Amy's life is practically back to normal now. Her classmates are no longer talking much about the tragic fire or Zack's heroism. The incident seems to have receded into the haze of the student body's collective memory. The hot new topic is the surprise arrest of Carl Weiner, a middle-school teacher who was accused of harboring a female Euperian fugitive. Supposedly, the authorities also found a vast arsenal of illegal weapons at his grandmother's house.
During her trigonometry class, the intercom clicks on: "Amy Harper, please report to the principal's office."
Amy looks up in surprise. What could she have done wrong? She picks up her backpack and walks out of class, shrugging apologetically at Mr. Wernsten as she goes. Moments later, at the reception area outside the principal's office, the secretary gestures for her to take a seat as she talks on the phone. A few minutes later the door opens, and Principal Castro walks out. "Miss Harper? May I have a word with you?" He gestures for her to follow him into his office.
Amy is surprised to see a young woman sitting on one of the two chairs in front of the principal's desk. Amy sits down on the other chair. "Dr. Castro, did I do something wrong?" Amy asks.
The principal laughs. "Of course not. Amy Harper, this is Eva Paterson. She just transferred in."
Eva and Amy exchange smiles.
"Amy, I want you to show her around. Her locker is right next to yours, and you have practically the same schedules."
"Sure!" Amy replies. "Welcome, Eva, it's a pleasure. This is my open period coming up, so we can get started now."
They say goodbye to Dr. Castro and walk up to the second floor, to their lockers. "Just open it with your thumbprint," Amy says.
Eva places her thumb on the one-square-inch glass screen. The lock beeps twice and opens.
"If you don't mind me asking, where did you move from?" Amy asks.
"A million places," Eva replies. "My parents moved a lot, and I was homeschooled until they died in a car crash. Now I live with my uncle."
"Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't know."
"How could you have? And don't worry. It's been over a year now."
Eva is loading her stuff books into her locker when Amy looks up and sees Zack walking toward them.
"Forgot something?" Amy asks.
"Embarrassing, I know," Zack says. He looks at Eva and stops. "Oh. Hi."
"Zack, this is Eva; Eva, this is Zack," Amy says. "Eva just transferred here, and I'm showing her around."
Eva closes her locker and stares at Zack. The intensity of her gaze makes his spine tingle.
"Hi, nice to meet you," Eva says, extending her hand. Zack shakes it, unable to speak. The strength of her grip surprises him.
"Cat got your tongue?" Amy asks.
"I'm sorry, but have we met before, Eva?" Zack asks. "You look very familiar."
Eva smirks. "I don't think so, but I recognize you. Aren't you that guy who ran into a burning building to save a girl?"
Zack chuckles. "That was the intention, but Amy here ended up saving me."
"I knew I recognized you from somewhere!" Eva says, glancing at Amy.
"Yes, it's us," Amy says tiredly. "Eva, let me show you the library, 'k?"
"Nice to meet you, Eva, and good luck," Zack says. "You're in good hands." He hurries away like he's being chased.
Eva smiles and waves goodbye to her groom.
❖❖❖
Eza looks at herself in the mirror. She knows she looks stunning in the golden dress she'll wear tonight. She's more than a little nervous. To marry Prince Zec and become the future queen of the Euperian Empire would be a dream come true for most Euperian girls... but Eza's heart lies elsewhere.
"You look gorgeous, my dear," Frances gushes as she examines her daughter's lithe figure from all angles.
"Thank you, Mom," Eza murmurs.
This might be a bittersweet day for her daughter, but Frances is overjoyed. This marriage will save her family from the inevitable bankruptcy they've been plunging toward since the war against the Ucte broke out. Their family's status has been further threatened by her husband's two failed military campaigns against the Ucte, which have soured his formerly tight-knit relationship with the king. In a last desperate gambit, Frances poured the last of their wealth into bribes to high-ranking government officials, who convinced the king that of all his potential suitors, Eza would be the best possible match for his son. The king had proclaimed their betrothal by fiat, and ordered the wedding to be arranged.
Entranced by how beautiful Eza looks in the golden dress, Frances is sure that the prince will be ecstatic about the king's selection. Her only real concern is that Eza might still harbor some misgivings about marrying the prince. After all, it's only been a month since her daughter brashly confessed to her — when confronted with the love letters found by the housemaid — that she was in love with someone else.
At first, Eza refused to end the affair. She only relented when her father finally revealed the truth about the family's dire financial situation. He also warned her that he might have to marry off her younger sister to the odious ópio merchant Saverin to pay the family debts if Eza refused to marry the prince. He would have done it, too.
"Be assured that this is for the best," Frances says. "This will be the beginning of a great life for you and your sister. You will be the envy of every woman in the empire. You will be the Queen!"
"Yes, it's every woman's dream," Eza murmurs.
More than one thousand guests from all corners of the Euperian Empire and neighboring kingdoms are expected to attend the festivities. It's the perfect opportunity to remind everyone that the Euperian Empire is as mighty as ever — and banish the growing whispers of impending insolvency and military collapse.
❖❖❖
"Your father went all out, I see," Blair says to Zec. They're standing on the prince's balcony as the celebration starts to unfold in the royal gardens below. Blair
