Prince Vincent was worried about Bianca. He really didn’t like the fact that she’d gone off alone with her parents.

  “You do not have my permission to go,” the queen had told him when he went to see her privately to ask for the royal healer’s help. “And do not you dare argue with me. You are the second heir in the line of succession—you have an obligation not to take stupid risks like going to an epidemic or cursed area.”

  His mother didn’t usually use the word “stupid,” so she had to be angry. Vincent had no choice but to obey.

  But right now, he was determined to go.

  More than a full day had passed. He’d received a message bird from Bianca telling him that someone had deliberately contaminated both wells, the one at the count’s mansion and the one near the village. She said not to worry, that everything was under control thanks to the royal healer’s help.

  Perfect. If there was no curse and the epidemic was under control, there was no longer any reason to leave her alone at a time like this. Bianca was very strong—she probably didn’t need his support—but he still wanted to give it to her.

  “My lord, are you sure this is a good idea?” his valet asked as he helped him pack.

  “Of course. And water—we need to bring water. If Theodore were here…”

  “My lord, they sent water carts from the Morven duchy. Your betrothed will be fine, do not worry.”

  “Vincent?” someone asked from the academy hallway.

  The door to the prince’s private rooms was slightly ajar.

  “Ronan, is that you?”

  “Yes, I came to see you. To propose a plan. But… are you going somewhere?”

  “To see Bianca. She will need my support.”

  “But my lady told us to wait here for her, that she would come back.”

  The valet, upon hearing “my lady,” looked at Ronan with a slightly confused frown.

  “Well, I am going to find her.”

  Good afternoon, my lady.

  Ronan?

  His lady’s voice sounded in his head. She seemed somewhat distracted.

  I think you will want to know that Vincent is packing to leave to see you.

  Now?

  Yes.

  No way, she ordered with the impulsiveness and vehemence that sometimes defined her. Do not let him. That is the last thing I need, my mother would be impossible afterward. A prince, also the betrothed of her daughter, visiting her house… No. Absolutely not.

  What should I tell him? He does not know we have this mental communication link.

  Whatever. Just distract him with something.

  Do I have your permission?

  Ronan’s face lit up. The valet, who was still glancing at him out of the corner of his eye while folding some shirts, cleared his throat.

  Of course.

  Thank you so much, my lady! I will take care of it—leave it in my hands.

  “Vincent, I actually came to invite you to train with me,” Ronan said. “I think it is a good way to pass the time until Bianca returns.”

  “Thank you, but as I just told you, I am going to see her.”

  “She would not like that. She told us to wait here for her.”

  “How would she not like me going to support her?”

  “Her family is fine. She will want to spend time with them without distractions.”

  “Ronan, are you calling me a distraction?”

  Ronan thought the prince didn’t know how right he was. His lady had been so wrapped up in romance lately that even the goblins had noticed something was off with her.

  “Of course. If you go, you will be the talk of the place, and her mother will ignore her to fawn over you.”

  Vincent stopped halfway through closing his leather suitcase.

  “I hadn’t thought of that…”

  “And the queen won’t like you defying her orders,” the valet added.

  “Come on, let us train in the forest where Bianca goes. Trust me, you will not regret it.”

  Vincent looked at him, dubious.

  “You have access?” he asked.

  “They let me accompany her, but I do not have the portal stones. But you, being the prince, can certainly get some.”

  “Why don’t we train here at the academy?”

  “There, it is easier to raise a mastery. I can freely summon creatures that they would not give me permission for here.”

  “But what about Bianca? What if she comes back and we we’re not here?”

  “I will find out, and we will return immediately—do not worry.”

  “How would you find out?”

  “I will leave a small creature here, watching for her return.”

  He couldn’t tell him it would be via telepathic message.

  “Is that forest within your range?”

  Vincent thought of everything… Ronan had hoped he wouldn’t notice that detail.

  “No, but I know how many creatures I have raised at all times.”

  He didn’t like lying. The implication—that he could order one of his friends to end their unlife upon seeing Bianca—was cruel, even if he’d reanimate them afterward. But fortunately, he could use a soulless summoning, the typical undead that other necromancers used.

  Though he wasn’t going to do that, of course. They had the lady-vassal communication.

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  Precisely because of that, because he didn’t like lying and didn’t like his lady and her betrothed keeping so many secrets, it was wonderful that she’d given him permission.

