WITH ZEPORIA NOW devoid of humans, Caelan and Ravenna did not rush to return to Tylat's old castle. Instead, both spent the next few days in the center of the marketplace — creating ice soldier after ice soldier. Ravenna even taught Caelan the ice soldier spell, which allowed their mini-army to grow tenfold.

"What if you make them similar to the humans in that fake town that you created?" Ravenna asked. She stood in front of the fountain and focused. The humanoid body of yet another ice soldier took form in front of her. "Do you think that Vyses will be able to detect them, considering his entire army is also made out of magic?"

Caelan paused for a moment, considering her suggestion. His hands hovered in the air, glowing a bright vivid white. His own batch of ice soldiers surrounded him. His head tilted toward her and a small frown creased his forehead. "It is possible. It more so depends on how observant Vyses is regarding his soldiers. And whether or not he has forced the other members of the Blood Knights to join his ranks."

Ravenna blinked. "Ah," she said. "Forgot about them."

A smile graced Caelan's lips. "That is a bit surprising since you technically married the lead Blood Knight. The prince was always considered their best fighter."

"Was he really though?" she asked. She arched an eyebrow at him dubiously. Being a member of the royal family, Eoin was always heavily protected. Even in the midst of battle. She doubted that he actually had much experience in a genuine fight, aside from when her ice soldiers attacked the Blood Knights outside the walls of Zeporia.

Caelan looked amused. "I did happen to fight alongside the Blood Knights quite a bit," he remarked. "I've seen firsthand and I can admit that Eoin wasn't the worst fighter on the field."

"I trust you," she muttered under her breath. Glancing at him from the corners of her eyes, she hesitated. Her curiosity got the best of her. "How did you manage to fall into that position, anyways?" she asked.

Caelan paused and lowered his arms. His gaze surveyed the mass of ice soldiers that crowded around them. "I think that we have enough for today," he announced. He glanced over his shoulder, toward the entrance gate. "How many do we have surrounding Zeporia so far for protection?"

"At least two thousand," she answered. She followed his gaze. "I've also sent some into the sewer system below. I don't want Vyses to sneak his way into the city again."

"Good idea," he agreed.

She turned toward him and crossed her arms over her chest. "You never answered my question," she said. She tilted her head, a frown gracing her features. As curious as she was, she didn't want to push Caelan too much. He had been very open to her so far regarding his history.

He met her gaze. His expression was stoic and void of any emotion. But she knew better. The amusement in his eyes gave him away. "Nothing seems to slip past you now," he remarked, somewhat sarcastically.

She rolled her eyes. "I was just curious."

"It is not a terribly fascinating story," he stated. He gestured for her to follow him and began to walk down a somewhat unfamiliar cobblestone street. "I have served the royal family — on and off — for at least seventy years. One I moved on from my training with Tylat, I roamed the countryside for a bit."

He glanced down at her and snickered. "I happened across a pitiful human who needed help."

"You have quite the soft spot for those," she teased him.

His lips twitched upward. "Yes, it appears that I do."

Ravenna matched his smile. Caelan shifted his gaze back toward the street in front of them, examining the buildings as they passed. A grim expression marred his face. "That human just so happened to be a young prince — a prince who had no hope to ever sit the throne. He was head of the Blood Knights during his time, much like your former husband."

A thought occurred to Ravenna. She pursed her lips for a moment, stifling a small laugh. He arched an eyebrow at her.

"I find it humorous," she remarked. "All of the things that you could refer to him as, yet it seems as though you've focused on the fact that I married him. Does it bother you that much?"

He blinked at her and then shifted his gaze away from her. "The human that I saved was a measly third in line to the throne," he continued his story, making it abundantly obvious that he was ignoring her statement.

She snickered. Though part of her was flattered that it bothered him so much.

"I saved him from a pack of bandits and befriended him. He saw the benefits of having someone who could manipulate magic as an ally. He did everything in his power to make sure that I had a place in the Capitol — even allowing me to come and go as he pleased."

Caelan pulled her down another street that opened into a small, grass-filled field. Surprise jolted through Ravenna and she slowed to a stop. He stopped with her, watching her reaction.

The field was about the size of two houses and reached one of the back walls that surrounded the city. Vibrant trees with bright green branches and lilac colored leaves dotted the field. Flowers of all types and colors stretched along the grass. Even a sliver of a stream flowed toward the opposite end of the field, surrounded by large rocks.

"Oh," she remarked, off-handedly.

Caelan watched her reaction. "This is a place that I used to visit," he told her. "It is a place of leisure, open to the public. It is meant to give the humans who cannot leave the city a glimpse of the world outside."

"I am not sure that I've seen a place like this before," she told him. "At least not within a town or city."

He smiled at her. "This is one of the many rare beauties within the kingdom, indeed."

She glanced up at him, her eyebrow arched. Guiding her by the hand, Caelan led her toward the center of the field. The gentle whisper of the stream graced her ears, filling the air with a sense of calmness. He sat down atop the ground and patted the earth beside him. She followed suit.

His story continued. "I spent most of my time with the Blood Knights attempting to train them on how best to fight someone who uses magic. It was successful — as they quickly became known for their skill and fighting abilities. Unfortunately, as you know, the crown prince passed on from internal illnesses."

Ravenna nodded. "Before he could take the throne. And then didn't the second in line to the throne also pass away?"

"Yes," he answered. "The human who had no hope of claiming the throne suddenly was thrust upon it," he remarked. A sigh escaped him. "He did well at first. Fathered a son — your former husband. But it was sad to watch him deteriorate over the years after his wife passed."

Ravenna grimaced. She laid back, allowing her back to press flat against the grass and flowers beneath her. Her gaze focused on the stars that decorated the navy blue sky above them. Caelan didn't need to know that she'd also killed the former king, either.

"Despite his faults, the man was smart enough to keep me as a high status member of the court," he continued on. "I was able to come and leave as I pleased. I had actually traveled to the Capitol to aid the former king those days before you 'killed' me."

He chuckled and then laid down beside her. He rested his hands atop his stomach, his gaze focused on the nighttime sky. She turned her head toward him, watching his expression. There was a hint of softness there.

She was not prepared, however, when he turned his head toward her.

Her breath hitched in the back of her throat. Her entire body froze, eyes wide and watching Caelan's lips twitch upward into a smile — which was only mere inches away from her own. The moonlight cascaded down, illuminating his smooth skin and dark eyes.

"That is my history with the Blood Knights," he told her. "Satisfied?"

Ravenna was unable to respond.

He chuckled after a moment of silence. Then his expression turned thoughtful. "You've been around Vyses most recently. Do you think that human-like creatures, similar to the ones that I created, will manage to get past his defenses?"

"I did manage to sneak your spellbook past him," she said. "I think it's worth a shot.

Caelan nodded slightly, turning his head back, his gaze lifted toward the sky. "Let's attempt it then. We only have a few days left."