Joe was on The Mainway having drinks at The Cavern with three of his closest friends: Apus, Castor, and Serin. Built inside a naturally occurring stalagmite, this unique midtown establishment had its own version of "medieval charm." As a means to enhance its popularity even more, there were drink specials with the purchase of the "King's Goblet."

Although the wedding was the following afternoon, Joe decided to get out of the palace for a few hours. His break from the pandemonium was restorative, but as the night went on, he was organizing and reorganizing his agenda in his head with more frequency. It was a good indication he should get back and tend to those last-minute details.

Joe was about to empty his second goblet. He declined another round.

His friends were practically mutinous. "I still think you should have another. It's not even half past ten!" Castor lifted a finger to summon their barmaid.

Joe quickly waved her off with both hands. "I have to actually walk down the aisle tomorrow. And besides, this isn't a bachelor party."

"You're acting like such a fairy princess," Apus, his "best man" chided.

"What's a 'bachelor party?'" Serin asked. "It sounds like we should have one."

"It's a human ritual before a wedding," Joe explained as he swirled the last sip around in the bottom of his cup. "There's usually enough alcohol consumption for a near-death experience, foolish behavior, camaraderie, and ladies of the night earning a living." Joe bobbed his eyebrows, slurped his King's Goblet dry, and clunked it down on the table.

"That sounds like an ordinary night in the South End. How about it?"

Joe smiled inwardly and outwardly as he pictured himself participating in "normal" pre-wedding activities. But the option was out of the question. "No, I should head back."

While his friends stood to take their cloaks from their chairs, Joe remained seated. "Apus, before you go, can I talk to you for a second?"

"Certainly," he said, slipping back into the chair to Joe's right.

"Meet us at Kindred Spirits later," Serin shouted over his shoulder as he hovered toward the exit with wings that were exorbitantly loud. It was a birth defect. The wings overlapped by just a hair when he flew. But it was not something one would notice unless he was in flight. Still, it was the kind of thing he used to go out of his way to hide. "Or we'll lose all respect for you!"

"If I go, your respect will be the least of my concerns," Joe retorted. "No offense. And why don't you stop worrying about me and make sure you behave yourselves. I don't need you to look like you've contracted the fairy plague either."

As the others left, Apus made eye contact with their barmaid. "Shall I order another round?"

"No, this should only take a minute. I want to talk to you about tomorrow. . ." He paused, for a deep breath.

"Is everything all right?"

"Yes, fine, well . . . I think. There's just been a slight change of plans. There are many 'ifs' involved, but if my brother arrives and if he decides to come to the wedding, would you mind terribly if you step down as my best man? You will always be my true best man. He's my only brother, though, and I was his best man at his wedding. I would prefer not to make any drastic changes so late in the game, but my father suggested the idea, his subtle way of insisting. It's probably the right thing to do regardless."

"The 'best man' ritual is another human tradition, so I don't mind. But are you certain that's wise? For your sake? And Cassiopeia's. . . ?" Apus droned, his voice bleakly low. "I don't know if you recall, but once, when you were drowning your sorrows in a few too many goblets of ale, you told me that your brother and the princess have a past."

"No, I don't remember bringing that up," Joe admitted, his eyes zoning into the dim, smoky blur of the establishment. Fairy pipes were in fashion these days among Pyxis' youth and never went out of style for those past their prime. "It's not something I usually talk about and it's definitely not something she ever mentions."

"Have you told her that your brother is alive?"

"No, not yet," he said, and snickered at his own gutlessness. When he kissed her goodnight after what was essentially their "rehearsal dinner," she pulled away abruptly to give him a look that said, is there something you're not telling me?

And what did he do? Took the question from her mouth with another kiss, one that hopefully tainted the past and gave a rosy glow to their future.

She tasted amazing. Sweet. Had he ever kissed her so deeply? Not that he recalled. For a while there, he was convinced it did the trick and nothing else mattered.

And then he left. He had plans. She looked tired.

His mouth had since gone bitter and sour. His rational-sensible side simply blamed the ale. Or was that his naivete flaring up, making excuses? He had no clue. He couldn't trust his own desires, impulses, train of thought. So how could trust anyone else's?

"Do you think she already knows?" Apus persisted.

"I don't think so."

