~~~
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Hazel woke to the pale light filtering through the heavy curtains. The bed beside her was empty, but she still felt the shape of him there — the way the mattress dipped where he'd sat through the night.
She remembered the steady rise and fall of his chest, the faint scent of smoke and steel clinging to him. The strange feeling of safety it brought unsettled her.
He hadn't said anything before leaving. No goodbyes. No touches. Just that quiet, unreadable presence… and then nothing.
Her fingers curled in the sheets.
Why did he stay? Why does it matter if he ever does again?
The thought frustrated her. This was the King of the Underworld — cruel, unpredictable, dangerous. She had no business caring where he slept.
And yet…
She exhaled sharply and pushed herself out of bed.
Miriam entered, carrying a folded robe. "My Queen, the men are training on the Citadel field. You should see it — Prince Aries is here."
Hazel arched a brow. "And why would I want to watch men swing weapons?"
"Because," Miriam said with a small smile, "they're very good at it. And you need air."
Hazel decided she was right.
The sound of steel striking steel reached them before they even saw the field. Heavy footsteps pounded against dirt. Deep voices shouted commands.
When they stepped through the archway, Hazel paused.
In the center, Aries and Lycan moved like predators — swords flashing, dust swirling under their boots, the air thick with the heat of their fight. Every strike was fast and precise, each block met with force that made Hazel's chest tighten.
She barely noticed the group of trainees sparring near the wall — not until a spear slipped from someone's grasp and spun through the air.
It was heading straight for Miriam.
Hazel didn't think. She stepped in front of her maid, arm shooting up. Her hand closed around the wooden shaft mid-flight, the sudden weight jarring her arm but not enough to make her drop it.
The entire field froze.
The spear's point stopped inches from her face. Hazel lowered it slowly, her own heartbeat loud in her ears.
Aries stared. "You… caught that?"
Lycan's mouth curved slightly.
Up in the high tower, Hades leaned forward, his elbows on the railing. His queen — his fragile human queen — had just caught a moving weapon with the ease of a trained killer.
Velia, standing at the edge of the field, clenched her jaw until it hurt. She wanted the court to see Hazel as a weak ornament, not someone who could make warriors stop mid-breath.
"Maybe," Aries said slowly, "you had training before your memory loss."
Miriam's eyes lit with eagerness. "She did. Her Highness always believed a queen should defend herself. She trained in secret."
Hazel tilted her head. She didn't deny it. She only shifted the spear in her hand, feeling the balance.
It was strange — she knew how to hold it. How to shift her weight. Her body moved as if it remembered a hundred drills she had never done here.
Flashes of stunts she'd performed in her old world crossed her mind — the fight scenes, the choreographed flips. Except now, she was faster. Stronger.
Aries stepped closer, his sword at his side. "Show me, little queen."
Hazel met his gaze and nodded. "Fine."
A servant brought her a short sword — light, simple. She gripped it easily, the hilt fitting into her palm like it belonged there.
They circled slowly at first, boots scraping the dirt. Aries made the first move, swinging lightly toward her left. Hazel blocked, the metal ringing against her blade.
Another swing — she stepped aside, letting it pass before tapping his arm with her sword.
His brows lifted. "Not bad."
He tried again, faster this time. She blocked again. And again. The fight picked up speed. Her eyes tracked his shoulders, his grip, his stance — she could tell where he'd move before he did.
He lunged. Hazel sidestepped, letting him come close before spinning away. The movement was smooth, natural. When she glanced over her shoulder, his expression had changed — he was breathing harder, his strikes sharper.
"No more holding back," he muttered.
She grinned. "Good. I was getting bored."
Gasps came from the watching soldiers.
Hades' gaze never left her. He should have been annoyed — his queen was out there showing skill she had no reason to have. Instead, something dark and proud stirred inside him.
Velia slipped into the tower beside him. "Do you remember when I was the one in the field for you?" she whispered. "When you said I was your favorite?"
"I don't care who you were," Hades said without looking at her. "I care about her now."
Velia's breath hitched. This was the first time she truly felt replaced.
Aries came at her with one final, strong strike. Hazel twisted her wrist, knocking his blade aside, then stepped in close. In one smooth motion, she caught his sword arm, twisted again, and took his weapon from him.
Before he could react, the point of her blade was at his throat.
The crowd went silent.
Hazel smiled faintly, then lowered the blade and stepped back.
Aries laughed, wiping sweat from his brow. "Not just a queen. A predator."
The sound of boots on gravel made everyone turn. Hades was walking toward them, tall and dark, the soldiers parting to let him through.
He stopped before Hazel, his eyes scanning her face, then her hand still holding the sword. He took her wrist gently but firmly, lifting it to inspect the blade.
"Just who are you Hazel," he said low enough for only her to hear, "You're are so full of surprises. It intrigues me."
A shiver ran through her, not from fear, but from the way he said it — like it wasn't a threat, but a twisted confession.