Late Thursday night.

  Nora had gone back to her dorm to prepare, leaving him to walk home alone.

  Before Dan left the academy gates, he passed by the knights’ training hall. From inside came the sound of someone practicing swordsmanship with intensity.

  He could understand it for mages testing spells—but knights? By eleven at night they were usually gone.

  Dan glanced up at the academy’s pendulum clock. Nearly midnight.

  Maybe I’ll take a peek. Can’t hurt.

  When his hand eased the training hall door open, darkness greeted him. The place seemed abandoned, equipment scattered. But at the dueling floor, a light burned.

  He saw Rafinya. Training alone.

  She showed no sign of exhaustion. Her movements—even against a wooden dummy—were fluid, acrobatic like a dancer, yet ferocious as flame.

  Barely two seconds passed with Dan peering in before Rafinya sensed him. She hurled a short blade that struck the doorframe, grazing his head.

  “Who’s there?”

  “…”

  “Come out. I know you’re there. Do it while I’m still speaking politely.”

  Dan stepped out.

  Rafinya lowered her guard slightly, her eyes narrowing.

  “Dan… Burn.”

  At last she remembers my name.

  “What are you doing here?”

  “Professor Foden told me this place closes after midnight.”

  “Not when I’ve booked it.”

  “Oh…”

  No fooling Rafinya.

  “Shut the door and come in.”

  “No.”

  Her glare intensified.

  “…Fine.”

  He gently shut the door, slipping a brick in the frame to keep it slightly ajar, then walked toward her.

  “Haven’t checked in for a while. Who did Foden bring in to replace me?”

  “Who else?”

  Rafinya strode past him and yanked her blade free. She glanced at the brick wedged in the door but said nothing, only turned back.

  “The one who replaced you is Grok.”

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  “That’s good, then.”

  “Are you mocking me?”

  She drew close—close enough that, with her height nearly equal to Nora’s, her presence was intimidating.

  “Why must you see everything in a bad light?”

  Rafinya gave no answer, only stared daggers at him. Dan stopped at her training floor, where papers lay scattered.

  He picked one up. Notes. Pages of combos designed specifically to counter Princess Nora Ophilis.

  Rafinya wasn’t just swinging blindly. She had done her homework. Maybe even as clever as Nora herself.

  Nora was known, predictable. Rafinya could plan for her. Dan, by contrast, was unknown—hence her slip-ups against him.

  “Going to run and tell Nora? Did she send you?”

  “Do I look like her errand boy?”

  “What are you to her?”

  “A friend.” Dan set the paper down. “Same group since day one.”

  Rafinya scoffed and turned for her water flask. Dan watched her back. He swallowed. Another four or five years and she’d be built like Casca for sure.

  “You say you don’t fear Nora, but here you are preparing.”

  “I fear no one. Preparation has nothing to do with fear.”

  Dan nodded. True enough.

  “But you fight tomorrow. Shouldn’t you rest?”

  “I’d sell my soul if it meant redeeming my last humiliation.”

  Dan tilted his head. Fair point.

  “Nora asked you to teach her, didn’t she?”

  The question came suddenly, as Rafinya wiped down her hilt.

  “I have nothing to teach her.”

  “Don’t play dumb. Snowhaven sees your power and would lust to possess it.”

  “You don’t seem to like… them.”

  Dan shifted to a bench, elbows on knees, leaning forward.

  “Why?”

  “Did Nora put you up to it?”

  “I know you’re not afraid to answer. Snowhaven’s reach doesn’t extend this far south.”

  Her face twitched. She resumed her drills, voice sharp.

  “They’re a barbarian state.”

  Clang. Slash.

  “One hand with scripture, the other with a whip for slaves. Pathetic.”

  “Slaves? You mean the railway Snowhaven built with forced labor?”

  He remembered Nora saying as much.

  “Read for yourself. What Snowhaven does to its own people proves them savages born of snow.”

  “Luminus hanged dissenters in the name of their god. What’s the difference?”

  “I wasn’t part of that system.”

  “You don’t follow CIS?”

  “I don’t care for it.”

  Ah… that explained it.

  “At least Luminus has no slaves.”

  To them, all were equal beneath God. No king, no beggar above another. Hence no slaves.

  Crack!

  The dummy’s wrappings split. Sand poured out.

  Dan blinked. Why was it dressed in dark clothes, wigged with pale hair?

  “If Nora didn’t send you, why are you here?”

  “Your strength reminded me of Lady Casca.”

  Dan said,

  “At the banquet, I saw how much you respected her.”

  “No one compares to Lady Casca. But I will stand at that height.”

  “So Casca’s the only strong one in the world?”

  “Who else?”

  “Prince Fury. He’s here now.”

  “I know.” Rafinya’s tone hardened. “The world will need someone to face him. Right now, we have Lady Casca. But if another Casca rises, then we can fight them.”

  “Why fight him? Maybe he only wants to protect his own.”

  “Think like that and he’ll tear your head off.”

  Her words cut, cold and stern.

  “No one trusts demons. And if they’re breeding the next Fury? Will Lady Casca alone hold them back? You don’t know.”

  “Then it’ll be you. I heard they call you the next Casca Saint Maximin.”

  “Until you showed up and stole it all from me.”

  Even Casca’s recognition.

  Rafinya stepped so close Dan backed against the wall. He caught her scent—sharp, forceful. He held his breath.

  “Why not be the first Pauli, not the next Maximin?”

  “You wouldn’t understand.”

  “Maybe. Or maybe I’d surprise you.”

  CRASH!

  Rafinya slammed the wall. Blades rattled down.

  “I won’t be humiliated again! I will uncover your secret!”

  She grabbed her plans, donned her cloak, and stormed off—leaving the boy in aftershock.

  “…Whoa.”

  Dan scratched his head.

  “Problem child, maybe… Sigh.”

  “Not surprising.”

  “!?”

  He spun.

  Golden aura faded from invisibility—Casca herself, from her Light Veil.

  “Casca?! Why aren’t you home?!”

  “Went back once. Can’t come again?”

  “You thought I’d sneak off to other women?”

  “From what I see, yes. Rotten lizard—planning to cheat?”

  “What are you doing?” Dan pried her fingers off his face.

  “See? That girl’s obsessed with being me.”

  “Well… not all bad?”

  Casca shrugged.

  “At least one Pauli respects me.”

  Dan rolled his eyes.

  “Why’d you come to her, then?”

  “I’m cheating on you.”

  “No—seriously. You usually avoid this stuff. Why step in?”

  “I don’t know… just felt like it.”

  “Felt like it?”

  “I’ve always been that way. You know.”

  “Or… did you feel pity for Rafinya?”

  “…A little.” Dan picked his ear, looking aside. “When she asked me—begged me—to face her family myself… that means something heavy.”

  “And what’s that to you?”

  “…Seeing Nora first, I thought maybe… if I can help, in my own bounds, why not? Doesn’t hurt.”

  “!”

  Casca’s eyes widened.

  “You… you’ve grown! Yes!!!”

  She hugged him tight.

  “Ugh?!”

  “Oh Lord, I’ve waited for this! You’re showing empathy, Fury!”

  “Keep your voice down—someone will hear!”

  “Eeeeee!!!”

  “Casca!”

  Bonk!