"Joseph, I'm no expert, but I think you should have this discussion with her, soon. Would you want her to find out for the first time in front of hundreds of guests?"

"No, you're right. It needs to happen. But I just found out this morning and today was insanely chaotic for us both," he said, and it was true for the most part.Well, it was more like a lie or close to a lie. He could have made the time.

"There's no time like the present," Apus said, surprisingly in tune to what Joe was thinking and what he ought to be doing right now. Apus rose from his chair. "It's getting late, but I have trouble believing that she's sleeping yet. It's the night before her wedding. . . ."

They walked out together. The Mainway was bustling and lively. Fairies had to edge their way between Joe and Apus just so they could pass by.

"Are you going to meet them at Kindred Spirits?" Joe asked after glancing northward, the direction he intended to go, and not southward, where he'd find Kindred Spirits.

"Yes, unless you'd rather I walk back with you."

Going south suddenly appealed to him. He could discuss something else that was serious with his bride-to-be, or he could postpone it, indefinitely, until after the wedding? And he could actually have some fun instead.

Of course, he had been incredibly grateful that she was found so soon after her abduction—his last attempt to get a good read on her emotional state. And he expected an outpouring of it from her as well. An outpouring of something. Fear, anger, remorse, joy?

But she had resumed her routine almost immediately and spoke nothing of the matter, like it had never happened. It took her three days to see a doctor about her hand, which was broken, like he had said more than once. When Joe pushed her a little for an explanation, he received an "I'm fine" and a peck on the lips to quiet them. Then she gave him nothing more than pleasantries and slight smiles, for days, now weeks. For that, he didn't have grounds to complain, but there was something peculiar about her reaction to the whole ordeal.

"No, I'll be. . ."

Fine.

Another glance north turned into an all-consuming stare. At first Joe thought the fairy approaching might be a look-alike. He couldn't figure out why Chris would be wandering down The Mainway so far away from the palace at this time of night. But as the distance dwindled, Joe no longer had any doubt in his mind.

Chris was in Pyxis.

Joe called out to him. Chris paused, midstride, and looked in Joe's general direction. His hard expression became a smile of recognition once he spotted the familiar face. "Joey!" he hollered back.

Chris sidestepped his way over. His pack dropped by his feet. Then after some clumsy maneuvering, he gave Joe an awkward embrace.

Joe chuckled when the nickname finally registered. "Joey?"

"Yeah, I know," Chris replied, wincing. "Sorry, it slipped out. I haven't called you that since we were kids, have I?"

It was not a nickname Joe had liked, and Chris knew that, so it was usually said to get on Joe's nerves.

"No, I don't think so. Wow, I'm at a loss for words. I can't believe you're really here!"

Chris shrugged one shoulder and lifted a slightly amused eyebrow. "Let me guess. You thought I was dead, too."

"That sounds about right. Sorry, where are my manners? Chris this is Apus, my best friend and unofficially, although he deserves the title, he's my life coach."

Chris gave Apus a slight smile that looked a little pained. "It's nice to meet you." He offered his hand and Apus shook it.

Chris was attempting something he was never very good at and was going through the motions—so was Apus—but there was some unvoiced friction in that handshake. Chris had never been in Pyxis in a situation where he had to play nice. It was clearly uncomfortable for him. Apus, on the other hand, knew too much, and because he was short, slight, and unremarkable in appearance, Chris was everything Apus wasn't—rugged, strapping, effortlessly good-looking, and with standoffish confidence.

"It's nice to finally meet you as well," Apus replied, clipping those key words just to demonstrate his meaning was the opposite. "And it's so wonderful you could join us for the wedding."

Chris picked up his pack and started fiddling with the strap on his shoulder. He turned his attention to the sights and sounds of the city, apparently much better at avoiding confrontation than he used to be.

Joe raised an eyebrow, to both question and caution, and then placed his hand on his best friend's shoulder. "Well, Apus, I think I should buy my long-lost brother a drink. Feel free to join us, if you'd like."

Apus declined, claiming his intention to meet up with the others. They said their good-nights and then Joe gestured to the door of The Cavern. "Shall we?"

"Yeah . . . all right," Chris agreed.

They had a lot of catching up to do and tomorrow would not be the right time for it. So it was a good thing they ran into each other.

Wasn't it?

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