“Are you sure you’re going to be okay?” Azeph asked as he took his coat from her before they headed back into the ballroom.“Of course,” she said with a smile his way. She was going to be fine either way. “Are you ready for our dance?”“I am ready,” she responded as she put her hand on his arm and headed inside. Soon after they came in, the crowds separated making way for them to head for the dance floor. They walked there and stood at the center waiting for the orchestra to begin the closing song.Azeph bowed before her his hand outstretched and she put hers in it curtsying to him slowly.They straightened up looking at each other in the eyes. Azeph was gazing at her with something akin of longing and reached out for her lightly touching her waist. She put her hand on his shoulder letting him pull her a bit closer. Enough to be close to each other, but not enough to satisfy the longing an passion burning between them.Azeph started leading the dance moving around slowly with the se

Elinor sighed as Louis closed the headmaster’s office door.“He wouldn’t budge,” she said desperately.“He didn’t answer a single question,” Louis stated, “he’s one strong opponent, to think that even you couldn’t shake him.“I just wanted to know what he was trying to do by setting me up with Azeph like that,”“That probably had been your only chance to get something out of him. Starting today things are going to get busy,” he told her,“I know,” Elinor responded, “I still have to go over the work Future had delivered for me, It’s going to take a lot of time, especially since the last incident has still yet to be resolved,”“Last incident’s victim, what was his name again? Nathan?” Louis said“It is,”“He and his friends had been doing well since they joined our class, they would make good aids in the future,” “Are you trying to make reservations on them?” Elinor asked with a smile.“I might be,” Louis responded“Well good luck, although I doubt that it's going to do you any good,"

“What about you?” Azeph asked, “What was your childhood like with Louis and Prince Nicolas?”“My childhood had been eventful for sure,” She said with a smile, “My parents had always been busy people. My father had always been busy, and my mother had a lot to take care of too other than taking care of the sucal estate, especially since the death of the queen and with the Kin’s sister, Louis’ mother, has a weak constitusion. My mother took over some of the workload meant for the royal castle too.That meant I spent a lot of time there with her. And there was also a time when both of them had to leave the country as a part of a diplomatic envoy, so most of my childhood was spent with Nicolas or Louis’ families.” She told him.“It must have been hard on you to be away from your parents all the time,” Azeph said.“Not really, it’s the way things had always been. I didn’t know any other lifestyle and I was okay with how things were. As soon as I was old enough to read and write, my mother s

Elinor opened her eyes alert and listening in to any sound that may have woken her up. She heard another sound and sighed in relief that it didn’t come from her bedchamber. Whoever was there still didn’t get to her yet.Slowly moving up from her bed, she reached under her pillow for her gun. She always kept it there since Nick’s assassination. There was no telling who would come after her especially since she had been following up on his death obstinately looking for her killer.Her hand finally touched the metal as soon as the door to her room swing open and someone rushed to her bed seeing her awake. “She’s awake,” he said in a high accented voice before jumping on her.Elinor had pulled her gun by then but when he tackled her she lost her grip in it and it fell back on the bed.The man jumped on her strangling her as he pushed her back. She hit her head on the headboard losing her consciousness for a few moment before his painful grip on her neck woke her up again.As she struggle

“Hurry up!”Elinor snapped her head up to look around her to find herself standing in the garden looking at the table where Nick was waving for her to come.“The tea is getting cold Elin,” He said and she smiled at him as she walked toward him.“Whatever would that do me any good? You’re going to drink my cup anyway,” She said and he shrugged.“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” He told her and she chuckled.As she reached the table, he stood up and pulled her chair out for her. She thanked him and sat down as he made his way to his chair pulling it closer to her to sit by her side.His long blond hair fell over his face like a curtain and his blue eyes moved back to her as soon as he sat down.“Where’s Louis? Wasn't he supposed to come with you?” He asked“He had something to take care of. He will be joining us soon,” She told him as she poured them their tea busying herself with putting sugar into their cups.“By the way, are you going to attend the ball next week with me?” He