Endris retreated into his room once we made it back to the inn. The door slammed shut and stayed shut.

Oleander walked with me to the common room, but he sat in the corner with his arms crossed, seemingly lost in thought. He politely asked me to be left alone. Nele was still nowhere to be found. I felt slightly guilt for leaving her behind in the crowd outside, but she'd find us again, eventually.

Considering the hearing about knight commander Ytel was tomorrow, I read my notes one more time in an attempt to learn my plea by heart. I was utterly unsuccessful. When Nele finally walked into the inn a while later, I hadn't read a single word.

Nele's eyebrows twitched when she saw me sitting at the table. She tried to suppress her annoyance at me abandoning her in the square, but I easily read it in her gait as she approached.

"Lord Montbow," she greeted me. "Pardon me for losing you in the crowd for a moment there."

"We left," I replied crisply. "We didn't know we'd be exposed to barbaric practices if we went to the square. If we had, we wouldn't have gone. We don't execute people in front of houses of worship at the Thundercoast."

"With all due respect, this isn't the Thundercoast, my lord," Nele said, only a thin layer of politeness remaining in her tone now. It seemed Wildewall locals didn't take well to it when their customs were criticised by a peasant from outside the walls. "Priest Landefort addressed me about your interruption of the trial. He wants compensation."

I sighed. "If it's coin he wants, I will pay him later. Priest Landefort can get in line."

"No, lord Montbow. He wants your servant," Nele nodded at Oleander, "to work at his temple of fate to repent. For a week."

I turned to Oleander. He planted his hands on the armrests of his chair and shot upright, visibly startled.

"No, absolutely not," I retorted immediately. "Oleander is here as a guest of the queen. He's not going into temple service or whatever the priest has planned for him." I frowned. "Why does he call himself a priest while he cuts people down with a sword, anyway? That's not what a priest does."

"In Wildewall," Nele emphasised, "a priest is an authority who may perform punishments in the name of their temple, lord Montbow."

"And he already performed his punishment," I said. "Tell him I would be happy to personally pay his temple tribute if that softens the blow to his ego, but he's not getting Oleander. He did nothing wrong."

Nele shook her head incredulously. "My lord, this is a very generous offer from priest Landefort. It would only be a few days of light service inside the temple, then Oleander would be released and they would forgive you for the interruption. And naturally, Oleander would be allowed to go to the queen if he was summoned by her."

"My answer for priest Landefort is no. Oleander is not going anywhere," I repeated firmly.

A hint of annoyance passed over Nele's features as she glanced at Oleander, perhaps wondering what was so special about him that I wouldn't allow him out of my sight for even a week. Then she curtseyed. "As you wish, lord Montbow. But I feel compelled to warn you the priest won't be pleased. The temple of fate is powerful. This could have consequences for your hearing tomorrow."

"So be it," I said. "If he's looking to collect, then I will pay him or I will go into service for a week, but not Oleander."

Nele stared at me, almost horrified. I had a feeling the nobles from Wildewall would never submit themselves to servitude. But ducking my head and falling in line had been my life so far. I knew who I was and what my mark meant to people, but I truly hoped to never reach a point where my pride would impede my ability to protect my loved ones or taking responsibility for things I did. Even if the Montbows were reinstated at the court and I received all the luxuries my heart desired, I would remember what living in exile was like.

"Please let him know my decision, Nele," I said.

Nele opened her mouth, seemingly to protest, but she shut it again before a word came out. "As you wish."

Nele departed from the inn soon after, and I was left with a dull headache and a boring speech I still needed to learn for tomorrow. I glanced at Oleander to check if he was alright after this uncomfortable exchange. While the sadness in his eyes about the half-elven man lingered, Oleander smiled softly at me. Then he stood and walked to the bookcase. As he passed me, I felt his hand subtly brush against my shoulder. Even with Nele gone, we had to behave like lord and servant—we were still being watched by the inn staff. We couldn't speak entirely freely, but we could exchange looks while Oleander read, and I made notes for the hearing.

