The only place in all of Genua that felt like home to Beck besides the Hillshire estate was Grand Baron Vernon's herb garden. The Baron's humble dwelling was located just outside the Eternal Castle—a small, stone structure, the same as every other Baron's, save for the private, walled courtyard connected to it. The Grand Baron was the only peacekeeper awarded with such a privilege, and Vernon had used it to cultivate a garden of the medicinal variety.

It was here that Beck liked to come on days when his head was so full of thoughts, it felt as though it may burst. Grand Baron Vernon was the best listener he'd ever met. He carried no judgment and never poked fun. He only listened, contemplated, and offered his wisdom when he could. Beck always felt lighter and more refreshed after his discussions with the Grand Baron.

But today, Vernon wasn't in his garden. None of the other Barons seemed to be in their dwellings, either. Stranger still, the marshals' barracks were also deserted. What could have possibly called away every peacekeeper in the city?

Beck sighed and leaned against the wall of the herb garden. He considered climbing over it and waiting until Vernon returned. He'd done so before—just the week prior, in fact, after Peonia had left him heartbroken and humiliated, when she had laughed in his face and told him to never speak to her again. The poor Grand Baron had received more than an earful of woes that day.

But what did he even want to say to Vernon once he returned? He'd already spilled every miserable thought over the previous days. The Grand Baron had surely grown weary of his misfortunes. Still, he felt he needed to do something, or he'd go mad with his own thoughts.

Simply existing in this world is embarrassing… I'm ashamed to even be alive.

He was a moment away from giving in and climbing over the garden wall when a whistle caught his attention. He turned to find two men approaching him. They stepped from the shadow of the marshals' barracks building, and Beck immediately stood straight with recognition.

"Celian, Dellen!" he called out to them.

The taller of the two strode ahead to meet him, looking him up and down.

"And I thought this was Beck, but I see now I was mistaken." Dellen pursed his lips and squinted at him. "Though you do look a bit like him…but something just isn't right." He glanced toward Celian. "Could it be that our dear Beck has been possessed by some sort of listless, ghostly spirit?"

Beck frowned back at his older friend. "Drinking so early in the day, are you, Dellen?"

"No, no," Celian stepped up beside Dellen, grinning. "He has a point. You've a sickly sheen to you, Beck. Pale, and very reminiscent of a ghost."

Dellen turned to Celian with mock concern. "Should we call for a healer? Have them perform an exorcism?"

Beck rolled his eyes. "Clever. But if you'd ever felt the way I have, you'd know not to make such trivial jokes." He made a point of pushing past the two before stalking off, beyond the barracks building and back to the street.

The other two followed along after him, not a care in the world.

"Well, there you have it," Dellen said loudly. He made the motion of dusting off his hands, as if he'd just finished some hard labor. "We've never felt the way he has, Celian. We couldn't possibly know what he's going through!"

"Now, now, Dellen," Celian said, patting his taller friend on the shoulder. "You forget what it's like the first time—first heartache is always the worst."

Dellen scoffed. "That's precisely why he should hurry up and get on to his next one! It really helps to put the whole thing into perspective."

Beck turned to face them, bringing them all to a halt.

"There will be no second heartbreak!" He glared at each of them. "She was the only one for me! How could anyone else possibly compare?"

Dellen rolled his eyes toward Celian, grinning.

"It's become quite obvious that our young friend doesn't get out enough… He sees one pretty girl, and he thinks he's met the last beauty in the world."

Beck fumed. "Yes, Peonia is beautiful beyond compare! But it's about more than her beauty—it's about her soul!"

Dellen groaned and leaned against Celian's shoulder, as if the very sound of Beck's voice weighed him down.

Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

"He speaks of souls, now. Celian, please find a pail of cold water. I fear he's lost his senses completely. We must awaken him from this delirium!"

Celian stifled his laughter as Beck huffed and turned to stomp away again. The relentless pair only followed after him, as before.

"Do you think he would be in such a sour mood if he knew that I'm currently in possession of the cure to all his ails?" Dellen said to Celian, leaning over as if he were sharing a secret, but speaking more than loud enough for Beck to hear.

Celian smiled back at him. "It might warm him up a bit."

Beck glared over his shoulder and continued his heavy march, even though he had no destination in mind.

"Oh, but see how he moves so quickly away from us?" Dellen clucked his tongue. "It must be a resentful, wearisome spirit that has possessed our friend…"

Beck spun to face them, arms crossed.

"Let's see it, then," he said, staring down the tip of his nose at them. "Since it's obvious that you won't leave me to my peace, let's see this 'cure' to my ails."

Dellen chuckled. He twisted a brown lock of hair around his finger and shot Celian an amused look.

"His 'peace,' he says! Beck, you're about as peaceful as a poltergeist."

