Luna was asleep—Si observed her without disturbing.

  She had been on alert for a long time. Si wanted to make her laugh to ease her fears, calm her, and show she was safe. Taj managed to achieve it faster. A brave shrimp. How neat.

  Si observed their relationship; they were close. He wondered how it would be after they succeeded and Taj transferred out of Crystal.

  What was Luna thinking about it for real? She said she was fine with the idea and added that she needed to be certain Taj was safe. Because with her, he was not, she said it sourly.

  That was the truth; there was no way to hide it. It was not safe for both of them.

  Si needed Luna to be safe.

  All the recent events, and it was only two weeks! It all proved to him that he was quite childish. Was it a good word to describe it? Maybe? Si had to admit, it felt like that currently. Childish. Playing with the situation.

  There was nothing to play with. It was serious; people could be hurt, not only Luna. Being reluctant for longer could harm Shadows; it could harm many more.

  The attackers were still there; they had their way to kill. Knowing how they did that, it opened Si’s eyes. The stakes were high, and the risks were real.

  The attack on Luna? It proved that he couldn’t protect his beloved, his family.

  Si decided he would need to be able to protect.

  What was his position and the energy he had for if he couldn’t protect who he wanted to protect?

  Ridiculous.

  He felt like that when they came back to Shadows, with Luna unconscious. He understood why Taj allowed her to fight; that was something a parent would do. Taj had let her overcome her fear. But who attacked her? It shouldn’t have happened in the first place.

  Si decided.

  He looked at her and her awkwardly tied hair. By this, Si made her laugh hard. He tied her hair into a badly arranged ponytail, saying it would be better than Taj’s.

  They both laughed.

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  Her gray hair included some red strands. So, that was it. She was hiding her red hair, as she had said.

  Luna was calmly sleeping, and Si was guarding her.

  His mother was speaking to Taj; he left them alone. They had many years to catch up, clearly. Lukai left as well; he had his tasks. He also wanted to search for more information.

  Si recalled something.

  He picked up his messenger.

  Earlier, Si had received a few messages from the Unio girl. About her, he already told Luna; this he also decided. No hiding—all transparent. Now, he had a thought that it was a good moment to politely meet for the last time, explain, and end the connection.

  Especially after Luna told him more about the problem between the two families. Si wasn’t aware. No words he had to comment.

  Si decided he also would need to help Luna’s friend. Later, but soon enough.

  He read Mari’s messages again. She wrote she had materials about what happened, meaning the assassination. She was very engaged. But how come? From where could she have information?

  Unio families…

  Si wrote back, asking about a short meeting soon; he wanted to postpone—but the Unio girl replied quickly, saying she could meet immediately.

  She was too engaged. Si sighed. He wrote back that it was very early and surely not convenient for her; he didn’t intend to bother her.

  Her reply made him sigh even more. She already went to the Gate to come to him to talk.

  Si resigned, got up. He took a look at Luna. Asleep, good.

  … For the better, he would close this one topic now, and that would be it. He went to the gardens to talk. On his way, he stepped into the room where his mother was with Taj; he let them know where he was going.

  His mother nodded. She told him many times to end unnecessary connections. She was very right; currently, Si couldn’t agree more. Sighed again.

  He sat at the table; it was the usual spot where they met. He waited for only ten minutes.

  Unio girl was very agitated. She also didn’t sleep. At that hour? Too engaged. She was breathing quickly; she even tried to run up a bit.

  “Mari, no tea this time; it is too early.”

  It was not Si’s intention to bother others.

  “Oh, no problem at all; I took drinks from my home; if it is acceptable to you, please. I thought you would like not to wake up anybody. I thought about it.”

  She was quite thoughtful; Si noticed before he took it.

  “Si, so many things happened recently. How are you? How are you after your fight and this attack on you? Young Master?” Mari, still breathing heavily, asked.

  She looked concerned. Or did she act? Because why was she that engaged? Was there something more to it?

  He decided to probe.

  “Thank you, Mari; I am all right. There is something new we found out, and that worries me,” he said, looking at her to see her face clearly.

  “Oh, are you aware of the people behind it? Do you have any new clues?”

  Her voice was, unexpectedly, a bit trembling.

  “General Lukai is investigating.”

  When Si said it, he noticed Mari started to look scared.

  It grabbed his attention. Why was she scared?

  Si wanted to ask more; he also wanted to ask why she wanted to meet so suddenly and why she was awake that early in the morning, what she had to say, but he felt sleepy.

  He was sitting on a bench in the gardens when suddenly he started to slip off onto the grass. The last thing he heard was the Unio girl saying something.

  “Oh, Si, you—”

  He heard was Mari’s voice, urgent, almost panicked.

  Then all went blurry.