Word of what I did with priest Landefort and how I refused to hand Oleander to him would reach Ariane's ears, likely before dusk today. I had assumed I'd get a scolding into the morning when she arrived for dinner, but Ariane never came back to the inn. Nele didn't return to the common room either. When I retreated to my bedroom later, however, there was a familiar-looking man stationed in front of the door. One of Ariane's servants. The man with a face cut from marble. He stepped aside and let me enter my room without saying a word. When I looked out my bedroom's window, I saw more of Ariane's servants patrolling in the courtyard. It seemed she'd certainly left people watching me, even if she and Nele weren't here.

It was probably for the better. I hadn't exactly made myself liked in Wildewall today, and I had the hearing tomorrow and the queen's ball to look forward to. If today was an indication of how those events would go, it would end in catastrophe.

Tonight could well be the last quiet night I'd be having in a while, so I had the inn's staff draw me a bath. I could use the soothing, hot water to help me relax, and I needed a body of water nearby to pray to the thunder god. Normally, I was at the coast and near the sea. During out travels, I'd looked for a river or lake. In the city, a bathtub would have to make do.

While sighing at the sensation of hot water engulfing me, I prayed for fortune tomorrow. I prayed for my family's safety at home. I also wished I could share this luxury with Oleander, who was stuck in the servant's quarters. If I summoned Oleander to my room, however, that would certainly reach Ariane's ears, and I'd face her wrath. Even more so than I already would for my run in with the priest.

Although I had little going for me the past few days, it appeared the god of thunder was listening to at least one of my prayers tonight.

My eyes shot open when I heard a sliding window, followed by a quiet thud of someone landing gracefully on the floor inside my room. It was a familiar sound, yet, when light footsteps approached the bathroom, I had a brief moment of panic. I gripped the sides of the bathtub and pulled myself to a sitting position, preparing to channel my magic if this wasn't who I thought it was.

And then Oleander appeared at the entrance of the bathroom. His eyes widened when he saw me.

"Ah, I'm sorry!" he apologised when he saw I was in the bathtub. "I didn't know you weren't decent." Oleander turned his back on me and stepped away from the entrance, but not until after he swiftly let his eyes trail down as far as he could before the rippling water protected my modesty.

A flush crept up my cheeks as I grabbed the towel and raised myself out of the tub, sprinkling water all over the floor in my haste. "It's alright," I said. "But you have to tell me how you're able to keep entering my room like this."

Oleander chuckled. "Are you decent now?"

I glanced down at the towel around my waist. "Yes, I suppose," I said.

Oleander stepped into view. Again, he didn't hide the way his eyes glided down my chest to my navel before he settled his gaze on my face. "Nobody seems to pay attention to the servants in this city," he said. "That is how I move unseen."

"That can't be true," I replied. "You're far too beautiful to miss."

Oleander smiled. "You flatter me."

"I mean it. But..." I walked over to the window and peered down. The walls were steep and smooth, and I couldn't for the life of me figure out how Oleander had scaled them. "Those walls aren't climbable. Seriously. How did you get up here?"

"Ah, but these walls are climbable for me," Oleander said. "The smallest nooks and crannies can be used as an anchor point if you know how."

"How...do you know how? Have you started remembering more?"

Oleander was silent for a moment. His smile faded, and he turned away from me. "Flashes, fleeting memories, and dreams. Like before."

"I see." I closed the drapes and took a step away from the window. I looked at Oleander's back and his silvery ponytail. Compared to this afternoon, during which Oleander had seemed sad and faraway with his thoughts, he seemed to do better now. I didn't want to make Oleander sad again, but we had to discuss today now that we had the chance.

"Oleander, our meeting with the historian and the execution on the square showed the dangers of the city," I said carefully. "Are you sure you want to be here? Endris is right: there doesn't seem to be anything good for you to find here."

Oleander turned on his heels. He looked deeply into my eyes. "Are you sure you will walk the path of the knight, will wed Ariane, and cannot be persuaded otherwise?"

"What?" I frowned. "I don't see how those two things are related."

"Laurence, it is clear to me you never wanted your storm blessing or the consequences of it." Oleander let out a soft sigh. "But it's in you, regardless. Something larger than you chose you, and you can't turn your back on your gift and what it means. In a similar way, it's not that easy for me either."

