Gray's POV

I looked at the clock on my table and frowned. Else should have been here by now and since she wasn't, it was causing me to worry. She was supposed to be going to Jackson for a simple homework run, but maybe she got into trouble.

"Here you go," Else said as she opened my small dorm room and tossed my stack of homework onto my bed.

"You took longer this time than normal," I said. A scowl was apparent on her face as she pulled her hair up into an updo. Else was very punctual, so the fact that she was an hour late was unusual. It made me wonder what she ran into in Jackson.

"Got caught up at school."

"With what?" I asked, pulling for more information.

She frowned in silence as she eyed me.

If she would not tell me, I could only guess what happened. "It was Stella, wasn't it?"

"No," she said a little too quickly.

"You are lying. What did you say to her? Did you give her my letter?" I asked.

The idea that Stella might have read my letter set me ablaze with excitement. I wanted to know exactly what happened, so for a moment I could live vicariously through Else.

"Gray..."

"You didn't give her the letter, did you?" I frowned as I realized I got too excited too quickly. Of course, she would never give her that letter. "Do you even want to help me?"

"It's not like that."

I rolled my eyes. I heard that far too many times from her.

"Else, there you are. We need you to come with us. Graywick has moved closer to the castle. He is preparing to attack. We need you," Egrick said as he popped his head into my small dorm room.

For a second, I remembered the conversation I had with my father a few days before. I never had the chance to tell Else what he told me. Honestly, I probably wouldn't at this point. If she had secrets, I would have them too.

"I'm coming. Just give me a moment," she said to Egrick, then turned back to me.

But I didn't want another minute with her. "Go, Else."

"Gray, I don't want to be this person."

"Then don't. You don't have to. Hell, the royal family isn't around anymore to hold you back. But yet here you are, still lying to me."

She sighed, then shook her head. "Have you ever thought that it's in both of your best interests to stay away from each other?" Saying nothing more, she left, leaving me alone in the dorm room.

In the room's silence, I chucked the homework across the floor in anger. I swore louder than I had in a long time. Else was wrong. It's not like I wanted Stella to live here with me. I just wanted her to know that I still thought about her.

I stood up from the bed and paced the floor. The only thing I asked for was shot down. She would do all she could to keep me away from Stella. If she was going to be like that, maybe I should take actions into my own hands. Maybe I should find a way to get a note to Stella myself.

Anger pushed me out of my room across the school. Before I knew it, I was leaning against the door of the infirmary. For a moment, I watched Birch as she treated someone with a broken arm. She worked with such speed as if she had treated broken arms for a lifetime. She was so skilled and experienced. Sometimes I forgot she was the same age as me.

Birch told the person something, then laughed. She went to get supplies but, in the process, met eyes with me. I smiled at her and she returned the smile.

She walked up to me as her hair fell out of her loose bun, framing her round face. With each step she took, there was such confidence. However, she rarely showed that confidence when she talked. I wondered if she knew how confident she could be if she let herself.

"Hey," I said to her simply.

She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Hey. What's up?"

"I was wondering if you wanted to play a game of chess."

She looked back at the person she was tending to, then back to me. A small smile appeared on her face. "I'll be free in 10 minutes. I'll meet you on the lawn? I'll bring the board."

"Sounds good to me. I'll see you then."

She nodded, then went back to what she was doing before I distracted her.

I watched her for a moment longer, then turned on my heels and walked towards the front doors to get out to the lawn.

<>

Once I was outside, I looked around the grounds and noticed saw some people out enjoying the evening sun. They all wore smiles as if this was a happy place, that they were not trapped here. My gaze switched to the protection barrier and frowned. If they knew about the barrier, they wouldn't be so happy.

That barrier was just another reason my mood was so poor. It was a reminder that I really couldn't have what I wanted. Freedom might never be mine. There was always something that pulled me from one place to another, forcing me there. I thought I wanted to be here, but as the time had passed; I realized that I just liked the idea of being here. Actually, being here was a different story.

I walked to the nearest stone table and placed my head in my hands. As I waited for Birch to come, I would allow myself to sulk in anger and disappointment.

Minutes ticked by until Birch came running out of the school with a smile on her face and a board in her hands. "Hey! I'm here! Sorry I'm a little late!" she called out to me.

With no way to check the time near me, I didn't realize she was late. "No problem."

She sat down in a chair in front of me and sighed. "I got held up with clean up."

"It's really fine, Birch."

"I know, but I just want you to know that I really tried to be here on time."

