Cardien's room was quite dark, considering he reveled in the glorious beams of the sun that produced highlights on the tips of his blond hair. Contrary to his fixed predilections, the curtains hung over the windows, light shining behind the thin fabric and illuminating it as if there was a ball of light waiting to burst. Jin glumly stared at the closed curtains and imagined the leaves dancing in the wind. He was sitting in a chair next to Cardien's lavish bed, which continued to obtrude into his sight no matter how far away he looked.

Cardien was as merry as a traumatized survivor could be, glowering at Jin as if he was the source of all his woes. His golden sheets covered his legs that were frankly in horrifying condition, and although the healers did their finest work, Cardien was still incapacitated. He seemed to blame that on Jin, as well.

When Jin spared Cardien a glance, those viridescent eyes narrowed.

"Don't look at me," Cardien gritted out. If he could, based on the overall expression on his face, he would be snarling like a rabid dog.

Jin was accustomed to the behavior and had no care to heed the mild threat. "I'm not looking at you. I'm here as an obligatory elderly brother and am checking on you for the same reason."

Cardien huffed in a deep breath through his nose and released it in a simmering hiss. "As if you ever gave a damn about such customs. I bet you're elated, aren't you? Just waiting for Father and Novas to return to finish them off."

Jin didn't respond. He did not need to, and his silence was taken as confirmation. Cursing under his breath, Cardien crossed his arms and snapped his head in the other way. It relieved Jin since he wouldn't have to bear witness to his hideous expression anymore.

For that short moment, Jin was free, staring at the imaginary scenery flowing over the drab curtains and listening to the make-believe sounds of arrows impacting a tree. It was a beautiful concoction mixed with the perfect blend of relaxation and charm, and Jin almost smiled. That was until a knock came at the door, and the urge to smile left faster than an arrow fleeing its bow. And like an arrow, the urge didn't return.

"Well," Jin said, sighing, "will you let them in?"

Cardien pursed his lips. "Enter!"

His voice was rough, chiseled by an edge of sorrow. But that went over the head of the guard who entered. The guard bowed, two fingers touching the center of his forehead, and after he cleared his throat, he said, "The generals are in the war room and have requested both of Your Highness's presence."

"The generals?" Cardien murmured, his lips coiled in a confused knot. "Is it about the attack on the castle? The Queen's murder?"

The guard shook his head and seemed very interested in the floor. "A hawk has arrived from Umbra, carrying a missive penned by Mother Erna."

Mother Erna? Jin raised a brow. Now that was fascinating. Not King Leonis but Mother Erna, a Vitan healer who pretended to fit in with the southerners. The corner of Jin's lips twitched.

"What did the duplicitous hag have to say?" Cardien sneered. "She should know very well that Vita does not take orders from the likes of her."

"I was not informed of the missive's contents, Your Highness."

Jin crossed his legs, and before Cardien could cause the guard any more trouble, Jin waved the guard off. "We will head to the war room shortly. If there is nothing else for us to hear, you may take your leave."

The guard sketched a bow and quickly left to Cardien's chagrin. When Jin himself stood, Cardien perked up, glancing from Jin to the door as an aura of palpable irritation thickened around him.

"Are you going to leave me? How do you expect me to go to the war room? I cannot walk."

Pointing to the wheelchair beside the bed, Jin shrugged. "Get in the chair and roll yourself there."

"I cannot do that!" Cardien exclaimed. "Call a servant."

"Call one yourself. You may not have legs, but you do have a voice."

"Jin!"

Brushing himself off and fixing his suit, Jin nodded. "Yes, if you scream like that, a servant will come here in no time."

"You are here as an obligatory elderly brother, and as one, you should help me."

"Did you forget that I do not care for such customs?"

Flustered, Cardien struggled to find the words to bite back. He stammered before he growled. "May you please help me, then?"

Jin eyed Cardien for a second before offering his hand. Using Jin's support, Cardien stumbled into his wheelchair and straightened his posture as his legs trembled.

Placing a steady hand on his knee, Cardien huffed out a breath. "I hate you."

"You've always hated me, Cardien. I expected no difference."

Jin gestured to the back of the wheelchair, but Cardien rebuffed the offer. "Call a servant."

After Jin summoned one of the servants in the hall, it didn't take long for him and Cardien to arrive at the war room. Sunlight poured through the glass ceiling and shone on the long table where the four major generals were seated. The shadows of the gold frames of tall windows stretched across the marble floor. Under the scrutiny of the sun's lingering gaze, the darkness faded into obscurity.

