Mari was waiting in the gardens for Shadows Young Master.

  Future Shadows Lord. Si Langhe. Si.

  She was daydreaming that he could be her Si. And she could be Shadows Lady. In the future, they could be together. Ruling. She fantasized…

  Her family was not satisfied that she was traveling to Shadows territory so often. Often! From her perspective, it was not enough to make her dreams come true.

  They couldn’t understand her goals. The Hal family was powerful in Unio. Rich and esteemed. All the best. But they were not wise enough, not open enough.

  She could tell she would be used for political purposes. Her parents’ plan for sure was to form an alliance with other great families from Unio.

  Of course, Mari knew.

  Mari was aware. Mari was not stupid. She prided herself on her intelligence.

  Her family didn’t have a broad enough view. But she did.

  For her part, she observed politics. She saw the problems in Unio, the struggles of their Domini with the families, with the budget.

  The political centralization between the planets still worked, but it looked like corruption was slowly eating it away, destroying these bonds.

  It was not unified enough. Information didn’t match; everything was starting to fragment.

  Mari sometimes worried about the future of Unio.

  Unio was her world. Her family, her position—only in it, she knew how to navigate.

  That was why she started learning more about Shadows. Especially after the Red Alliance that took place two years ago.

  The territory that was chosen for it said it all. Usually, it was Unio that decided. But this time, it was agreed that they use the Red Bridge—Shadows territory. That was something families from Unio should notice. But no, of course they didn’t.

  They didn’t care; they were focused on their money and businesses. Money. The corruption. The families were causing corruption, not fighting with it. Mari knew.

  If not for this recklessness, would it have been possible to defend better and save the moons and Planet Two when it all happened? Mari wondered.

  Nonetheless, she thought, she could use it and benefit. The Red Bridge Alliance between Unio and Shadows. Oh, better to say Shadows and Unio. The other way around, it was.

  Mari was sure.

  Unio had problems fighting with these energy forms, the ones that attacked first Moon Two, then three, and then Planet Two. It was not Unio to defend their territories.

  Shadows won the battle over Planet Two back then. They lost many people, but they won. Only four years ago. And the alliance, just two years ago.

  Mari listened for so many months to her family and other Unio families. She had contacts and friends in every prominent family—she listened.

  It was so naive, everything she heard.

  The esteemed families still thought that Shadows Lord and his son were not as powerful as Unio. They said that Shadows were not humans. Added that they would perish eventually. Natural energy had been perishing for years after the Sect’s fall, so Shadows would as well.

  Oh, they were mistaken.

  Mari before had doubts. She had doubts because if it was the truth, then how possible could Shadows win the fights? Why didn’t Crystalers manage?

  She was not a weapons specialist, not knowledgeable regarding armies and all. Yet, she could say. No, Shadows were not weak. Not to perish soon. She had doubts back then. But now, she was sure—Unio families, they were mistaken.

  Shadows were underestimated.

  Not because Unio failed to understand. That also, of course. But the real reason was that it was Shadows that wanted Unio to think like this. It was Shadows that kept Unio families in the dark, on purpose. Their purpose.

  Mari discovered it only a year ago. Shadows Young Master, the only son that survived fights, came to Unio. He visited officially because of the alliance contract. An additional clause that Unio Domini insisted on—the marriage.

  Regarding it, two years ago, when the alliance was proposed, the families in Unio proudly thought that Shadows would accept their offer quickly and without any questions. They assumed Shadows needed it. They didn’t; they accepted but didn’t carry out the contract.

  Stolen novel; please report.

  Postponed for a year. Then, the next year, for another year.

  The interesting thing was that Mari wished now that Shadows Young Master prolonged it again. She had new plans for him. For her. For them.

  A year ago, Unio attempted to carry out the alliance agreement, but Shadows Lord didn’t even appear. His son arrived: Shadows Young Master. And he acted strange; he looked, he behaved, to say carefully, unusually.

  Unio streets were later filled with talk of his ghostly appearance. Eerie dress-like clothes, black color dominating, metal arrangements. Hair black, of course. And a mask—was it even a mask? Gloomy, looking like a part of his face. People in Unio asked: was it a part of his real face? Were Shadows truly ghosts? Nonhuman?

  He was surrounded by Shadows’ dust; it was swirling around him.

  Dramatic.

  It was similar two years ago, but then it was somehow smoother. But last year, it was exaggerated. The annual meeting was as usual, a short official part with the best families. All the daughters also could come, but—who would care? The daughters didn’t come.

  But Mari was there. She had her doubts and wanted to check what the truth was. Mari was curious. And Mari gave it a thought.

  Because why not? To be the Lady? The Queen—could she call herself that?

  Better future than to be just someone’s wife in Unio. Men in Unio were spoiled. The OFF? Her family started to think about using her for the alliance there. She heard rumors of these guys—two of them, the Leader and his General. Rumors were there. Mari didn’t want to be a part of the alliance with the OFF.

