After dancing with Marco, I turn my attention to introducing him to Darius, who isn't dancing with anyone right now. He's watching the couples moving to the music, specifically Vincent and Karina.

Speaking of the prince… he looks absolutely gorgeous in formal wear, and Karina at his side doesn't suit him at all, which is a relief.

I know I can't be objective because of my feelings, no matter how hard I try. Even so, I can tell she's pure fire—something that comes through in the way she talks, moves, and gestures. Vincent, though you'd think his affinities for water and air would balance her out, actually looks a bit overwhelmed. He's elegant and composed; she's a barely contained firestorm, ready to break free and burn everything in her path.

As I look away from the dance floor, I notice Judith is relatively close by, sitting on one of the cushioned benches and talking with a friend of hers. I wave at her to come over. She looks at me, puzzled, says something to her friend, and approaches.

"Judith, I wanted to introduce you to Marco Lacor," I say once she's beside us. "I think I've mentioned him to you before."

The girl turns toward Marco, looking a bit self-conscious.

"Pleased to meet you. I'm Judith Illén, your fiancée's roommate."

"The pleasure is mine, Miss Illén," responds my no-longer fiancé without much interest.

Hmm… bad, Marco, bad. How are you going to win her over like that?

This is going to be more complicated than I thought.

I turn to Judith.

"I'm going to dance the next song with Vincent. I promised him, but I don't want to leave Marco alone—after all, he doesn't attend the academy and hardly knows anyone here. Could you do me a favor and dance with him?" I ask innocently.

"Of course," she answers.

What else can she say? Refusing would be rude, since I'm her roommate and I'm asking her to look after the guy she thinks is my fiancé.

Right then, Theodore arrives, alone. He walks over to Darius and me.

I introduce him to Marco and ask him about Mary.

"She went to fix her hair; a few strands had come loose during the last dance."

I didn't think Mary was that concerned about having a perfect appearance. Maybe it's because it's her first formal ball, or because she wants to look pretty for her partner.

Poor Ronan, his chances are slipping away while he's infiltrating a dark god cult instead of being here asking her for a couple of dances…

As the three guys start talking, I feel like escaping for a moment to mentally talk with Ronan, but then I see Vincent and Karina approaching. She's holding his arm, showing off a very satisfied smile.

Guess not. Besides, it's true I promised Vincent I'd save him lots of dances.

They reach us and the prince, after greeting everyone, looks back and forth between Marco and me.

"Vincent, Karina, this is Marco Lacor, a childhood friend," I omit the fiancé part.

"I know, Bianca, we've met before. You have such a bad memory!" the redhead shoots at me without missing a beat. "Besides, he's your fiancé—you should introduce him that way."

I can't help grimacing awkwardly because he's no longer my fiancé, but I don't want to say it now or it could turn into a rumor racing through the room like a spark through dry straw.

I decide to ignore her comment.

"They are Vincent, the second prince, and Karina Morven."

"It's an honor to meet you. Your Highness, Your Ladyship," he says while making two bows, the one to the prince deeper.

"Bianca, a new piece is starting. Would you do me the honor of this dance?" my soon-to-be fiancé asks me.

What's amazing is that I hear those words that sound like they're straight out of an old movie without bursting into laughter, and on top of that, my heart beats faster at the prospect of his closeness.

"It would be a pleasure," I answer, feeling my mouth a bit dry.

Then I take the hand he offers me.

Karina has no choice but to let go of his arm. She glares at me like a cat whose hard-won mouse I'm stealing.

I smile cordially at her. I'm at a fairytale-like ball about to glide across the floor in my prince's arms. I don't care how Karina looks at me. I turn my eyes toward the dance floor (which, really, is practically the entire room except for the areas with seats and side tables).

Compared to Sol, I have nothing against Karina. She simply wants my man, which will stop being a problem once I'm his official fiancée. I don't see the redhead as capable of plotting any evil against me; she'll confront me directly, we'll talk it out, and she'll understand she's lost.

