Lucian stood up first and then offered Skylar a hand. She took it, and for a moment, she appreciated the familiarity and safety of their joined hands. Hers was always noticeably smaller against his, and it had been that way since they were children.

  They shook themselves off, patting off bits of dirt and foilage from their slightly damp clothes. Skylar noticed that there was a tear along the skirt of her dress, and she wondered which secret doorway was responsible.

  "I was intending to be a gentleman and let you win this bout, but you clearly cheated. Somehow. I'm just unable to figure it out," Lucian complained, his eyes glued to the maze like he would find his answer if he looked long enough.

  "I beg your pardon. Let me win?! I am perfectly capable of winning on my own, thank you very much, and I have proved as such." Skylar huffed while examining the lillies she'd run over. The damage was not too terrible, but enough for the Royal Gardner to notice.

  "You must have done something to get ahead of me because—

  "Because?" Skylar looked at Lucian with her arms folded, and brow raised. There was a moment of silence from the Sunborne heir, and Skylar scoffed because he was looking at her like the answer was painfully obvious and dancing right in front of them.

  "Well, if you must have me say it… I am much faster than you, Skylar."

  "You are impossible. Just admit that you have lost, Lucian."

  "Yes, I admit and accept my failure to win. But I would also like to know how I lost. So, how did you do it?"

  Skylar sighed and shook her head. She hesitated a moment, wondering whether she should tell Lucian her secret. She must have taken too long to think, because Lucian chimed in again.

  "Very well. If you won't tell me, I will figure it out on my own." He stepped closer to take of a loose leaf that had entangled itself into her hair.

  Skylar shook her head at him dismissively. "You are more than welcome to, but you will be wasting your own time; time that you do not have because you will be too busy working for me."

  But Lucian still wasn't paying attention. He had returned his gaze to the maze. He could not accept that Skylar had been faster than him, and his desperation to know her secret was clear as day. To anyone else, it might have seemed that Lucian was being arrogant, or cruel. But Skylar knew that wasn't the case. There had always been a rivalry of sorts between them, and it began in childhood, with the cherries they had eaten to formalise their alliance.

  It had been too dark back then to see who had thrown their pits the furthest, but they tried again during the day. Skylar won. Then they climbed trees and Skylar won again. Skylar won at many things, including races on horseback and who could eat their meals the fastest. Everything became a challenge, and Skylar won her fair share of bouts, until one day, she stopped winning entirely. And then one day, Lucian stopped winning, too, because he didn't have the time to stay by her side.

  "I hope you do not plan on going back on your word, Lord Sunborne. I have a ball to flee and I am counting on you for your help," Skylar reminded, beginning to lead the way back to her chambers.

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  "Of course, not, my Lady. I'm a man of my word." Lucian walked to her side. He had taken his glaive out again, the thud of its handle announcing each of his steps. "I am more than happy to aid you in this endeavour."

  "Does that include helping me flee from my betrothed?"

  Lucian stopped so suddenly that it took. Skylar by surprise. Her eyes fluttered as she tried to keep Lucian in her sight, but he had fallen behind. And before she could turn to face him herself, his hand found her wrist. She was pulled towards him, greeted by his unsettled expression.

  "What was that?"

  "What was what?"

  "No! What did you just say, Skylar?" Lucian snapped at her, and it wasn't intentional because his expression softened with realisation shortly after. "I'm sorry… you said something, about your betrothed?"

  "Oh. Yes. He's here in Astros. He will be attending the ball this evening," Skylar revealed with a woeful sigh. "He asked father permission to call on me before the ball, and father agreed."

  Skylar looked down at her dirty and torn dress. She needed to return and change before Caspian arrived at her chambers. There was no time for another bath, but with enough handmaidens, she could be prepped and ready within moments.

  Skylar began to make her way again, but she did not get very far. Lucian still had his hand around her wrist, and he gripped tighter and kept her in place. Skylar was pulled back again. This time, she was pulled in closer. Her shoulder fell against Lucian's chest, and she felt warmer and mindlessly gravitated her body towards him.

  Skylar looked up to see the Sunborne heir already looking down at her. His expression was heavy, and his green eyes glimmered with something unspoken. Skylar had never seen him look at her like that, and she grew worried. She searched his face for an answer, for even a hint of what he might be feeling or trying to say to her.

  "What is it, Lucian?"

  Lucian said nothing. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, and Skylar felt it, her shoulder moving with his chest. And then he stepped back.

  His hands were placed behind his back, and he didn't meet her eyes. "It's nothing. I didn't expect it, is all. His arrival must be why Commander Rowan left the castle earlier."

  "Oh, you didn't know?"

  "No. I was busy greeting the guests as they arrived. I thought I might keep them busy while Lord Astros finished his duties for the day. They had a lot of requests and questions, as nobles do," Lucian joked, but his voice and frail smile did little to change the strange mood he had created.

  "Are you sure everything is alright, Lucian?" Skylar placed her own hands behind her back. "Something has upset you, I can tell. Have you met Caspian Everus before?"

  Skylar could only assume the two men didn't get along because of the way Lucian had reacted when she'd mentioned him. But she had never known the two to meet before. Of course, she and Lucian lived different lives so it was perfectly possible. He had his own world outside of the Astros Castle walls, one she was not privy to, one that Lucian rarely liked to talk about.

  "It does not matter. We should head back, the ball will be starting soon," Lucian replied, clearly avoiding the question. Skylar did not press the issue further, and nodded in agreement.

  "Yes, if I'm any later, Vera will find it difficult to get me ready in time. I can only imagine how frantic she is. I always do as I please ans yet she never complains. I am glad that at least Vera will be by my side when I move to Xoras."

  Sadness crept into Skylar's voice. She hadn't intended for it, but the mention of leaving her home suddenly made her feel quite solemn. Leaves rustled from a nearby flowerbed. It caught Skylar's attention, and she saw Lucian tearing a few leaves loose from the steps. He approached her and began to retangle them into her hair.

  "I'm not sure I want to know what you're doing."

  "I'm buying you some time. You are meeting Caspian Everus before the ball. This will give Vera more to clean up, and you, less time alone with that…"

  Lucian didn't finish his sentence, whether intentionally, or because he was too focused on what he was doing, she did not know. But it was a very good idea, and from it, Skylar thought of something even better.