At Jin and Cardien's arrival, the most notable of the four, General Sharyn, greeted them and bowed. When they settled in their respective places, the servant left, the hollow smacks of her leather soles echoing in the empty chamber. All was silent until the massive doors shut with a loud boom.

"The head of the servants should really teach that girl respect," Cardien muttered, the corners of his lips wrinkled. "She was insufferably loud."

"She was ill at ease under your presence," Jin said, trying his best to keep Cardien's temper away from the servants. The last time a poor girl became mixed up with his wrath, she did not see the next sunrise.

Cardien clicked his tongue. "She was incompetent."

Before Jin could muster another rebuttal, Sharyn cleared his throat.

"We did not request your presence to bicker. Unfortunate news has arrived from Umbra."

"A missive penned by Mother Erna, yes?" Jin was curious to see what Mother Erna had to say after all these years. When one of the soldiers behind Sharyn passed the missive to Cardien, only for him to inhale a sharp breath and go wide-eyed, Jin's slight curiosity was piqued.

Once he was handed the missive, he read the neat handwriting carefully, wondering what the subject that earned Cardien's reaction was, but what Jin found was more than what he had anticipated. King Rucaites and Prince Novas—his father and brother—were assassinated, and Mother Erna requested for either Jin or Cardien to travel to Umbra to take part in a council of war.

Jin didn't know how to feel about the news, but there was no time to untie his knot of emotions. Sharyn was already explaining what he and the other generals had debated.

"We discussed who will be the one to represent Vita in the council, and after long deliberation, we have come to a consensus."

Cardien raised his head, a smirk blooming on his lips. He already knew. They both knew who was inevitably chosen.

"And we have chosen Prince Jin."

Cardien stilled, his smirk wilting, while Jin dropped the missive, which drifted to the ground.

"What!?" Cardien and Jin both exclaimed, their eyes darting to General Sharyn.

Before Sharyn could explain, Cardien banged his fist against the table and jabbed a finger at Jin as he yelled, "He is a human! He has no power! He is diseased, cursed!"

Jin didn't respond to the insults. He had been belittled as a human for his entire life. Frankly, he was more concerned with the implications of the assassination and Sharyn's reasoning. One of the other generals at the table across from Cardien, General Ellyra, sent one of her infamous cold glares Cardien's way.

"Then do you expect us to send you to the south on a tharrowback when you cannot walk?" Her voice was smooth, a loud whisper pleasing to the ear, and even though she was clearly vexed by Cardien's outrage, none of it was expressed in her words. "Prince Cardien, you know better."

"And you know better, as well!" Cardien screamed, nearly jumping out of his wheelchair. "Vita will not send a human scum as a representative. Jin was not blessed by the Gods. He is a curse to us all and has no right to attend the council in Umbra."

"Prince Jin meets all of the qualifications. In fact, he was and is more qualified than you ever were."

"General Ellyra!"

Even with his threat, Ellyra was unperturbed. "And the decision is not yours, Prince Cardien. It is Prince Jin's."

The whites of Cardien's eyes were red. "I am the successor of this throne! You will obey me!"

"Enough!" Sharyn brought his fist against the tabletop. "Prince Cardien, this is not your decision as the throne has not officially passed to you." Turning to Jin, he lowered his voice. "Prince Jin, what is your decision?"

Cardien gaped at all of the generals at the table, but none of them paid any attention to him. They all looked at Jin expectantly, and he didn't know how to react. For his entire life, he was cast to the side, but now, he was being treated as an equal to Cardien. There was no buzzing exhilaration or thrumming enthusiasm racing through him at the realization. There was only one question:

Why?

But he wasn't given an answer. The generals still awaited his call, and Cardien, with all his seething rage, did, as well. Staring at a particularly uninteresting spot on the table, Jin refused to acknowledge Cardien as he choked the answer the generals wanted out of his dried throat.

"Prepare a tharrowback. I depart for Umbra at dawn."

* * *

"I believe there is a mild misunderstanding."

Jungkook was too baffled to move when he saw Snow and Nickelyn constraining Two at sword point. It was so unbelievable he had to rub his eyes to try and wake himself from whatever disease had plagued his vision. But when he raised his head again to the same view, reality sank in.

