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Set after
Dragonwatch (Book 1),
in a canon-divergent, happy world where Kendra and Seth have been successful wyrmroost caretakers for two years
⟢ Eve/Seth ⟣
⟢ Garreth/Kendra ⟣
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Kendra and Seth are invited to attend the Fair Folks' gala. Because it's on a solstice, they also spend the night.

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PART 1/3 - INVITATION

"Have you ever seen Ratatouille?"

Calvin turned his head to look at Seth weird. They were just laying on his bed. "You mean, have I ever had the dish?"

"No, the movie."

"There's a movie?"

"Nevermind. The movie is about a rat who is in this guy's hat and controls him by tugging on his hair," Seth sat up. "In my dream, you were like the rat and you were controlling me." Seth got up and began to get ready.

"The weirdest dream I ever had was about suddenly turning into Newel and helping Doren wreck our towns."

Seth winced as he brushed his hair. "Oh, yeah. Meant to say I was sorry about that."

"It's alright."

A hand wrapped against his door. The slithery voice told him who it was. "Two guests are at the castle doors. They wish to speak with you."

"Who is it, Simrin?"

"Lord and Princess Dalgorel."

Seth and Calvin's eyes connected.

Seth raised his voice again. "Thanks, Simrin. I'll be right down!"

"What do you think Eve wants?" Seth dipped into the bathroom to quickly brush his teeth before Calvin could reply. He popped out quickly to grab some clothes to change into before ducking back inside.

He came out with jeans and a simple long-sleeve sweater. "I hope I'm talking to her and not Lord Dalgorel. Do I look good?"

"Yes, but you're forgetting shoes."

Seth blushed. "Oh, yeah."

"Should I stay here or do you want me to come with?"

"Uh, I'll see what they want and you can stay here...deodorant!"

"What?"

Seth ran back into the bathroom. "I forgot deodorant."

"Oh."

Another knock on the door. Kendra spoke up. "Hurry up, Seth! They're waiting and I figured you wanted to talk to them, but if you don't hurry—"

Seth opened the door. "I'm here."

She smiled. "I'm going to review some reports. Come find me when you're done."

"Will do." Seth made his way down the spiral staircase and opened the fort's doors. Freezing air nipped at his nose and stung his unprotected hands.

Gravel skidded to the side as he alternated between skipping and walking down the path to the gates. He just couldn't wait to see Eve again.

A crinkle appeared between his eyebrows when he saw just Eve outside the gates. He quickly deduced her father was probably inside the carriage behind her.

Rosiness peaked out underneath her darker skin, telling him that despite the fluffy overcoat she wore, she was still cold. A smile broke out across her face. "Seth!"

"Eve! What are you doing here?"

Her cheeks deepened in color. "The winter solstice is tomorrow and we always hold a gala to celebrate the night."

Seth stood there. Eve wouldn't look at his face. An uncontrollable grin stretched his face. "Wait, are you asking me to come?"

"I mean, not as my date—you could if you want...or don't, that's fine too. Just," she took a deep breath, "want to attend?"

"As long as you're my date."

She met his eyes and smiled. "Okay. It's not safe to go on the roads on the solstice, so pack a bag."

"I'll stay the night?"

"We have plenty of guest rooms. Do you have to ask your grandparents?"

"No! I mean, no, I'm the caretaker. I don't answer to anyone...but yeah, I'll probably ask."

"I got to leave now, but the dress code is formal and it starts at five, before sunset. Oh! Wear a blue tie."

There was no way to know if his cheeks were hurting from smiling too much or the cold. "See you there!"

She hooked one leg on the carriage. "'Bye, Seth!" She ducked inside the carraige.

Once the carriage was long gone, he ran back to the fort, excitement propelling his feet off the ground. He found the study where Kendra was meeting with their grandparents.

"What'd the Dalgorels have to say?" Kendra put down her reports.

He tried to smother his smile but couldn't. "They invited me to their gala tomorrow and to stay the night."

"Tomorrow's the solstice," Grandpa cautioned.

