38

    While the royal family took time to think about my words, I told my parents that they broke up because of a spell. I explained everything Eileen did. My parents were surprised and didn’t know what to do. They talked in private.

    Christian and I started going out. After our first kiss, Christian would always glow whenever he talked to me and I noticed I would smile just as much as him. During our journey home with the others, we were able to have some time alone every once in a while. We said we were in love and wanted to start a relationship. We couldn’t start real dates until after we got back to the city and I had recovered from my battle with the ghoul leader.

    “There’s something I want to tell you,” I said on our first date. “After everything I’ve accomplished, I realized I don’t need to be the best at anything.”

    “You don’t?”

    “I’ve done enough to measure up to Mom and other people. I just need to try my best.”

    “That’s what we told you.”

    “But I needed to see proof.”

    “I’m glad you’ve changed your mind. I’ve changed my mind too.”

    “How?”

    “My own accomplishments made me feel my value. I’m better off without such horrible parents.”

    “You’re right.”

    I was relieved he didn’t have to live with that burden anymore.

    Soon after Christian and I went to look for Mom, a lot of places, including the opera house, closed temporarily because of the ghoul attacks. I was hoping everything would reopen when the war ended. I hoped the royal family would agree with me that knowledge was not intelligence.