He didn't disclose his plans to Snow or Nickelyn, and this was the price of his secrecy. So before the situation could escalate any further, Jungkook braced himself against the wall and began his explanation, only for Snow to interrupt him.

"I know you have been planning something this entire time, assassin, and now you reveal your true colors, kidnapping the prince of this kingdom."

Two's features were marked with fatigue, her eyes drooping and shadows hollowing her cheeks. But when her brow scrunched and her lips dipped into a scowl, the weariness slipped into fury.

"Are you mad? Let me go, so we can have a civil discussion instead of whatever this is."

"So you can kill us all?"

"What do you take me for? A fool?"

"I take you for an assassin, and I prefer you at sword point."

"Well, I prefer us at a table, so it'll be in your best interest to let me go."

"Our best interest does not rely upon—"

"Silence!" Jungkook shouted, and everyone paused, staring at him as if he had grown another head. "Enough of this farce! Let her go."

Snow's arm fell to her side as she fully faced Jungkook. "What? She kidnapped you."

"Let her go," Jungkook repeated, adding more force behind his words, hoping that it made him sound more resolute. "Two has done no wrong. Release her."

The hesitation was thick and tangible, hanging around Snow and Nickelyn like a blanket. All Jungkook wanted to do was tear that blanket in half. Snow's displeasure and Nickelyn's wariness were obvious as they lowered their weapons and allowed Two to distance herself.

Two leaned against the wall, nearly hugging it, and Jungkook noticed the awkward tilt of her body as if she was distributing her weight on one foot. He peered at her feet and was unfortunately graced with the sight of her swollen ankle twisted at an impossible angle. Two had walked in that condition, but that wasn't the worst revelation. She had fought in that condition. By the Gods, she had sprinted and carried Jungkook in that condition.

The truth gobsmacked him and brought a light heat to his ears. Mortified wasn't enough to describe the utter embarrassment that poked at his gut, and the urge to grab his pendant loomed over him. Oh, Gods, while Two could feel his pain, he couldn't feel hers, and he didn't realize how much of a burden he had become.

"Explain yourself, Jungkook."

The sharp edge of Snow's words snapped Jungkook out of his self-conscious reflection. He blinked, glancing at the warm hues stretching over the grass outside, then the thinning darkness up the staircase.

"I'll explain in my chambers. Two and I need to heal, so summon Emilia."

After they climbed the tower to Jungkook's chambers, it didn't take long for Emilia to arrive. Two rejected her services, claiming that her plant element sufficed. Jungkook sat on his bed next to Emilia, paying attention to Nickelyn's and Snow's movements from his peripheral vision.

Nickelyn sat on the stone windowsill and kept a close eye on Two as she twisted her foot back into place with a low grunt. Her wounds gradually healed, and the only evidence she was wounded before was the blood coating her skin. But compared to Two and Nickelyn, Snow was more expressive.

She paced around the room, squinting at Jungkook and Two. Jungkook recognized her behavior—knew that she was trying to understand what had transpired for this development in his trust in Two. It only created a distant chill between them. It was similar to that dense tension between him and Elias on the day he had run into the demon—the day he had met Two for the first time.

After a long silence filled with nothing but the snapping and cracking of Two's bones, Snow's patience finally caved. "Explain. What happened, and where were you?"

Jungkook contemplated whether he should spill the truth. He had no desire to relive those memories in the Dark Lotus's base. Even if he did tell Snow, he would have to desecrate Lord Aegus's name, reveal his agenda as Lucius, and tarnish the legacy of the royal bloodline. It was selfish of him to protect a monster who had committed so many sins—caused so many calamities—but Snow had already deceived Jungkook once. There was no guarantee that she wouldn't try again if she had the information.

Jungkook studied those sea-green eyes that he grew to know so well. On the forefront was sincerity and care, but he sensed another layer that he couldn't discern before—one he discovered after learning the truth about her. What mattered the most to her was her own motives, and the only reason she still cared about Jungkook was that he was still useful.

One day she would throw him away.

Jungkook clenched his bedsheets.

Just like Uncle Aegus.

"We were hunting for demons." The lie slipped easily off of his tongue. "That night Two saved me from a demon, I witnessed her combat prowess and couldn't help myself. I wanted to prevent more deaths from the night watch because I don't care where their origins lie. I want to protect all my people."

Without missing a beat, Two added, "We found three demons wandering the slums. Two were decent foes, but the last one was a beast. We barely made it out alive."

