Asaka and I spend the morning getting pampered. We laugh and talk about our respective partners and Asaka speaks wistfully about the wedding. I can't believe she is almost married—it seems like just yesterday we were kids imagining what the day would be like.
"I'm happy for you," I say, inspecting my nails as we leave the salon.
"And I'm happy for you," Asaka tells me. "Chezem is a great guy."
"Yeah," I say, a small smile on my lips. "He is." I have been running ideas on how to tell him the truth all day. Asaka, Ivan, and I step into a little cafe and find ourselves a table.
Asaka leans across it and makes a show of looking around. "Believe in the magic yet?" she asks.
I laugh and shake my head. "This place isn't magical," I protest. Though I can see how she would think that. "I guess we're just lucky!"
The three of us eat our meal while Asaka talks about wedding plans. Tonight is the rehearsal dinner and I feel a ball of nerves in my stomach. It's the first time that Chezem and I will be together, publically. I wonder how it will go. We finish our meal and Asaka goes to pay, Ivan quick on her heels. Of course he would be more concerned about the future Queen than me. I sigh and climb to my feet. I catch Asaka's eye and motion toward the restrooms, and she nods.
The long hallway makes me nervous, but I trudge on. When I emerge from the restroom, I jump, seeing a man leaning against the wall. He smiles at me when he sees me and I send him a polite, yet distant smile and try to slip past him. "Excuse me," I say, but he is blocking my path.
My heart beats painfully in my chest, and I grit my teeth together. "Hello," he drawls.
"Please move," I say. "I need to be going."
"In such a rush?" the man asks, reaching toward me.
I slap his hand away. "Move," I say forcefully. I know he is stronger than me and I could never overpower him, but the cafe is not very loud and I will scream if I have to. "I am not interested in whatever you are selling."
"Miss Lina?" Ivan's voice cuts through the tension like a knife, and the man steps aside, allowing me to pass. I hurry to Ivan, trying not to look like I'm running. He carefully puts an arm around me without actually touching me and ushers me away.
Asaka is pale when we meet up with her. "Are you okay?" she asks nervously, grabbing my arms.
"Yeah," I say. "Just...some jerk." I shrug my shoulders and send Ivan an appreciative look. "I'm okay." I say and I'm surprised that it's true. Just a few weeks ago I would have been reduced to a blubbering mess over something like that. My heart is beating a little faster and my hands shake, but overall, I'm okay.
We climb into the car and head back to the palace and, on the way, Asaka puts a hand on my knee. "I'm proud of you," she says softly.
I lean across the space and pull her into a hug. "I love you, Asaka," I tell her. "I am so happy for you and I can't wait to see you marry the man of your dreams." She returns the hug tightly.
We are both surprised when the door opens, since Ivan is still waiting patiently in the front seat, letting us have our moment. We both look up to see Lambert, his eyebrows pulled together in a frown. "Come," he says, holding his hand out to me. "You are...needed."
Uncertainty washes over me, but I take his hand and let him pull me from the car. Inside, I am surprised to find a fight has broken out among the princes. I am even more surprised to find it is between Melchiorre and Chezem, with Jun in the middle, trying to break up the disagreement.
"What's going on?" I ask nervously.
Lambert shakes her head. "No one is quite sure," he admits. "I assume Mel said something off color that upset Chezem. I've never seen him so angry," he says, rubbing his jaw. "Then again, I can't imagine anyone being truly angry with Melchiorre. He's got a big mouth and says some surprising things, sure, but he never means anything by it."
I chew my lower lip, watching the two men glare at each other. "I don't know why you're so angry," Mel says, waving his hand. "If you don't want that to happen, then do something about it." He shrugs, as if he could not care less about the fight, but his posture is rigid.
Chezem splutters. "You wouldn't!" he snaps. "Melchiorre, I swear-"
"Ah!" Mel exclaims, catching sight of me. "Lina, just the girl I wanted to see." He strides away from Chezem, who whirls around, narrowing his eyes at the two of us as Melchiorre takes my hand in his. He lifts it to his lips and kisses my fingertips. "Nice nails," he comments.
I try to extract my hand from his grasp, but he clicks his tongue and tightens his hold. "Mel, what?" I ask, shaking my head. "What is going on?"
He laughs and shakes his head. "Nothing you need to concern yourself with, love." He taps a finger to my nose and I blink. "Come with me," he says, pulling gently on my hand.
I lift my free hand and stay rooted to the spot. "No," I say, uncertainly.
Mel smiles sadly at me. "Respectfully, dear, I insist." He gives me no choice, clicking his tongue as he sweeps me off my feet and into his arms. A startled cry escapes my lips, and I glare at him. "I apologize." He begins walking away, and I hit his chest.
"Put me down!" I snap.
He shakes his head. "Lina," he says, voice gentle. "You are in no danger. I just need to do this."
"Why?" I demand. "What are you and Chezem fighting over?"
Melchiorre sighs. "You."