"Breathe in."

  I felt Erika's hand in mine, rougher than most, but a familiar comfort.

  "Breathe out."

  I felt the cool draft flowing through the room, and the lingering smell of a hearty meal.

  "Breathe in, and hold onto the clear feeling."

  I stared past Erika's face, out the window, and at the starlit night.

  "Let go, and breathe out."

  But this, I could not do. As I breathed back out, magic had refined itself in my lungs, and my attempt to take control had left me with excess stored inside my body.

  I wanted to fix this. I wanted to shout at my past self, to demand she refuse to let Diana go.

  Erika reached out to turn my face, so that we could look into each other's eyes. "Sophie, are you... okay?"

  "Okay with what?"

  "Okay with how cruel this place must have been to her? Okay with her family seeing her deepest wish as an issue that demanded correction?"

  Erika studied my face carefully. "Okay with... Diana?"

  I blinked, snapping out of my thoughts. "What?"

  "She's... Well she... Do you still..."

  Erika made a pained expression, putting her hand to her forehead. "Do you still want to look for her?"

  "Of... Of course I do? This doesn't change anything."

  "Alright. I'm sorry you just... were acting a bit strange there, for a moment. I was worried you were... angry at her."

  "At Diana? I'm not mad at her, Erika."

  I gripped her hand tight.

  "But... I am angry at... everyone else. I want to do something, anything about what they've done."

  I took another deep breath, and finally regained full control of my magic.

  "If I'm being honest, if I had the power, I'd tear it all down tonight. I want to hurt them, for what they did to her."

  Erika shifted in her seat. "Well... If you're willing to take the plan a bit further, there's something we could try."

  "Hm?"

  "When we make a copy of the Hiems' secret seal, we could also make a copy of Adrian's family seal."

  "What would we do with that?"

  She reached into her apron, and pulled out a small envelope for me to take.

  I carefully opened up, and... "Erika!"

  It was a perfect forgery of the consummation contract.

  "Seven thousand gold, Sophie. That's how much we could steal on our way out. A job, just for the two of us this time. The last one we'd ever have to do."

  The rage within me mixed with this new, rising elation.

  "Let's do it."

  ---

  The next morning, Lydia came to my bedroom unbidden as Erika finished adorning my hair.

  She waited, just outside, for me to acknowledge her.

  "Just once, I wish they would let go of propriety and tell me what they want without waiting for me to ask."

  "Good morning, my lady. I wish to inform you that one of the Hiems' family messengers has arrived. Duke and Duchess Hiems, as well as Lord Adrian, will arrive this afternoon."

  My chest filled with both dread and excitement, in equal measure.

  "Wonderful. Do you have anything else to report?"

  "No, my lady."

  "Then you are dismissed."

  Lydia bowed deeply before retreating from the room, closing the door after her.

  "Erika, is there anything we should do right now, before they arrive?"

  Erika nodded, jumping up to run over to the double doors between my and Adrian's room. She then took out a thin piece of metal and slipped it between the frame and the latch, flipping it upwards to peek inside.

  "I had planned to do this in the evening, but we'll need to do it now."

  She carefully slipped a mirror through the crack and turned her head this way and that to glance into the room.

  "It's empty. Sophie, go outside and distract any servants that try to come in."

  I nodded, my heart racing with the sudden thrill. "Is this the kind of thing Erika does all the time?"

  I stepped outside, nearly bumping directly into two maids that were on their way in to clean up after my breakfast.

  "A-ah... Robin, Daisy..."

  The two of them turned to look at me, small smiles on their faces. "Yes, my lady?"

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  "Robin, w-would you and Daisy please fetch me a bowl of warm water and some scented oil?"

  I put my hand to my cheek, hoping that my nerves would pass as being about Adrian instead of my half-baked deception. "I, ah, wasn't expecting Adrian, when I prepared this morning."

  The two of them exchanged weak smiles at the mention of Adrian, and nodded before walking off together.

  I scrunched up my dress in my hands as I waited for Erika, looking back and forth.

  "Gods, Sophie. Could you be any more suspicious?"

  I jumped in alarm as Erika appeared behind me without a sound.

  "I've drawn a quick sketch of where everything is, we'll go over the plan once we get a free moment."

  I nodded. "Robin and Daisy are about to help me wash my hair..."

  Erika shrugged. "Well, then I guess I'm also about to help you wash your hair."

  We smiled at each other, and I basked in how good it felt to be working together this time.

  ---

  "First, you'll have to get married to Adrian. We'll need at least that much to be true, to provide a basis for our forgery of the consummation paperwork."

  "I'll have Sybil ready to extricate us from the castle that night, and we'll make our escape with them."

  "In the meantime, you'll need to discover where he keeps his secret seal."

  Erika pointed at the map she'd made of Adrian's room.

  "He probably keeps both his seals together, in his room, but it'll be much more closely guarded once he's here. We'll want to know exactly where they are so that I can take an imprint in as little time as possible."

  She put her hand to her forehead. "But regardless of anything else, finding the secret seal is our top priority."

  "After that, we can forge Adrian's personal seal on the consummation contract. Since that money is, technically, from the dowry they lent me, the Faraldi will happily play along with our fraud as long as they have no reason to hold me personally to account for it."

