The woman shrugged and began spinning the crystal. Her eyes became unfocused as she watched the swirling crystal and mouthed to herself.

Abruptly, she stopped spinning it and dropped it onto Asher’s lap.

It remained lifeless.

As he knew it would, but he still couldn’t shake the taste of fear in his mouth.

“While unusual for the lycan people, his coloring isn’t unheard of. Even outside the royal family.” She shrugged and retrieved the crystal. “Can I go now?”

“Head to my carriage.” Thiago took her hand and kissed it. “I’d like to talk to my fiance tonight.”

She took her hand away and gave him a royal curtsy before leaving.

Not looking back.

“Someone find this creature’s owner. Tell them to take it away before I change my mind.”

As Asher took deeper breaths, he glanced up.

Meeting the girl’s eyes as she leaned against the brother’s arm. She gave him a relieved smile and turned away. Letting her brother lead her out of the banquet hall.

In the end, he never had time to talk to her.

Lady Arnold was vicious with her punishments. Dor poison and a lashing. And while he was still in shock from it all, she abruptly sent him back to the arena when she received a note that he would not be required at the last event.

On one hand, he was relieved he wouldn’t be seeing the crown prince again. He cursed his cowardice, but he was still relieved.

But that also meant he’d lost his opportunity to talk to the girl.

***

Em couldn’t watch the ceremony.

There were only a few people allowed into the chapel for the actual ceremony. People of high rank or hand-picked by the couple. And every time she glanced up as the priest droned on and on, all she could picture was the night she’d seen her brother and Princess Madeline kiss.

It made Em sick to see the woman standing at the alter so calmly. Knowing that Madeline was facing a man she detested… while the man she loved could do nothing but remain silent.

Like in the Temples, the men and women were divided to opposite sides of the room. So she couldn’t even hold her brother’s hand in comfort.

To make it worse, she had another blow planned for him before the day was over.

It couldn’t be helped, though it made her cringe that she might hurt her brother more. If she could have delayed it another day, then she would have.

But he planned to leave tomorrow, and she needed to get it done before then. With how busy he’d been running after the crown prince and licking his boots, she hadn’t had a chance until today.

She clenched and unclenched her fists throughout the ceremony.

Glaring at the priest as he spoke of love and honor and faithfulness.

What would her Maddie do if she’d been forced through this?

Em didn’t know where the thought came from. Most days, she tried not to think of Maddie.

Because it hurt too much.

But they had talked about what they’d do if they’d been in their characters’ places. Maddie had staunchly announced that she would refuse to marry the bastard. Even if it meant her death.

This Madeline was wiser. This Madeline knew that if she refused, it wasn’t just her death that would happen.

Em’s stomach twisted, and she had to scowl at the ground for the rest of the ceremony.

One day, maybe they could fix this.

One day, Asher would have his chance. Then maybe… maybe things would be different.

That was why she twisted her fingers in her dress and fought to find the courage. Courage to tell Flint what she was going to do.

Now that the main events were done, and he was no longer required to be in the bachelor party, he opted to take Em back to Eileen’s before the wedding banquet. Neither of them were sad to miss the horrible celebration.

Flint stared out the window.

Face impossible to read.

Em took a deep breath and crossed the carriage to sit beside him. Grabbing his hand and leaning her head against his arm.

“I’m sorry.”

He blinked and flinched. As though she’d startled him from sleep. Then turned his chin to look curiously down at her.

“For what?”

She squeezed his hand and fell back on her old habit of honesty.

“I saw you in the garden that night. This isn’t fair.”

Her brother stiffened. Then she expected him to scold her gruffly in order to hide his discomfort. You shouldn’t be eavesdropping like that, Em.

Instead, to her surprise, he pulled her head harder into his arm. Closing his eyes tightly while his hand shook against her hair.

He loves her.

For some reason, that hit her hard. What had she thought before? That he had some sort of passing fancy for the outrageous, outspoken, hard-ass of a woman? That there was no real attachment?

No. She should’ve known that Flint just didn’t think that way.

She closed her eyes. And allowed the tears that her brother would never shed.

As a result, she didn’t get her chance in the carriage.

The moment was just too raw for her to bring up another painful subject while they were comforting each other.

