It was cold. Or at least I felt colder now that I was back from the Summer Court. There wasn't a crowd dancing around me anymore, nor torches to light the hall, nor that beautiful sun. It had long since disappeared. Over my head was the moon, as solemn and beautiful as I could remember, and although I felt loneliness gradually engulfing me, I didn't mind. It was something familiar. There was no getting away from it, not for too long.

Sitting on a sort of outdoor couch I had found in that empty room, I ran my fingers along the balustrade of the balcony. I liked to do this sometimes. It calmed me down. I think it was one of the habits I had acquired in childhood, a way of coping with everything that was happening.

My gaze stretched out, lost, to the horizon beyond the mansion.

I could be far away, I could be walking the path I had chosen, but I would never be able to get rid of them completely. Of the memories.

I blinked, tired, and when I opened my eyes again, Tamlin was sitting beside me. He was looking straight ahead, the hand that held his face resting on his thigh. Relaxed, thoughtful.

"Everything alright?" I asked, my voice a little hoarse.

He sighed.

"Yes, I… I think so. You?"

"Same."

I hugged my legs, tucking my head between my knees. Cicadas were singing in the distance, and a few fireflies were flying through the blue-tinged garden. It was bucolic. Serene. Beautiful, at least to me.

Tamlin breathed in, as if he was taking a breath for something, yet hesitated. But soon she broke the silence:

"I didn't see her dancing. We spent hours at the ball, and at no time did you dance."

I shrugged.

"I don't dance." I answered simply.

"Why not? You don't know how to?"

I stared at my feet, which were slipping out of my sweater. Thin, whitish lines covered my toes, slightly reddish around the edges, and extended to just above my calves. Old, but not forgotten scars.

I shook my head.

Tamlin frowned as he looked at me.

"Are you serious?"

"I just don't like it." I explained. "Unlike someone who couldn't stop waltzing with a certain princess."

"It was expected of me, wasn't it?" He replied, leaning back in his seat to get a better look at me.

I sneered.

"It's not like you were forced to do it, either."

"No, it's not." He agreed with a smile. "It was good, though. To relive the feeling of being around so many people, so many stares surrounding me, but at the same time none. It was the most fun I've had in three years." He sighed, lost in his own memories. "I didn't realize how much I had missed it until…"

"Until experiencing it all again." He nodded.

"It was worth agreeing to go to the Summer Court," He confessed, fingers drumming restlessly in his lap. "Even though we weren't planning on running into a party."

I rolled my eyes.

"And I was seen wearing that ridiculous outfit on my very first appearance as an emissary." I muttered in irritation.

Tamlin let out a muffled laugh.

"Haven't you forgotten that yet?"

"I really hated that dress." I grumbled.

"Yes, Ophelia, you already said that."

"Good, because I want all my complaints to be etched in your mind so you can never make me wear it again." I pointed out, sinking onto the sofa. "And don't ever make me wear taffeta again, it's outrageous! I looked stupid!"

Tamlin rolled his eyes with a half-smile. "You looked adorable in those long, thick, suffocating layers of skirt. You looked like a duckling as you walked, truly gracious." He teased.

"At least I was walking, you, on the other hand, became a statue!" I retorted.

"I had a good emissary by my side, there was nothing to worry about."

I squinted my eyes.

"Using flattery to try and get me to ignore my embarrassment, Tamlin Blumenthal?"

"Is it working?" His voice was a sweet, almost intimate whisper.

I snickered.

"Do you think I'm Cresseida?" I shot back, sourly. "Forget it. I won't forgive you for making me look like a creature from the time of our great-great-great-grandparents."

"You didn't look that old-fashioned."

"Ah!" I pointed a finger in his direction. "There's the truth: I was looking old-fashioned!"

"So what? It was my mother's dress, one that barely fit you, what did you expect it to look like?"

"Maybe if you had let me wear my clothes, I'd…"

He threw back his head, cursing, in an attitude completely unworthy of a High Lord.

"To hell with these clothes!"

"Tamlin!" I scolded him.

"They wouldn't suit the occasion at all, and you know it! You're just too stubborn to admit it!"

I opened my mouth to give him retort his claims, but a particularly strong wind made my body shiver.

Noticing how cold it was, Tamlin spoke up:

"Let's go inside. The weather is changing, you might catch a cold."

I sighed, but nodded.

He closed the balcony door behind us, silent.

The whole ride to the living room continued in the same way, not another word exchanged between us. But it wasn't bad. It was comfortable. Natural.