Beck huffed, his composure slipping. Before he could send a volley of curses Dellen's way, Celian stepped up beside him and gave him a gentle pat on the shoulders. His cousin nodded to Dellen—hurry up and show him, the gesture seemed to say.

Dellen grinned, his green eyes flashing mirthfully. He pulled a rolled slip of paper from his trouser pocket, then took his time carefully unrolling and smoothing it. Beck's impatience seethed anew, and just when he was about to stomp off again, Dellen finally began reading from the paper.

"Ahem. 'To the venerable Dellen Spire: You are cordially invited to a feast of celebration, held in honor of the societal debut of our respected daughter. All who mean to show fellowship and peace to the Dunns are welcome to attend this masked affair. Anyone beneath our roof will be treated as an equal, so long as the celebration persists. Copious drink and music shall fill our halls, and so we should hope that you will bring as many acquaintances as you see fit. All shall rejoice this day!'"

Beck raised an eyebrow when he was finished.

"A party, at the Dunn estate? Have you gone mad? We'd be strung up sooner than our feet passed over the threshold!"

"We'll disguise ourselves, of course," Celian said. "It's a mask, after all."

Beck stared at his cousin with surprise. So this was his idea, as well? He expected such things from Dellen, but he'd thought Celian was more sensible than that.

"A party!" Dellen suddenly shouted. "A party, a party!" He bounced on his toes and did a twirl around them. "Tonight, at the Dunn manor! They're throwing a party and all of Genua is invited!"

Beck shook his head. "Keeper Spire banned any fighting. Hillshires on Dunn land would only be seen as us begging for a fight!"

Dellen stopped his prancing to throw an arm over Beck's shoulder. He held up the slip of paper in front of their faces, pointing at the words.

"All of Genua is invited, my dear friend. That means even a Hillshire like you is unprohibited!"

Celian nodded in agreement. "They as much as gave us a free pass. How can they start a fight when they sent out an open invitation?"

Beck pursed his lips, still unconvinced.

"Everyone will be there," Dellen said with a playful smirk. "I wouldn't be surprised if more Hillshires than the two of you will be lurking about. Besides that, think of all the beautiful women who will be there! One tour of the ballroom, and you'll be forgetting about your sweetheart's face."

Peonia's lovely face filled his mind. A heavy sigh escaped his lips.

"Are you still thinking about her, even now?" Celian asked.

"Of course he is," Dellen, said, green eyes flashing with amusement. "He's like a wild beast after its mate. Once he caught her scent, he was done for."

"I'm no beast and she's no animal," Beck bit back. "I'm in love."

Dellen threw back his head and laughed, finally letting go of his shoulder and pushing away.

"Take a look at what's around you!" He swept his hand out toward the rest of Genua. "Imagine how many other women are out there, ones twice as beautiful as your Pansy—"

"Peonia," Beck corrected through gritted teeth.

"Right, right, whatever her name is. There're plenty of women out there to replace her."

"But I love—"

"Nonsense!" Dellen thwacked him on the shoulder. "Not love, lust. You're a young, hot-blooded man. You've confused your physical desires with emotions. Real love is rarer than a Hillshire and Dunn getting along."

Beck turned pleadingly towards Celian, but his cousin only returned an apologetic smile.

"Dellen's right."

He huffed in frustration. "So your solution to my one-sided love is to fall in love with another person? What if she rejects me, too?"

Dellen flashed his teeth in a grin. "Love need not be involved, so long as you find a woman who can get your heart racing. That's all it takes to pick a man up off the ground!" He nudged Beck with an elbow. "And as for the rejection, it's just a part of the game. We win some, we lose some. It's all up to fate, anyway."

Beck raised an eyebrow. "Fate? So you believe that what happens is inevitable? That we have no say?"

Dellen let out a blissful sigh. "Relieving, isn't it? To know that what happens was always meant to happen, and we're only here to bear witness to it. Takes quite a bit of weight off one's shoulders…"

Celian chuckled while Beck shook his head in confusion.

"What's any of that got to do with us going to a Dunn party tonight?"

"It's got everything to do with it!" Dellen placed one hand on Beck's shoulder, the other on Celian's. "Don't you see? It's inevitable that we'll go to the party! We were always meant to!"

Beck was silent as a new thought came to his mind: he wasn't sure about all this fate nonsense, but he realized something else that was certainly inevitable.

Peonia wouldn't dare miss a social event... especially one hosted by the Dunns. She wasn't loyally associated with the Hillshires. Her magic was Neutral, unsettled—neither Dark nor Light. She would certainly be at the party, tonight.

He could see her again, that very night.

"I'll do it," he finally said, looking each of his friends in the eyes. "I'll go to the party."

Dellen gave his shoulder a firm squeeze before throwing up both arms in triumph. "That's the spirit! Now… since you've finally gotten all your pouting out of your system, let's make this a night to remember."