Recap: "You know," [Channary] started, "if you had Lunar powers, I would think you were using them on me. I'm just as confused as you are, Torin."

Revivements

Days passed, then weeks. Each day, the dark aura around Torin thickened. He was absorbed in his own thoughts, and he did not utter a word. His posture was tightened, his face more concealing.

Then Rikan began to feel it again. A little bit of Torin's excitement coming back. The curious light in his eyes, though dulled, had somewhat returned.

Given, he had been quiet before–at times, basically a walking corpse–but now, he had regained some more of his life.

Rikan asked Torin about it, to which he just shrugged.

"I'm only going to see Channary until the end of this trip."

"Which isn't over until my father says it is, so it could last for months, maybe years," Rikan added.

"Or maybe just days," Torin replied, that sly smirk back on his face. Rikan couldn't help it, he pulled his friend into a tight embrace.

"Torin..."

"Rikan?"

Rikan closed his eyes. "Thanks for not going out on me."

Torin pulled away. "No. Rikan, I won't ever. You were right. Channary isn't good for me, and thinking about her just makes everything worse. I refuse to even think about her."

Rikan was shaking his head before Torin could even finish. "Don't make promises you can't keep."

"But I–"

"I know you, Torin. You'll think about her. Just... Don't obsess."

"I never–"

Rikan raised an eyebrow, cutting him off. Torin rolled his eyes.

"Let's do something," suggested Rikan. "Walk with me?"

Torin gave a slight bow. "Of course, Your Highness."

"Shut it."

And so they walked together, yet Rikan couldn't shake the feeling that there was something Torin wasn't telling him. How did he recover that quickly?

Torin felt a little bad about lying to Rikan. However, he knew it was the only way for Rikan to look happy again. The idiotic prince was always so concerned about Torin's well-being.

Notwithstanding, not all of what Torin had said was false. He had attempted to push all thoughts of Channary to the side, knowing it would cause him pain. That truth he told. Yet Rikan had an uncanny way of knowing things. He knew that Torin hasn't completely stopped thinking about her. He just couldn't.

Later that day, Rikan had invited Torin to play chess. The game caused a terrible longing in Torin's gut. His want for their witty exchanges once again.

They had walked around the gardens. This brought back memories of their conversation. Could it be possible that she wasn't playing with him? He desperately wanted to believe her, no matter how many times he shoved that feeling down.

Every time he had seen a Lunar, a feeling of enmity arose in his stomach for what destruction they had caused to his family. But... Maybe all Lunars weren't so bad?

Shut. Up. Torin, he growled at himself. Maybe some were good, maybe, but not Channary. Never Channary.

(But maybe she deserved a chance?)

Several days later, Torin found himself sitting on the garden bench. The same bench he had seen Channary sitting on the day he had caught her unhappy.

"Torin. I want to have a word with you."

Torin hadn't heard that voice in... Days? Weeks? He couldn't remember. He looked up and, sure enough, there was Channary in all her fascinating glory.

"What do you want?" He hadn't meant to sound harsh. Or maybe he had?

Channary's eyes were firm, her mouth set grim.

"Here's the deal: you will not lash out at me or yell at me. For right now while I'm saying something, at least. Okay?"

"Well, what're you going to say?" Torin asked. Her eyes did not flicker in amusement.

"Promise?"

It hit Torin harder than expected. He recognized that look. It was a look he had seen every time he had looked in the mirror until recently.

She was slightly afraid of him. She was trying not to show it. This time he couldn't deny it; he hated that feeling of scaring someone. He didn't want Channary to be afraid of him. Torin took a deep breath and looked her in the eye.

"Of course."

She closed her eyes then started talking. "You had accused me of using glamour on you, yes?"

Torin nodded, though now he wasn't so sure. "Yes."

"You had said that I was twisting your thoughts. When was this happening? Was it only around me?"

Torin shifted his weight, thinking. No, it hadn't been only around her. His thoughts had been twisted every waking moment before he had decided that she wasn't worth it.

(But maybe she was?)