I raised an eyebrow when I saw a tray on the coffee table, with two cups and a teapot, and turned to Tamlin.

"Did you make tea?"

He shrugged.

"I can't cook, but I can boil water."

"Why?"

"It's cold, we've had a long day. Tea helps to relax." He explained simply.

"Hm."

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Go ahead, Ophelia."

"You also lit the fireplace." I pointed out. "You never did that."

He continued to pour the tea into the two cups, oblivious to what I had said. I even thought he hadn't heard me, but Tamlin answered me:

"I thought it would be courteous." He looked a bit uncomfortable, his handsome face frowning in hesitation.

"It is." I replied as I took the porcelain in my hands, my fingers brushing against his for the tiniest moment. I smiled. "Thank you very much."

Tamlin looked down at his hands, but then nodded.

We sat next to each other, staring into the crackling fireplace as we drank. It was fennel tea. In the half-light, the cream-colored room looked infinitely more beautiful. It was as if it had been built for the moment when there were reddish lights in a central spot, dark skies outside, soft rugs, and cozy covers inside.

Maybe this was how people felt when they were with their families. Welcomed. Secure.

It would have been nice to experience such a feeling in my childhood.

"I couldn't discuss anything with Tarquin." I told him, circling the rim of the cup with my fingers. "I briefly explained the topic I wanted to talk to him about, but he said he couldn't get into politics today. A promise to his cousin or something like that."

"We went there for nothing, then?"

I shook my head.

"He invited me to do so during the next event we meet."

Tamlin frowned in displeasure.

"But that could take months! Who in their right mind…"

"In two moons." I interrupted. "Something about a festival of the Dawn."

"Wait, the Daybreak Festival? But that only takes place after the equinox!"

I put one hand on my mouth, suppressing a giggle.

"Tamlin, it is early fall. The equinox has already happened."

His eyes widened and met mine, surprise all over his face.

"What? Since when?"

"A few days ago, actually. Probably the celebration Tarquin prepared was to end the season with pomp and circumstance…"

"And when were you going to tell me about this?" He asked, exasperated.

"I wasn't. I thought you already knew."

He cursed, pinching the bridge of his nose with his free hand. Finally, he sighed. "Fine, the sooner we discuss this with him, the better. Less time for these creatures to keep prowling around my land… If they were naga like the ones I've dealt with before, I would take care of the issue, but…"

"We don't even know how many of them there are, and even if they were common naga, going alone would be too risky." I reminded him. I looked out the window, at the distant golden gates. I clicked my tongue. "By the way, I'll take the groceries to town tomorrow."

"Good. I'll come with you."

"No way!"

"Why not?" He asked impatiently. "I'm the one who paid for everything, aren't I?"

"Yes, but it was also you who caused the horrible situation they are in." He crossed his arms. "To say that they don't like you is an understatement."

"But…"

"Tamlin, no. It's not the right time yet. Let me build a friendly relationship with the people there first, they need to feel comfortable. You can't just arrive there after three years of misery and pretend that nothing happened!"

"I am their High Lord! I should be able to go anywhere I want!"

I breathed in. Breathed out.

"Tamlin," My voice came out harsh. "It is precisely because of thoughts like this that Spring is the way it is! If you go now, you'll end up dead! Stop being stubborn!"

He said nothing, just continued to stare at me. I could see the heat of anger in his eyes. The desire he felt to grab my neck and choke me right now, to yell at me for even raising my voice at him. A bastard talking like that to a High Lord? Unacceptable.

There was nothing to stop him from doing that.

Witnesses? None. My dagger? In the bag on the other side of the room. An escape route? Also non-existent — he knew that mansion like the palm of his hand, he had lived there all his life, no place was obscure to him.

He could choke me if he wanted to. Beat me. Even kill me, if he was feeling particularly offended.

But he only grunted like an animal.

"You drive me crazy!"

"I guess we're even, then!"

"Arrogant little thing…" He muttered.

"Stubborn beast."

He narrowed his eyes at me. Quiet. Evaluative. And, out of nowhere, he asked me: "What were you talking to Lucien about?"

I frowned.

"Huh?"

"With Lucien. What were you talking about when I arrived?"

"What does this have to do with..." I sighed. "Tamlin, honestly, you make nonsense questions more frequently than I'd like."

"What are you hiding, Ophelia?"

