Amelia lay still by her new fiancé's side, waiting for the young hunter to fall asleep. Raimont was the most talkative man she'd ever known - he could jaw and jaw the whole night– and after they had finally gone to bed, she could feel him rolling over and over for the next hour.

She was already late, but Rai wouldn't let her go anywhere alone, even for a cup of water. She had to be sure he was well asleep before she got up from their shared bed.

She leaned over the bedside table to take the little pouch she had stuck behind it. Inside, there were two vials made of dark glass. Amelia uncorked one of them, took a sip of yellowish liquid, and hid it again.

The night was hot and only a bit less close that the day before. She tiptoed out of the room barefoot, in a housecoat thrown over her light nightdress. The three bedrooms were placed upstairs. As the corridor lacked windows and was totally dark, she counted her steps on the way to the stairs.

Walking slowly with her hands extended before her as if she'd been blind, she suddenly hit something with her foot. She heard a loud bang and froze.

Looking around, she saw a glow of light soaking under the door of the opposite room. She forced a smile when a young boy with messy hair appeared on the threshold, holding a candle in his hand. Now she could see what she'd hit– there was a broom lying on the floor just by her.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Amelia!" Jules yawned, rubbing his bi-colour eyes, "I forgot I'd left it here!'

"It's okay, Jules. I'm fine," she assured him with a smile, reaching for the broom. She leaned it back against the wall, "Sorry I've woken you up, though."

"Never mind," he shrugged with a grin, "I thought it must be Ravin. I didn't mean to bother you."

Seeing his smirk, she couldn't help thinking he'd left the broom here on purpose, hoping his master would trip over it and wake him up. Fiendish plan, she had to admit. She barely knew the oldest hunter, but both his apprentices seemed very excited about him meeting some healer from the castle. They had even made bets if he would go back home tonight or tomorrow morning.

"What are you doing here, anyway?" the boy asked when she was about to leave.

"I can't sleep. I need a walk," she was already on the first step of the stairs when Jules' voice stopped her.

"In the middle of the night? That's not the safest idea."

She rolled her eyes with irritation, but when she looked around at him, her face was gleaming with a gentle smile again.

"I'll just sit in the garden for a while, then. The sky's full of stairs tonight. Good night, Jules."

"Are you sure you don't need company?" he muffled a yawn. Amelia knew he wanted only to be kind – the look of his eyes was distant, and he seemed already half-asleep.

"It's so nice of you, but I'm totally fine. See you tomorrow morning."

"See you," he muttered and offered her his candle, "At least take this."

She accepted it although it wasn't necessary. The night was bright with the silver glow of the full moon and thousands of stars.

Once she went outside she blew the candle and followed the narrow path leading to the road. Running, she emerged from the bushes and almost collided with a dark figure that had just grown before her.

"Matthew! Don't scare me like this!"

"You're late, Amelia," The tall, bald man glared, and extended his hand expectantly. "Do you have it?"

"I haven't found it yet," she confessed, trying to sound more self-confident than she really felt. "I have no idea what they did with the necklace! Maybe the hunter has already destroyed it."

"You best hope you're wrong!" the man hissed angrily, "Geoffrey wants the mara now!"

"Don't expect me to pull it out of the thin air!" she shook her head. "I'm doing what I can. I've searched through the whole house. I can't just ask them about the crystal. I didn't tell them I knew Melissa."

"What about the young hunter? Still hopelessly in love with you?" Matthew asked, and she only nodded. The man smiled unpleasantly.

"I'm doing what I can," she narrowed her eyes, "The necklace will be ours soon, I swear."

He stepped back in the shadows.

"You'd better keep your word this time."