"I almost died, but Two saved me." Jungkook met Snow's squinted eyes. "That was why I was enraged when you dared to raise a knife at her."

Jungkook never lied to Snow. Not to this extent. He always fell weak to guilt, but now that he pushed his concerns aside, he felt confident—in control.

"More demons?" Covering her mouth with the back of her hand, Snow stumbled backward. "You killed three?"

"Demons!?" Nickelyn moved from her spot on the windowsill but stopped in the middle of the room. "Since when were demons murdering the night watch?"

Jungkook refrained from answering, so Snow did the honor.

"Jungkook had discovered it on a whim and persuaded Elias and me to help investigate the matter further. We figured it out not so long ago."

The corners of Nickelyn's mouth strained, wanting to ask more, but the tension soon eased. Jungkook could sympathize with how she must feel. Her comrades were falling to unfortunate deaths, but the person with the answers refused to hand over the details.

"But that is not the most important issue as of now." Picking on her nails, Snow inhaled a deep breath and glared at Two. When it was clear Two would not leave any time soon, Snow begrudgingly nodded at Nickelyn. "A missive arrived from Umbra. Be careful when you peruse its contents."

From an inner pocket of her uniform, Nickelyn retrieved a folded parchment and handed it to Jungkook. Anticipation rushed through his blood, and the pressure of everyone's gaze landed on him. Even Two watched, although she feigned indifference as she wrapped her foot in cloth.

Exhaling, Jungkook unfolded the letter, the creases on the paper catching the sunlight now pouring through the windows. The handwriting was neat and crisp. When he reached the second line, he paused. Aegus's words resounded in his ears like the incessant beats of a drum.

Your father is dead.

It wasn't a lie. King Aethyrias was murdered by an attack on the head, a weapon strong enough to pierce his skull and kill him instantly. His father was dead, but Jungkook had so many questions about Lux, Aegus, his mother. . .

How would they hold a funeral? How would the kingdom react? How would Faelaux react? Jungkook was the only barrier standing, the only wall that protected Lux, and he had no power, no army. Faelaux had both.

Among the cacophony of worries screaming in his mind, he could only voice one: "They want me to attend a council of war. Who will protect the kingdom in my absence?"

No one had an answer. For some reason, Two's movements stiffened. The attention she saved for Jungkook disappeared, and now she intently stared at her ankle. No one seemed to notice, not even Snow, who had her eyes on Two from day one, so shaking his head, Jungkook looked away. He was putting meaning behind the most trivial things.

"If I attend, then an opportunity will open for Faelaux to strike." Placing the missive on his bed stand, Jungkook thanked Emilia as she finished healing him. "So I will have to sneak out of the castle without anyone learning of my leave, and the king's passing will have to remain secret."

"I was thinking the same." Snow picked up the missive and scanned the words. "The only people who know of the king's passing are in this room. The messenger was found dead near the Leorsus River, so he cannot talk."

"Then the killer must've read the contents of the missive."

"It was unopened until I grabbed it off a guard heading for General Faelaux." Nickelyn pulled an envelope with the wax seal of Umbra's gray wolf engraved on it. "I was the first to open it."

"Then that settles that issue." Jungkook sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "All we have to do now is figure out how to keep Faelaux at bay."

"I may have a solution," Snow said. "We can contact Lord Aegus in Lumina and inform him about the current situation."

Jungkook's heart stopped. Glimpses of blood and flashes of anger passed through him, and he had to close his eyes to endure the sudden avalanche of wrath. That was actually a perfect solution. How was he supposed to deflect it without revealing the truth? He didn't know what to say, what to do. Snow was glaring at him, unraveling his deceptions. He needed to think of a response. Something. Anything.

"Lady Snowalaine, that solution is futile." Two's voice rang through his stormy haze, and Jungkook held his breath. "Do you know where in Lumina Lord Aegus is? There is no time to search for him. A solution that could be executed tomorrow is a far more suitable one. The faster Prince Jungkook arrives at Umbra, the better, and you even said that the messenger was killed. Then that means that the letter was delayed. He is already late, so there is nothing to gain in delaying his arrival further."

Swallowing, Jungkook expressed his gratitude with a slight nudge of his head. Two didn't acknowledge it.

"That doesn't mean the idea has no merit." Snow huffed, cupping her chin. "Are there any other proposals?"