"I know you did. You always try."

She sighed as she laid the board on the stone table in front of us. "I think they are taking advantage of me in there. Few people know how to heal like I do and because of that, they hardly are giving me time off."

"I noticed they are working everyone more than normal."

She frowned as she laid the pieces out. "War is coming. I can feel it. I think they are getting everyone ready for it."

I nodded silently.

"Has Else told you anything about it?"

I shook my head. "If Else ever did, we would be in dire situations. It seems like that is the only time she says anything to me."

She placed her hand on mine. "I'm sorry."

"Thanks," I breathed as I pushed a pawn out in front of me. "You know, I feel like we are just pawns in their games."

She nodded as she moved a piece out.

"I want to be more. I know I can be, but I don't think they will see us as anything more than that."

"You know, sometimes the pawn is the most important piece in the game. It is often overlooked, but sometimes it takes the pawn to win."

I smirked at her analogy. "You have been playing this game a little too much."

She shook her head. "I would say the opposite."

For a moment, we were silent as we started the match.

"As much as I enjoy playing chess, I know you are normally not the one that initiates it. So, what called you for this chess match?" Birch finally asked, breaking the silence.

"Else..." I frowned. "I can't stand her. She is preventing me from even sending a simple note to Stella. It wasn't much and she wouldn't even do that."

"That's cold."

I gave her a look. "You know Else. Did you expect anything else?"

She shook her head as she moved a piece across the board. "Honestly, no, not really."

"Yup... Out of anyone that could have been in charge of watching me, they picked Else. The coldest person I know."

Birch threw a sympathetic look my way. We both frowned in silence as we continued to play.

"You miss her, don't you?" Birch asked finally as she moved a piece across the board.

I nodded. "Check."

"Damn-it," she muttered as she glared at the board.

"What is so frustrating about it is that Else is doing nothing to help me. She knows how much she means to me, but yet she won't even tell me how Stella is doing. It's like she rather her die."

"I'm sorry. I don't know Else well, but I know she cares about you. Maybe she thinks this is for the best."

I shook my head. "Maybe she does, but it's not best for me. It is best for her. I have learned that she will always do what she thinks is best for herself. When it comes down to it, she will not risk herself to save me."

Birch sighed as a frown came to her lips. "You know, if you really want to see her, why don't you? You are a gate keeper after all."

"You know Else will not stand for that. Plus, it's not like I can leave the grounds anyhow," I said as I thumbed towards the protection border.

Birch pushed up her sleeve to show a golden bracelet. "I was given this to go out and collect needed and hard to grow plants," she said as she took off the bracelet. "But I have enough in my inventory. I think you need this more than I do."

She handed me the bracelet, which felt heavy in my hands. Silently, I stared at it, shocked she would even offer this to me. This was her freedom. This was hers. If some leader caught her without it, she would get a beating. "Birch..."

She smiled as she pushed another piece across the board. "Checkmate."

I stared at the board and realized that for the first time; she won fairly without me playing easy.

"Just enjoy Jackson. See her. Hold her."

"I don't know what to say."

"Say you will go! And bring me back a souvenir."

I nodded. "Ok."

"Well, I have to get into bed. I have an early morning," she said as she stood up from the ground and stared at the setting sun. "I would recommend you leave in an hour when the guards shift, and the sun is completely gone." She threw one wink towards me and walked off.

In silence, I watched her walk into the castle as I played with the bracelet in my hand. I sat on the ground for a moment as the sun set behind me. I knew Birch and I were friends, but I never realized that we were this close. This massive act of kindness was something that I hadn't seen since Stella was around. It gave me hope that there were good people out there, just as good as Stella.

I got up from the ground and brushed myself off from the grass. I checked the time on my watch and knew that I didn't have time if I wanted to get out of here. Since it was still winter, I knew my sweater wouldn't be enough for Jackson. However, I didn't want to waste any more time. I had to go now.

My feet flew across the lawn as I went around to the back. I watched as the guards talked to one another and walked away, leaving space by the barrier. A deep breath filled my lungs as I ran towards the barrier, not slowing down.

"Hey! What are you doing? Stop!" I heard a guard yell, but that only made me run faster.

I closed my eyes as I passed the barrier. I half expected to crash into it, but a smile came to my face as I looked back and saw the guards at the barrier with a frown on their face.

"Yeah!" I cheered as I continued to run towards the gate.

This would be worth it, I told myself. All this trouble would be worth it if I could just talk to Stella again, if only for a moment.