For an instant, Tamlin's accusatory tone made something in me stir. It was strange. A chill in my stomach that spread to my chest, seeming to tense it. Unknown. Uncertain. I felt like a reckless child about to be caught doing something prohibited.

But my conscience was clear. I hadn't done anything wrong. So what was the reason behind this feeling?

"Nothing. I'm not hiding anything." I took my free hand to the gravel pendant around my neck. "But maybe I… Well, I forgot to tell you something. Lucien and I already knew each other."

My cousin stared at me, expressionless.

"Hm."

"He sort of helped me escape from the naga that night."

"Lucien?" He repeated, surprised and confused. "What the hell was Lucien doing here?"

"I don't know. But if it hadn't been for him, I probably would not have…" I took a deep breath, the bitterness of the truth on the tip of my tongue. "I wouldn't have come home."

The term slipped out before I noticed. Home. I had been here less than two months, and somehow I felt more comfortable than all the years in my father's mansion in Vallahan.

How curious.

Tamlin pursed his lips. "He was pestering you about that, wasn't he?" When I didn't answer, he sighed. "Typical."

"He's arrogant. And annoying." I added. "I've only met him twice and I wonder how he hasn't been killed yet."

Tamlin gave a half-smile.

"They have tried."

"I'm not surprised at all."

"Try to stay away from him. It is not good for my emissary to be seen with a traitor who has eaten at my table for so many years, especially when the situation of my court is so fragile. And, well, as a female, this could have a worse impact on your reputation."

"Rest assured, Tamlin." I replied, giving him a gentle pat on the wrist. My eyes remained fixed on the flames of the fireplace. Red. Intense. "Interacting with Lucien is the last thing I want."

The sound of the Mint's hooves echoed through the empty, bucolic alleys, as did the faint rustling of the wind that accompanied us. Now, with the sun beginning to rise behind the tall greenish hills, I could clearly see the colors that tinted the different walls, houses, and roads.

Even though they were faded, the vividness they possessed made me feel welcome and awake. I could practically see what this place had been before Hybern.

It was as if looking at the ghost of what had once been the heart of the Spring Court was enough to submerge me in a kaleidoscope of sensations. Although far from all its former splendor, the Valley of Joy still managed to be intoxicating enough for me to hold my breath and smile as I walked through its brick streets.

My vision caught sight of a tree at the fork between two abandoned houses. It was leafy, thick-wooded, and noticeably old. Its branches had withered, almost grayish leaves, and a few broken branches were piled up around it on the ground. But it was none of this that caught my attention.

A figure was kneeling at the foot of the tree, his hands tucked between the roots as he carefully stirred the earth. A small mound appeared quickly, and in its center was something small, pale, that I could not discern from afar.

When I was close enough, I got down from Mint, eyes fixed on the whitish spot.

"Good morning!"

When he turned his face, I was startled to realize that it was the male I had met in the tavern — the same male who had doubted I would make it to Rosehall alive. I took a step back, straightening my posture. I needed to look confident.

He arched an eyebrow.

"Well, well, the little female didn't become naga food, how interesting," He said, wiping his hands of the excess dirt.

"Surprised?"

"Intrigued, actually. Naga do not dispense with easy prey."

"That's because I'm not one," I retorted, a slightly acid tone in my voice.

"Or they didn't find you appetizing enough," He pointed out. "In the last nine months, these creatures have eaten six of the remaining villagers, and all of them were brave warriors. All were much stronger than you."

"And yet the one who is alive is me," I declared, squinting my eyes.

The male gave me a wry smile. "Good point."

There was silence between us for a few seconds before he began to pour some water on the mound of earth.

"What are you doing? " I asked.

His green eyes watched me for a few moments, and, finally, he gestured for me to come closer to him. Kneeling down beside him, I could finally see what the tiny white spot was all about. "A sprout!" I exclaimed, turning my face to face him: "I thought you said the earth was no longer fertile!

"It isn't," He said, a deep wrinkle forming between his eyebrows, "But somehow this seed is germinating without the necessary nutrients. It's weird.

"I suppose you already know what flower is growing, then?"

He shook his head, long black hair falling like rain down his shoulders in the process.

"I have never seen anything like it before."

"Maybe it was brought here by the trip you make to buy food," I pondered, squinting my eyes to get a better look at it.

He just shrugged. "It could be. It's certainly not a native of Spring."

"By the way, I would like to talk to the community leader about this."

"About the plant? " He asked, confused.

"No, about the travels," I answered, watching him hook the water canteen on his belt, right next to the huge axe, and get up from the ground.

