"Jellal?" Minerva asked, knocking on his door softly.

"Minerva!" Jellal said, taking a step back. "How did you..um..find me.."

Minerva smiled. "If King Faust found out.."

"I know, I know," he said, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly.

"I heard you and Scarlet this afternoon. Registering for the tournament. I won't tell Faust."

Jellal sighed with relief. He stepped forward and hugged her. "Thanks, Minerva."

He frowned. "What are you doing here, though?"

"I came to support King Faust, of course. Sieg and my servant are here also."

"What?" Jellal asked. "You can't mean..Father's competing too?!"

~ ~ ~

I sat on my bed and looked at my roommate. Juvia had magic. It was so obvious.

Any weapon can be used in the tournament..

Surely magic wasn't allowed?

This tournament was a tough one. Kill or be killed. Unless your opponent has some sympathy. But in the last three matches, the loser was killed. Jellal had been more lenient though. But would he have killed his opponent if I hadn't told him not to?

~ ~ ~

"We have a special guest!" the announcer. "Lady Minerva!"

The crowd cheered as Minerva smiled and waved. She took her place beside the announcer.

"And wherever the king's ward is, the king is! Let's all bow to King Faust! Four-time winner of the Southern Fiore Tournament!"

King Faust stepped into the middle of the arena.

"And finally! Let's welcome the last five competitors!"

He read off the list:

"His Majesty, King Faust Fernandes! Sting Eucliffe! Rogue Cheney! Riko Scarlet! And Jonathan Lockser!"

Jellal slumped against the wall. "I'm dead. Father knows I'm competing."

"Told you not to pick my pseudonym."

"Well," Jellal said, unsheathing his sword. "I'll worry about it in the final round."

~ ~ ~

"I convinced Faust to compete, Morgause," Minerva whispered to the hooded person beside her.

Morgause smiled. "Jellal is an arrogant prince. He'll want to win, as does his father. They'll both fight, and one will die."

~ ~ ~

Juvia against Rogue was brutal.

Rogue had a huge ax and Juvia had nothing but a knife.

This time I watched carefully.

And sure enough, Rogue's ax slipped out of his hands. And Juvia thrust her knife into Rogue's shoulder. The black-haired man cried out in pain. But Juvia didn't stop. She raised her hand again and stabbed Rogue in his heart.

"No!" Sting yelled from the crowd.

Jellal winced. "Jonathan is brutal."

I needed to talk to Juvia. She was using magic the wrong way. I didn't want her to become like Minerva.

~ ~ ~

"Juvia," I said firmly.

"Juvia wants to rest," Juvia whispered.

"I know you have magic."

"Juvia does not."

"Yes, you do."

"The ring does. Juvia does not."

"The ring?"

"Juvia's father gave it to her. This is Juvia's weapon in the tournament."

"You can't use magic. You'll be executed."

"Juvia keeps it a secret. And if you tell anyone, Juvia will kill you."

"Like you killed Rogue?" I asked angrily. "For no reason?"

I grabbed Juvia by her shoulders. "This isn't how magic is used! Whether the magic comes from within you, or whether it comes from an item- you can't use it to kill!"

"You would never understand!" Juvia cried, tears trickling down her cheeks.

I thought of Minerva crying. I thought about Minerva now. I remembered my mistake. I remembered my promise- to never let anyone know about my powers.

I held out my hand, and very, very softly whispered, "Farashatan."

Juvia's eyes widened as a small, delicate, blue butterfly flew from my cupped hands.

"And..you have to hide it too?" Juvia whispered.

"Yes," I said. "But one day, we'll be free. Both of us. When Prince Jellal becomes king-"

"You're relying on a Fernandes to bring back magic?" Juvia snapped, all awe gone.

"Yes," I said calmly.

"You're a disgrace to our kind. Juvia's going to win this tournament using magic. Juvia's going to face Faust in the final round. And Juvia's going to kill him. And his son."