"I'm Emma Tolly," said Emma, attempting another smile as she shook his hand.

"Emma..." Lucas said, smiling at her, revealing perfect, even teeth. "...pleasure." His voice was almost a purr. "Well, if you're not too...erm...busy," he said, his voice now like silk, getting into Emma's consciousness and clouding her brain, "I'm a bit lost. It's a very big school, and I don't know anyone."

"Oh sure, do you know where you were going?" Emma managed to smile, forgetting, for the moment, her recent disappointment.

"The..." he pulled out a piece of paper and read aloud, "Art Dormitories...but I think I can find those okay, the paintbrushes, right?"

Emma nodded, smiling pleasantly.

"I really need help finding, the Red King's Room. I've asked everyone I've met and no one could show me..." he shrugged pitifully.

"Oh, I was...just on my way there." Emma surprised herself as those words tumbled out of her mouth. She was in fact running as far away from the King's Room as she could manage.

"...perrrfect." Again the word came out in a sort of purr. Emma didn't concern herself with this. All she could do was stare stupidly at his perfect angelic face, and wonder what it would feel like to lie in his arms. If she had been on her guard, she would have noticed the very subtle point of Lucas' ears, and the slight tilt of his eyes, like a cat's. She may also have noticed that, while his teeth were even and perfectly straight, there was a small point to them. But these details were lost to her, as she looked into his eyes and saw them smiling down at her.

"Uh--erm..." she stammered, trying to phrase a coherent sentence. "Do you want me to show you where it is?"

"I would like that very much, Emma Tolly."

Olivia Vertigo sighed. Brushing away Charlie Bone's messy hair out of his face.

"Thank you," he said. Behind him was the ruins, casting an odd shadow on the lawn behind it, reflecting the glistening rays of the setting sun.

"For what?"

"Taking the reins..." said Charlie, with a chuckle, "like you always do," he added.

"Well, that's how I am, " said Olivia simply, all insecure vanishing behind the comforting cloud self-confidence.

"And I'm glad for that..." murmured Charlie. Olivia smiled, and rested her head on his chest, breathing peacefully and utterly content.