The gold cuff shimmered in the sunlight, glistening with the aura of magic that he had grown quite accustomed to. Up close, he noticed it had similar intricate engraved patterns to the book's cover. Most of it was meaningless swirls, but the emblem of the sun did appear in a few places along the rim of the cuff.

He must have hesitated too long, as she grabbed his wrist and yanked it toward her. Before he could protest, she clamped the cuff around his right wrist. It fit rather snuggly, pressing his black sleeve against his skin, but it wasn't uncomfortable.

"What's this for?" he asked, lifting his arm to test the weight. It was surprisingly light and didn't limit the motion of his wrist too much.

"This is how you'll be recognized as an official guest. I got away without this last time since you didn't actually set foot in the palace, but our destination for this trip is the palace. It's also to ensure the barrier doesn't try to reject you—I believe you got... lucky last time." She waved the question away, showing off her now-bare wrist. The sight was strikingly awkward, and the lack of a cuff revealed how thin her wrists truly were. As she caught him staring, she tucked her hand back under her scarlet cloak, a frown forming on her lips.

Clearing his throat, he pinned his gaze on the book again. "Sorry. It's strange to see you without the bracelet is all."

She chuckled as she turned on her heel. "I didn't know you stared at me that much."

"Only your hands," he mumbled. Only after the words left his lips did his face warm with embarrassment. He inwardly winced, his shoulders tensing. Some part of him pleaded that she wouldn't hear him, hoping perhaps the chatter of the streets would carry his words away.

But she did, and she laughed—that angelic, soft sound that made his heart flutter—and glanced over her shoulder at him to smile. "Are you hoping to get to hold them again?" she asked, a teasing light flitting through her hazel eyes.

"No," he snapped, a little too quickly. The warmth spread to his ears and he cleared his throat again. Tucking the book under one arm, he walked past her. "Let's get going, shall we?"

"Of course," she said, smothering another bout of giggles beneath her hand. She quickly overtook him to lead the way, weaving in and around the crowds as they grew thicker the further they wandered from the tavern. Smiling brightly, she glanced back a few times to make sure he was keeping up.

He found that his steps quickened when she was looking at him. To keep from losing her in the crowd, he matched his pace to hers and walked purposely by her side. His hand brushed hers; she looked up in surprise, but it only took a moment before that sly, teasing smile returned. Hardening his expression, he withdrew his hand and opened the book instead.

Weathered, yellowed pages crinkled beneath his fingers as he cracked the book open. The smooth cover slid easily against his fingers, bending with his hands as he flipped through the pages. Each one was filled with a precisely written script, creating neat, straight rows across the surface of the paper. The letters were unfamiliar to him, but their delicate curves and sharp edges were artfully crafted. Even if he couldn't read it, he could stare at it forever.

"Is this written in Nivean?" he asked, turning the page over. The next one depicted the image of a fiery bird—a phoenix, he recalled.

"It is," Cinere replied.

"I can't read it, but your language is beautiful."

"Oh. Thank you." She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, a slight blush creeping into her dark skin. "I could teach you."

For a moment, he entertained the thought. He had never been particularly good at mastering languages, but his master had always been fascinated with them. If he were to leave Furvus, it would be useful to learn another language—though all five kingdoms used Common for most everyday uses, hence its name. It pained him how easy it was to imagine learning Nivean from Cinere, but it was something he could never do.

"I'd like that," he murmured. "Unfortunately, I won't be staying in Crocea long enough to learn."

"Oh," she said again, but this time, the simple word hung heavy with disappointment. Her shoulders drooped ever so slightly, and her steps faltered, the heel of her boots clicking against the cobblestone. Shaking her head, she straightened herself and cleared her throat before continuing. "I see. That's a shame."

He flipped the page again. There were no pictures this time, and he was lost in the sea of words with nothing to anchor himself to. Sighing, he closed the book. "Since I can't read it, can you just tell me what's in it?"

Sighing, she massaged her temples as she walked. "I can't believe it. You had one job and that was to read."

"I didn't know you were asking me to read another language."

"You don't actually have to read. You can pretend," she said.

Felix narrowed his eyes down at her and tucked the book away. Ahead, the inner wall drew closer as the crowds thinned. As it was before, there were very few people lingering near the palace gates. The crowds were concentrated on the streets, where the shop owners continued their daily calls to the masses for attention. Music drifted toward them from the squares as the afternoon lulled closer to evening. The festive attitude of the townsfolk penetrated the haze that clung to Felix's mind.

Perhaps Aiko didn't mind the crowds so much as long as they kept away from her palace. He couldn't blame her. If he locked himself away behind the protective walls of his wealth, perhaps he would find happiness in the solitude as well. When alone, there was no need to worry about a knife biting through his flesh, or forcing himself to analyze and think through every little thing another person did. In solitude, he found peace. It was his freedom from the suffocating air that surrounded other people.

Yet it wasn't truly free. He could be alone and still be in a cage.

