“It is no longer a glass rose,” Mistress Cedrice explained. “It has become real. It blocked the attack and lessened the power of the dark magic. As long as this rose is living, I want to believe that there is hope for you.”
“Thank you.” Aden tried to process this new information.
“We should go,” Onric said, “before we wake the entire castle.”
“I will return tomorrow, under the pretext of fitting you for new clothes.”
Aden nodded, rolling the stem of the rose through his clumsy claws. “Thank you,” he repeated.
“Do not lose hope.” The older woman quietly stepped out of the room.
“Good night,” Onric and Ashlin whispered in unison.
Aden nodded his response and watched as the hazy lantern light left the room. He waited for their footsteps to retreat down the hall.
“Wait.” Onric whispered to Ashlin. Their footsteps stopped just outside Aden’s door.
“Thank you for coming tonight,” Onric whispered. “I'm sure you must be tired.”
“It is not as though I have to rise early tomorrow,” Ashlin replied.
“Unlike you, I have a training session with the guard at dawn.”
“It must be so difficult to be a prince.”
“You have no idea.”
Aden pulled a pillow over his head in an attempt to block their conversation from his ears, but it did not stop the sound of the light kiss taking place outside of his doorway.
“We had better catch up to Mistress Cedrice so I can see you safely home,” Onric said a few minutes later.
“Thank you for always doing that,” came the whispered response.
“Doing what?”
“Seeing me safely home.”
“I always shall. That is, until the day when your ‘safely home’ is with me.”
* * *