Or so I hope.

"I've been really wanting to dance with you," Vincent tells me right after placing his hand on my back and pulling me close to him.

We start gliding across the floor, slowly, taking two beats for each step. I feel the butterflies in my stomach that keep going wild every time his body is so close I can feel his warmth, his face so near I could kiss him.

"Me too," I whisper to him, dazed by how incredibly handsome he looks in formal wear.

We spin a few times, I lose myself in his eyes, I notice his breath… Seriously, I don't know how I don't trip or miss a step, because I can't focus on the dancing. Only on him.

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It's going to be true that this younger body is hormonal as hell.

When the piece ends, just before the musicians start the next one, holding me in his arms, without letting go, Vincent asks me:

"Did you already break up?"

"Yes, of course."

The huge smile that lights up his face warms my heart.

I know it sounds cheesy, but it's the truth. Was he worried something would go wrong and I wouldn't be able to break it off?

Oh… he's so adorable! Though maybe that's not the most appropriate word for someone as handsome as the prince.

"I'm so glad," he tells me with his lips close to the sensitive skin of my ear.

I feel a delicious shiver and the music starts again. We resume dancing.

After a few chords, he tells me:

"I couldn't locate Ronan, and Mary told me you couldn't either. I'm worried."

"It's okay," I hurry to update him, just like I did with my friend moments ago. "I managed to see him briefly. He's fine, I'll tell you later."

"That's another weight off my shoulders. Now we just need to announce our engagement and everything will be perfect."

He's the one who's perfect. I blush. Like I said, hormones.

But I know I can't put all the blame on them, because it's my heart that's been captured by the sweet smile of the kindest and most considerate student at the academy.

Ronan.

Ronan went to his room to get ready and pick up some clothes and a few bones.

This sudden departure was going to make it impossible for him to see Catrina the next day. Through one of her assistant professors, he'd requested an appointment on her schedule because he wanted to discuss the teleportation stones to the human village Clearhaven: he wanted some too. He couldn't depend on Bianca taking him when there were so many important things to do and his lady had been so distracted with Vincent lately.

Truly, even though he rationally knew what was happening to his lady, he didn't understand it.

On the way, he tried to contact his invisible friend. He didn't always answer, but this time he did.

Is it worth my while to go with Damien's father?

As we have discussed other times, you have to make your own decisions. It's not good for me to influence you.

But is it worth my while?

In his mind, he heard a sigh.

It interests you.

Thanks.

He reached his room and, upon opening his wardrobe, the yeti greeted him. It also sent him a mental image of Damien being quite rude to his friends, even though they'd been nice, just like Ronan had asked them to be if his roommate returned.

After all, once things had been made clear, there was no reason not to be polite, especially since he was using his wardrobe to make up for the lack of space.

And speaking of mental images… on the way to his room, he contacted the small creatures he had hidden around the academy, and one of them confirmed that two hooded figures were the ones who had been casting and maintaining the seal spell. It couldn't see their faces.

He was asking Bob if he wouldn't mind leaving his wife and daughter for a few days—this way, Ronan's three friends would accompany him—when he heard soft knocks on the door. Soon after, Mary's voice sounded:

"Ronan, are you here?"

"Yes, it is open, come in."

The young woman turned the door handle and entered. She took a couple of steps while her eyes wandered over the bags and clothes on Ronan's bed, the open wardrobe with the three skeletons crammed inside, and Ronan.

She waved at Bob, Tom, and Joe and approached Ronan.

"Are you all right? What's this about you leaving? And why do you have your friends so squished in there? You need to ask the rector for a room just for you—if it's a triple or quadruple, even better."

Ronan was a bit puzzled; also worried about her. Aside from the moment when they rescued Bob's daughter, he'd never seen Mary so emotionally upset. Normally she was a haven of kindness and peace.

"Do not worry about them, they do not mind. After all, they are dead. Their bodies do not hurt from holding a position for hours. And they travel to Plinks a lot, especially Bob and Joe," he misinterpreted the young woman's unease.