"It wasn't always around you," Torin said simply. He wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of knowing she graced his thoughts during the day and haunted them during the night.

Channary seemed convinced of his answer.

"Torin, the only way I can use glamour is if I'm near you. Most of the time now I don't even know where you are."

Torin's eyes widened slightly. This meant... No. She had to have been using her glamour. She must have been. But, in his logical mind, he knew what she was saying was true. It didn't make sense for glamour to work that way.

"You could be lying," Torin retaliated for some unknown reason.

Channary sighed and opened her eyes, "Yes. That's a risk you and I both will have to take."

Silence. Then Channary's eyes light up with an idea.

"I could glamour you so you know what it feels like," she offered bluntly. Torin was confused.

"Why are you offering me this? Don't Lunars just... do it?"

Channary's eyes seemed to soften. "It depends on the person."

What did that even mean?!

"Let me think for a second." Channary nodded solemnly and backed off.

This seems like an awful idea. She could be tricking me, but I don't think she is. After all, if I know what glamour feels like by my own will, then when it's not by my own will, I will know what it's like and I can control myself from freaking out.

"One condition."

"Yes?" Channary looked hopeful. She was awfully eager to prove that she wasn't glamouring him.

"You don't control my mouth. We'll have a safe word so you must stop if I say it."

"Of course." Channary looked relieved. "What shall it be?"

"I'll just say your name," Torin suggested. Channary nodded and avoided eye contact. Was she... Blushing? Why did she act so differently around him?

"Okay. So here goes."

Torin felt nothing. Nothing was happening. Suddenly, he felt his left arm rise up. Then his right. They both dropped back down and he was unable to move. Horror filled him. He hated being not in control. Especially over his own body.

"Now I'm going to mess with your mind, but no so much you can't speak. Look at me."

Torin obliged. Channary looked like an angel. Wide brown eyes, flawless skin, glowing smile. Curtains of thick brown hair, perfect posture. She looked stunning. He felt his heart speeding up...

Torin immediately wanted his own thoughts back.

"Channary," he gasped. His arms went limp, his vision reverted. But, somehow, Channary looked the same.

"Channary! Stop glamouring me."

Channary looked at him in surprise. "I'm not!"

"Then how come..." He drifted off. Every bit of himself raged against the truth. The glamour hadn't changed how he had seen Channary at all. It had just helped him realized how he really saw her.

Torin nodded curtly, flushing slightly. "Yeah, you weren't."

Channary stood there awkwardly for a while. Torin decided to break the silence.

"How are you, Queen Channary?"

She avoided the question. "Things just happen. You, Torin?"

Torin felt a smile quirk his lips. "Don't you know, my Queen? 'Things just happen.'"

Channary's eyes glittered in amusement. "I must admit, you don't seem to be the type to let things 'just happen.'"

"And neither do you."

"Touchè."

They stood there. Then they both started to laugh. He hadn't laughed in the longest time and as he laughed some of his distress evaporated.

They had civil conversation and Torin let her sit next to him against all his red flags.

There was a comfortable silence at one point.

"Torin?"

"Yes?"

"Have you ever been in love?"

Torin straightened and tossed a sharp glance at her. "Why might you ask?"

"Curiosity," she replied with a nervous smile. She seemed to have an answer she wanted him to say. Torin didn't know what that answer was and he wanted to be honest.

"No. Have you?"

Channary's face relaxed and she gave him a flirtatious smirk.

"That's for me to know and you to find out, my dear."

Torin's heart stalled. In their game of chess, her queen piece was getting dangerously close to a checkmate.

A/N: *sigh of relief* Okay, so I always write two chapters ahead of what I've posted - so this being posted means Chapter 12 is done. And, oh my goodness, I'm so happy it is. That took forever. XD

I've always thought of the number 10 being an important number, since it is the first double digit and the base number for our counting system and so on. It's funny how such an important chapter happened to be Chapter 10 as well!

Also - *IMPORTANT NOTE*: On my introduction, I keep account of when updates are on my stories and, if a chapter is taking a while, why it is taking that long.

Thank you for your patience! And a review would mean the world to me!