I shook my head in confusion. "I don't understand what you mean."

Oleander swallowed. He opened and closed his mouth as he tried to find words. "I mean the life you're more attuned to, Laurence. I..." Oleander faltered. "Your heart longs for another place and time. You're not where you should be. Don't you want to be home on the coast rather than facing a hearing? To not murder innocent creatures in the mountains for an arbitrary badge of honour from a queen and a court you don't know or care for? To not wed a woman you don't love out of duty?"

For a moment, I didn't recognise the Oleander standing in front of me. He spoke louder and his voice had lost its usual soft gentleness. Even his entire demeanour seemed different. I'd never thought of Oleander as weak, but now he reminded me of the way Conrad looked when he snuck out of the mansion at night. Dangerous and sharp. The memory of Oleander in our living quarters, dodging my father's cast rock with cat-like nimbleness, came to mind.

"I do these things because I want to take care of my family," I said. "I have to."

"Yes," Oleander muttered. "And you wouldn't be you if you didn't want to help them, because you're good. You're good. But you have to choose a side in the end, Laurence. You can't help everyone."

I shook my head, confused again at what Oleander was trying to say.

"You stand up for a half-elven man you don't even know in the square," Oleander clarified. "You heard Nele. This will considerably complicate the hearing regarding Ytel's death. It lowers your standing with the court further once they catch wind of it. You can't protect both your family and every accused half-elf in this city."

Oleander sighed. "But I should tell myself those words first. You wouldn't have followed me outside if I hadn't run away. That was foolish of me. I'd let my emotions get the better of me. A potentially very costly mistake, and I'm sorry."

I just stared at Oleander. "Oleander, you're... you're very different tonight," I said. "You don't sound like yourself. It's been a long day. Perhaps you just need some rest." My eye fell on the bowl filled with fresh fruits in the corner of the room. I gestured at it. "Have something to eat and drink. I don't understand how to peel or eat half of these, but maybe you do. Oh, but be careful if you want to cut them. The knife is sharp."

Oleander followed my gaze. He looked pained. I couldn't read the look in his eyes well as he regarded the fruit and drinks I offered. Then he shook his head and turned back to me.

"I'm sorry, Laurence," he repeated.

"No, don't be. I'm the last person who is allowed to scold another for letting their emotions get the better of them in the heat of the moment." I took a step closer to Oleander. "It'll be fine. I'll sort it out with the hearing tomorrow. If not, you have already helped the Montbow family so much with ways to earn new coin. Perhaps we won't rejoin the court in the end, but we won't starve."

I opened my arms and wrapped them around Oleander. He stiffened for a moment, but then welcomed and leaned into my embrace, settling against my chest and closing his eyes. "Just tell me one thing, Laurence."

"Yes?"

"Tell me you don't want to be a knight, and that you don't want to marry Lady Seydal. Don't talk about choice or family or duty. Only tell me about what you want."

"I want..." I licked my lips nervously. It was hard admitting it, even if I'd thought about not wanting my blessing or my arranged marriage a million times. So many would have hoped to stand in my place. All my siblings would take my storm-touched gift in a heartbeat. They'd gratefully accept being head of my family, and yet, I was the one who had received the honour. The only one who wasn't suited for the role.

I breathed in and out deeply. "I don't want to be a knight, and I don't want to marry Ariane," I said, the words feeling strange to my tongue even if I'd thought them many times.

Oleander lifted his head and looked up at me. "It's a painful fate if the fire in you would never truly roar because it never had a reason to," he whispered. "Because you haven't found your passion." 

Oleander had said something similar to me a while ago, while we were standing on the cliffs. I hadn't realised it at the time, but now I understood he meant us, in this room, in each other's arms.

"Oleander," I muttered. 

"Yes." 

Oleander titled his chin up while I leaned down, and our lips met in a passionate kiss. His hands slowly travelled down my sides to my waist, his touch leaving goosebumps on my skin. Then his thumbs hooked behind my towel, and he tugged, making it fall to the ground as our kiss grew deeper. We started moving to the bed. Oleander's hand pressed to my bare chest as he gently guided me backward.

