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“I am heading there now,” Kylo replies, grinning like a mischievous child. “So… It looks like you two are getting along nicely.”

I swat him in the chest, and he bursts into laughter as my face burns red hot. We walk down the corridor together, and when we reach my room, we part ways.

* * *

“Which dress should I get?”Lilyana can’t seem to pick between a gorgeous red dress and a sage green one.”

“Green. Definitely the green,” I say. “It compliments your hair and eyes.”

“Okay! And which one are you getting?” she asks, putting the red dress back.

“I don’t know. Just pick one for me. Surprise me.” Shopping isn’t my thing, and the longer we browse, the more restless I become. As she sifts through more dresses for me, I can’t stop thinking about Lukene and how he touched me yesterday. I haven’t seen him since, not last night or this morning.

“This one!” Lilyana finally exclaims, holding up a silver dress adorned with tiny clear and silver gems, accented with scattered purple stones. The dress is exquisite, shimmering in the light and sure to compliment my features beautifully.

“Perfect,” I say, though the excitement feels muted compared to the storm of emotions swirling in my chest.

The tailor promises to have our dresses altered and delivered to the palace within the hour. With that, we head to the jewelry store.

Lilyana browses enthusiastically, picking out a few pieces for herself and trying to convince me to get something too, but I refuse. I wander over to the men’s jewelry section, my fingers trailing along the glass cases. Nothing stands out until I reach the last display. There, I find a raw black stone thumb ring. It looks eerily similar to Lukene’s necklace and matches my earrings. It’s perfect.

I buy the ring—using palace funds, of course. Once our purchases are made and neatly packed, we head back to the palace.

It’s about noon when we return to the palace. Lilyana walks me to my room, chatting nonstop. Her cheerful energy is infectious, and I feel incredibly lucky to have this angel, seemingly sent by the Mother herself, as my friend.

When I open my door, I’m surprised to find Sasha already inside. My brows knit together.

“Hey, Sasha. What are you doing in here?” I ask, noticing the devious smile on her face and the beautiful purple gown and matching cloak laid out on my bed.

“I was informed that I need to get you dressed and ready to go.” Her smile doesn’t falter.

“Where am I going, and with whom?” I question, curiosity piqued.

“It’s a surprise! Now, let’s get you cleaned up and dressed.”

Outside the palace, I wait by the carriage as Reign approaches, my heart flipping at the sight of her. She is breathtaking—her pale lavender hair curled perfectly, her deep purple dress and matching cloak complementing her in ways that make her eyes even more captivating, if that’s possible.

As she reaches me, I offer my hand, helping her into the carriage. We sit in comfortable silence for a moment as our ride begins to move.

“Where are we going?” Reign finally asks, pinching her bottom lip between her fingers and rolling it absentmindedly.

“It’s a surprise. Patience, Reckless.” I smirk, amused by her restless curiosity.

She exhales a long breath, her shoulders easing as she leans back in the seat. I release her hand, settling into the seat beside her, though my mind refuses to rest. Thoughts of the trials and their true purpose flicker in the back of my mind, but I push them away. Tonight isn’t the time for that. I’ll deal with it when the moment comes.

As I lean my head back against the carriage, my eyes wander to her again. The curve of her lips, the intensity in her gaze, the fierce yet graceful way she carries herself—it’s all mesmerizing. She’s wild and unpredictable, dangerous yet radiant, the light to my darkness. Noticing my gaze, she turns to meet my eyes.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” she asks, a hint of self-consciousness in her voice.

“Like what?” I grin, enjoying her discomfort.

“I... I don’t know. You should be looking out the window. You’ll miss the view—fall leaves are beautiful this time of year.” She straightens in her seat, sitting tall.

“I much prefer the view in here.” My grin widens as she rolls her eyes playfully.

“You’re a relentless charmer.” She laughs, the sound light and musical.

“Only when I find something worth pursuing. So... You think I’m charming?”