Celestine, squinting in the dark to check if her sister is still awake, slowly slides the sheets and duvet from above her body. Roux doesn't stir, a mercy for what she plans to do, and as her cold, bare feet hit the floorboards, all is silent.

After winning another fight in the pits, one that took much longer than any other fight Roux has been in, there isn't much chance of her waking. Celestine is still careful as she slides on a pair of wool slippers and carefully steps over the rug where she knows her movements won't make a sound. Roux sleeps with her back to the room and to the door, nearly pressed against the stone.

The door doesn't creak. Celestine complained for hours to one of the servants, claiming the hinges needed to be oiled for being too loud. It had been an easy lie to create, she barely noticed the obnoxious shriek of the hinges until she needed to sneak out in the first place. But it was taken care of, the hinges don't make a sound, and Celestine slips through the small gap and out into the hall.

She waits, listening for Roux to stir, but finds only silence on the other side of the wall. On light feet, in slippers that hug her toes with warmed efficiency, Celestine runs her hand down the wall and carefully walks up the stairs, all the way to the top of the tower.

The guards at the bottom of Silas's stairs don't stop her, a clear reminder of what he does with many women in this castle and something she had wanted to do when she first got here, as well. That longing slowly faded once Celestine witnessed the bond between Hallie and the prince. Although they appear to hate each other; that is clearly not the case. Anyone can recognize how much they care for each other.

Celestine doesn't want to impede on what could be a very strong relationship. Putting her feelings aside, she allows the two of them to blossom what they could have, even if it takes years before they figure out the truth hidden underneath the skin. They're both too stubborn to admit it.

Checking down the hall one last time for Roux, Celestine quietly knocks on Silas's door and peeks her head in. The prince is up at late hours, often sitting in his chaise, reading a book, or sitting at his desk and signing off on the deaths of soldiers from the battlefield. The thought alone makes Celestine sick—she can't imagine Roux going there.

She tried to convince Roux to stay, but the king's orders held sway in a mind that's corrupted. To avoid another argument, Celestine backed off and promised not to say another word about Roux's new mission. She will fight in a war that started long before their existence and possibly end it for a king that plans to turn more soldiers into mindless assassins.

Silas cocks his head to the side upon seeing Celestine poke her head in. He lounges in the chaise near the open window, a book spread out in his lap. "What are you doing here?" He asks quietly, a bit of awareness to keep his voice down.

"We need to talk," Celestine says. She shuts the door behind her and steps into the dark room, stopping just short of where he sits.

Passing any boundaries tonight wouldn't bode well for what she has in mind. When she came up here, she hadn't worried about doing anything, but seeing him shirtless and his hair pulled back, two strands framing his face, Celestine isn't certain she can hold back, nor will she want to.

The night of the engagement celebration plays back in her mind, their close encounter to kissing before Silas backed off—he knew she was drunk. He hadn't wanted to take advantage, Celestine appreciated that at the time, and still does. But in the back of her mind, she wishes he would've tried the next day, only because the temptation to do so kept nagging at him.

Silas shuts the book in his lap. Exhaustion drags his every step, including when he stands and moves past her without another word to pull a shirt over his head. Celestine bites down the urge to apologize, there was nothing she did wrong, yet she doesn't want to make the prince wear clothes in how own chambers. The thought is foolish and Celestine pushes it out.

"We need to do something about Roux," she finally gets out. "She's not getting any better, and it's time we do something so she won't lose herself to us forever." Her voice remains low in fear of the guards at the bottom of the stairs listening to every word. They won't oppose to bringing that information back to their king, considering he hired new guards after Renit's departure. Loyal guards will stop at nothing to respect and honor their leader.

Silas chews on his lip. "I know we need to do something, but I don't know where to start. All of this happened at once; Roux's sacrifice, Renit departing...it's all too much."

If anyone has faced the brunt of this situation, it's Silas. Not only does his father watch him like a hawk, but everyone depends on him to remain loyal and get the job done. He has to put on a face of allegiance to the throne and his kingdom, not waste efforts on trying to get his brother back or...take that throne for himself.

Exhaustion weighs down every step he takes in the halls. The only freedom he has is when he ventures into the capital or trains with the guards in the castle, away from his father's eye. Keeping himself busy is the worst part, there isn't enough for him to do in a place that holds nothing but empty halls and watchful eyes.

"She might be lost forever, we don't know," he goes on to say. "There's no telling how strong the king's power is and if he strengthens it, that could kill her."

Celestine's stomach drops. She tugs on the end of her auburn strands, needing something to do with her hands. Otherwise, she'll pace again. "Without Renit here, there isn't much we can do. He would know exactly what needed to happen, he's been working at your father's side for years now."

"The guards spotted him in the slums a few nights ago. Killed a group of them and fled, no one has seen him since. It's likely he's already left, knowing the king might come after him." Silas rubs at his chin. They haven't seen each other since that day in the throne room after the king threw him out. Silas didn't know where to look for his brother.

