In the backstage, I found Lo waiting with a smile sht it could have powered the stage lights. “Lady Charlie!” she squealed, practically boung toward me.

  Before I could react, she ed me in ahusiastic hug, her ever-present tablet squished awkwardly between us. It beeped in protest, but she didn’t seem to care. “You were phenomenal! That was just amazing!” she beamed, her joy radiating like the crowd’s cheers still eg in my ears.

  “Yeah…” I panted, still catg my breath, my chest rising and falling as I tried to steady myself.

  Srickled at the nape of my neck, and the faint st of stage dust mixed with the lingering tang of my frost effect still ging to the air. “It was quite amazing, wasn’t it?” I let out a ugh, the sound a mix of triumph and exhaustion.

  The soft k of boots oallic floor drew my attention. “I have to tap my hat,” said a familiar voice, warm and full of good-natured respect.

  I turned, brushing a loose strand of hair from my face, and there they were—the bandits.

  The leader stood front aer, his grin crooked but genuine, his tunic still slightly damp from my frost attack. “You are quite talented with that rapier,” he added, tipping an imaginary hat. The glint in his eyes revealed his feeling.

  I him with the same respect.

  The other bandits, still iheatrical es, nodded enthusiastically. “It was so cool,” one piped up, his voice tinged with awe. A faint sheen of sweat glistened on his forehead, and his exaggerated stage makeup had smudged just slightly, adding to his rogue aesthetic.

  “Well, you were also great!” I said, fshing them a broad grin and running a hand through my now-tangled hair. “You had me hard-pressed at one point there. A me just say—looking dashing while doing it? Like, wow!” I couldn’t resist a little boun the balls of my feet, the residual adrenaline giving me a burst of energy.

  They all stared at me.

  To my utter delight, then they all blushed at my pliment, their earlier bravado melting away into sheepish smiles. The leader rubbed the back of his neck, his swagger repced with an almost boyish charm.

  “Good job,” I added, giving them a quick thumbs-up, my grin widening. The siy in my voice must have caught them off guard because one of them actually muttered a “thank you” like he’d just received a medal.

  Lo cleared her throat, her professional mask sliding bato pce, though the hint of a smile still lingered on her lips. “Lady?” she prompted, her tone brisk yet warm.

  “Yeah?” I muttered, distracted as I fumbled with the frost gadget still strapped to my hand. The meism was awesome but annoyingly plicated to remove without a sed hand. “I really o find the name for this thing,” I grumbled under my breath, twisting my wrist awkwardly.

  The bandits, sensing the end of their moment, turo leave. Each offered polite farewells, their theatrical personas softened by genuine respect. “I hope to py with you again,” the leader added, his toinged with hope as he gave a bow.

  The bow caught my attention—low and deliberate, with an air of refi. It wasn’t just a random gesture. In the Imperial court, this kind of bow signified equality, an aowledgment of mutual standing.

  Was he pying in the court? I tilted my head, intrigued, but he was already stepping away.

  “Goodbye,” I said with a small wave, filing the moment away for ter.

  “Mister Riker would like to know if you want to attend a?” Lo’s voice brought me back to the present. She g her tablet, her brow furrowing slightly as she waited for my answer.

  “With him?” I asked, half-distracted by the frost gadget still refusing to budge.

  “No,” she crified, shaking her head. “He has other matters to attend to.”

  “Well, then no,” I said firmly, finally unclipping the stubborn meism with a triumphant little twist. “I o find my friends.”

  Lo nodded, her professional demeanor softening slightly. “Very well, Lady Charlie. I’ll let him know.”

  “ you help me? I o find Lucas—” I started, only to be interrupted by the ever-chipper voice of Jerry.

  “I share the info with her,” he said, his tone way too smug for an AI.

  Lo raised an eyebrow. I cleared my throat, trying to salvage the moment. “I mean… sharing the details you o know…” My voice trailed off as Jerry chimed in again.

  “Done,” he announced with the efficy of a mae, which, well, he was.

  Lo blinked, gng at her tablet as it pinged. “Oh, that was… fast,” she murmured, scrolling through the data.

