The room was large, soft with gold and cream accents, the curtains billowing faintly as the evening wind swept in. Riella sat at the edge of the bed, absentmindedly removing the golden pins Seraphine had given her to match her dress.
Amelia plopped down beside her, exhaling hard. "Leonardo's sister?" she said at last, her voice laced with disbelief.
Riella shook her head slowly, still trying to piece everything together. "She didn't even mention him until we asked. Like she didn't want to be associated at all."
"She seemed... close with Dimitri," Amelia added, glancing toward the door as if he might walk in. "And Kael too."
"She hugged them like she hadn't seen them in years," Riella murmured. "But the way she ignored Leonardo's name—it felt like something more than distance. Almost like disgust."
Amelia sat up straighter, lowering her voice. "You don't think she knows something about what happened between them?"
Riella didn't answer immediately. Instead, she stared at the ornate ceiling, her mind spinning with questions. "Why would she side with her cousins and not her brother? Unless…"
"Unless she knows he's dangerous."
Silence settled between them for a beat too long.
Then Amelia muttered, "She looked at you weird. Like she was sizing you up."
"I noticed that too," Riella said quietly. "It wasn't judgment. It was… curiosity."
"Do you think she knows who you are?"
Riella wrapped her arms around her knees. "I don't know. But tonight felt like more than just a welcome dinner."
Amelia nodded, eyes suddenly sharp. "We need to be careful."
And in that quiet room, among golden silk pillows and borrowed gowns, both girls realized that Seraphine's presence might change everything—even if they didn't know how yet.
---
Dimitri's POV:
Seraphine stood by the open balcony, her hands resting gently on the marble ledge, her deep lilac dress swaying as the breeze moved through the silks. Moonlight poured over her face as Dimitri approached from the shadows behind.
"You should be resting," he said softly.
"I could say the same to you," she replied, turning her head slightly, eyes sharp and knowing. "But you've always carried the weight of things that should've never been yours."
Dimitri leaned against the wall beside her, arms crossed. "It's been a long time, Seraphine."
"Too long. And yet, nothing's changed. Leonardo still chokes on his thirst for power, and you…" she glanced at him carefully, "you're still protecting her."
Dimitri's jaw clenched. "You knew?"
"I've always known. I just never had the full story. Until now."
They stood in silence for a while, the sound of crickets echoing in the garden below.
Seraphine continued, her voice low. "I saw the necklace, Dimitri. Around her neck. I recognized the crest—Calistar's. You placed it on her yourself, didn't you?"
He looked away. "She doesn't remember."
"But you do. Every piece. Every scream. Every drop of blood. Every moment you stood still while they were slaughtered." Her voice trembled now—not with accusation, but grief.
Dimitri closed his eyes, exhaling shakily. "I was a boy. I didn't stop him. And I couldn't raise her."
"No. But you gave her to the only woman in the empire kind enough to love her."
They were quiet again, the truth laid bare in the dark.
"I will protect her," Dimitri said, his voice like steel. "Even if she never remembers. Even if she never forgives me."
"She will remember, cousin," Seraphine said with quiet certainty. "And when she does… I just hope she doesn't burn the whole empire down."