We make it home by sunset, earlier than anticipated. Mare and Cal still aren't speaking to each other, but Kilorn has waited for her patiently. Cal should take some lessons from the fish boy. Maybe then he'll have a chance with Mare again. Hurrying to my bed chambers, I expect Elane to be there. But when my room comes up empty, I try to suppress the wave of disappointment in my chest. Oh well, I'll see her when she comes back by nightfall, as she always does. I can't blame her for being stuck here all day. Oh, how I despise these missions, and this marriage to Cal.

I call for the maids to prepare a bath for me, which I enjoy as long as I can. They bring a tray of tea to further unwind the stress from a long day of fighting. My skin is smooth and untouched, the Skin healers having done a fine job before coming back home. I wash the blood out of my hair and scrub my skin with scented soaps, choosing Elane's favorite. I wonder where she could be.

Stepping out of the bath, I wrap myself in a fine silk robe and put on some slippers. I wait. And I wait. Until an hour and a half has gone by and an empty tray of food sits on my table, having been devoured in the last 30 minutes. Unable to wait any longer, I put on something nice and find myself in front of Tolly's door. I knock twice. No response. This time, I knock louder, growing impatient. I hear fumbling on the other side of the door, and it flies open. Ptolemus stands before me in a silk robe that matches my own, and Wren is behind him. Her face is pure embarrassment.

"Oh," Ptolemus says awkwardly. "How was your mission?"

Wren's face is turning paler by the second.

"Fine." I say curtly. I don't care much for Wren. That is Ptolemus's lover, just a Skin healer. "Have you seen Elane?"

Ptolemus glances at Wren, who shakes her head. "We haven't seen her all day. She may have returned home briefly. She's been homesick lately, you know?"

I frown. "She would normally leave a note behind."

Ptolemus shrugs, unable to help. Wren looks like she's ready for me to leave. I begin to turn away, leaving them to each other. "Well, if you see her, can you send her over to me?"

Tolly nods immediately, "Will do." And the door is shut before I've even started walking away.

At a loss for what to do, I wander the palace. The halls are big and my footsteps echo back at me. Mother and Father are in bed already. The rest of the teams have probably retreated into their bed chambers, tired from the mission. I was hoping to be in my own room with Elane by the time I had gotten back. Turning a corner, I see a gangly boy with sandy hair walking away. It's the boy who's always with Mare. But this time, he's without her. Perhaps I can convince him to knock some sense into Mare, get her to sway Cal's lack of authority in our marriage so that they end up together. Not exactly how I wanted to spend part of my night, but in the meantime...

"Fish boy!" I call out.

Slowly he turns, with a dumb expression on his face. He points at himself. "Are you talking to me? My name is Kilorn."

I bounce into step beside him and he regards me cautiously. "Don't worry, I don't bite. My mother is the one with the animals, not me."

Kilorn relaxes a tiny bit. "Uh, what do you need?"

"How's Mare doing?"

"She's okay. Resting right now. I heard you saved her." He raises a brow at me.

"I did. Because Cal wouldn't kill the guards," I mutter, still peeved. Kilorn watches me warily.

"Did you need something?"

I smile at him sweetly, which I'm sure only creeps him out more. "Do you know how Mare feels about Cal?"

His expression forces itself into something neutral. "She doesn't approve of him becoming king of Norta."

Well, obviously. "I meant along the lines of more romantically."

He stares straight ahead. "I wouldn't know. I would hope she's done with him."

"Hmm," I pretend to muse. "What a shame. Mare would have been an excellent queen. Plus, she's the only one Cal wants."

"You're telling me this because…?"

"Maybe you can talk some sense into her," I look at him, sharply. Kilorn looks back at me with green, emerald eyes. What pretty eyes for an undeserving boy.

"And why would I do that?" He slows down to a stop, in front of his bedroom, I assume.

I shrug. "To be a good friend. It would help us a lot on missions, improve our teamwork."

Kilorn folds his arms across his chest. "If I were a good friend, I would tell her to never go back to that traitor ever again."

"Is it because you still have feelings for her?"

"W-What?" he sputters out. His face turns red. "No! I don't. Mare's a really good friend to me. I just don't want her getting hurt by him."

I give him a skeptical expression, and he avoids eye contact with me. "Anyway," he continues. "Aren't you supposed to be with your girlfriend or whatever? The redhead?"

"How do you know about that?"

Shrugging, he goes, "Isn't it obvious? You guys are always together. I see her coming from your room all the time."

"I haven't seen her."

"But wait," Kilorn puts his hand to his chin, remembering something. It's almost like a light bulb visibly lighting up. "I thought she was engaged to your brother."

"She is."

Kilorn wears a puzzled expression. It's interesting to watch his face transform slowly into realization. "Oh, I get it now," he says. "You want Mare to end up with Cal, so you don't have to be with him. You can be with your girlfriend instead."

Bingo. "You're a smart one."

"Hey!" he says, insulted. "It's not hard to figure out this whole shady Silver business. After all, everyone's only looking out for themselves, right? That's how you guys work?"

"To a certain extent. Aren't all humans the same?" I shrug.

"But how do you intend to be with her if she's going to marry someone else?"

I sigh. Must I explain everything?

"If I marry Cal, I'll be forced to live in Norta with him, away from Elane. Now that The Rift is our own family palace, she'll be forced to live here with my brother."

"Ah," Kilorn nods, finally getting it. He's a slow one, it explains why Mare is so protective of him. The girl goes crazy whenever he puts himself in danger. I'm beginning to doubt my chances at this fish boy helping me get Cal and Mare back together again.

"So are you willing to help or not?" I ask.

Kilorn shakes his head. "I wish I could but it's not my decision to make. It's Mare's."

"Can't you convince her?" I grit out. "Push her his way, teach Cal how to be more like you?"

"More like me?"

"Yes, like a puppy waiting for its owner."

Kilorn frowns. "Is that how I look to everyone?"

I don't say anything, knowing I can't rely on his help anymore. He's too distracted by other factors. "Sorry, Evangeline. Can't do much."

He opens the door to his room and closes it after wishing me a goodnight. What a hopeless approach. I sigh and walk back dejectedly to my room. I wish those two would make up already. My plan to pair them together is still in effect, I was just hoping for some help. Guess I'll have to go at it alone.