Mari was immersed in her dreams.

  She remembered the conversation she had with Domini after she found out about the Shadows Young Master’s tricks. She had performed a pitch; she called it that.

  Domini listened to her reasoning. Then he said it could happen only if Shadows Lord’s son wanted it. Domini sent a message to Shadows Young Master; he informed him that Mari from the Hal family from Unio would like to visit and talk.

  The meeting was arranged officially.

  Mari traveled to the Shadows territory for the first time ever. What she observed confirmed her thoughts.

  Shadows were, in fact, a very prosperous and advanced place. Definitely, it was not as Unio people said.

  It was bustling.

  They used Crystals to distribute energy to people in the cities. They could do this; they were not affected by artificial energy, as Abilitiers were. They didn’t need any boundaries, shields, or anything of this sort. They were free to combine the best of two energies, and so they did.

  Shadows used their natural energy for construction. The architecture was different from that in Unio. More embedded in nature around. Astonishing.

  Modern! It was not at all outdated. Why did Unio think Shadows were outdated? From where was the idea? Didn’t anyone travel here, truly?

  When Mari arrived at the Lord Shadows house, she was directed to the gardens. Nearby there were game fields, children’s places, and all the infrastructure, apparently open to all. It was visible that Shadows Lord and his family were not afraid of their people.

  She was waiting for Shadows Young Master when she spotted him playing a game with people, outside. She could recognize him; she knew his face.

  Mari watched unnoticed. Tall and athletic, though very thin. Hair disheveled, face flushed from playing. Beautiful face. Dimples! He laughed and had dimples. A beautiful man.

  She sighed at the memory.

  A moment later, someone approached him, and he transported somewhere. Again, this way of transportation, Shadows’ way.

  Mari saw it for the second time in her life. What a practical way of going from one place to the next one. Why couldn’t Crystalers? She then wondered.

  Especially for this meeting, Mari wanted to look, of course, beautiful but neutral. She would rather not flaunt the fact that she was from Unio, from a great family. If Shadows Young Master put so much work into his trick, he wanted to achieve something with it. So as not to fall into a stereotype, Mari decided to play it wisely.

  She combed her hair in a way to look modest. She had nice, long, brown hair. It was easy to arrange it. She put on humble make-up. Her face looked too girlish—she needed to look smarter. Less beautiful in a way. She dressed well, but without exuding status.

  Unio girl, but resolute. Mari hoped she had chosen it well.

  She waited for more than ten minutes until he finally materialized in his costume. Shadows Young Masters transported next to her.

  “Oh, he needed to change, of course,” Mari then thought.

  His territory—he looked confident. And playful? He was smiling behind his mask; she could tell. To be honest, what a choice, this mask. Even when she knew what his face looked like, it was scary.

  He sat, poured himself tea, checked if she had enough, and then started the conversation.

  “What is your name?” he asked, his voice pleasant.

  “Mari, Mari Hal,” she answered.

  She didn’t have an exact plan for this meeting. She wanted to see what could happen and decide later. But what she also thought was she needed to be honest.

  “Hello, Mari. I am Si,” he said, drinking his tea carefully.

  Apparently, it wasn’t that easy with the mask on his face, Mari noticed.

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  The silence lasted for a moment.

  “Mari, what is your purpose in coming here to talk to me?” he then suddenly asked.

  “Shadows Young Master, Si. I saw you playing minutes ago. I assume it is uncomfortable in what you wear. Perhaps you could consider returning to your usual attire?” she asked.

  As she decided earlier, she wanted to be honest. She also wanted to surprise him. Her goal was achieved.

  Future Shadows Lord laughed.

  He laughed and took off the mask and parts of his costume.

  Mari watched. She didn’t understand why he made such an impression on her when she saw his face for the first time. But he did; he amazed her. Now, she saw him for the second time, surrounded by greenery and flowers. Laughing, dark eyes sparkling. Dimples on his cheeks. Full lips. Hair was not very long, not carefully combed.

  She was impressed.

  Generally, people from Unio were pretty. Crystals energy helped to be pretty. Here, certainly, too, Shadows had natural energy. Shadows Lord’s son could definitely take care of himself. Although it didn’t look like he did, that he cared about his looks. It seemed like he was himself.

  Not like the young men from Unio.

  That was the point.

  He was a real man. He was true. Was it that what attracted her, Mari?

  “Well done. Not many from Unio bothered to guess,” he said, looking at her.