  “Now,” I said, fshing a quick grin, “let’s get going before Riker decides I o juggle fming swords .”

  “Actually, Lady, there is the person—Lucas,” Lo said, her voicertain, like she was about to fess to some horrible crime. “He said he was your friend and wao enter backstage, but he wasn’t the first. To… cim that. We had about fifty others. Sorry, I didn’t know…”

  The way she looked at me, you’d think she was about to get thrown into a dungeon. Holy, I’m not the fourth prio do that sort of thing.

  “Ah, Lo!” I waved off her panic with a smile. “Let’s just find him now. Everything’s fine.”

  “Yes, dy.” Relief washed over her face as she nodded rapidly. “Boys, let’s go.”

  And then, out of nowhere, seven bodyguards appeared, fnking us like a wall of muscle and matg uniforms. I blinked, my gaze sweeping over them, their serious expressions almost ical in trast to the situation.

  I crossed my arms, one eyebrow raised as I looked at Lo. “What’s the meaning of this?”

  She straightened, all business now. “Now that you’ve performed, you’ve been upgraded to top VIP status. AIs suggested additional help to handle fans and ensure you meet your schedule—or, uh, your actual goals. Your schedule is currently free for the five hours.”

  “Oh, well,” I said dryly, gesturing vaguely at the security team. “And here I thought I’d have to fend off hordes of ad fans with my rapier alone.”

  Lo blinked, clearly unsure if I was joking. “It’s protocol, Lady.”

  “Right.” I sighed and turoward the corridor. “Let’s go find Lucas before the AI decides I need an armored escort, too.”

  “Uhm, dy?” Lo’s voice was hesitant.

  “Yeah?” I asked over my shoulder, still moving.

  “He’s waiting that way,” she said, pointing toward a pletely different corridor.

  Without breaking my stride, I pirouetted ihe skirt of my dress fring dramatically. “I khat,” I said with a grin, nding gracefully. “Just testing you.”

  Lo blinked, clearly aghast. “Yes, dy,” she murmured, clutg her tablet as though it might provide her moral support.

  It didn’t take long before I spotted Lucas leaning casually against a wall, his eyes glued to his phohe glow from the holo-s painting his face.

  As I approached, the security team instinctively parted the crowd like I was royalty—which, okay, maybe in a sense I was, but it still felt weird.

  “Lucas!” I called out, my voice carrying through the hum of the bustling corridor.

  He looked up, startled, and as his gaze nded on me, I caught his subtle double-take. He wore his usual casual attire: jeans, a graphic t-shirt, and that awful jacket he’s insisted on keeping since high school. It was a disaster of g colors and questionable fabric choices.

  I’d criticized it a thousand times before, ahere it was, still hanging on like an unshakable curse.

  Stupid Lucas, never listening.

  When I reached him, his mouth opened, but no words came out. I raised an eyebrow, waiting. “Well?” I asked, stepping closer to him in a quick hug.

  “Ch-Charlie,” he stammered, his voicharacteristically shaky. “I… I saw the fight, so I shouldn’t be surprised, but… damn.” He ran a hand awkwardly through his hair. “You’re… beautiful.”

  A grin tugged at my lips, cheeky and uing. “Only beautiful?” I teased, tilting my head. “Where’s the poet I know? Did your muse abandon you?”

  His cheeks flushed faintly, and he ughed, the sound a little rough around the edges. “You know me. I’ve got a talent for screwing up timing.”

  I smirked, crossing my arms. “Yeah, but you’re sistent, at least. I’ll give you that.”

  “So, you saw my fight, right? It was awesome!” I grihe adrenaline from the performaill making my voice a little louder than necessary. “I didn’t know I had a knack for it, but apparently, I do…” I leaned in closer, dropping my voice to a whisper. “And… thanks for this body. I… prefer being me, Charlie, than being John.”

  Lucas stared at me, his expression shifting from surprise to something unreadable.

  His mouth opened, but no words came out at first. Then, he finally managed, “Charlie… I…” His gaze dropped to the floor, and his tourroubled. “I o tell you something about Charlie…”

  I raised a hand, cutting him off before he could go further. “Stop. If it’s what I think it is…” I paused, exhaling slowly. “I’d need a drink.”