Looking up at the castle beyond the walls, its gold roofs shimmering in the sunlight, it seemed to loom over him. In some ways, it was another kind of cage. If Aiko favored her solitude, he wondered what she would do during her coronation, when her palace was crowded with nobles, lords, ladies, and other guests.

He shook the thought away. Focus, Felix. You're drifting again. Straightening his spine and pushing his shoulders back, he let his gaze slide back to Cinere. She was his guide, and it was only fair if he let her presence anchor him in the moment. First, I want to see this Core. If it's connected to Aiko and her curse, I need to know if it's dangerous.

Cinere glanced back at him again, her gaze simmering thoughtfully. She pursed her lips and studied him. Finally, she turned away and brushed her long, curly locks of dark brown hair over her shoulder. "It's a book about Nivean mythology," she explained.

It took him a moment to remember his question. The weight of the book settled in his hand again as he snapped back to the presence. Reshaping his blank, he nodded along as she went on.

"It tells that story of the phoenix god and the creation of the Ember Core. You could say it has something to do with Aiko. That's why I brought it—partially, anyway. But if you can't read it..."

The sentence trailed off, but he was sure they both knew what the end of it was. There was truly no need for her to have gone so far if he couldn't even read it, but she was fueling his interest—continually, she was supporting him in his search, without truly knowing what his motives were. Rather that was because it aided her or because of something else, he wasn't sure. Either way, he found that the sight of the book in his hands brought a small smile to his face. His gut twisted painfully, and yet he couldn't shake the smile that penetrated his blank.

He could almost thank her, though the reason for it would perhaps break her. She was his pawn, and he would make use of her—innocence or not, she was willing to allow him to bend her to his will.

He could almost thank her.

Thinking better of that, he resolved to keep quiet. The rest of the walk remained in silence, though the fluttering melody of muffled music drifted toward them from the streets they left behind. The only moment that they chose to break the quiet was when they reached the gates to the inner wall and Cinere stopped to exchange a few words with the guards again. This time, Felix waved his bracelet to them for clearance. They seemed much more at ease with his presence and even dipped their heads to him respectfully.

Perhaps he should have just swiped one of her bracelets and marched right in with confidence from the beginning.

"This way," Cinere said, gesturing with the sweep of her arm to the palace. A friendly and opening smile took over her expression, but there was something distant about it. Perhaps it was the stiff way in which she dipped her head to him or the way she turned on her heel. Her red skirts settled against her, and she paused for another moment before continuing on her way.

In the daylight, the winding paths of the courtyard revealed themselves—a maze-like design that twisted and curved through the gardens. The palace sat above it all, its gold-woven roof shimmering in the sunlight. Felix couldn't help but feel his gaze drift toward the windows and towers again, searching for some lucky sign of Aiko. Servants drifted by, but there was never any sign of a soon-to-be queen lingering where all could see her. Unless she preferred to dress in the simple garb of her palace staff, in which case, he would never be able to find her until she was crowned and presented before the city of Crocea as queen.

Cinere guided him down a small, worn path that veered off from the main one. The flourishing rose bushes and perfectly trimmed flowerbeds slowly thinned out until he found himself in a more simple side of the palace, nearer to the back wall. A packed dirt path led away from the palace toward the stables, where a handful of younger-looking servants were busy tending to the horses. They didn't so much as look up as Cinere and Felix drew near.

Cinere guided him the other way, and they came to a flight of steps that dipped down into an alcove, where a small door waited below. Shadows lingered over the alcove, blocking the light from penetrating through. Felix studied the simple wooden door. It was nothing special, and yet he couldn't ignore how ominous it appeared.

"A servant's entrance," Cinere said, standing beside him and peering down the steps. "It doesn't get much use anymore because these steps aren't too helpful for carrying things out—I also have heard one too many people slipped here in the rain."

"I see." He filed that information away. A servant's entrance that didn't see much use would be perfect—as long as the thick shadows didn't latch onto him and drag him into their depths.

Inwardly, he frowned at that idea. He worked primarily in the shadows. They were his closest comrades; he had nothing to fear from them. Shutting that away, he followed Cinere down the steps.

The door creaked open, swinging inwards into a dark corridor. A musty smell lingered in the air, and Felix's steps echoed in the silence as he made his way inside. Cinere shut the door behind the two of them, locking them in darkness. He clung tighter to the book in his hand, inhaling sharply as his heart fluttered nervously. It took a few seconds before his eyes began to adjust to the dark, allowing him to make out the faint shape of the walls that rose up on either side of them, as well as the faint light at the end of the hall. The silence pressed heavily against him, as invasive and cold as the damp air that hung in the hall.

Cinere's boots tapped against the stone, her shoulder brushing past his arm. In the dark, he couldn't make out her face, and her blank gave off no cues as to what her expression might be. His only clue was the soft whoosh of her breath as she sighed.

"Follow me, then. Try not to wander too far."

I like to call this the "Felix is wishy-washy in his intentions and Cinere is being really sus but they flirt badly with each other anyway" chapter. You can probably see why.

Always follow pretty strangers into suspicious dark hallways. That will never go wrong, ever. 

See you next update! I promise there will be more stabbing next time ;)