  “Really? During these two years?” Mari asked.

  She didn’t need to pretend that it was surprising because it still was; she still was surprised that Unio so easily fell for his tricks.

  “Your Domini was so disappointed,” he said and laughed again.

  “Why did you do it, these ghost stories?” she asked. She felt brave.

  “It was supposed to be a one-time situation, to check something. But it lasted longer.”

  “Are you, Shadows Young Master, are you still checking something?” Mari was curious.

  Why keep it for two years? Politics?

  “It is for fun. Now, Mari, tell me, you also put on an act, didn’t you? The tea lady you played?” he then suddenly asked.

  “Oh.” Mari felt uneasy.

  He was friendly, but what he asked, where was he heading? She didn’t know.

  “Do not need to be shy now. It was certainly not accidental. Quite bold to overhear your Domini’s conversation. Isn’t he angry?” he asked, exactly like this.

  “Domini? He wasn’t, he didn’t seem to be—” Mari was more unsure; she started to feel scared. “He allowed me to visit you; he didn’t seem to be angry.”

  “I am aware. Tell me, honestly, your purpose. I appreciate honesty,” he said.

  Mari then realized she got herself in the middle of something and wasn’t sure what to do or what to say.

  “Don’t be afraid,” he added, in a lower voice.

  This made her tremble a bit. She recalled it—she was overpowered by fear. He knew, he noticed, and it also meant Domini noticed as well.

  Was she in trouble?

  He smiled and looked at her.

  “I will tell you first my thoughts about what does it look like. Perhaps it will help you decide your path.”

  Mari nodded.

  “From my perspective, you could approach me for two reasons. I am simplifying. One being to replace my alliance fiancée, as your ambition could be to become Shadows Lady in the future. Ambition, then, as no real relationship is possible between us for known reasons of incompatibility. Or the other one, the second reason, is you being involved in an alliance with someone who needs information from me or about me. Which one?”

  Mari started to understand what it could look like; the first reason was almost correct, but the second one, she got to understand why Domini could be angry. Was Domini probing her as well as Shadows Young Master?

  The word treason flashed in her mind, and she started to tremble visibly. Domini was very strict in these matters.

  Then she panicked. She recalled it; she then said it all in one go.

  “Shadows Young Master, Mari would never think about any harm to Unio or to you and Shadows. Mari never, would never!”

  She dropped to the ground.

  “I, Mari, Mari will tell you, I admit, I wanted to replace your fiancée as I do not value her; I admit, I thought about what you already said, but I swear, I swear, I fell for you the first time I saw you.”

  The last words she whispered and felt ashamed.

  Even now, thinking about it, she was embarrassed.

  Where was her usual pride? How did it happen? But also, she then felt instantly better; she told the truth. She told the truth.

  He was silently looking at her. Didn’t laugh, didn’t mock. Didn’t say anything that someone of his rank would say in Unio. He observed her for a moment before finally commenting.

  “Thank you; that clears the situation,” he said and stopped, caught her gaze, and continued. “I am sorry for you; I need to add it. It is impossible what you want.”

  “Why?” she asked before thinking.

  “I already like someone,” he said and smiled. “But good, we cleared out the reasons. I will inform your Domini to make your life easier. Come back home.”

  He smiled again at her before leaving her in the gardens.

  Mari soon after left. She cried hard, at home, for a long time.

  She felt humiliated, but not by his actions but by her actions. She also felt terrible about what he had said. How come?

  Then, when it seemed truly not possible, she wanted it more. She wanted to become Shadows Lady. How come it was impossible?

  It was something she couldn’t change. She felt helpless.

  Until one moment. Around a month later, she was surprised to receive a message from Shadows Young Master. He got her ID and wrote to her; asked for information.

  Information about the Unio’s theater.

  She replied she would gladly tell him what was interesting and what was not worth watching. She asked if he would like to meet. He rejected, but later sent a message that she could come visit to tell him more about Unio customs, specifically regarding Unio families’ titles.

  Mari agreed.

  It was like that for months, almost a year. Occasionally, he asked about something. She then visited him and told him what he wanted to know in detail.

  Cinema. Best food. Architecture. Other customs.

  Nothing important; he confirmed every time that her Domini knew about his questions.

  She knew he listened and checked what she said, as he made remarks that he had tried what she recommended, watched a play, and ate the food.

  Why he asked all of this, she didn’t know. But Mari felt she was falling. She dreamed about him. About them. And she felt hopeless.