I exhaled through clenched teeth and forced a tight smile, turning toward Father, pretending I hadn't just been dissected under the prince's gaze.
Father looked between the two of us, curiosity already creasing his brow.
"Curiosities?" he asked, settling behind his desk.
Kairan's tone was smooth, deceptively casual.
"Your daughter has taken quite an interest in history as of late. She spends more time among the archives than most scholars."
Father chuckled, clearly pleased.
"Yes, so she's finally discovered books that aren't monsters. She's been helping me more often these days. seems my little girl's becoming responsible."
I tried not to cringe at the "little girl" part while Kairan's lips twitched like he was biting down a smirk.
Father motioned toward the sofa.
> "You may sit and observe, Meredia. I'll ask what you learned afterward."
That wasn't exactly part of my plan, but arguing wasn't an option, not with both of them staring. So I sank back onto the couch, hands folded neatly in my lap.
Kairan took the seat opposite Father's desk, posture perfect.
"About Solterra's southern plains," he began, unrolling a set of parchment maps the attendants had brought earlier. "You're proposing a new trade route through the marshlands, yes?"
Father nodded.
"Correct. It's the fastest path toward the capital from the salt mines, but the terrain's unstable. My engineers believe with proper enchantments, we could stabilize the ground and cut transport time by half."
"Mm." Kairan's gaze flicked to the notes. "The marshes are near the Red marked monstes' territories, aren't they? That would mean the route passes dangerously close to their watch."
"Exactly why I requested royal input," Father replied. "If the crown could offer a few battalions or even approval for enchantments from temple it would secure the passage."
"Battalions are a stretch," Kairan mused, fingers tracing the map's edge. "But temporary enchantments could be arranged. If Solterra funds the maintenance, the crown might issue a seasonal permit."
Father smiled faintly.
"A fair condition, Your Highness. You're as pragmatic as ever."
"Pragmatism keeps the kingdom standing, Duke," Kairan said lightly, but his tone carried steel beneath.
The conversation flowed between them like a well-practiced duet...numbers, logistics, land rights, troop assignments.
I tried to follow the discussion, scribbling little notes in my lap. But eventually, my gaze drifted.
He wasn't just a soldier or some arrogant royal. The way he spoke was like every move he made was part of a plan no one else could see.
The morning light caught on the silver threads of his coat as he leaned forward, explaining a trade clause to Father. The subtle curve of his jaw moved when he spoke, his eyes flickering with focus.
And, unfortunately, I was staring.
Because for the first time since meeting him, Kairan didn't look cruel. He looked… capable.
Too capable.
Then his pen stilled mid-note. Without looking up, he said quietly....just loud enough for me to hear clearly because father was lost in his parchment.
"You'll find that observation only helps if you remember to breathe, Lady Meredia."
My stomach dropped. He hadn't even turned his head, but he knew.
I sat up straighter instantly, heat crawling up my neck. "I—was breathing just fine, Your Highness."
He finally glanced at me then, amusement flickering across his features for half a second.
"Good. I'd hate to have to call a healer mid-meeting."
Father, oblivious, just hummed thoughtfully.
And I sat there, silently dying inside, realizing two things
One: Kairan Ashbourne noticed everything.
And two: I was very much not ready to survive this man's attention.
The meeting stretched far longer than I'd hoped. At some point, the words between them blurred into background noise and was too busy pretending not to exist under his gaze.
Oh, for heaven's sake, end already.
Father finally pushed back his chair. "Eri, you may go."
Relief flooded me so fast I nearly sighed out loud. I rose at once, smoothing my skirt to cover how badly I wanted to run.
"Yes, Father."
I bowed to him first, then to Kairan, careful not to meet those impossible eyes again and turned toward the door. My pulse was already halfway down the corridor before my feet even moved.
I'd barely turned the corner near my room when the air flickered like the light itself bent wrong, and he appeared right in front of me.
My heart jumped to my throat. I stumbled back, nearly tripping over my own dress. "W–What—"
But before the word could finish, he vanished.
And then—thud. My back met something solid.
I turned, breath catching. He was im front of me now, cose enough that the heat of his body brushed against me.
My wrist was caught before I could move. The same one he'd once slit open. His fingers wrapped around it, firm but not cruel. I froze.
"How's the wound?"
His voice was low, husky like velvet dragging over glass.
I swallowed hard, trying to pull my hand back.
He hummed. "You didn't answer me. I don't enjoy being ignored."
The words slid under my skin like a warning disguised as a whisper.
I forced myself to meet his eyes. "I said...it's fine."
He frowned, gaze flicking down to the bandage. "And yet you still wear this. Did no one think to heal it properly?"
Before I could speak, he muttered under his breath, "Let me guess… the Duchess forbade the use of magic on you?"
"I—don't know," I stammered.
He exhaled, somewhere between irritation and restraint, and then, without asking, his palm ignited faintly, threads of greenish light coiling around my wrist. The warmth seeped through my skin, chasing away the dull ache.
When the glow faded, the bandage fell loose, and the wound was gone...only the faint trace of an old scar remained.
He didn't pull away. Instead, his thumb traced the healed skin slowly, as if testing it.
"You really should take better care of yourself," he murmured. "I dislike seeing what's mine… marked."
The word mine landed like a spark in dry air.
I barely found my voice. "Yours?"
He looked up.
"You're in my kingdom. Under my watch. That's all I meant."
I yanked my wrist back too fast. His fingers slipped away, but the ghost of his touch lingered like a burn.
My pulse was ridiculous. I took a step back, keeping my chin up even though every nerve in me screamed to run. "I… didn't ask for your help."