  "The Hiems will likely initiate an annulment for non-consummation on their end, but if we act quickly enough, Adrian will be the one to bear the burden of the fraud."

  "If it all goes to plan, we'll have enough money to live the rest of our lives in peace. Get on a boat to Corone, maybe."

  "And plenty enough money to hire the Nightingales to find Diana."

  "Can we really pull this off, Erika?"

  "Well... It'll be tough, Sophie. We can't expect everything to go to plan, and we'll have to modify it as we go, but yes. We can do this."

  Erika's voice was confident, and I let myself lean on her confidence.

  It helped to have a definite next step, too. "Find out where Adrian keeps his seals."

  ---

  As I stood out atop the castle wall, staring out at the icy bridge, I couldn't tell if I was shivering in anticipation, fear, or just the cold.

  "This plan will require me to spend a lot of time with Adrian, and lie a great deal. I'm starting to see why Erika was wary of pulling me in too early."

  I lifted my hand to clutch the moonstone I kept near my heart.

  "But I need to do everything in my power to find her."

  As the carriages of the Hiems family retinue finally turned the corner, I breathed in what might be the last comfortable breath for a long while.

  "I can't tell if I want him to rush the wedding or delay it forever."

  ---

  As the Hiems family made their entrance into the domain, many of the carts in their retinue stopped in the village to hand out supplies. The villagers, from what I could see from the gate, crowded happily around the knights as they organized the distribution of food, tools, and wood.

  The sight left me feeling embittered, and I struggled to reconcile the kindness that they showed to their people with the cruelty I could only assume they had levied upon Diana.

  This feeling, I swallowed as the family carriage made its final approach, and the gates of the keep closed behind it.

  Duke Hiems was the first to exit, and the care he showed his wife as he helped her descend the steps was still something to be admired.

  Duchess Hiems laughed, and tipped over on purpose to fall into his arms. A loving couple, unafraid to hide their warmth in front of the staff, and with no reason to do so.

  Last to exit was Adrian, who practically leaped out of the carriage to cross the yard in several bounds.

  He came to a sharp stop in front of me, kneeling in an excessive display of adoration as he raised his hands to hold my outstretched arm.

  "My lady, Sophia, I hope that I find you well. Have Gavin and Lydia treated you with kindness?"

  As he kissed the back of my hand, his arm crept across mine to slide as far up as he dared.

  "They have indeed, Adrian. I am pleased that you have arrived unscathed."

  I turned towards the Duke and Duchess, attempting to restore some measure of order as I calmly, but firmly, pulled my arm away from Adrian.

  "Welcome Home Your Grace, Duke Hiems and Your Grace, Duchess Hiems."

  I curtsied, careful not to slip in the snow.

  "I have directed Lydia and Lord Gavin to make ready your dinner. I hope it pleases you."

  Duke Hiems laughed heartily, stepping forward to give me a warm embrace.

  "Please, Sophia. You're practically already family! This formality is too much for when it's just us."

  From the look on her face, Duchess Hiems didn't look pleased. She subtly shook her head at me, and I abided her cue.

  "I do not mean any disrespect, Your Grace, but I believe that it would only be proper to wait until after the wedding for such things."

  "Father, don't press her too hard. She's a Printemps; you know how they are. Give it time."

  Adrian stepped forward, towards the door, looking quite the gentleman, but his smile was just a touch too wide.

  "Come on, Sophia. Let's eat."

  ---

  Unlike my previous meals, this meal took place within the great hall. The largest room in the keep by far, just within the entrance, several large tables had been moved into the room to share the fire's warmth.

  Much of the castle staff had been invited to attend, and so had every knight within the keep. The Hiems had been a border fortress for generations, and they regarded themselves as a family of knights before anything else.

  Erika was among those carousing near the fire, laughing heartily among a group of staff members as she held up her hand to whisper some story that was widening all of their smiles.

  In the back, at the most well appointed table, sat the Hiems and I. The Duke held the center seat, with the Duchess at his side. For tonight, Adrian took the seat of honor, and I was seated next to him.

  The Duke and Duchess were also laughing as they ate, and the Duke regaled me with story after story of the many times that he and Father had fought. The Duchess kept prodding these stories, ending each one with an invitation to tell another.

  I noticed that, in each of these stories, Father either cheated or lost.

  I struggled to remain composed as Adrian's eyes did not leave me for even the slightest moment. My every movement caught his attention, from the way I cut my meat to my throat as I swallowed my drink.

  "Sophia."

  I was startled out of my thoughts, and I turned to face him. "Adrian?"

  "Let's get married."

  The hairs at the back of my neck stood on end.

  "I do believe that was the plan, yes?"

  He leaned his head on his hand, his eyes sharpening as he smiled.

  "No, I mean. Let's get married now. Or tomorrow. Or as soon as we can manage. I can't wait any longer."

  I stiffened, and turned slowly to face the Duchess. "I believe that decision isn't up to me, Adrian."

  The Duchess smiled, warmly and softly, at Adrian. "Well, if it's what Adrian wants, we can arrange for something small. We can always hold a separate ceremony in summer."

  The Duke beamed. "I've never seen Adrian so motivated, Sophia. Thank you."

  I felt like I was going to be sick.

  "Then, a week, then?"

  Adrian tilted his head on his hand.

  "I can wait a week."