"That's why I'd stay the night, so I don't have to be on the dangerous roads," Seth looked at his Grandpa pleadingly. "C'mon, look at this smile! You don't want to be the reason it's crushed.

Grandpa Sorenson gave him a "really?" look. "Fine. Be safe."

"A gala? Do you need something to wear?" Grandma Sorenson asked.

"Yeah. Have any suits?"

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It was hard to know what the Fair Folk's formal was so Seth stuck to what he knew—black slacks, a white dress shirt, and a light blue tie.

"You look great! We used to have galas back home...until Newel stepped on our ballroom."

Seth winced again. "Sorry about them."

Calvin was on Seth's dresser. "It's fine. We held them in the town square until—"

"Until Doren stepped on it?"

"No, until the dark pixies destroyed it. It's all rebuilt now."

Seth fixed his tie. Grandpa Sorenson had folded it for him. "Wow, you guys never get a break, do you?"

"Nope."

The door opened and Grandma Sorenson and Kendra stepped into the room.

Grandma started snapping photos of him.

"Grandma!"

"Your mom wanted some."

"Pose, Seth," Kendra teased.

He gave her a blank look.

"The horses are ready to go whenever, and Kendra can help you get on without ruining your suit. I'm going to go figure out a way to upload these to your mom. Have fun, Seth!" After a hug, Grandma Sorenson left.

"You look great, Seth," Kendra said.

He scoffed.

"No, really."

Seth looked back to see her face a little contorted. "Are you okay?"

"Sorry. This just reminds me of the homecoming my friends had planned for high school."

Seth stopped adjusting and hugged Kendra. While in the hug, he opened his eyes and made eye contact with Calvin. "Out," he mouthed.

Her eyes were misty when he pulled back. "Do you want to come with me to the gala?"

"Oh, Seth, they didn't invite me."

"I could send one of the horses with a message to ask. We still have an hour. I bet I could get an answer within thirty minutes. Those horses are fast without us."

"I'd be a burden."

"Oh, shut up, you wouldn't. You're a caretaker! In fact, you could just go with Garreth."

"What?"

"One second, Kendra. I need to write this letter. Also, Calvin you can come out from behind my pencil cup now." Seth scoured his drawers to find a pen and paper.

"Wait, Calvin was here the entire time?"

"I always am. Hi, Kendra," Calvin took a seat on the edge of the dresser.

"Hi, Calvin."

"One thing that has always been unclear to me. Why can't you just go back to your town on vacation?"

"Oh, I'm dead."

"What?" Calvin's eyebrows darted up.

Kendra laughed at his reaction. "Technically, I have a death certificate. Everyone thinks I'm dead. There was a funeral and everything."

Seth ran out the door, presumably to go send a horse off with the message.

Calvin dangled his legs. "I've always wanted to go see my own funeral. Like, see who's crying and all that."

"Well, I couldn't attend. I was busy being kidnapped."

"Wow. We need to talk more. When did this happen?"

"A couple years ago. I think I was starting ninth grade."

Huffing and puffing, Seth ran back into the room. "It's sent."

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PART 2/3 - GALA

Kendra's pastel yellow dress was like a beacon against the quickly darkening landscape. They had got their letter back just thirty-six minutes after sending it—complete with an affirmative to bring Kendra in Eve's handwriting. It had the stamped royal seal so her father must've signed off as well.

Seth had made fun of Kendra for wrapping a scarf around her hair, but was soon regretting it as the wind had blown his hair wild.

It was almost sunset by the time they reached the gates of the Fair Folk. Kendra swiftly unwrapped her hair and lightly tied the scarf arond her horse's neck, but that was the end of their goodbyes as the horses had to be back before it got dark.

"Ready?"

Seth looked at Kendra with her half-up-half-down hair. The maxi dress she wore had been stuffed in one of Blackwell Keep's many closets. Clothes pins kept it from skimming the dirt path. It was embellished with lace around the collar and was cinched at the waist. Grandma Sorenson hadn't let her leave without a northface jacket to protect her arms. "Sure."

Kendra took a step forward, crunching the leaves. Seth stuck a hand out and pulled her back. "Wait! Does my hair look good?"