"You rarely ask for anything, Lady Meredia. Yet you seem to need quite a lot."
The way he said it made my stomach twist. I clenched my fists, forcing my voice out quieter than I wanted. "You're mistaken, Your Highness."
He tilted his head, studying me like he could see straight through the lie. "Am I?"
I hated that tiny tremor in my throat when I spoke. "You—hurt me before. And now you heal it. What am I supposed to make of that?"
"Balance," he said simply, stepping closer. "Every debt should be repaid. Even pain."
The corridor felt smaller with each word.
He leaned in slightly, not close enough to touch, but enough that I felt cornered. "You look frightened."
"I'm not," I lied again, too quickly.
He smiled slowly. "Then stop shaking."
My breath hitched. I didn't realize until then that my hands were trembling. I hid them behind my skirts, lifting my chin in some desperate show of dignity.
"Good girl," he murmured. "You're learning."
And just like that, he stepped back. "Rest well, Lady Meredia. I'd hate to see that courage of yours wasted."
Then he vanished again, leaving only the faint hum of his magic in the air and the wild hammering of my heart to prove he'd ever been there.
I stood there longer than I should have, staring at the space he'd vanished from, like maybe if I blinked, he'd be back again just to remind me I wasn't imagining the whole thing.
My knees finally caved, and I let myself sink against the wall, heartbeat loud enough to drown the quiet hall. The spot on my wrist still burned faintly, the warmth of his magic spreading like it had marked me.
"What is wrong with this man?" I whispered to no one.
The air didn't bother answering.
I stayed there until the chill started to bite, then ran...half panicked, half angry back to my room. The door slammed shut, and I locked it instantly like that flimsy latch could do anything against someone who could literally blink through walls.
Still… it helped. The sound of the lock clicking gave me that tiny illusion of control I was desperate for.
I collapsed on the bed and stared at the sofa across the room. That was where he'd been last night, sitting like he owned the place.
Sometimes he appeared in the mirror. Sometimes I'd catch a glimpse of him standing by the balcony, the faint shimmer of magic around his silhouette before he faded again.
Lately, I'd started feeling him even when he wasn't visible. A shift in the air, a flicker at the edge of my senses. His presence pressed down on me, familiar now in the worst way.
Creepy? Absolutely. Terrifying? Constantly.
But I was learning something awful: I'd rather have him quietly watching than standing close enough for me to hear his breath.
I pulled my legs up and wrapped my arms around them, chin pressed to my knees.
I couldn't even cry over my own miserable fate because, honestly, this was still better than dying in a dark, stinking room back in that world, with no food, no light, and no one.
That thought made my throat tighten. It also made me stubborn again. Fine, if I was alive here, then I'd make it count. I'd fight for a life that actually meant something.
I buried my face in my knees and mumbled, "But why me? I'm just a girl. Why do I have to go up against a man built like a walking fortress?"
A groan slipped out before I could stop it. So unfair. I could've been born in any other body. Someone like Fenric because he's built like a whole wall. Then maybe I could've actually stood a chance against the crown prince.
Fenric and Kairan were about the same height, but Fenric had that broader, heavier frame, while Kairan… well, Kairan had the kind of build that made armor look decorative.
I sat up, blinking like a lightbulb had gone off in my head. "I should ask Fenric if he can spar against Kairan."
The idea sounded ridiculous even as it left my mouth, but still I couldn't help the tiny grin tugging at my lips. If anyone could knock that smug prince on his perfect face, it was Fenric.
I barreled out of the room like a whirlwind, dodging a few sleepy knights and startled guards on the way. After a wild goose chase around the their quarters, I finally spotted Fenric—he was sitting cross-legged on the floor, Kael sprawled beside him like a lopsided chair.
"Ah! Lady!" Kael called, waving his hands. His broken language made it sound cheerful and ridiculous. "We… we come see you!"
I ignored him completely, skidding to a stop in front of Fenric. "Fenric," I hissed, grabbing his shoulder, "can you fight Kairan?"
His jaw dropped. Literally. He looked like someone had just asked him to duel a dragon in his underwear. He glanced around, hissing, "Shhh! How dare you—his Highness! You can't just call the crown prince by his name!"
I rolled my eyes so hard I almost saw the back of my own brain. "He was given that name for a reason, Fenric. Why all the sneaky whispers?"
"You can't… you just don't! Royals—names—never!" he sputtered, shushing me like I'd suddenly grown fangs.
I scoffed, arms crossed. "Fine. I'll bite my tongue. But can you fight him? You're both huge, right?"
Fenric's face morphed from panic to full-on exasperation. "No! Absolutely not! That's… that's ridiculous."
I frowned. "Why not? You seem strong enough."
He leaned back on his hands, sighing, like he was explaining calculus to a chicken. "Strength isn't just size. The crown prince… he's… he's unmatched. Nobody—and when I said nobody, it means nobody can fight him physically. Not even close."
I blinked. "What do you mean? He's not magic, right?"
Fenric nodded gravely. "No magic. But he can fight ten knights at once...ten...and not even a scratch. Not a single one. He's… terrifying annd precise and–and fast and, well…" He trailed off, shaking his head like he'd seen a ghost that could bench-press a castle.
I groaned, rubbing my face. "Great… so my big plan of sending you in to fight him… trash. Got it."
Kael beside him grinned stupidly, "Lady, he is strong, yes, yes, yes!"
I shot him a look that could melt steel. "Thanks for the input, Kael."
Fenric buried his face in his hands. "I can't believe you're even thinking this."