And as soon as he dropped Em off, he immediately left again. To make sure the knights were all prepared to leave in the morning.

Crap!

She paced her room. Barely nibbling on the meal Tracy brought her.

It was late when Flint returned. He deliberately waited to come back so he could talk to Eileen one more time.

Em found Flint and Eileen in a sitting room. The old woman sat back in her seat. Flushed with wine and good feelings. After all, she’d just gone to a wedding she normally wouldn’t have been allowed to attend.

“... And I told them your uniform was a mark of respect.”

“I see.”

“Busy body little bitches.”

Em’s mouth fell open, and she stared, bewildered, at the old woman.

When she met Flint’s eye, she mouthed, “Is she drunk?”

He gave her a barely perceptible nod. Which only bewildered Em more. Aunt Eileen never got drunk at a function.

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Or ever! Period!

This was probably why.

Her head pounded as she realized that Eileen’s unexpected lapse was only going to make her arguments harder to sell.

She sat next to the old woman so she could face her brother.

Eileen scowled and put a hand on Em’s shoulder.

“You conducted yourself with dignity, despite all the rubbish. But, this one-” Eileen squeezed Em’s shoulder and gave Flint a despairing look. “Every time there was trouble, she somehow was in the middle of it. It didn’t matter if it was a ripped dress or a screaming match. Did you hear what she did to Marquis Hanibal’s daughter?”

“I did not.”

“She pulled her hair! Right there at the salon! I could have died on the spot.”

Flint was struggling to keep a straight face. Em could see it in the way his mouth twitched.

“Flint, my darling nephew.” The woman let go of Em to lean toward him. Blood-shot eyes pleading. “I beg you, let me straighten the child out. Or she’ll ruin both your family and mine.”

“Em is just a child-”

“Emmaline. Her name is Emmaline! Do you know how many people are talking about the unrefined way her name has been shortened?! Even though I pleaded with the child to never introduce herself that way?”

Aunt Eileen looked like she was going to burst into tears at any moment.

Em actually felt a twinge of sympathy for her. She hadn’t thought she’d been that terrible (Aunt Eileen should see her when someone cheated at ball). But her aunt looked like she was going to crawl into her sickbed.

Flint was not so sympathetic.

Calmly, he picked up his lukewarm tea and took a sip.

“As I was saying, allowances will be made for her age. In a few years, no one will remember-”

Eileen snorted, and Em cringed.

If Eileen couldn’t make any headway, then what hope did Em have?

Still, she had to try.

She had to. For everyone’s sakes.

“Flint, I… I think she’s right.”

Both adults froze and stared at her. As though a plant had suddenly started talking to them.

“What?” Eileen breathed.

Em took a deep breath and met her brother’s eyes. Talking to him, not the aunt.

“She’s right, Flint. If you could be here for the council meetings and the Season, then it wouldn’t be so bad. I could misbehave all I wanted, and they’d just think I was the weird child in the family and good gossip.”

“Em-”

She couldn’t let him talk and interrupted quickly.

“But that isn’t the case. If we want to rebuild Silver Vale, we need contacts in society. I’m the only one who can do it and right now I’m more likely to lose friends than gain them.”

Flint had nothing to say. He was staring at her in surprise… and deeply troubled.

She could see the emotion in the way his shoulders tensed, and his forehead scrunched.

“Em, these are matters for adults-”

“So is accounting. And healing stuff. And all sorts of other things. I’m a Grimshaw until I marry and right now, I’m also the face of Grimshaw.”

Flint was silent for a moment. Absorbing her words and not sure how to respond. So Em pounded in her point by making her request.

“I’d like to stay here for the Season. So Aunt Eileen can teach me how to act well.”

Eileen’s mouth fell open and Flint stared at her dumbfounded.

“But only for the Season,” Em said quickly. “I want to come home for the summer. Please?”

For an instant, no one said anything.

Then Eileen laughed and stood up. “What do you say, Flint? Will you refuse your sister? Of course you won’t! If anyone person has you whipped, it’s this little sweetheart.”

Em glared up at Eileen as the drunk woman patted her head.

“I’ll tell the staff to prepare you a permanent room.”

Eileen left. Humming to herself as the door thudded behind her.