  This way, everything would be much simpler, and a leader as capable as Vincent could help them with Convergence.

  I’m sitting peacefully in my bedroom at my parents’ house, getting ready to go eat with them, my brothers, and the royal healer, when Ronan contacts me.

  I’m with my maid, who showed up this morning. I’d asked her to wait for me at the academy, but being as independent as she is sometimes, she decided I might need her and requested permission to use the portal. She didn’t come with the royal healer, came later.

  “Did you just disobey me?” I asked her.

  “Technically no, miss, since your parents ordered me to look after you. Right now, I consider any additional protection you can have to be welcome.”

  I couldn’t really argue with that.

  At this moment, as I hear Ronan’s voice in my mind, Berta’s starting to brush my hair and doesn’t notice anything. Or if she does, she doesn’t comment. I, on the other hand, am convinced I’ve gone stiff after his “No problem, my lady. Vincent is a good person. He will not hurt our friends. He just wants to talk.”

  How to put this gently?

  Damn your dead, Ronan! What a mess you’ve gotten me into.

  Well, not his dead—Joe and company aren’t to blame. One of the curses I only ever used back on Earth when I was really, really pissed off suddenly has suddenly taken on a whole new meaning here…

  I answer him, he answers me, and he comes out with how my betrothed is a good person and would not hurt the goblins, that we will talk when I get back.

  Ronan, I tell him mentally while Berta continues doing a nice updo with some braided strands, I am still at my parents’ house. I was planning to leave tomorrow morning.

  You do not need to move it up, my lady. Vincent and I are fine, do not worry. I will take care of the village until your return. And while I am at it, I will show it to your betrothed.

  If not for Berta, I would be on my feet spitting fire right now.

  Ronan, stop making it worse while trying to fix it.

  I do not understand, my lady. Are you not going to marry Vincent? He must know about Convergence, since it will also be his responsibility as Demon King Consort.

  Okay, now I really do move abruptly.

  “Did I hurt you, miss?” Berta asks, startled.

  I have pulled some of my hair out of her hands.

  “No, I′m sorry. I was dozing off and got startled.”

  “Did you sleep poorly last night? You looked fresh and rested this morning.”

  “A little, honestly…”

  The maid—former spy—looks at me through the mirror in front of me.

  “Miss, you don’t have to pretend with me. You already know I know about your magic and your legendary sword. If something is worrying you, I can be of help.”

  Ronan, one second. We will keep talking, just give me a moment.

  “Berta, you’re right. I wasn’t dozing off, I was thinking. This business with the wells, I think it was done on purpose, by someone who wants to harm me. I’m even considering the idea that it could be people from the neighboring kingdom, trying to lure me here and attack me away from the academy or the royal palace, where there’s more security. But so far, no one has tried anything, and I haven’t seen anything unusual.”

  “Indeed, miss, I thought the same thing,” she says, resuming the updo and starting to fix the small mess I caused by moving earlier when I was startled. “In fact, I have friends among the servants and the village folk, and I’ve pulled a few strings. One of the missing farmers was a regular at the village tavern. His grown children took care of his fields—his wife died years ago, around the time his drinking problem started. The other farmer used to get up early to go to the fields. The one from the tavern was drinking with several other patrons and left as he always did, a couple of hours before dawn. I suspect someone murdered him and threw him into the well. Possibly someone from outside the village. And perhaps along the way, or while dumping his victim into the well, the other farmer discovered the killer and met the same fate.”

  “My father’s man, the one who examined the bodies, said one died from having his throat slit and the other was stabbed in the back.”

  “If the second victim thought he saw something and went to check the well, while the killer was hiding, the killer would only have had to approach from behind, stab him, and throw him in. Then he would have gone to the mansion, where he caught two early-rising stable boys.”

  “Yes, my father told me they heard noises in the stables, like a fight. They also found a pitchfork with quite a bit of blood, thrown into a corner. There were bloodstains in the stables as well, but no trail. There was nothing that led them to the well or anywhere else.”

  “If the killer attacked one of the boys, the other would have discovered it and tried to help, perhaps armed with a pitchfork from a nearby haystack… a wound like that could help us identify the killer. Unless they used a health potion or a healing spell.”

  “Well, I imagine if Ronan were here, he could raise the victims and ask them.”

  Berta slows the movements of her hands, as if considering something.

  “Miss, he was the one who helped identify where the assassins who came after you were from, right?”

  “Yes, I do not think it’s a secret.”

