Cecilia stood with Nicholas, hiding away from Miranda. Cecilia looked at Nicholas, half wishing he would grow up and stop checking out the girls who passed by. Then again, it was one of the reasons she was unfathomably attracted to him.

“Would you stop for one minute?”

“Oh, what’s wrong, Cecilia,” he said, smiling at her charmingly. “Jealous?”

Cecilia rolled her eyes, looking away to hide her blush. “In your dreams.”

“Don’t mind if I do. One question, though, does that include envisioning you naked?”

“You’re such a pig.” Cecilia smiled despite herself.

“Eh,” he began shrugging, “I don’t care. So, what’s up? Why are we hiding all the way over here?”

“I’m hiding because Jason asked me to. He said he needed to speak to me privately, away from Miranda. You followed.”

Nicholas snorted. “You know how much I hate her, she’s so fr—”

“Intrusive?” suggested Cecilia.

“Well, aren’t you nice? No, that is not what I was thinking.”

“Be nice.”

“I’d rather not. I don’t like Miranda. She’s just, I don’t know, something is just off about her ya know. I can’t believe Jason doesn’t see it.”

“He’s beginning to.”

“Only because he’s fallen in love with Anita.”

Cecilia let out a bitter laugh. “Try telling him that.”

“I will, even if I need to beat it into him.” Cecilia wished he was joking, but he wasn’t. Nicholas tended to resort to violence far too often. “Hey, by any chance, since we’re on the topic of Anita, did she, I don’t know, look familiar to you?”

Cecilia’s smile faltered, and she tried to look confused. “No, why?”

“I don’t know. Remember that portrait, the one of that Selene chick with that ancestor of Jason, Pietro? Well, at dinner, she looked exactly like her. Like exactly the same. And they, Selene and her brother, they were the last of their line.”

“What are you getting at?”

“You tell me, Cecilia.” Nicholas leaned over her, placing his hand on the brick wall above, his shadow blocking the sun. “I know you know something.”

“I haven’t the faintest idea of what you’re talking about.”

“Selene, Cecilia, I know you know that Anita is Selene. I’m not that thick-headed.”

“Yes, you are.”

“But I’m right, aren’t I.” It wasn’t a question. Of all the moments to not be oblivious, why did it have to be this one?

“I can’t say.”

“Can’t, or won’t?”

“It’s not my secret to tell Nicholas, and I probably wouldn’t bring it up with Jason while he’s trying to figure stuff out.”

“He loves her.”

“Yes, well, let’s hope he figures it out soon before things with Miranda get complicated.”

“They’re already complicated,” came a voice. Cecilia turned and saw Jason. Exhaustion covered his face.

“Jason, hey.”

“My man, break up with Miranda.” Cecilia elbowed Nicholas in his stomach. She watched Jason make a pathetic attempt to smile.

“What’s wrong, Jason?”

He shrugged. “Same old. Miranda called while I was with Anita. We talked and—I don’t know anymore.”

“Oh, Jason.”

“What she means is you’re an idiot, and it’s not that complicated; all you need to do is break up with Miranda.”

“You act like it’s that simple.”

Nicholas opened his mouth, but Cecilia answered first. “What he’s going to say is that it is simple. Besides, you should end things soon before she gets hurt.”

“Don’t you think I know that!” he exclaimed, mussing his hands through his hair. “But I can’t, not yet anyway. My dad came by to visit and just told me some disturbing news.”

“What news?”

“My mother called Miranda’s mother and invited her entire family for the Silmarine Solstice.”

“The entire family?” squeaked Cecilia. Jason nodded. “I’m so sorry, Jason.”

“This is just not your day, man.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Cecilia shook her head when she saw Jason glare at her. Nicholas burst out laughing.

“I knew it!”

“Cecilia?” growled Jason.

“I said nothing. He remembered the portrait. She’s a girl. He remembers what girls look like.”

Jason groaned. “Great.”

“Oh, this is awesome. You’ve fallen for the same girl your ancestor did. The same girl! And to make matters worse, you’re dating the descendant of the girl who murdered him!”

“Nicholas, shut up!” chastised Cecilia. She saw Jason turn pale. “Jason? Are you all right?”

“I—I gotta go.” Jason ran off, dumping his bag into the ground. Cecilia called after him, ignoring the stares of his fellow classmates. She went over and grabbed his bag. It was slightly open. Cecilia opened the bag and saw a letter from his mother.

“Cecilia, are you doing what I think you’re doing?”

“Oh, hush.” She pulled out the letter and zipped up the bag, tossing it at Nicholas. She began to read. “It’s a letter from his mother and—” Cecilia clasped her hand over her mouth. “Oh my heavens.”

“Cecilia, what’s wrong?”

“His mother says, ‘Jason dear, it’s been four years, why haven’t you proposed to that darling girl you talk so highly of. I invited her family over for the Solstice. You have until then to propose to her. I understand I sound like a pain, but you talk highly of her in your letters, and her parents say she loves you so much. But they are concerned that you are just stringing her along. I love you, my son, and I can’t wait to meet the darling girl. Lots of love, your mother.” Cecilia looked up at Nicholas, frightened.

“I really should think, huh?”

“That suggests you actually can think.” Cecilia walked off, followed closely by Nicholas.

“Where are we going?”

“To find Ettore and do some research.”

“Oh, yay.” Cecilia rolled her eyes; she couldn’t care less about his feelings. She needed to figure out how to help her friend before things took a horrible turn.