Another lull made its way into the discussion as everyone scoured for a different solution. This time, the person to break the silence was Nickelyn.

"Then why don't you leave for Umbra tonight, Jungkook? Take one or two guards and leave the castle. If General Faelaux believes you are your tower, he will not start a battle because he knows there will be many who side with you. All we have to do is hold out until Captain Novire and Elias return from the south. With Captain Novire's presence, General Faelaux won't dare to raise a finger."

After a moment of consideration, Snow hummed. "That might work. Elias and the Captain are scheduled to return any day now, and Captain Novire has influence in the ranks. Even with his followers, Faelaux wouldn't stand a chance."

Jungkook wrung his fingers. He had to entrust his kingdom to the Captain and hope that it was enough to deter Faelaux. Hope wasn't enough, but there were no other options. Unless he didn't attend the council of war at all. But he couldn't ignore his duties and leave Lux unrepresented.

"That sounds better than any option I have," Jungkook whispered.

Snow clicked her tongue. "There is still Lord Aegus to consider."

"There is nothing about him to consider!" Jungkook snapped, and Snow's eyes widened. Averting his gaze, he cleared his throat. "As Two explained, there is no time to search for him."

An awkward stretch of silence nestled itself between them. Even though questions lingered in Snow's expression, she just sighed.

"Then I'll hand-pick a trustworthy guard and prepare horses and supplies for your journey."

"No." The thought of traveling with someone Jungkook didn't know, someone he couldn't trust the motives of, terrified him. Aegus's kind smile and his inspiring words surfaced. That only affirmed his decision. "I will not trust a random guard with my life."

Snow furrowed her brow. "Then do you plan to travel alone?"

Jungkook shook his head and locked eyes with Two. Silent understanding painted her face, and Jungkook gulped.

"I plan to travel with Two."

* * *

Jungkook had finally burned the last straw. If Snowalaine did not like her before, Two was sure she despised her now. After Jungkook announced he would travel with Two, a switch flipped in Snowalaine. Her icy gaze pierced Two's skin and continued to freeze over her body as she spoke.

"Is there any reason for this decision?"

Even her voice was brimming with venomous ice. Two wondered if all Umbrans could produce the same effect.

"I trust her more than any guard in the ranks."

Days ago, Two would've laughed at Jungkook's reasoning, but now she was a little irked at the fact he readily handed his trust to her—an assassin of all people. There was also a promise he was breaking, but she did not voice her thoughts. It would ruin the show about to explode before her.

Snowalaine let out unintelligible grunts as if she didn't have the words to express her bewilderment and vexation. After glaring at Two and Jungkook for a long while, she abruptly hauled Two to her feet. Ignoring Two's pained protests, she dragged her out of the room and slammed the door behind them.

Two's foot wasn't in that much pain since it was already healing, but she pretended to be in agony for emphasis. "Can't you see I am injured?"

Snowalaine's eyes only narrowed, seeing right through her. "What did you do to him?"

Scoffing, Two dropped the act. "What do you mean what did I do to him?"

"You took him somewhere."

"I did not take him anywhere he didn't want to be taken because, unlike some people, I actually give a damn about consent."

Pink tinted Snowalaine's ears. Inhaling a deep breath, she sighed. "Refuse his proposal."

"First, you threatened me with a knife to my throat, and now, you demand more."

"I know you have no desire to help him, and I can break you from the contract."

"You do not know that, and no, you can't. You're not the one I'm bound to."

Snowalained gritted her teeth. "I'm the one who sealed it."

"The maker is not the wielder." Two pointed at the door. "He is in there and desires my assistance."

"He is being reckless as a result of stress and trauma."

"Then he must be strong since he makes wise decisions even in that state."

Sea-green eyes stared wide-eyed at Two. "You think this is wise?" Snowalaine whispered.

"I think that it is the most reasonable option he has."

"Lord Aegus is still available. Jungkook is letting his fear cloud his judgment."

Two flinched at the mention of Lucius. "He is making the right decision unless there is a guard he can trust."

"You act as if he trusts you."

"He does. What fear would he have when I cannot even touch him? He gets hurt; I get hurt. He dies; I die. That is a very thick wall of assurance. You brought this upon yourself, Lady Snow."

A hand dug itself into her forearm, and Two scowled. Snowalaine raised her other hand in the air but did not move further. "He is just a child."

A light smirk twitched on Two's lips. "Argues the person that used him to her advantage."