  Ever sihat dream—that dream with Lucas—I’d been w what the e was. Why it all felt so… tangled. And then there were the other dreams that followed, so vivid. I told myself they were just that—dreams.

  Because otherwise…

  Well, it added a point for Riker’s theory. And maybe a sp for Lucas.

  I turo Lo, who was standing nearby, watg the exge. “Is there somewhere we drink and have some privacy to talk?”

  She nodded quickly, eager to assist. “Of course, Lady! The bar has private booths. They aren’t soundproof, but you should still be able to talk without shouting.”

  “Perfect,” I said, brushing past Lucas auring for him to follow. I gnced back at him, catg the unease on his face. “e on. If this is going to be a thing, we’re not doing it here in the hallway.”

  He hesitated for a moment, then sighed and followed me, his footsteps heavier than usual.

  When I attended Rim-s in the past, it had always been a nightmare. Being swept along in the sea of people, jostled at every step, stuck behind groups that refused to move as they posed for pictures or chatted endlessly with friends—it was chaos.

  Now?

  The security team paved the way like a small army parting the seas, yes. But even they couldn’t stop the occasional fan. “Ice Princess!” a ten-year-old dressed as a swordsman shouted near my ear, his excitement loud enough to leave a ringing. “ I take a selfie?”

  He was at least the tenth.

  “Sure…” I sighed, resigning myself to the iable as I crouched slightly to fit into the frame. I forced a smile for the camera. Why? Because I remembered the overwhelming joy I felt years ago when I got a selfie with the Mage-Killer.

  Four more selfies ter—and a growing ache in my cheeks—we finally reached the private booth area.

  The bar had alcoves along the far wall bathed in neon pink holo-light. The lighting pulsed softly, casting a glow over the glossy bck seating and e tabletops.

  Ah!

  That’s why I didn’t reize this bar. They must have remodeled it ter to fit the fantasy Rimeliohetic.

  Our alcove had one gss wall overlooking the bustling bar, the transparency muted by faint holographic designs swirling across its surface like living graffiti. It gave just enough privacy to feel secluded without losing the energy of the room.

  Sliding into the plush seating, I marveled at the feel of the aterial against my legs. I stretched out slightly, leaning back to take it all in as Lucas followed, his expression unreadable as he joined me. He hesitated for a moment before sitting across from me, his movements deliberate, like he was mentally brag himself.

  The waitress arrived a few moments ter; her dress was a shogly vibrant neohat practically glowed uhe pink light.

  Riker’s orders so he doesn’t feel bad about his coat?

  Her hair was styled into a gravity-defying updo with streaks of metallic silver running through it. “What I get for you?” she asked, her voice smooth and professional, but with a pyful edge.

  Better than the v4 earlier.

  “Bourbo.”

  Lucas g her briefly before responding, “Vodka. Straight.”

  She nodded, her neon dress shimmering as she tapped in our ot it. I’ll be right back.”

  As she walked away, I leaned forward slightly, resting my on my hands. “Alright, Lucas. Spill.” My voice carried a mix of curiosity and trepidation. “What’s this thing you o tell me about… past me?”

  Lucas looked down, his hands fidgeting with the edge of the e table. The faint pulsing neon light caught on his knuckles, making the tension in his grip painfully obvious. His eyes darted up to meet mihen dropped back to his hands as if the weight of my gaze was too much.

  “I…” He hesitated, his voice low and uneven. “I khe past Charlie. She…” He paused again, swallowing hard. “She died.”

  That single sylble carried enough grief to punch me in the chest. His shoulders slumped, the usual fidence I associated with him utterly stripped away.

  “And I was foolish,” he tinued, his voice quieter now, “to… give you her character.”

  For a moment, I didn’t know how to respond. My pulse quied, each beat like a hammer in my ears. The puzzle pieces I’d been colleg—the dreams, the strange e, the nagging sense of familiarity—clicked into pce, and the picture they painted wasn’t pretty.

  “You…” I started, my voice tight, but I forced it to steady. “You gave me the character of someone you knew. Someone who’s… gone.”

  Luodded, barely, like the motion itself was too much effort.