After having her fill, Katherine pushed Liam out of the banquet hall and onto one of the palace balconies.
The moment the doors closed behind them, the noise of the ballroom faded significantly.
Music still drifted through the glass.
But it sounded distant now.
Almost muted.
Cool night air brushed against Katherine's skin.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then...
"Do you dislike crowds, my lady?"
Katherine took a slow breath.
The crisp evening air carried the scent of flowers from the palace gardens below.
Mixed somewhere within it was the alluring sweet scent emitting from the man beside her.
"No."
Liam glanced up.
"No?"
"Not particularly."
Katherine looked out across the illuminated palace grounds.
"Closed spaces are another matter." Her senses were gradually improving, and the mixture of perfumes worn by the noble ladies had become almost suffocating.
A faint sound escaped Liam.
Not quite laughter.
Not quite agreement.
"Understandable."
Silence settled between them once more.
Oddly enough, it wasn't uncomfortable.
The banquet continued beyond the doors.
Then Liam reached into his coat.
Katherine's attention shifted.
A small velvet box appeared in his hand.
For a moment, she simply stared.
Liam looked almost amused.
"I got the feeling you wouldn't have loved me giving this to you in front of everyone."
Katherine accepted the box.
Opening it revealed a ring.
At its centre rested a small fragment of the Tear of the Moon.
The pale gemstone caught the moonlight beautifully.
For several seconds, Katherine said nothing.
Ker immediately did.
"Oh."
The wolf sounded delighted.
"Oh, that's pretty. Thank God it's not a tacky ring with a glaring big diamond."
Katherine ignored her but agreed.
"This is my engagement ring?"
"It would be rather concerning if it belonged to someone else."
For the first time, Katherine almost smiled.
Almost.
Carefully removing it from the box, Liam slipped it onto her finger.
The silver band fitting perfectly around Katherine's finger.
Only then did she properly look at Liam.
And immediately noticed something was wrong.
His complexion had grown noticeably paler than it had been earlier that evening.
Subtle.
Most people probably wouldn't notice.
Katherine did.
The cool night air made the difference even more obvious.
Even his fingers felt colder.
For several moments, she simply observed him.
Then...
"You've stayed too long."
Liam blinked.
The statement sounded suspiciously similar to a diagnosis.
"I beg your pardon?"
"The banquet. You've stayed too long."
Katherine's gaze remained steady.
"You're colder than before."
Liam looked genuinely surprised.
For some reason, that seemed to amuse her.
Very slightly.
"I wasn't aware you were paying attention."
"Wouldn't it be concerning if the person you've spent the entire evening with didn't notice?"
For the briefest moment, Liam laughed.
Softly.
The sound dissolved into the night air.
Before either could continue, the balcony doors opened once more.
Nicholas stepped outside.
His expression immediately shifted the moment he saw Liam.
Not dramatically.
Just enough.
His Highness has exceeded his limit, he thought.
Of course he had.
The evening had lasted far longer than usual.
The banquet announcement.
The dance.
The conversations.
The food.
The balcony.
It was more social interaction than Liam normally tolerated in a week.
Katherine noticed Nicholas' expression.
That alone confirmed her suspicion.
She turned toward Liam.
"We should end the evening here."
For once, Liam didn't argue.
Perhaps because he was tired.
Or perhaps because he knew she was right.
Either way, he simply inclined his head.
"As you wish."
A short while later, Nicholas had resumed his rightful position behind the wheelchair.
Together they made their way through the palace corridors.
The ballroom remained lively behind them.
Music.
Laughter.
Conversation.
The celebration would continue long into the night.
But for them, the evening was already ending.
Upon reaching the palace entrance, Katherine's carriage waited below the steps.
Liam looked toward it.
Then toward her.
"May I escort you to your carriage, my lady?"
Katherine looked at the wheelchair.
Then at Liam.
Then back at the wheelchair.
"...You may."
For some reason, Liam seemed pleased by that answer.
And so, beneath the glow of palace lights, the newly engaged couple quietly made their way toward the waiting carriage.
Leaving the banquet behind them.
---
The following morning, Katherine woke before sunrise.
For several moments, she simply remained lying in bed.
Expecting the familiar heaviness that usually greeted her every morning.
The exhaustion was still there.
But...
Not as much.
Katherine slowly sat up.
A faint frown appeared on her face.
"That's odd."
Inside her mind, Ker stretched lazily.
"We're less miserable."
"We are." Katherine agreed.
The difference wasn't dramatic.
She still felt weak.
Still far weaker than she should have been.
Yet compared to yesterday, her body felt noticeably lighter.
Less strained. And her morning headache was gone.
Ker immediately arrived at a conclusion.
"It's because of him."
Katherine already knew who she meant.
"The scent?"
"The scent." Ker sounded entirely certain. "We spent an entire evening breathing it in."
Katherine considered that possibility.
It was surprising how Liam's existence didn't invoke a mate bond, but strangely enough, his scent had the effects of a mate bond.
