    "That's all right," he chuckled, pulling me to my feet. "My apologies for that last spin."

    "No, I mean…" I shook my head. "That was so much fun. Did you have fun?"

    He failed to suppress a smile. "I… Yeah. I did."

    "Who taught you that?" I asked, moving to the edge of the mud pit.

    "My mother, actually."

    "Makes sense. You're really good at dancing, Ashkan."

    "Well, Mum was a good teacher." There was a wistful look in his eyes. He blinked slowly, then turned back to face me and smirked. "You've got a clump of mud, just there." He pointed to his cheek.

    I wiped the side of my face. "Did I get it?"

    "Other side," he said.

    I tried again. "Good?"

    "No, it's–" He stopped to laugh. "Can I just…?" I nodded and he reached out his hand, lightly wiping my cheekbone with his thumb. The gesture was so simple, which was why I was confused when I felt his hand linger around my temple for a second too long. My cheeks started to flush. "There," he finally said, stepping back.

    "Thanks. I mean, it's a little pointless," I replied, motioning to my soil-caked figure, "but thanks regardless."

    Just then, Shaye approached us, a wide grin on her face. "Quite the dancer, isn't he, Brielle?"

    I smiled. "No kidding. Very impressive."

    Ashkan just waved his hand. "Anyways, I'm really fancying a shower right about now. I'll see you lot at dinner." He started walking away but glanced at me once more. "And…thank you for the dance, Brie. I think I needed that."

    "I'd have to agree," Shaye said when he was gone. "It surely mustn't have seemed this way, but I haven't seen him dance with such mirth in…too long. I'm happy to see it."

    "Me too. I'm...weirdly proud of him." I sighed. "Well, the sun's setting. We should probably go clean up, huh?"

    The rest of the night was comparatively uneventful. After showering and eating a delicious dinner in the castle, the group gathered for a brief meeting to discuss tomorrow's plan. It was a bit of a damper on my good mood, but I was reminded of our real goal – we weren't here just to sightsee and lounge around. We were here to work and help protect the universe. That meant I had to switch to a more serious and focused mindset. Though it was important for everybody to keep each other's spirits high, too. We'd need all the morale and dedication we could muster if we were going to face something like we did last time. It wasn't until I was tucked into bed with the lights out that I came to grips with that fact.

    Today felt...different, for lack of a better word. As I drifted off to some well-needed sleep, I managed to clear my head and make the necessary mental adjustments. I still had a job to do, and it was going to be a tough one. But I'd rather face that than retreat into bland, useless obscurity.

    Tomorrow was a new day.