Nell couldn't stop crying, but for once, Dad didn't fly into a rage. Alura had promised. She promised she would never fire her light. Now, what if she broke that promise again? What if Nell upset her, and she tried to kill him?

Luís' voice was uncharacteristically gentle. "Nell, there is a way out of this."

Nell. He called me Nell.

"Out of...what?" he sniffled. "I'm free from you. And it's all thanks to Alura."

"Are you?" he asked. "Or will you be trapped in worse bondage once you marry that Delvalian? With power like that..."

"It's not dark magic," Nell snapped. "The royal guard uses evocation magic to keep us safe! How is that any different?"

Luís took a seat from across Nell. He looked old. Tired. Sick. What if Dad just didn't have the energy? What if Nell stressed him to the point of death? His father sighed. "She is temperamental. Just like me – except I have the decency to use my own hands, yes?"

Nell gritted his teeth. "What can I do to buy your silence?" he whispered. "I still love her. We'll have to postpone the wedding to discuss this mess, but... she's rich. She could pay you a fortune."

"I don't want money."

"Then what do you want?"

Luís' eyes grew cloudy, and he sighed. His voice took on a melancholy tone. "I want," he said, "to know that it was all worth it. I want to make you a gentleman – someone worth marrying. Because if she was right..." he sighed, shaking his head. "I am more a wretch than a father."

"Either way, that's the case," Nell snapped. "Don't lobby for my sympathy. How do I keep you quiet?"

Luís smiled. "You can't. Tomorrow, I'm filing the charges. They will find her guilty, and her father will no longer be the Head Sorcerer. She likely won't survive."

Nell's heart pounded. "You wanted this to happen, didn't you?" he whispered. "You...you wanted to get her killed. How long have you known?"

"Since I saw you snogging each other's faces off by the creek. It wasn't difficult to find out."

Nell glared at him. "I'll turn you in for your abuse before you can press charges. I swear it." He went to the door. "Goodbye."

"Not so fast." Dad performed a kinesis spell, and the door locked. "There is one thing I want more than her death. I believe you could provide it to me..." he shook his head. "But then, you would lose my offer if you married her. My offer to teach you how to be a good man."

Nell froze. He's lying.

But Luís was a terrible liar.

He shuddered. "What can I do to get you to love me? What can I do to...to save you?"

Luís put a hand on Nell's shoulder. A paternal hand. "I want you," he said, "to complete your education."

Nell swallowed. He'd trained to be a surgeon for so long. No one knew his father's exact condition, but Nell had sworn to find out. Tears flowed down his cheeks as he imagined finding what was wrong with Luís. Mending the migraines, the paranoia, the hearing problems. Healing him. Having a natural bond.

"I was planning to do that anyway," Nell muttered. "Easy way to get you to keep your mouth shut if you ask me."

"No."

"Then what's the catch?"

Luís sat down again. "You must end this relationship," he said. "Because if you do not, I will withdraw support from your tuition. That's about twenty-six solstices and three eclipses for the next six years."

Nell bit his tongue; he'd known this may happen before, but the threat still filled him with dread. "Mum would never allow it."

"She has already agreed to it," Luís said. "She fears the Delvalian as much as you do, boy."

No. Nell held himself. "And if I agree?"

"Then I will never lay a finger on you again. For you will prove you can do what needs to be done."

Nell swallowed. He couldn't let his dad die and couldn't cut him out of his life, either. Either he broke off the engagement with the love of his life – or he sent her to her death. There was no way they could be together, was there?

You two could escape, a small voice whispered in the back of his head. Go somewhere people wouldn't care.

But he couldn't ask that of his fianceé. Light Spinner wanted to be a teacher. What would happen if she couldn't fulfill that dream? And Norwyn was her only family...

Luís rose. "You have until morning to decide. I await your answer." With this, he ambled to his room, leaving Nell alone.

✧✧✧

Light Spinner waited a week for Nell to show up before he approached her. Finally, he stood at the entrance to the garden, holding something in his fist. "We need to talk."

She let him in through the gate. "I know."

Nell covered his mouth, shaking his head. Then he pressed his ring into her hand. "I'm breaking the engagement off. I'm sorry."

He turned to leave, but Light Spinner grabbed his wrist. "No. You're not leaving me without an explanation."

He was silent. Light Spinner pressed him further. "Nell. Please...tell me. We're only two weeks away. You can't...you can't be going now." Tears stung her eyes. She could talk him out of it. It was okay – he wouldn't leave her. That was what he'd told her. Right?

Nell sighed, and after a long time, he answered. "Dad wants to kill you," he said softly. "I don't know if he can find you guilty in court –"

"Is that what this is about? Nell, there's no way I'll be convicted. I didn't lay a finger on anyone; though my power is unknown, it's not dark. And I don't care what society thinks – not as long as I have you."

"Dad can sue you for property damage," Nell said quickly.

"I can pay the legal fees – what is this really about?"

He lowered his eyes. After a moment, he began to cry. "Dad. I finally have a way to get him to love me."

Light Spinner's lip curled. "He...he asked you to break off our engagement," she whispered. "All of this... it's him."

Nell shook his head. "No, Alura. It's not - it's me. I won't be able to complete my education, and we can't afford it without him. I –"

"Do you know how much money I have?" she whispered. "I have over thirty thousand solstices, Nell. It is more than enough to cover your expenses."

"No," he said. "No, it's not. I couldn't ask you to pay that much money for me. I'm not worth it."

"Would you stop with the self-pity already?" she shouted suddenly. "You are worth it, and I would slap you across the mouth for that comment had I any less self-control." Then, as she began to cry, a horrible truth dawned upon her. "This is an excuse, isn't it?" she said quietly. "You're just like the others – you fear me."

Nell winced. "You promised...that you would never fire your light."

Light Spinner tore her veil off, throwing it to the ground so her tears wouldn't soil it. "And you," she said, "promised to marry me. Yet here we are."

Nell stepped forward. Light Spinner continued. "I was only trying to protect you. I'm more experienced than you, Nell – it's the harsh truth. We have to run. We can't hope they'll love us...not after all we are..."

He took her face tenderly in his hands. "I know," Nell whispered. "I can't accept it – I wish I could. But he'll never hurt me again if I go. Trust me, Alura – you don't know him like I do."

And despite her anger – in spite of her sorrow and the crazy guilt that descended over her...Light Spinner let him kiss her one last time. The taste of tears, once a demonstration of their intimacy, was only bitter now.

Light Spinner backed away, taking both rings in her hands and clutching them close. "You really are a coward," she whispered.

Nell had no reply; he teleported away silently. And Light Spinner gripped herself, agonized sobs ripping from her throat in the night.

❂❂❂

Did you know...

- Originally, Nell was a Drylian human obsessed with alchemy (magic + science) who left Light Spinner after discovering the secret to her powers by accident. However, as his character evolved, I found that no longer worked for him. It would feel very strange for Light Spinner to love someone so shallow.

- Luís was actually one of my favorite characters to write. He may be a total jackass, but he's got a deeper motive than being abusive for the heck of it. I wanted to showcase that here.

Tell me what you think...

- Did Nell do the right thing by leaving Alura? Why or why not?

- What alternate solution would you have proposed to keep Light Spinner and Nell together? Why?