"Of course. Eve will love it."

The frost bit his rosy cheeks.

As soon as they entered the gates, their leaf-strewn path turned into a stone-cobbled road.

"Slippery," Kendra remarked.

Soon, the road was lined with buildings, but the pair didn't see anyone. Laughter and string-heavy music led them to an impressive domed building. Kendra almost slipped on the slick steps, but Seth caught her. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, just not used to the heels yet. I'm happy I'm wearing them, though, because now I'm rightfully taller than you."

Seth rolled his eyes. "Fine, I'll let you slip next time."

Kendra laughed.

Her breath was soon taken away from her view at the top of the steps. Hundreds of Fair Folk, all dressed up, were mingling on the room's floor. Moonlight shone through the glass domed ceiling and spilled through the open curtained walls, sparkling on every guest's jewelry and delighted smiles.

Music reverbed through his body and filled his ears. It all faded to white noise when Eve stepped out from the middle and began to walk toward them. Garreth trailed behind her, but Seth didn't care about him.

Lace frosted the light blue bodice before it dissolved into a tulle skirt. Her hair was worn simply natural and a sparkly necklace adorned her collarbones.

Garreth and Kendra engaged into a conversation about how they had both worn yellow, but Seth barely registered it.

"I love your tie." Eve's voice brought him back to reality.

"You're stunning, Eve. It's like you're floating."

Dark twisty coils fell in front of her face as she tried to hide her smile. "I'm so glad you came."

"I don't think I ever want to leave."

Eve laughed and took his hand. "C'mon, we have to get ready for the first dance."

"The first what?" Seth looked behind him as Eve tugged him along and saw Garreth and Kendra always making their way around the room to the other end.

"The first dance! The royal family with our dates kick off the party along with the rest of the community!" She shouted as she weaved in between guests. Seth smiled. He was her date.

Lord Dalgorel and his wife sat up upon a dais. A slight smile tugged at Lady Dalgorel when she saw Eve dragging Seth. Lord Dalgorel just gazed at the moving bodies.

"Daughter, Caretaker Seth." The Lord nodded at them. "Son, Caretaker Kendra. Ready?"

Eve and Garreth nodded and walked right in front of the dais.

Seth ended up next to Kendra. "I can't dance."

"Me either," she smoothed her dress with shaking hands, "but Garreth said just to follow him."

"And you're following me, Seth," Eve gripped his hand.

The old music faded and a new, more percussion than string, song started. Couples began to clasp hands and sway.

Eve took his hand and started to walk out to the middle. She lowered her voice. "Smile and follow what I do."

Seth stretched his mouth at her request. Eve stopped in the middle of the room and took Seth's other hand.

Moonlight seemed to spotlight them as she lifted one of their clasps up and the other down, in a diagonal. Her feet moved back and forth and Seth just prayed he was doing the same thing.

It was only a few minutes, but it felt like forever.

When forever was over, people clapped in celebration of the first dance of the gala. A lighter melody began to play, and Ever leaned forward. "Now that that old formality is over, we can really start dancing."

Before she had pulled back, she had been inches from his face. Cheetahs couldn't beat his racing heart, and he couldn't stop the smile on his face. "Okay."

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Seth admired Eve's energy and tenacity. By the time everyone was cleaning up, she was still kicking it on the dance floor.

Kendra sidled up next to him at the refreshments table. "How was your night?"

"Pretty great. What about yours?"

"Amazing. It was nice to finally have a benefit to the caretaker gig after two long years."

Seth laughed. "Yeah."

Eve's feet were never still, always sweeping the dance floor. Pride blossomed in his chest that out of all the people here, she chose him. He needed to thank her.

By the time he was in arms reach, she grabbed him and spun him back onto the dance floor.

Her smile was blinding and her eyes were pools of joy. He caught himself staring. "Thank you for bringing me, Eve."

Seth couldn't recognize the emotion on her face before she leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. Unconsciously, his hand flew to his face.

"Sorry." She looked at her feet.

He grabbed her hand and spun her. "Don't be."