It would be smart of Renit to get as far away as he possibly could, but Silas knew it was very likely for the banished prince to remain right underneath the king's nose. To keep a watchful eye on Roux, of course.

Celestine fumbles over the right words. "Does Roux know?" She inquires. She reaches out a hand towards his arm, but stops herself, forcing that reach to drop back to her side.

"She's...aware." Silas nods. He doesn't bother commenting on Celestine's distance, though he notices her tightly wound movements.

Before Celestine can get out another word, the door creaks open. Silas never oiled his hinges for a reason, he wants to know when others are coming into his chambers. You never know when someone will get past the guards at the bottom of the stairs.

But it's not an intruder that enters, only Hallie, a healer, and fiancée to the crown prince of Esaria. Upon seeing Celestine, she narrows her eyes but holds her tongue to avoid what could be a very awkward situation.

"Is this late-night discussion something that should include me?" She questions, eyes darting between the crown prince and Celestine.

She wears a nightgown, low cut and revealing; her long legs traveling down from the silver-laced fabric. Crossing her arms over her chest, she purses her perfectly plump lips together. Celestine looks away to avoid staring longer than she should, Hallie is a spectacle to anyone that comes within range. And she relishes in that sort of attention.

"We were beginning our discussions about Roux," Silas explains. "We want to help her."

Hallie scoffs. "There's no sense in trying. She's gone." Aware of Celestine's vulnerable state, she adds, "I'm sorry."

"That can't be," Celestine counters. "She has to be in there somewhere. If we can get her away from the king, then we have a chance to bring her back. We have to try."

"Try against this castle? Every guard is watching our movements right now, ever since the king banished Renit. He's watching us closer than he ever has before; he's judging to see if we're still loyal." And for Hallie, that means she's being watched, too.

"It's true," Silas confirms. "Once Renit was banished, he cleaned house and promised that the same would happen to me if I didn't cooperate. He can't lose another prince or royal member, yet he's forcing me to stick around. He needs me...but also, he doesn't." He shares a knowing glance with Hallie, another silent conversation in a very understanding relationship.

"Whatever you plan on doing, I can't be part of it." Hallie shakes her head, and the short, blonde strands move with her. Even after sleeping, she appears to doll herself up at such a late hour. As if her head never hit the pillow. Celestine has never figured out why Hallie is such a perfectionist and so tightly wound. "I'm not willing to throw myself into more danger than I've already been put in."

She moves towards the door, taking the handle and tugging. "Wait," Celestine pleads. "Tell me...tell me what happened to you."

Hallie sighs. At first, she looks as if she might still leave. Her eyes cast to the floor, her hand still gripped tightly to the freedom out in the hall. Then, she turns, standing tall and proud to face the two witches before her. "I'm forced to be here, I have been since I was ten years old." Her grip slides away from the door and she folds her hands together over her stomach. "We were engaged to create an alliance between two kingdoms. My father needed the army and your father—" she directs to Silas "—needed a wife for his son. A queen."

"I know that, everyone knows that," Celestine mumbles.

Hallie releases a single breath of laughter through her nose. Nothing joyous comes with it. "What you don't know is that no one, not even the king of Esaria, thought I had any value. They wanted a witch with a strong power—to cleave apart the world. Like Roux." Hallie says her name with a scowl, but there is no hate towards the witch of ground. Hallie's detestation is directed at the people that tried to ruin a princess. "Since I was a healer, my parents, the king, and queen of my kingdom, didn't see value in me. They wanted me gone and compared to my other two sisters with mortal powers, I was the strongest. So, the king of Esaria had no choice but to use me. My parents gladly shipped me off to live here. I haven't seen them since."

Celestine brings a hand to her heart. "Hallie, I'm so sorry. I had no idea." She looks back to find Silas; his eyes already cast down to the floor. He feels as bad as she does.

"Few do. The only people aware are the princes and the king, along with my family. I would appreciate if this information does not leave the room, I don't want my reputation ruined by those that will look at me like I'm a kicked puppy." Her eyes dart between the two of them, nothing but stone-cold determination shadowing the normally clear lilac.

Celestine nods, agreeing. She wouldn't say a word, not if Hallie didn't permit it. "For now, we'll table this discussion. We still have time," she offers.

All three of them are in agreement. Hallie departs without another word, slowly disappearing into the hall as if she was never there in the first place. Apologizing for ever bringing it up in the first place, Celestine leaves and carefully makes her way back down the stairs, nodding at the guards as she passes.

Back in her chambers, she pulls back the sheets and slides underneath the duvet. Roux is sound asleep, her chest slowly rising and falling with each breath. It takes hours, all of Celestine's strength, but finally, she falls asleep after realizing that everyone has their own backstory. Even Hallie, a witch with no other choice but to put up a front to forget the past and her parents.

They considered her useless, no one saw value in a healer. And to think...they would've needed her for healing injuries. Only then would they see value in someone they kicked while they were already down.