My stomach flipped nervously. I'd hoped for this for a while now. I'd wanted this. But now that the moment seemed to be here, I was painfully aware of my lack of experience. Everyone always expected me to take the lead as the Montbow heir, but it seemed Oleander didn't.

Oleander broke our kiss as we reached the bed. Grinning darkly at me, he gave me a surprisingly hard shove, making me land on my back on the mattress. The realisation that he stood fully clothed at the end of the bed while I was completely naked made my face down to my neck grow hot with embarrassment.

Oleander didn't look at me, however. He strode over to the bowl of fruit, and brought a green fruit I didn't recognise with him back to the bed. He placed it on the nightstand.

I subtly reached for the sheets to cover myself, but Oleander was beside me in a flash, placing his hand on mine to stop my movements. "Laurence, you have no reason to blush," he said, softly kissing my cheek. "I should be the one blushing. You're impressive. And the mark of your thunder god does continue much further down. I am glad to have found out the answer to that question."

"Ah, yeah, it even dips below my..." I started replying, but I got distracted and trailed off as Oleander reached for his hair tie, undid it, and strands of silver cascaded down his shoulders.

"Navel," I breathed.

Oleander hummed. A smirk tugged at his lips as he stepped out of his pants and opened his shirt, letting it drop to the floor. I stared at his bare body and held my breath. Oleander was slender, but also lean and poised. I hadn't looked at him as closely in the mountains, but I did now. I took in the subtle curve of his hips, his flat stomach, and the wiry muscles of his arms. He looked strong as well as beautiful. 

"Is it more sensitive, too?" Oleander asked.

"What?" I asked dumbly.

Oleander chuckled as he crawled beside me on the bed. "Your mark," he said. "Is it more sensitive?"

"I don't think so, only when I use—"My breath caught in my throat as Oleander leaned down and kissed the branch of my mark on my collarbone. "My magic," I finished my sentence with a sigh. "Maybe it is more sensitive."

A wicked grin appeared on Oleander's face. "A shame it didn't cover your entire manhood as well, then.

"You want me to get aroused every time I used my magic?"

"Yes," Oleander said. "And if it aroused you, I would now want to tie you up, tell you to channel your magic, and watch you squirm without a single touch."

I gaped at Oleander. The sharp contrast between his innocent, green eyes and freckled face and the words coming out of his mouth made me turn an even deeper shade of red.

When Oleander noticed he had me at a loss for words, he looked pleased with himself and scooted over to the nightstand. He grabbed the green piece of fruit he'd brought to the bed earlier. It was elongated with tapered ends. 

"Did you know this fruit provides a sort of... juice that is used to lessen friction?" Oleander asked. He grabbed both ends of the fruit and snapped it in half. The insides of the fruit were hollow and white, and a bit of transparent juice dripped out.

Oleander lowered one half of the fruit down and let it hover above my manhood. He tilted his head to the side and looked at me. "May I?"

I nodded and twitched when the cool liquid poured on me. Oleander set the fruit aside on the nightstand once it was empty. When I didn't move straight away, Oleander pecked my lips. "Are you just going to lie there now, my lord?" he asked teasingly, his eyes sparkling. "I was hoping you'd finally be comfortable enough to braid my hair now."

I let out a laugh. "No, that is definitely still too inappropriate," I joked, while reaching out to brush a strand of silver behind Oleander's pointed ear. Oleander leaned into my touch, lips parting in a content sigh. Encouraged by his reaction, I let my hands wander down Oleander's shoulders to his flat stomach, admiring the smooth, freckled skin while my heart pounded in my throat.

I would have been content taking it slow and getting to know each other's body with soft touches and stolen kisses throughout the night, but Oleander was less patient. He allowed me to explore his body for a few moments longer, but then he grabbed my hands and placed them on his waist as he straddled me. 

That night, I finally learned what Oleander had been trying to teach me on the cliffs. All this life was about wasn't my mark, my duty, or coin. What I needed was Oleander's eyes clouding over in pure bliss, his heavy breathing and moans in my ear, his silvery hair tickling my chest, and the fire inside both of us roaring.