The sunlight beat across her face as she took in the crowds. Hundreds of people had come to see the spectacle of the races, and Selene could almost taste the excitement around her. Her sisters were pulling her in all directions, Pia insisting that they go find their seats while Theo was pulling her towards the racers. Nana wanted nothing more than to go back out to the merchants selling their wares and Imma had begged her to return home, not wishing to be a part of the crowd. And still, Selene had been able to appease them all. She shopped with Nana, picking out the finest fabrics and the prettiest jewels. She walked through the crowd of racers, each demanding the attention of the two Leventi daughters. She encouraged Imma to stay, bringing her up to the stand with her.

Her father guided his girls up to the stands, to their seats. And as the race took off, Selene found herself cheering the loudest for her future brother in law.

And then, the screaming started.

As fire took hold of the Circus, her eyes focused on the dead head of King Zenon, of the man who had ruled with fairness and strength. The clock of the dead prince swirled around her, taking hold of Pia and sending her into the herd of racing beasts. Her eyes searched desperately for Vangelis, for the man who was supposed to come in and stop Pia death. But, as she turned to find him, the stadium collapsed on top of him, trapping him in the smoke and rubble. And Pia screams echoed in her head as she was stabbed by the Creed, her lifeless body trampled on by the horses as they searched for shelter. Her instincts tried to push her towards safety, but as she turned, a masked face confronted her. The grin was one she swore she recognized, as was the knife in his hand. But it was his laughter that stuck with her, as he plunged the knife into her.

Selene's body rocketed awake, a scream on the cusp of her lips, silenced by the darkness that surrounded. The room was unfamiliar to her, the smells foreign. The light that had been by her bed had long burned down, and her eyes met the fire across the way, casting a soft light into the room. It took her a moment to gather her thoughts, to remember that she wasn't in Taengea, but in the home of the Kotas family of Colchis. Still, she quickly examined her chest for any signs of blood. Hand pressed firmly to her chest, the girl was trying to remember what was real and what had been just a horrible dream.

The whole day had seemed to be a nightmare, even when she remembered it properly. The terror of escaping through the burning streets with the Princess of Athenia, unsure if her family was still alive, save for Pia, was rawer than she realized. The eldest Leventi couldn't help but remember the thickness of smoke and death in the air, and the chaos that the Creed has brought with them. But it hadn't been only in the Circus. They had destroyed homes, had burned the Order to the ground. The open aired building in which the Senate met, destroyed. Everything that had been dear to Selene had found itself in direct peril. And in those moments, surrounded by the guards of the Princess, her new reality seemed like the nightmare. That she would wake up and it would be the morning of the races, and they would still be wrapped up in the latest news-- in Theo's engagement.

Unable to stomach the idea of going back to sleep, to succumbing to another night of torture at the hands of the Creed, Selene pushed the covers back and got out of bed.

At home, she would have quietly snuck out to the family's stable, to seek out the company of her mare Odessa. At night, the beast was bedded down, warm and always welcoming of the attention and treats she would bring with her. With the smell of hay and the steady heartbeat in her ear, Selene would calm down and feel far more grounded. And, after an hour of conversation with the painted mare, she would return to her room, ready to sleep once more. But here, she had nowhere to go. Zanon had been kind enough to escort her to dinner, while Silas had made sure that she had been entertained throughout the night. Selene had spent a bit of time in the library, among the books, but hadn't been able to find anything that caught her attention. And news from the Captain of the ship that the had traveled into the path they would be taking, forcing them to stay another night, had only dampened her spirits.

What she had wanted, and had to do without, was a good, calming ride.

So she had gone to bed slightly anxious. Torn between demanding that they push through despite the weather and staying longer to keep Vangelis company, Selene had been restless in her search for sleep. And because of it, the nightmares were far more vivid, far more painful. But this had been the first time that Vangelis had been in them, the first time he'd been crushed by the stadium in his eagerness to help. The new addition, she thought as she went to open the windows into the room, must have been because she knew the truth behind his injury. And certainly had nothing to do with the growing friendship she was feeling for him.

Sighing, she was disappointed that the fresh air seemed to be doing nothing for her nerves. Knowing that most of the household would be asleep, she carefully slipped on a blue silk robe (another gift from Emilia) and ventured out into the halls. Even if she didn't know her way around, perhaps she could get lost in the halls instead of in her head. Her mother would have scolded her for an unguided trip around the home of the King. But she could just say she had been hungry and hoped for a snack and find herself in the kitchens, then escorted back into the room. It was easiest to head towards the Prince's room, for that was the one direction she had been familiar with. As she passed his door, she paused.

The dreams were begging her to check in on him, just to make sure that her dream had been a lie. That while he had been crushed, it hadn't been that day. And he was not dead.

It would have been highly improper for her to do. And waking a man who was in such need of healing would have been selfish. It certainly wasn’t his job to help put her mind at ease. And it was even less his job to make sure that she was sleeping well in his home. Selene let out a gentle sigh, her featherlight footfall moving away from the door. But just as quickly as she moved away, the girl stopped. She could hear noises coming from within the room. They sounded angry and were distinctly Vangelis's. Her lips tucked into her teeth, wondering if she could do what she wanted to do. But her heart, it seemed, was not going to let her head make the decision.

Without knocking, she pushed the door open and stepped inside, closing it behind her.

Good sense and decorum be damned.