  Her family’s situation was complicated. Her brother Xavier had spoiled everything. When to add to that the past problem between the Hal family and the Alena family… and her brother, disrupting relations with so many families, the worst with the Corja family. Her brother… she didn’t even want to start ranting about what he had done.

  The future was not that bright for her, Mari Hal.

  A year ago, she wanted to check what it was about this ghost, Shadows Young Master. And, she thought, the postponement: was it because of the bride? She was already thinking, could she persuade Domini to give her a chance? She was from a better family. The Alena family was declining. She, Mari Hal, was better. Her family had this one scandal on their account, but…

  No children possible, of course, as Shadows and Crystalers couldn’t have children, but in general, a pleasant, and prosperous life it could be.

  Shadows Lady? Their Queen?

  Possibilities.

  Mari persuaded one of the people working as waiters. As it was not the most important event, it was also not guarded very much. She transformed for a moment and became a drinks maid. What an act, being a maid!

  … They were talking—nothing significant. She would need to go out if it were problematic topics. Mari knew. Mari wasn’t stupid. Mari wanted to live.

  She overheard some talks; she could recollect them as if it were just now.

  “Let’s talk when Yura finishes his marathon, so, tomorrow. What a team of us, the alliance guys. The OFF Leader, Yura, has no time for meetings; he runs his marathons. My father cannot attend; it leaves me, his son. I suppose I am the funny one? And you, Arct, Unio Domini, you are the boring one. We are hilarious, aren’t we?”

  It was Young Master talking to Domini.

  Oh?

  This Shadow called Domini boring and by his name, not the title. And what? Domini laughed.

  Mari was surprised.

  Domini replied, and how he talked to this Young Master was odd. Domini was nice. Mari never observed Unio Domini behaving like this.

  She kept listening, waiting to be called with the drinks. Others were also waiting; she wasn’t alone. Everybody was the same as she was, ready to disappear if the talk started to be less casual.

  It continued like this.

  Shadow was joking. Joking with Domini! Laughing at him as well.

  They briefly mentioned the alliance marriage—Shadow would postpone again. Domini didn’t seem angry and didn’t insist. Asked about Sara.

  Who was Sara? Then Mari didn’t know; later she checked. Domini asked about Shadows Lord’s wife. Why would Domini ask about Shadows Lady?

  “… Si, aren’t you tired? You put on this act still, every time. I like to observe the crowd when you arrive in your costume… Si, indeed, it is entertaining; don’t stop doing it.” Domini was laughing again.

  Shadow didn’t comment.

  Mari was again surprised. What was that? What was Young Master’s act? She didn’t understand it then, when she heard it; they talked about it strangely.

  She noticed, though. Domini was using Shadows Young Master’s name; he was very direct.

  Unusual, again.

  She wasn’t sure what more she could achieve. Already she was surprised by their relationship. Not how it looked from the outside. She decided to play her role, follow events without any changes.

  Then, Domini called for tea. It was her turn.

  … When she brought the tea, Shadow transported near her.

  Mari was startled by this, as Crystalers couldn’t do this; they were unable to transport themselves. It was lost after the Sect had disappeared; she knew it from stories only.

  He materialized next to her—she spilled the tea, and milliseconds later didn’t catch the falling teapot.

  It broke with an unpleasantly loud noise.

  “What a clumsy worker,” said Domini, and she, Mari, was scared to death.

  That was Domini, she knew. Unsatisfied.

  Then, this Shadow, as he wanted to help her—a regular worker! He cleaned up the mess she caused; he used his energy.

  Mari thanked him and went out. She brought another teapot soon after.

  She heard they discussed the other meeting that was planned for the next day. Ten minutes later, Shadows Young Master left.

  But it was not all.

  Mari was shocked.

  Shadows Young Master!

  He was human, definitely. He was not a ghost, dust, or something.

  She heard Domini laughing about his, as he called it, costume—she finally got it!

  It was a trick. A joke? An act!

  And… as she looked, she did, for a second, a brief, when this Shadow was cleaning up the broken teapot and spilled tea.

  It was always a mask on his face! Because, when Mari glanced, the mask! It was not on his face anymore—she saw his face.

  Shadows Young Master’s face.

  The future Shadows Lord’s face.

  He was a man, absolutely. And the worst was, he was very, very, very handsome.

  Very handsome.

  Oh, when to think about it.

  Mari would like to be able to have children with Shadows, despite the incompatibility between Shadows and Crystalers. With this one Shadow, she would like to be able.

  … And now Mari was waiting for him in the gardens.

  Shadows Young Master. Future Shadows Lord. Si Langhe. Si.

  Her Si, as she called him in her thoughts.

  Mari dreamed about her Si for a year now.