Katherine changed into exercise clothes. She secretly had Lily get her a set, when the house ordered new training clothes for the Mooncrest knights.
A short while later, she was making her way through her usual morning routine.
Stretches.
Controlled movements.
Nothing too strenuous.
Nothing that would draw attention.
By the time she finished, a thin layer of sweat covered her skin.
And unlike before...
She wasn't fighting for breath.
The improvement was small.
But it existed.
Which made it impossible to ignore.
Just then, the door burst open.
"LADY KATHERINE!"
Katherine closed her eyes.
Ker groaned. "Here comes the gossip."
Lilly practically vibrated with excitement as she hurried into the room.
"My Lady!"
"What happened?" Katherine almost groaned.
"What happened?" Lilly looked scandalized.
"The better question is what didn't happen!"
Katherine immediately regretted asking.
Lilly placed a breakfast tray onto the table before launching into her report.
"The entire capital is talking about last night."
Katherine sat down. Pulling the tray close to her.
Unimpressed.
Lilly continued anyway.
"They're talking about the Tear of the Moon."
A finger went up.
"Your dress."
A second finger.
"The matching embroidery. Did you know, the first Prince had you gown and his outfit made but the same person. Isn't that romantic?"
A third.
"The dance. Oh, everyone is talking about how they got to see prince Liam dance after so long. And it's all thanks to you."
A fourth.
"And apparently half the noble ladies in the kingdom have decided your engagement is the most romantic thing they've ever witnessed."
Katherine nearly choked on her tea.
Ker looked horrified. "We attended the same banquet, didn't we? How on earth was it romantic?"
"My Lady, people are saying the First Prince had the Tear of the Moon crafted into jewellery specifically for you!"
"He did." She said, picking up a steamed ban
Lilly gasped. "You knew?"
"Yeah, he told me."
Lilly looked moments away from fainting.
"My Lady, do you know what that means?"
Katherine took another sip of tea. "No."
Lilly clutched her chest. "The Tear of the Moon is one of the kingdom's greatest treasures!"
A hand flew dramatically into the air. "Do you know how many nobles would sell entire estates just to own a fragment of it?"
Katherine suspected Lilly was exaggerating.
Only slightly.
"Every family fortunate enough to possess a fragment keeps it untouched," Lilly continued.
"They lock it away inside vaults, display cases, treasure rooms... anywhere it can be admired without risking damage."
Lilly leaned forward. "But His Highness had it crafted into jewellery."
Katherine glanced down at the ring resting upon her finger. "And?"
"And?" Lilly nearly squeaked.
"My Lady, that means he had to find a craftsman skilled enough to work with one of the rarest gemstones in existence."
She lowered her voice dramatically. "And if the craftsman made even the slightest mistake..."
Lilly drew a finger across her throat. "The stone could have been ruined forever."
Then she turned back toward Katherine.
"The fact that he was willing to take that risk just so he could give it to you means..."
"That he had access to a talented jeweller." Katherine simply stated and continued to have her breakfast.
Lilly looked personally offended, did her lady's fall break all the romantic bones she possessed?
For a long moment, she looked as though she was questioning every life choice that had led her to this room.
Then suddenly...
"Oh!"
She nearly jumped.
"I almost forgot!"
Katherine immediately noticed the change in topic.
Which meant it was probably something useful.
Lilly hurried toward the desk and picked up a letter.
"A messenger delivered this earlier."
Katherine accepted it.
The seal pressed into the wax was instantly familiar.
House Stirling.
Aurora.
The moment she broke the seal and unfolded the letter, an enthusiastic greeting practically leapt from the page.
Lady Katherine,
First of all, congratulations!
Second of all, why did no one inform me that you were engaged to the First Prince?
Do you have any idea how shocked I was when I heard about it this morning?
I would have demanded answers immediately had I not been occupied with something considerably more important.
Which brings me to the actual reason for this letter.
Please forgive my absence from the banquet.
I spent the entire evening buried beneath books and research notes and completely lost track of time.
Again.
Katherine wasn't even slightly surprised.
Aurora continued.
However!
I have made progress.
Several old formulas I discovered last night seem promising.
Not only that, but I managed to locate additional theories regarding mana conductivity and physical reinforcement.
Some of them are ridiculous.
A few are probably dangerous.
One may have been written by a madman.
Naturally, I saved that one for you.
Please visit as soon as possible.
I require another opinion before I accidentally prove a theory and blow up a laboratory.
Sincerely,
Aurora Stirling
Katherine finished reading.
Then immediately read the section about mana reinforcement a second time.
Ker perked up. "That's the interesting part, isn't it?"
"Yes." Katherine almost smiled.
Then she turned to Lily, "I think I will be visiting the Stirling estate tomorrow."
Lily nodded, and quickly fetched a quill, ink, and paper.
Katherine's response was short...
Lady Aurora,
Thank you for your kind wishes.
I will visit tomorrow.
Katherine Mooncrest