Emma described the phoenix to Edric, animated and certain. "It was just pure fire, and it burned that Rank 10 Sulien to ash in an instant. Edric, don't you think that might have been Lucien?" The very first moment she had seen that phoenix, she had wondered if it was the second prince. "I was going to talk to him after the danger passed, but he disappeared. Silas said he was brought to me by Lucien, so Lucien must have been here. But why has he never appeared in front of me? Yet he suddenly showed up today when I was in danger—only to vanish again." Emma truly could not figure out this prince. "Edric, do you think he might be really ugly? Maybe he doesn't dare show himself because he's scared I'll dislike him?" She believed that it wasn't that he didn't want to bond with her, or he wouldn't have come to save her in such a critical moment. That could only mean one thing: he didn't dare face her. And the only explanation she could think of… was that he must be terribly unattractive. Edric almost laughed out loud, his earlier guilt and anxiety loosening. "Emma, Prince Lucien is not ugly at all. Anyone who has seen him says he is unmatched. Even I can't compare." Emma stared at him, stunned. "But you're incredibly good-looking. You mean he's even better than you?" How impossibly beautiful must he be then? She suddenly thought she absolutely needed to meet this prince. Seeing Edric's tension fading, Emma took his hand and led him toward the bathroom. "Edric, look at you, you're a mess. How many days has it been since you last bathed? I was about to shower anyway. Let's go together."Edric, who had just relaxed, froze again. "Emma, I—" Emma cupped his tired cheek. "Don't worry. I won't bully you." Edric fell silent, stupefied. Silas, perched silently on the table, was just as stunned. She still hasn't realized I can hear everything. Maybe I should have her move me elsewhere tomorrow. Watching her be affectionate with another male was going to drive him crazy. He wanted to tie Edric into a knot and throw him outside. Outside, Corvin stood in the hallway holding a freshly bathed Coalball. He listened to Emma's voice through the door, then looked down at the disgruntled little bird, pressing his lips together. "Let's go, Coalball. Ms. Tibarn doesn't need us tonight." …In the bathroom, Edric leaned back in the tub, his long serpent tail draped over the edge so Emma could rest comfortably against him. His slender fingers gently kneaded her shoulders. "Emma, there's something I need to tell you." "What is it?" Emma, eyes closed, casually pulled his tail into her hands and twisted it around her fingers like a toy. Edric hesitated. "It's about Kael. I ran into him outside. He wanted to see you and wouldn't let it go. I used an agent on him to make him forget you completely. "The Suncrest Lineage's inner strife is too severe, and their history of harming human females makes them dangerous. I was afraid he would expose you if he kept chasing you." He waited, tense, for her response. The Violet Obsidian Clan had its own terrible infighting, but Edric could cut himself away from them. He belonged to Emma alone. If his clan threatened her, he would kill them all without hesitation. But Kael could never leave his lineage. That was the difference. Emma actually thought he had done well. "That saves us a lot of trouble." Honestly, she had nearly forgotten Kael existed. But she was far more interested in Edric's serpent tail. Just then, she discovered a spot where the scales were unusually firm, and—shockingly—they could lift. She gently slid her fingers beneath them. Edric hissed sharply. "Emma, don't—" Before he could finish, Emma saw something beginning to… appear beneath the scales. She immediately dropped the tail and shot up, trying to climb out of the tub. But the next moment, the curve of her leg was caught. The serpent tail wrapped around her and pulled—slow, but inevitable—drawing her back down straight into his lap. The purple-black tail dissolved into two strong human legs beneath the water. "Emma." His voice, low and rough, poured into her ears like velvet-dark wine, warm enough to make someone drunk just listening. "Don't go. I feel awful…" His calloused fingertips traced the narrow line of her waist, and her skin flushed beneath his touch.