A pause. I can feel his presence in my mind even when he's not speaking. It's like a feather brushing against my skin, a light caress that leaves a trail of warmth behind.

"But I am bored." He sighs. "These demons are not fun. They are all mid-level, which means they are not only weak but also aesthetically challenged and my eyes are suffering greatly from it."

Only Ze would be able to use the phrase aesthetically challenged in an actual sentence.

"It is your job," I point out.

"You are not fun, either, Luce," he complains, and I can almost imagine him pouting. "You are supposed to feel sorry for me and then promise me you will make it better."

"What?" I frown.

"An extra point would help me get through this most harrowing time of my life," he adds in a dramatic voice.

"Ze. What's gotten into you? Do I need to remind you that I'm on a very important mission—one that I'm doing as a favor to you?"

He releases a deep sigh.

"When one is surrounded by such ugliness, one tends to reminisce about the beauty in life," he suddenly says in a philosophical tone, not making much sense.

"Please reminisce about it silently, or I'll have to kick you out of my head," I tell him as I move through the throng of people.

Another pause, and I imagine he's debating whether to push his luck or not.

"Alas, I shall go back to battling my demons. If you require anything, I am but one thought away," he murmurs softly.

"Got it. Thanks," I reply absentmindedly, making my way deeper into the courtyard.

My attention is firmly placed on the priestesses on the sidelines, eyeing them surreptitiously. Despite my seemingly confident front, I still expect them to single me out any moment and tell me what an impostor I am.

I'm so busy making sure they don't find out about my charade that I unwittingly bump into another girl. We both lose our balance, and I teeter forward, grabbing onto her robe as I fall to the ground.

Damnation!

There goes my quiet and unassuming presence.

"I'm so sorry," I murmur as I wobble to my feet, dusting my dress and trying to do the same for the other girl. But as my gaze meets her startling green one, my eyes widen in shock.

"Wyn?" I whisper.

Her eyes flare in alarm as she brings her finger to her mouth, telling me to be quiet. Hooking her arm through mine, she takes me to a more secluded spot where no one can hear our conversation. We take a seat on one of the benches by the side.

"What are you doing here, Luce?" she asks as she pulls her hood lower to obstruct her features.

"I..." I stammer. "I can't tell you. I'm so sorry. But I'm not doing anything bad. On the contrary, I'm just doing a favor for someone," I quickly say.