Seth, Odette, and Quinlan had their horses going at a minimum pace. They knew that these horse would have to last them for a while, and they didn’t want to wear them out too soon. The three had been on them for at least three hours now. Seth had spent most of that time with his head in a map, causing Odette to have to guide her horse and his. For the first time since he’d opened it, he poked his head out from around the map.

“We’re only a little ways outside of town now. See that mansion just up ahead?” he said, pointing to a large, gray-stoned home about twenty yards out of reach.

“Yes,” Odette and her brother replied in unison.

“Just a bit past that is Lional,” Seth finished, putting away the map.

“Finally,” Odette muttered, taking her hands off of Seth’s horse’s bridle.

“What?” Seth asked.

“Nothing,” she answered quickly, causing Quinlan to chuckle.

The trio rode on in silence, closing in on the mansion. Finally, as the front gates were visible to them, a young man with white-platinum hair zoomed out in front of them, his arms clutching something held together within a blanket. He was followed quickly by a maid, who stopped at the gates, yelling, “Come back here! Stop!”

Instantly, Seth and Quinlan dismounted and began running after the boy, and Odette rode up to converse with the maid. The young man turned, his purple eyes wide with confusion, and then picked up his pace. He had just made it to the other corner of the mansion’s stonewalled gate when Quinlan rushed ahead of Seth and tackled the young man. He rolled over to his back with Quinlan, and a huffing Seth, standing over him. The blanket had fallen open and shining silverware gleamed all over him and the road.

“What the hell do you think you are doing?” the boy yelled, brushing forks from his chest.

His voice was not one that someone would expect coming from a ruffian. In fact, it sounded very well educated, if not a little arrogant. Seth and Quinlan exchanged a looked before Seth said, “Stopping a thief, that’s what.”

“Thief? This is my silverware, you idiotic fools!” the boy replied, scoffing.

“Yeah, sure it is,” Quin said mockingly. “If that’s so, then I’m King Damon.”

No sooner had those words left his lips, Odette--who had also dismounted--and the maid came up behind them. The maid broke through the barrier the two boys had made and began to help the boy up, saying, “Master Remy, why must you always do this?”

“Master?” Seth asked.

Quinlan let out a short snort of laughter. “Remy?”

“Don’t call me that,” the young man hissed at the maid. Then, turning to Quinlan, he bowed and said, “Your majesty.”

“Stuff it,” Quin muttered.

“Quin!” Odette admonished him.

The young man, who could be seen clearly now, was wearing quite handsome pants and a shirt--all black. His eyes were bright and that odd color of purple, and his platinum hair fell to his shoulders and was parted neatly in the middle. Around his neck he wore a small silver chain with a simple cross of the same metal as a charm. He reached out, took Odette’s hand, and kissed it, saying, “Remington Silvertower, at your service, milady.”

Quinlan stepped between Remington and Odette, a growl caught deep in his throat. Remington smiled sneakily up at him. The maid shook her head.

“Come along, Master Rem--” she stopped with a glare from Remington. Clearing her throat, she continued, “Remington. Your friends may come inside if they wish. I will send someone for their horses.”

Remington nodded as the maid began to pick up the silverware. Odette stooped to help her. Seth had to step in between his Quin and Remington as he caught him staring--or rather, leering--at Odette’s backside.

“So, we’re going to find the Black Diamond Sphere so I can heal my uncle,” Seth said, sipping lightly from his glass of lemonade.

Once they had been given the tour, Remington had ordered his servants to set up the dining table with some snacks. Then, he had inquired as to why and where they were traveling. Much to Odette’s and Quinlan’s dismay, Seth had been happy to tell. Now, Seth’s two traveling companions sat in silence, awaiting this strange man’s response. To add to their dismay, he was overjoyed.

“That sounds like a marvelous adventure! I never get to do anything like that around here!” he said.

“Yeah. ‘Dette and Quin here don’t believe in the Sphere. They’re just tagging along to make sure I don’t get into any trouble,” Seth said, shooting a grin in their direction.

Quinlan huffed, and Odette stuck her tongue out at him. This caused Remington to stare, almost longingly, at her, and Quin to glare at him until he turned his attention back to Seth.

“So, uh, surely you get to do all kinds of fun things with all the money your parents must have,” Seth said, trying to clear the tension away.

Remington shook his head. “Nah. Well, you know how guys my age--that is to say, eighteen--are always trying to rebel and do things their parents don’t approve off. And that’s their kind of fun?”

Both Seth and Quin smiled and nodded, thinking back to several times that they, separately and together, had done things simply because it was against their parents’ rules. Remington sighed.

“Well, I just can’t pull it off! I dyed my hair platinum; they loved it. I broke the clock in the hall; they say that they’ve always hated it! Either I’m no good at rebelling, or I’m just the perfect child!” he said, sighing dramatically, the back of his hand lightly over his forehead as he fell against the back of his chair.

Quinlan raised an eyebrow and said, under his breath, “Well, you know which situation has my vote.”

Odette shook her head and motioned for them to stand. “Well, we ought to be going.”

As Quin and Seth stood, muttering and nodding in agreement, Remington launched to his feet.

“Going? Now? But…wait…uh…you’re going to Lional, aren’t you?” he asked.

The three exchanged glances, then said, simultaneously and slowly, “Yes…”

“Well, I know that town by heart! I’ll come with you! Surely my parents wouldn’t approve of my leaving home for so long! Let me go pack!”

And with that, he rushed off. Odette turned to Seth and her brother.

“We can’t let him come!” she hissed.

Seth crossed his arms. “Well, we know why we don’t want him to come, ’Dette, but we thought you were getting along with him.”

“No!” she hissed, her voice sounding more and more like a snake. “Both times when you two had left the room, he kept trying to…touch me!”

“WHAT?!” Quinlan shouted.

Remington came running back into the room, a bag over his shoulder. “Ready!” he announced.

The large smile that spread from ear to ear faded quickly when he saw the angry look on Quin’s face. Backing slowly, he even yelped when the boxer began to chase him around the room, yelling, “How dare you get fresh with my baby sister!”

Suddenly, Remington made a dash toward the front doors of the mansion, yelling quickly to the maid as he passed, “Leavingwiththemgoingafterblackdiamondshperewon’tbebackforawhilebye!”

Remington was mounted, turning his horse toward Lional, as Quin hopped onto his mount--with Seth and Odette trying their best to keep up--when the maid shouted, “Your parents aren’t going to like that, Master Remy!”

“I know!” he shouted joyously as the four raced past the gates.