She was avoiding him. Partly because she was uncomfortable about the whole incident. Above that though... she just didn't know what to do. For all she knew she'd been dreaming it, heavily medicated as she'd been at the time.

Regardless, she'd asked Ferro for a book to explain block Adam. She'd done it before but that had been unintentional—and she still didn't know how it had happened. So, after finding out how (funnily enough by mentally chanting close the gates in Latin) it had become her first priority.

So now, as she walked along the cliff face—keeping an overtly far distance away—she was shaky. It wasn't because of the height. No, on top of everything else it was the last thing she needed to be dealing with.

"Reginae?"

Rebecca jumped. Aleric had been so silent walking near her, she'd forgotten he was there in the first place. "Yes?" she asked, stopping to turn and look at him.

He shrugged his shoulder, heavily wrapped up by soft fabric, wincing. Despite the fact that he'd faced near death only weeks ago, he looked deadly and powerful, sword secured at his waist.

Rebecca waited for him to say something—and when he didn't she filled the silence. "I thought you were still in training?" she said, "And injured?"

He waved a hand at the sword, significantly smaller than any other she'd seen. "This is training. You put in a request to Ser Lancester—and he granted your wish."

She frowned. "Request?"

"For me to become one of your personal guards."

Abruptly she felt like an idiot. How had she forgotten? "Oh. Yeah, I guess, I, uh, did. I thought it wouldn't happen for another few months though. You're still healing."

"This is informal training. None of it is official yet." He looked behind him, where her other guards were quickly catching them. Rebecca took the hint and turned, starting to walk again—because she needed the privacy. "Outside these gates is off limits. That's for the others. Experience—they have it; I don't. Since I didn't win my fight I still have to prove myself."

"Prove yourself?" She was blown away. Angry all of a sudden. "You almost died. I think that's proving yourself."

He shrugged, quickly changing the subject. "This is a part of my training. They're watching—" He pointed behind him, "—to make sure I don't do anything; seeing how I handle it. If I do something that looks threatening, they're going to intercept."

"No pressure," she muttered.

He grinned. Then he sobered quickly. "It's worth it."

It's an honour, went unspoken. "I bet," she said. "Because following me around is liberating."

He didn't say a thing, but she took his silence as an affirmative. She knew he wouldn't say it aloud though.

"So," she said, when the silence dragged on. "Did you hear about what happened the other day?"

As the large, domineering brass gates came closer, she started to slow down. The fact that the castle still looked as large spoke volumes though.

Behind her, she heard Aleric kick something in the grass. "I'm sure a lot happened, Your Grace."

She pivoted, raising an eyebrow at him. Aleric stood there, hand resting on his waist. Unlike her other guards, he wasn't wearing anything special: just dark pants and a shirt the same colour. In the early morning light she noticed there was something on his cheek, right under his eye. It resembled a tattoo, but she knew it wasn't one. A small star, the colour of silver.

"You really haven't heard?" she asked, tearing her eyes away from the star.

He shook his head.

She dropped the subject.

In silence they started to walk the other way, doing another lap of the edge. It was only when they reached the gate again that Rebecca spoke. "How long until you've done your... training?"

"Depends on how fast I complete it," he said.

Rebecca blinked. Then she muttered, "What? Do you have to kill someone?"

He didn't answer.

She swallowed—because she didn't want to even begin considering that possibility. She rubbed the palm of her hand on her hip, wincing. "You—"

"—don't want to know."

She didn't. She really didn't.

So, since her feet were beginning to get sore, she moved until she was sitting cross legged on the patchy grass. The smart move was to go the where the patch of concrete was, surrounding the elaborate water fountain. But she wasn't interested in moving. Besides the grass was soft underneath her so there was nothing to complain about.

Aleric hovered behind her awkwardly, before she saw him sit opposite her. He stretched his legs out in front of him, leaning back on his hands. He should've looked relaxed, but the way his eyes kept shifting around gave him away.

"I'm sorry I'm not exciting," she said, as she stared at her hands clasped over her lap. "I'm not even a Queen really. They're supposed to do official things like meet with important people. I'm just... there. Doing nothing."

She was rambling but she couldn't stop.

"I don't even know what a Queen does. I also don't get why they're letting a clueless seventeen year-old be one. Surely there's someone better. It shouldn't matter who my parents were." She drew in a breath. "I've already restarted a war. What else can I pull off?"

He was quiet for a while. Then, when he spoke, his voice was quiet, like he was risking spooking a nervous animal. "You underestimate yourself, Your Grace. If you hadn't intervened during my match..." He laughed, but it sounded humourless and choked. "I wouldn't be here. I'd have bled out in the arena. You're more powerful than you know."

She looked away, opening her mouth. Yet before she could get a word out, the ground seemed to rip out from beneath her. At least that's what it felt like.

In reality it was just the sudden explosion of pain. It felt as though she was burning from the inside out. Around her she heard the sudden chaos, but the pain was so blinding her vision started to blur.

Before she knew it, she'd lost consciousness.

*

She blinked, momentarily blinded by the sudden light. Unsuccessfully trying to shift, she tried to gain her bearings. Everything was still a little fuzzy, but slowly she was able to make sense of a few things. She was lying on something soft—a bed? Around her there was frantic voices.

One thing she was sure of though was the pain. Intolerable, spiking pain, albeit dulled.

It didn't seem to be stopping any time soon.

"Your Grace."