  “Duskmere is coming to investigate the wells case.”

  “Really? The crown investigator here, in a simple county?”

  “Well, you are now part of the royal family.”

  “Right, Berta, I’m still having trouble getting used to the idea. I’d like to talk to him. I think he has his eye on Ronan, to work with him after his graduation.”

  “I don’t think you’ll cross paths, miss, not if you’re leaving tomorrow.”

  Well, that’s probably for the best, because Ronan is the one who would solve this case quickly for us.

  A necromancer who recovers souls. My friend definitely has something special, aside from being the dark god’s disciple. It is a special kind of gentleness; you can see it in how he treats Mary, the children, and his undead friends. He doesn’t do it with everyone, only with those he cares about, or those he considers innocent, or maybe his friends. Not with me. For example, that thing he just dropped on me about Vincent as Demon King Consort was not delicate at all. But I see him, how he behaves. I know he is nothing like a typical necromancer.

  “One more thing, miss. I′ve been keeping an eye on the academy’s teleportation chamber. The crown prince used it once after the incident with you, and after speaking with his mother at the ball. He left and returned three hours later.”

  “Are you suggesting he could have gone to send the saboteur here?”

  “I’m suggesting you don’t assume it has to be someone from Daertyle. Keep your mind open to other possibilities.”

  “I appreciate that.”

  Berta finishes my hair in silence, and since I am already dressed, we go down to the great hall. I go ahead; she follows. Along the way, I contact Ronan again.

  Ronan, tell me you didn′t say anything to Vincent about the contract with the sacred beast of darkness.

  Of course not, my lady. I would never do that.

  His voice sounds completely sincere, even surprised that I could have thought such a thing.

  Patience… Seriously, right now I am imagining Ronan and the seed of evil together, looking at each other while Ronan tells him that he learned from the best.

  Because the seed is a rascal, but this time Ronan almost outdoes it.

  Okay, well do not you dare tell him—not intentionally or by accident. That is a secret.

  When will you tell him?

  Uh…

  He has got me there. It’s like the big pink elephant in the room. I ignore it, we all ignore it… and Ronan goes and brings it up.

  If I tell him, he might break up with me and try to imprison or kill us.

  But you are going to marry him. He has a right to know.

  Ronan, the kid locked in a basement with no friends but his rats, is giving me relationship advice. And the worst part is, he is right.

  Okay, Ronan, you are right, but this is a delicate matter, and it’s up to me.

  And by the way, I am managing to have this entire conversation without speeding up or stopping, without Berta noticing that something is wrong again. Go me!

  But my lad…

  Nothing, Ronan. On this, I won′t argue. It’s like you and Mary—you wouldn’t want me to reveal one of your secrets to her.

  My lady, I do not keep secrets from Mary.

  Oh. He didn’t deny the relationship analogy…

  What about the acolyte of darkness hidden skill?

  She has not asked me, and besides, Mary is not my partner.

  Okay… he has got me there.

  So if at some point she becomes your partner, you will tell her then?

  Of course, my lady.

  Great… so I was expecting some kind of pat on the back, affirming that not telling Vincent is for the best, and instead I get the complete opposite.

  I’ll think about it, Ronan, thanks. But you do realize we might have to run or fight our friends, right?

  My lady, I am here to serve you. Both options, as long as they do not diminish Convergence’s growth or expose the divine beast prematurely, will be acceptable.

  That is another thing… if they expose us to the divine beast of light, we are done for.

  Oh, my prince… I think to myself, I really do not like keeping this secret from you, but too many lives depend on me right now. And not just the pup’s and Convergence’s, but the entire kingdom, if I’m not ready to face the threat that is coming.

  So yes. I just finished talking to him right before reaching the dining room.

  I’m not moving up my departure. I’ll stay and sleep here tonight, as planned. My family is happy to have me with them these days, and honestly, even though they aren’t my real parents, I do feel the warmth of this body’s heart when I’m in their company.

  I almost let my older brother win in our last sparring match. Almost. I like seeing him try to come to terms with the fact that his bookworm sister fights better with a sword than he does. It’s fun. And from what I think their relationship was like before, the Bianca of this body’d have found it deeply satisfying.

  The day passes peacefully, and the next morning, I mount the stag and ride toward the portal in the Morven duchy. Perks of being Vincent’s betrothed—not only do I have permission to use it, but they don’t even charge me.

  I could definitely get used to this.