"Just because they don't mind doesn't mean it's okay. They have their souls. They're not simple undead. I'll go with you myself to talk to the rector."

"They are not academy students."

"Ronan, don't distract me. I didn't come here to talk about our friends but about you. You were with Damien's father and now Bianca says you're leaving with him."

"Yes, of course."

"Where to?"

"To his house. He has some friends he wants to introduce me to."

He wasn't going to tell her about the church or the dark god's resurrection. There were secrets his lady kept even from Mary.

"It's dangerous."

"I do not think so. I know how to defend myself and I will take my friends too." He pointed toward the three skeletons.

"Ronan, it's not the same thing." She took a couple more steps toward him, even placing her hand on his chest. She looked very worried and her eyes were moist. "I…" she hesitated. "Please don't go."

Ronan stared at her. This was very strange. Did Mary not trust him? Maybe it was because he hadn't told her he had a dragoness and a void spell that almost worked now. He didn't understand why the idea of something happening to him would upset her so much.

In any case, he didn't want to hurt her. He was increasingly worried about her. He placed his hand over hers. At first, he intended to pull it away, but the warmth of her hand felt so good that he paused and simply left it there.

"I have to go, but I will be fine, really. Do not worry, Mary."

She burst into tears.

"How can I not worry?" she exploded. "Even your parents think they did the right thing when they locked you in the basement. Sometimes you're more innocent than I am. Who knows what Damien's father might be planning to do with you."

Ronan smiled when he heard her. He also tensed up a bit.

"My parents? Did you talk to them?"

"Yes, and I set them straight. They're horrible parents and they should apologize to you."

Ronan, hearing this, felt a strange warmth in his heart. Up until now, with the whole thing about his parents, no one had defended him. Once he got out of the basement and on the trip to the academy, everyone they interacted with completely supported his parents, pitying them for the son they'd ended up with.

He also laughed imagining her confronting them. Mary was very brave.

Then he realized that Mary, who was crying harder and harder, had ended up leaning against his chest. She was soft and warm. Mary's affection reached him in such a natural way that, without realizing it, he hugged her tenderly.

It was the second hug they'd shared. The first, a few days ago, the night of Emmy's rescue.

Ronan, who until then didn't understand why people hugged, felt how something that had been broken deep inside him was being repaired.

"You're going to leave, aren't you?" she asked him after a few minutes, after pulling away, her whole face covered in tears that had ruined her makeup for the ball.

"Yes, but I will come back soon, I promise. Do not be sad."

"Okay."

"Mary, thank you for defending me to my parents. It means a lot."

She gave one of her sweet smiles.

"I'm sorry, they made me so angry. If you want, you can come to my house during these vacation days. My parents are lovely and would treat any friend of mine like a son. Just don't expect luxury—we're farmers," she added, somewhat embarrassed.

Ronan looked at her in wonder while laughing again. Him, luxury?

"Really? I would love to, but I will be away. If I return early and am able to, I will come to see you."

"Do you promise that too?"

Ronan didn't want to make another promise, since he had to take care of the goblin village. Hence the "if I am able to." But Mary was pure goodness and looked at him hopefully, with her enormous eyes still shining from crying.

His heart began to race and he didn't understand why he was considering going to see Mary and her parents as a possible priority over the goblin village.

Could this be what was happening to his lady with the prince?

"I have prior commitments elsewhere, but I promise that if I am able, I will come to see you."

Mary smiled radiantly, gave him a kiss on the cheek, and ran off.

"Mary?" Ronan stood there, puzzled, and brought his fingers to his face, with a huge grin.

"I have to go wash my face and get back to the ball. Theodore will be wondering why I'm taking so long and I don't want to worry him. You remember your two promises," she told him, already moving away down the hallway, without having closed the door behind her.

Ronan went back to what he was doing, asking Bob and gathering his things. Though without losing his smile. A huge, goofy smile.

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