She blinked.

"Reginae?"

"Englicus."

"She cannot hear anyway..."

Sluggishly, Rebecca lifted her head. Though her vision was blurred, she could make out white walls with tiny little detail—and that was how she knew she wasn't in her room.

"Where am I?" she tried to ask, only for her voice to crack. Her throat was so dry, like she'd screamed herself hoarse. Which seemed liable.

"Your Grace?" The soft, feminine voice came right by her ear, as loud as a yell.

"Where..." She licked her lips, swallowing heavily. "W-where am I?"

Silence.

Then, "You're safe," came from her left, in a voice that was familiar. Aleric.

She didn't know why his voice was such a sudden relief—she didn't dwell on it long enough to find out either. Instead, she repeated, "Where?"

More silence, as though everyone was afraid to answer.

"Where?" she prompted again, voice no longer scratchy but annoyed. She wanted answer to distract from the pain.

"You're safe."

Same words, only spoken by the same female as before. Vaguely, Rebecca recalled that she was the nurse who'd treated her before.

Get up, she tried to tell herself, hoping it'd give her limbs the incentive to suddenly start working. Move.

It wasn't going to happen.

She felt sluggish, like she'd been paralysed. The only thing she could move was her head—which was useless because her vision was slightly blurry.

"I can't... move," she whispered, realising no one was going to tell her where she was.

A hand rubbed her arm, which, in turn, prickled in anxiety, like nails were scratching her arm. Then the woman spoke, speaking in rapid Faelk, before clearing her throat and switching to English. "I know, Reginae. It's the draught I gave you. Moving will only make it more painful."

Rebecca licked her lips. "Why?"

"Your wings have matured."

That didn't make any sense, but she didn't have time to dwell on it. Something ghosted over her back, yet despite the lack of contact it was light fire burning into her skin. She choked on a cry.

"The draught was supposed to ease the pain," came from behind her, undoubtedly Ferro. He sounded tense; worried.

"It is," the female repeated. "Her back is sensitive. The blanket irritated the skin."

She was nearly naked. Great.

"Give her something stronger," Ferro ordered, voice closer now. Blearily, she turned her head, catching sight of him crouching near her. He was frowning, tapping his hand on his knee in a way that was far from relaxed.

His eyes met hers. She tried to hold them, but as another wave of pain hit she could only squeeze her eyes closed.

"I cannot give her anything stronger. She must be lucid. The pain cannot be avoided, Ser. I'm sure you are aware of that."

"I'm on fire," Rebecca whispered, voice cracking a little. "I'm going to die."

A hand touched her hair, stroking. Then she heard Ferro talking quietly next to her. "You're not dying. The pain will fade. Just get through it. Then this'll all be over."

He was lying.

She forced her eyes open, squinting at him. Something cold and soothing was being rubbed into her back—the sudden relief so much she nearly slurred her words. "What's happening?"

"Your wings," he muttered quietly. "Don't worry. All you have to focus on is ignoring the pain. The room is protected—no one's getting in. You're safe."

You're safe. How many times had she heard that? It wasn't making her feel any better.

She blinked. "Wings?"

He sighed. "Wings. Flying. Feathers."

Oh.

"That's nuts," she murmured, moving her arm experimentally. If felt as if she was on a mattress, but it could've been anything soft.

He laughed quietly. "It's not."

Really, it wasn't. It felt so long ago that she'd seen Mikael's. At the time, everything around her had been a mess, so she hadn't had the chance to freak out.

The hand stopped rubbing her back. Then the female said, "Reginae, I need you to be still. Close your eyes too—it'll make it easier."

She closed her eyes.

Nothing happened.

Absently, she felt Ferro move away, before she heard a whispered conversation with him and Aleric.

"You were there?" The words were so low, they were a pitch above a growl. "What happened? I want details."

"We were talking, Ser." Aleric sounded cautious, respectful. "She was fine. Then she was screaming. I carried her back up to the infirmary."

"I'd be cautious of what I say. She personally asked me to move you into the position you're in. Her Grace can change her mind. Remember that."

"It's an honour, Ser. I wouldn't..."

Rebecca could no longer eavesdrop.

Because, all of a sudden, pain tore through her back and she felt like she was burning alive.

It was so extreme, she blacked out.

Again.

When she came to, there was whispering voice around her. The pain in her back was gone. Drawing in a breath, she moved her arms until her palms were flat on whatever she was on, before she pushed up off the bed.

It was surprisingly easy. Too easy.

But at least she could move again.

"Your Grace, refrain from moving if you would."

She froze.

Slowly, she turned her head. The room came into vision clearly now: a small space with nothing but a dark red couch. Along the walls, Fae stood guard; Aleric with them. Ferro had his arms crossed over his chest, leaning back against the wall. The female was sitting on the floor.

Everyone was watching her.

"Is it over?" she whispered. "Am I dead?"

The woman rushed to her side: a short, pale woman in green pants and a black shirt. "Reginae, it's over."

Rebecca moved again, only to stop when there was sudden pain in her shoulder. She tried to turn her head, but found she couldn't; her neck jarred in place. "What happened?" she asked.

"You have wings."

She shut her eyes, flopping back onto the bed unceremoniously.

She was dreaming. Hallucinating because of the pain. She had to be; there wasn't an alternative solution.

Because there was no way—no way—she had wings.

It wasn't possible.

It. Wasn't. Possible.

But at least the pain was over.