Her hair tentatively graced the floor as he dipped her in his arms. Time slowed and their breaths only sped up. He's never been this smooth. Not at any of his school's dances. Just being around Eve made him want to impress her and go out of his comfort zone. He couldn't keep the smile off his face even as his arms began to strain.

"I want to kiss you so bad," he said.

"What are you waiting for?" Her arms looped around his neck.

"You're right."

His lips graced hers before he pulled back, his cheeks red.

Her feet found the floor as she stood up and pulled him back into the embrace.

Yeah, he was having a pretty great night.

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PART 3/3 - NIGHT

Her hand felt perfect in his grasp as she led him down a dark hallway as night had already claimed the castle.

Flicking on the alcove's lights, Eve opened a closet and went through its contents.

Seth squinted his eyes, trying to see the end of the hallway, but the darkness and length made it nearly impossible.

"Take off your shoes."

Seth looked to see Eve on the floor, tugging on some fluffy socks that she probably got from the closet. "What for?"

"So you can slide on the floor, dummy. We were moving too slow and I want to hit as many ambassadors tonight as possible."

"You're going to attack people?"

"No, like," Eve made a check mark gesture. "Check them off a list. This is like my only chance to meet them every year."

Seth handed her his shoes and she stuffed them in the closet. "We're going to meet ambassadors in socks?"

"How else would you do it?"

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Even after two years, he hadn't met nearly all the important figures in the sanctuary. Usually knocking on the guest rooms of powerful beings would make him a bit nervous but nothing could take him off the happiness from the night.

But this was the last one. Eve knocked on the door.

Maybe he'd actually impress Kendra with his networking and—

Eve grabbed his hand and yanked him down the hall, cackling.

"Eve, what are you—"

They turned a corner and she slapped her other hand over his mouth and peeked around the edge.

Seth slowly peeled her hand off his face but kept his other hand intertwined.

A door creaked open. Resisting the urge to look around the corner, he tugged Eve's hand to signal his anxiety.

"Hello?" The voice was gravelly and low, like one of the elder beings he had seen on the edges of the dance floor.

Seth mentally swore. But, hey—at least he wasn't the impulsive one this time.

Heavy footsteps echoed off the crystal floor, each one vibrating in Seth's ears.

Eve turned toward him to whisper in his ear. "He's coming this way."

Despite the shivers that gave him, he locked eyes with her and tried to give an expression that best said "yeah, no duh, Eve."

She gave him a goofy smile and leaned towards him.

He caught his breath and his eyes flitted toward her lips but then she pushed a brick behind him and pulled back.

A tunnel materialized behind his back and he stumbled onto his butt.

"Shh!" Eve scolded him as she shooed him back.

He scooted further into the tunnel and lowered his voice. "Is anyone there?"

Eve ducked into the tunnel. Seth held his breath as he could see the shadow warp around the corner.

Eve whispered some harsh sounding magic words and the bricks knitted themselves back together just as Seth saw a foot.

Heart beating a mile a minute, he sat back against the cool stone and let out a breath of relief.

"Wasn't that fun?" Eve whispered.

"I can't believe you did that to me."

Seth closed his eyes before peeking one open. "How did you know about these tunnels?"

"It's an emergency escape for our family. Very secretive."

"Your dad's going to kill us." Seth's frown dissolved into a smile. "Where does this lead?"

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Stars twinkled over the crystal castle and reflected off the shingles that the two were sat upon.

On their way through the intermittently lit tunnels, Seth had mentioned how it had reminded him of the Living Mirage's prison.

He then regailed Eve with stories of that complex. He liked making her laugh but he turned the subject around to some of his other thrills before Graulas came up.

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"You hid away in a knapsack?!"

"They would have been lost without me."

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Eve glanced at the star speckled sky. "You sound so well-seasoned. I feel like an amateur compared to you."

"Most of my adventures came from mistakes. At least you know what you're doing in the magical world."

She smiled at him. "Together we'd be a force to be reckoned with."

Seth traced doodles on her palm. "That'd be fun. I like being with you."

Eve caught his eyes and kissed him on the cheek.

"I like being with you too."

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the end