"In that case, go ahead."

I frowned. "Pardon me?"

"You want to talk to the leader of the Valley of Joy, so go ahead."

I raised my eyebrows as his words became clear, and a soft sound escaped my parted lips. "You are the leader?" I asked, slightly perplexed.

"Why? Did you expect someone with fancy clothes, a soft voice, and fake smiles?" He replied, crossing his arms.

"Never mind, it's not important. We haven't been formally introduced yet," I lifted my chin, supporting his suspicious gaze, and held out my hand, "I am Ophelia Olaris."

He just glanced at her and turned his face toward one of the hills, the sun's rays making his eyes glow like greenish fire.

"Tassarion Ilidithas."

I lowered my hand and cleared my throat. "Well, Tassarion, I have come here to tell you that the trips you organize will no longer be necessary. I will take responsibility for bringing food at least once a week to avoid any risk to your lives. The cart that my mare is pulling is carrying the—"

"No," he interrupted me immediately, turning his back on me as he walked away, causing me to widen my eyes. "No way."

"Why not?'" I questioned, indignant, and followed him.

"I don't trust you."

"But I want to help!"

"Who's to say that you don't want to poison us to free the one you serve from resistance and burdens?"

"The High Lord has nothing to do with what I'm doing!"

The male grunted, stopping to stare at me with contempt. "Do you think I'm a fool?" His voice was a low, dangerous growl. "First, you, a complete stranger, appear searching for the High Lord. Then you disappear for many moons without a trace. And suddenly you come back, well and apparently healthy, with a huge load of food? Do you really expect me not to realize who paid for all this?"

He came closer and closer until my back crashed into the wall of a house. I held my breath. He was much taller than me, his silhouette completely engulfing me, as did the rage in his green eyes. The axe gleamed in his belt, a message of what he really was: a hunter. Infinitely stronger, more agile, more experienced than I was.

I swallowed hard, my heart beating like a drum in my chest as his face came closer to mine, his long black strands brushing against my collarbones.

"Get out of my city right now," His voice was nothing but pure venom, "Or I swear to the Mother you'll regret it. Do you understand me, female?"

I gritted my jaw, hands balled into fists at my sides.

"I only wish to help. "

"And I told you I don't want your help! Take this pathetic attempt to buy us back to your damned master and get out of my sight!"

"I—"

"GET OUT!" He shouted, completely enraged.

I held my breath. I took a few steps back, holding his hate-filled gaze, and when I thought I was far enough away not to be attacked, I turned to Mint.

When I stopped beside him, I took one last look at Tassarion. He was still in the same place. Stiff. Apparently willing to make good on his promise to punish me if I did not obey his order.

I frowned. There was something familiar about him, the way he behaved, but I couldn't identify what it was.

I gave Mint's reins a gentle tug so that we could return to Rosehall.

The alleys appeared and disappeared around me again, indicating that I was slowly approaching the city limits for the second time that morning. I had gone there for nothing. My attempt to try to make those people safer had proved fruitless.

I kicked a pebble, swearing. Threatened and incapacitated before the day had even begun in earnest. Great.

The town square appeared before my eyes, large, bright, and full of colorful birds that seemed to collect insects from the ground before flying away. I observed the scene for a few minutes. I could not remember seeing animals in this court for some time, except for owls and a few mice. Not diurnal animals.

I brought my hand to the gravel pendant on my neck.

This square looked different compared to the last time I had been here, and I wasn't just referring to the absence of rain.

My gaze wandered to an aging wooden door, just like when I first arrived in Joy Valley. An idea flashed through my mind. I arched an eyebrow, a smirk on my lips, and headed with Minty to the small tavern.

Checking my surroundings so as not to be surprised by Tassarion, I took box after box off the cart, stacking them in such a way as to prevent them from falling and spoiling the food. Carrots, potatoes, beets… The boxes were full of them. If my calculations were correct, the amount of food I had bought at the Summer Court would last until our visit to Dawn. They could last until then without having to travel.

I could not let any more residents of the Spring Court be slaughtered. The era of death and despair was nearing its end.

Tassarion would hate me, of course, but that didn't affect me. As long as those people were safe and their bellies satiated, any and all threats I received from that brute would be worth it.

I took a sheet of paper and, dipping my quill into the inkwell, wrote as fast as I could, my eyes aware of any and all movement. When I finished, I opened the top box and placed the note inside.

I took a deep breath. It was done.

I mounted Mint, smiling, and, finally, we headed home.