Better Back Then

Yur entered the castle with a calm expression, Xia locking arms with him.

"Alright, when the meeting starts, you can either stay with me or do your own thing." Although he wanted to keep her next to him to help speed up the process of the mark, it was slowly beginning to irritate him—the constant touching, the endless need for words of affirmation; it was tiring, even irritating.

"I'll go hang out with Ley then," she replied, placing a finger on her chin.

Thank God, he thought inwardly, but still managed a dull smile. "That's fine."

They walked through the halls, with Xia excitedly pointing out places that Yur had yet to see—her favorite flowers, the rooms where she used to run around.

"Alas, if my mom were still here, things would have been much better," she sighed. "Did you know my mom was the Queen's older sister?"

"Really?" Yur looked at her with interest.