I thought that after the ball, I could avoid him for a while.I was wrong.
Two days later, a sealed envelope arrived at the De Ardent estate. The royal crest glimmered in gold wax, and the script on the front was unmistakable:To Lady Livianna De Ardent.
Inside was a single line:
Join me for tea tomorrow afternoon.— Kael Aurelian, Crown Prince of Asterra
It wasn't a request.
My maid, Clarisse, nearly fainted from excitement. "My lady, the Crown Prince himself has invited you! This could be the beginning of—"
"It's just tea," I interrupted, trying to hide the knot forming in my stomach.
In the novel, Kael never invited Livianna anywhere privately. Every encounter they had was either public or forced by her. This… this was new. And dangerous.
The royal palace's west garden was quiet, the air scented with roses and fresh tea leaves. A small table had been set beneath a flowering arch, and the Crown Prince was already there, leaning back in his chair as if he owned the entire world — which, in a way, he did.
"Livianna," he greeted, gesturing for me to sit. His voice was smooth, but there was something sharp beneath it, like a blade hidden under silk.
I sat, smoothing my skirts. "Your Highness."
The tea was poured, and for a moment, we drank in silence. Then he set his cup down, his gaze fixed on me.
"You're not wearing the emerald necklace you always flaunt," he said casually.
My heart skipped. Always flaunt. That must have been Livianna's habit — one I knew nothing about. "It… no longer suits my taste," I said lightly.
He tilted his head. "Interesting. And you've stopped speaking to the Duchess of Haverleigh. I hear she's confused about your sudden… distance."
I smiled politely, even as my palms grew damp. "Perhaps I've grown tired of certain company."
Kael leaned forward, resting his chin on his hand. "You've grown tired of many things lately, haven't you?" His eyes glinted with something unreadable. "You move differently. You speak differently. Tell me, Livianna… who are you now?"
The question hit me like a blade to the ribs.
I forced a small laugh. "Still the same woman, Your Highness."
"Hmm." He leaned back again, but the weight of his gaze never lifted. "We'll see."
That night, as I lay in bed staring at the canopy above, one truth became painfully clear:The Crown Prince was watching me.And if I wasn't careful, he'd uncover the truth before I could change my fate.