The afternoon bells rang across the halls of Academia Arcanum. What once had been whispers in the shadows now spread like wildfire through every corridor, every classroom.
"I heard Lady Alveir tried to burn down the training hall.""No, this wasn't the first time. She nearly harmed Irena before.""A spiritless girl… of course she would envy someone blessed with a High Contract."
Serena walked steadily through the stares that followed her—some sharp with disdain, others heavy with suspicion. Her golden eyes did not falter, but within her chest it felt as though chains unseen bound her tighter with each step.
The First Snare
That afternoon, in a lesson on diplomacy and noble etiquette, students were split into groups for simulated court debates.
At the center of her group, Irena shone like a star. Every gesture elegant, every word dripping with practiced charm. The students around her hung on her voice, nodding in approval.
Across the room, Serena sat calmly with her group. She offered her thoughts carefully, measured and firm. Yet her words were drowned by the murmurs that darted between the desks.
"Why bother listening to her?""She has no spirit, no power. What right does she have to speak in noble matters?"
The exercise ended with polite applause, but the comparison between the two young women lingered like a shadow over the room.
The Shadows of Rumors
Later, Serena crossed the gardens. Groups of students fell silent at her approach, then snickered as she passed.
"She's dangerous.""Still the prince's fiancée? How laughable.""She should step aside and stop clinging to pride she doesn't have."
Each word pressed heavier against her chest, but she refused to lower her gaze. Every step was an act of defiance.
A Silent Witness
High above, leaning against the balcony rail, Kyren Adelric watched. His pale blue eyes followed her figure, his face expressionless, yet within his gaze smoldered a storm.
The snare has been cast well. Irena weaves her strings with precision.He clenched his hand around the cold stone.But this time, I will not let her chains break you, Serena. Not while I still draw breath.
Closing
That night, Serena sat alone by the window of her dormitory. The moonlight poured in, bathing her in silver. The whispers of the day echoed endlessly in her ears, but she placed her hand over her heart and whispered:
"No matter how heavy these invisible chains… I will not bow. I will not break."
Beyond the academy walls, the silver moon hung high, its shadows long and deep—shadows where unseen hands tightened the strings of fate.