"We have similar taste in alcohol," said Laikin, and lifted his glass to hers.

The warmth of the alcohol filled her as she gratefully gulped down the brown liquid. Dylan chose to drink because of her inability to cope with being left behind again. It made her feel less lonely.

"Fate is a bitch," she said with slurred words, setting her empty glass down on the counter. "Maybe the universe is trying to make me walk down that path."

She had never thought about it before—why the universe kept pushing her into a corner of hatred and loneliness. It was almost as if the universe was trying to force her into her role as a villain. It seemed like everyone's motive was to break her beyond repair.

"You're talking nonsense," Laikin said, swirling the liquid in his glass. "The only one who gets to decide what path you walk down is you, Dylan."

She groaned, resting her head on the cold counter. Was that really the truth? Her headache pulsed and she felt hot from the alcohol, but her eyes were as clear as day. If she could, she would sprint down that path and get as far away from here as possible.

Laikin's gaze shifted absently to Dylan's flushed face. The girl was indeed pretty. A lot of rumours floated around about her looks—some of which were spread by the swordsmanship club members. But Dylan wasn't simply another pretty face.

He liked her lovely wit, her clever mind, her perceptiveness. He liked it all the way a child liked their favourite toy. But most of all, he liked the way there was something in her eyes. Was it hope? Desperation? Longing? It was definitely something that attracted him to her. It was like being drunk, but on a person, not alcohol.

"Let's get you back before we get caught," said Laikin, pulling out a few coins to pay for their drinks. "We have class tomorrow, so it's not wise to stick around any longer."

He helped her to her feet.

"You said you were older than me, right?" Dylan asked, gratefully accepting the help.

"I'm nineteen," he explained. "I'm in my third year at the academy."

'You're the same age as Axil and Lucas. Now that I think about it, Cas is the only male lead the same age as Grisa.'

"Old perverts," she muttered sleepily.

He chuckled softly and tugged her close. "Who's an old pervert?" he asked.

"NooneyupI'mnotsayinganything," she replied, her words tumbling from her mouth in a stream of barely distinguishable syllables. It almost sounded like an entirely new language.

He tugged her hood back over her head and glanced at darkness beyond the bar windows. "We should go," he said with a sigh, "it really is getting late."

***

"Are you sure it's here?" Laikin asked her.

Due to the alcohol, the night had suddenly become a blurry fever dream, so it was a lot harder for Dylan to remember where she snuck out from. The gates had locks on them so that they couldn't be opened without a key. Dylan had come across the hole by chance when she was looking for a way out.

With a frustrated growl she said, "How did you get out? Why can't we just go back in your way?"

He pointed to the sky. "I climbed over the fence," he explained. "Can you climb like that?"

Dylan swallowed down a sob. Her vision was blurry and she had a hard time staying upright. She was far too drunk to attempt climbing over a fence.

"Keep looking," she grumbled, getting down on all fours.

Laikin stifled a laugh and gave her a sidelong glance. She looked funny drunkenly crawling around on the floor in search of a way back in. Whenever he was around her, he found himself smiling quite often. It wasn't a fake smile like he usually wore—it was genuine.

"Dylan," he said hesitantly. "Back then, when you said you could never love me, did you mean it?"

Dylan froze. If they had been in another world—another novel—then just maybe it was possible. But in this world, she couldn't risk falling in love with anyone. She didn't have the courage or strength to accept someone's feelings. She had to protect the damaged pieces of her broken heart that she had left.

"Maybe in another world, I'd love you," she said, quietly.

As a still quietness filled the air around them, Laikin couldn't help but feel conflicted—maybe he already loved her in this one.

"Found it," she finally said after a few minutes of silence. "Come on."

Caspian felt the prickly grass against his back as he reached an outstretched arm towards the stars in the sky above. He clutched the open book against his broad chest, remembering what Dylan had wrote on one of the pages—get lost in the stars and forget the world.

Everything she wrote—every thought, every annotation, every note—seemed to all be linked to forgetting the world and moving on. It was almost as if her heart secretly wished to start a new life. How painful was her life now for her to want to leave it all behind so badly?

When he couldn't sleep, he often came outside to sit under the oak tree. It was a place that made him feel at peace.

He slowly sat up, suddenly hearing a rustling noise behind him. Two cloaked figures emerged from behind a large bush. Beneath one of the cloaks, he saw a familiar flicker of gold. There was only one person with that type of hair colour in the academy.

"Dylan?" he said, rising to his feet.

Dylan pushed her hood back and shivered at the breeze that ruffled her golden hair. "Cas?" she asked.

'Shit. This isn't good.'

His gaze shifted away from her and fell on Laikin. "What are you doing with her?" he asked angrily.

"Is there a problem, Your Highness?" Laikin asked, quirking a brow. "Dylan and I are close friends."

"Close friends?"

"Extremely close friends."

"You don't even know her," Cas said, breathless, a little desperate. "How can you be close with someone you don't even know?"

Laikin gritted his teeth. "I understand her more than you ever will, Your Highness."

"But you don't know her!" Cas retorted, his voice quivering with rage. "What is this? Did you get her fucking drunk?"

"Stop," Dylan interrupted in a stern tone. "Both of you just stop. I got drunk on my own accord, Lord Laikin hasn't done anything wrong."

Cas practically spat his words, "He could be purposely encouraging you to get drunk to take advantage of you!"

Laikin laughed without humour. "Why would I do that when Dylan's kissed me while she was completely sober?" he asked viciously.

'What the fuck is happening right now?'

Caspian's face contorted with anger. His movements were deliberate as he walked toward her—as if he were measuring every action he was about to take. He grabbed Dylan by the face and kissed her in front of Laikin.

Holding her face gently, he pulled her close—his lips seeking hers hungrily. The kiss was consuming, hungry yet desperate. It burned with passion and desire. Waves of warmth travelled across her entire body as his lips consumed hers.

Dylan pulled away, stumbling backwards with wide eyes. "I..."

There was a pleased smile on his lips and his silver eyes held a glint of humour. He cocked his head towards Laikin. "Did she kiss you like that?" he asked in an equally vicious tone.

Before Dylan could process what had just happened, Laikin lashed out blindly and punched the Crown Prince.



AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Yikes... a fight between Laikin and Cas!? Who will win?