I didn’t want to be a savior. I had so much to learn, and everything seemed so hard and complicated. The road ahead didn’t look like an easy one. I may have defeated the Shadow Guard, but Morgana had escaped, and now, with Lilith on the loose, I had no idea how to proceed.
Vivienne’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts.
She leaned in closer. “I saw the prince hovering outside your door a while ago.”
“He was?” I tried my best not to smile.
Vivienne nodded. “What else are you not telling me, Aurora?” Her voice became sterner.
I always thought that she would make a good professor; she always made me feel like a child. She was right most of the time, but I didn’t want to think about that now. I looked away, but only for a second. How did she know? Was I that obvious?
“It’s nothing,” I said finally. “The prince is a friend, and he’s going to be married soon anyway.”
I sounded so lame, even to myself. And Vivienne didn’t believe me for a moment. She raised her eyebrows at me in a perfect impression of Professor Dekela.
“Everyone is talking about how the prince was looking at you the night of the harvest ball.” Vivienne was grinning now. “Apparently the prince never dances with anyone. Leticia was so angry, she looked like she was going to self-combust.”
I shrugged, but I was beaming inside.
“The prince only had eyes for you. Apparently Leticia is going crazy and taking it out on everyone around her.”
“But he’s going to marry her anyway,” I blurted out. “He kissed me, and then he told me he was still going to marry her.”
Vivienne’s eyes widened. “You kissed the prince?”
I nodded and finally broke; I told her everything, even who he really was.
“Prince Rafael is the Black Wolf,” she said in a stunned whisper.
“Shhh,” I said, sounding like Kalen. “You can’t tell anyone. Don’t even say his name in the same sentence, you understand?”
“Okay, okay, I won’t. I promise,” said Vivienne quickly. “You can trust me, Rory. I mean Aurora.”
I smiled. It would take Vivienne some time to get used to using my real name.
“So.” Vivienne made herself more comfortable on my bed. “Tell me everything.”
We talked late into the night, and it was good to have someone to talk to again. Kalen was my friend too, but he was a boy and didn’t understand what I was feeling. Vivienne, on the other hand, was full of sound advice and support. I felt I could trust her. Otherwise, I would never have taken the chance of telling her about Rafe’s secret identity. I hoped—no, I knew—she would keep my secret.
“So now the two of you aren’t talking?” asked Vivienne.
“We are,” I said quickly, “but it’s no use. Leticia has her claws in him, and his vow to his mother makes it all the more hopeless.”
“Sorry to say,” said Vivienne tartly, “his mother is dead. Can’t he just break off the engagement?”
I shook my head. “No! He won’t do it.”
“Then tell him it was Leticia who was the one responsible for letting the Shadow Guard into the palace.”
“I can’t. It’s her word against mine, and Damien will side with her. Rafe will never believe me. He will think it’s some sort of tactic to get him to break his engagement to Leticia.”
“I think, after all you have told me,” said Vivienne after thinking for a moment, “Rafe will definitely believe you over Leticia. Ever since they brought you back, the prince has been completely distracted.”
“Why?” I wanted her to spell it out.
“It doesn’t take a fool to see that he was distraught about what had happened to you,” said Vivienne. “I heard one of Leticia’s ladies talking, and apparently the prince hasn’t slept since you went missing three days ago.”
“I’ve been asleep for three days?” I thought I’d only had a few hours of fitful rest.
Vivienne nodded. “Yes, and he was waiting to see you when you woke up, but I suspect there were too many people about. I arrived this morning, and he was pacing outside your room. Then, when he saw me, he walked off.”
I sat there in my bed and thought about what she’d said. Rafe may have been concerned, but I didn’t believe that he hadn’t slept for three nights because of me. And this time I didn’t agree with Vivienne about telling Rafe Leticia’s role in the whole Morgana thing. Even if he believed me, I didn’t believe that he would go back on his vow to his mother for anything. It was pointless to think about, and it was starting to give me a headache.
I yawned, and Vivienne jumped up from the bed. “Oh dear, I must let you rest or Professor Plumpleberry will have my head.”
She flicked a glance at the door as if Penelope were going to come bustling in at any moment to throw her out. I smiled at the vision of Penelope going after Vivienne with a broom, or maybe a huge stack of books to study.
“Now I have to go see Mother and help her. She is having one of her boring garden parties again.” Vivienne rolled her eyes and opened the door. “Don’t get into any trouble while I am gone.”
“Why does everyone keep saying that to me?” I scowled. “I can take care of myself, you know.”
“I can see that,” said Vivienne, good-naturedly raising one eyebrow as she left the room.
Finally, Uncle Gabriel came to see me.
“I am glad to see you are feeling better, little one,” he said kindly, sitting down on a chair next to my bed.
“Thank you, Uncle Gabriel,” I said. “I have to tell you it was Damien who let the Shadow Guard into the palace. You must tell the king.”
“I know.” Uncle Gabriel sighed and leaned back in his