"I never used him." Snowalaine's voice was a fierce whisper that carried millions of threats ready to slice Two in a heartbeat. "I always did what was advantageous for his growth."

"That is what you may believe." Two tugged Snowalaine's hand off of her arm and squared her shoulders. "But the person he trusts is me, not you."

Snowalaine winced and lowered her hand. Searching Two's eyes, she breathed in a ragged breath. Before she uttered another word, her brown-haired companion and the healer exited Jungkook's chambers.

"Snow, Jungkook requested for us to leave." The guard's lapis eyes found Two's. "And he wants a word with you."

Snowalaine was frozen in place until her companion led her down the staircase and out of the tower. When Two ascertained they had left, she opened the door to Jungkook's chambers.

He was standing on the balcony, his hands clasped behind his back. The sunlight created a faint glow around his contours and glinted on the white tiger embedded in the new scarf wrapped around his shoulders. When Two approached the vacant spot beside him, she kept a healthy distance between them.

"I must thank you for playing along with my story." His gaze was centered straight ahead on the buildings of Clarica down the hill. "And for deflecting Snow's idea about my uncle."

Two was about to throw a snarky comment, but she held her tongue. "You do not need to thank me for anything. I was just fulfilling my part in the contract."

Jungkook bristled. "If you do not desire my gratitude, perhaps you will accept an apology." He gestured towards her wounded ankle. "I apologize for being a burden and not noticing your injury sooner."

Two chuckled. "I don't think it's wise to waste your concern on me. I've experienced worse. This is nothing."

From the corner of his eye, Jungkook glanced at her. "I still feel terrible for being a burden and putting that pressure on you. As for the contract, I have given you a safe way out of the castle. I feared that Snow would not let you leave unscathed, so that was why I told her you would accompany me to Umbra. She was unaware of our agreement, so I wanted to break the contract once we were out of the castle."

Two gaped at Jungkook. "For a second, I thought you would not uphold your end of the bargain."

"I would never break my word," Jungkook said, and after a comfortable silence passed, he cleared his throat. "But I would like to offer another proposition."

Two raised a brow. "I'm listening."

"I do want you to accompany me to Umbra." Jungkook shuffled from foot to foot. "I wasn't lying when I said that I couldn't trust any guard in the ranks."

"What makes you trust me? The blood contract?"

Jungkook paled. "That, yes, but you treated me normally even with the knowledge of who I am. I cannot sense any hidden agenda behind your actions."

Everyone had an agenda. Even Two. "That is a flimsy reason to trust an assassin."

"But there is the contract."

"You promised to break it after I helped you."

"That is why it was a proposition, not a demand." Jungkook faced Two. "You do not have to escort me to Umbra. I can break the contract once we leave Clarica. From there, we can part ways. All of this depends on what you want."

Crossing her arms, Two leaned against the railing and enjoyed the sight of the full sun rising over the horizon. "It's really not a tempting offer."

"I never expected you to accept it."

"Do you want me to?"

Once Jungkook paused, she expected him to remain silent, but he eventually nodded.

Two shrugged. "Fine, then. I will escort you to Umbra."

Jungkook blinked. "I didn't expect you to accept so easily."

"Shocking me by making some intelligent decisions does not change the fact that you will fall dead three seconds into battle."

"I am not that helpless," Jungkook argued, his nose scrunched.

"Keep telling yourself that."

Huffing, Jungkook opened his mouth but closed it. He ended up staring ahead, a pout on his lips. "Why are you helping me?"

"I have nowhere else to go except Medeia. It wouldn't hurt to travel a little further to Hiemura for a quick visit." It actually would, considering the last time Two was there, an assassination took place, but she had a soft spot for Jungkook. And that was something she was not about to tell him any time soon. "All I want is for you to break the contract once you arrive safely in Hiemura. Then, we can finally part ways."

Jungkook outstretched his hand. "Thank you, Two."

Two shook it. "This seals the deal, Princeling."

Once the new contract was agreed upon, they stared at the shining buildings of Clarica.

"You know you can call me by my given name," Jungkook said.

A smile tugged at her lips as Two ruffled Jungkook's hair. "I don't want to get too familiar, Prince. Plus," she said as she turned to the city, the fading lights, the waning stars in the bright sky, "I prefer Princeling."

And when Jungkook chuckled and laughed with a lightness only youth could afford, Two could not help but feel at peace.