For a long time, there was only silence.

“Did you… miss the Capital? Is that what this?”

Flint’s voice had gone completely flat. Em clenched her fists in her lap. Pain shooting through her.

With tears burning in her eyes, she shook her head.

“Did you make friends you like better-? Or… do I… am I the problem?”

Em jumped to her feet. With tears burning her eyes, she crossed the room and sat beside him. Pulling his arm into a hug as she squeezed her eyes shut.

“I don’t want to stay here.”

“Then we’ll tell Eileen never mind.”

He tried to get up but Em held on tighter. Tears beginning to choke her.

“No. I need to stay,” she croaked.

“Em-”

“I need to stay!” She didn’t mean to yell, but she had to make him understand and she didn’t know how else to do it. “For Silver Vale, for my friends, for you, I need to be here. I need to learn how to talk to people. I need to keep an eye on things. I need- I need-”

She choked, and her brother gathered her onto his lap.

She clung to his neck. Crying softly.

“Em, you don’t need to push yourself.”

“But I’m the only one who can do it,” she whispered.

“I can handle business myself.”

She shook her head. “I can watch Madeline better.”

He froze.

“I can keep an eye on her for you.”

“Em-”

“Please, Flint. I’m scared but I’m more scared of being useless. I want to come home and know that everyone is eating well, and no one is struggling cuz we couldn’t pay them. Please, let me do this.”

For a second, Flint just rocked her.

“What would you do if I refused?”

His voice was gruffer than normal.

“I’d run away and come back here.”

She meant it. And because she meant it, he heard it. And it brought to mind the terrible night he’d almost lost her. Because she’d been determined to do something he disapproved of.

What could he do against that?

Lock her up and never let her see daylight again? He’d grounded her the last time. But there was a vast difference between a day in her room and a lifetime in the dungeons.

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

“If I agree, you’ll have to let me leave you a knight. He’ll be your bodyguard and your real guardian.”

She nodded wordlessly.

“I’ll leave you Tracy as well.”

“Only if they agree,” she croaked back.

Flint hugged her tightly.

“And if you change your mind, you will tell me immediately. And I’ll come for you.”

When had her cold, stern brother become so affectionate? If she could have talked to her year-ago-self, she would have laughed at how scared she’d been of him.

“I suppose I better tell Kimball that the gate is now a priority. I want you missing as little of the summer as possible.”

She laughed.

And cried.

So instead of getting into the carriage the next day, she solemnly had breakfast with her brother and waved him off with his entourage.

All but Sir Chez and Tracy.

“This is good.”

Eileen squinted against a headache. She’d been surprised that morning to find out there was a whole conversation she couldn’t remember. But didn’t object to the outcome.

“We can slow down a little on the social events. I’ll pick more that are better suited for a child, now that we don’t have to make appearances for the royal wedding,” she mumbled under her breath as she turned back to the house. “We’ll need to study more etiquette, of course, but also conversational tactics, posture, dancing…”

Tracy put an arm around Em’s shoulder as the two of them followed Eileen inside.

Em glanced one more time toward the road, but Flint was already gone.

***

Rain pounded on the windshield until she could barely see through it. The rhythmic swish of the wiper blades was almost hypnotic as she leaned forward and squinted.

And the familiar tightness of fear and anxiety cramped her stomach.

Part of her knew it was coming before she saw the semi’s lights careening toward her. She knew. Yet it was so fast she barely had time to yank the steering wheel the other direction.

“Emmaline!”

Madeline woke with a start.

For a moment, she lay there. The moment of death was so vivid in her mind, that the chaos of what came after flashed through her memory as her dream state receded.

The day she'd gone from one life to the next in a split second.

How she'd torn apart some of the fancy room before she realized Em was not there.

Not injured or dying.

Just… gone. Everything…

Gone…

Her stomach surged with pain. Effectively ending the half awake dream.

She curled around herself and gasped through it. The stitches from her surgery pulled uncomfortably.

Damn it!

She should've taken care of this before the wedding. It had just taken a while to find a trustworthy surgeon then wait for Thiago to leave town.

She'd have to see the surgeon tomorrow. Make sure she hadn't hurt herself.

But for now…

She cried.