I forced my eyes open, widening them deliberately, as if willpower could keep sleep at bay.
"Lady, I believe you did not sleep well last night," Evelisse said gently from behind my chair, her fingers deft as she braided a thin strand of my hair.
I yawned, setting my teacup down on the table, and let my gaze wander through the garden. It had grown even more beautiful. flowers were fuller, colors richer, and there were more animals now, resting comfortably among the hedges and trees. The place felt alive in a way it hadn't before.
Evelisse really was something else. Princess like, through and through.
"The garden has become even prettier under your care, Evelisse," I said, yawning again despite myself.
Her hands stilled for a brief moment. "Oh! thank you, my lady."
Then her fingers resumed their gentle work. "Lady, are you not planning to do anything today?"
"Hm." I thought about it for a second. "I don't think so. I don't have anything scheduled."
Father hadn't asked me to analyze any meetings today, and training with Kairan was off. We had returned from that… place far too late for anything else to be arranged.
My gaze drifted to my finger.
It was perfectly fine now.
And yet… the warmth of his hand lingered, vivid enough to make my heart pick up speed for no reason. He terrified me, yes, but most of the time he was distant, uncaring, unreadable. And somehow that made it worse. Thinking about him made my chest feel tight in a weird way.
I shook my head sharply.
"What happened, my lady?" Evelisse asked at once. "Is the braid too tight?"
"No, no," I said quickly. "I was just thinking about something. Please, continue."
She went back to braiding, her touch wa as liight and soothing. I could feel sleep tugging at me again, heavily. My eyelids drooped despite my best efforts.
I couldn't sleep here. That would be horribly impolite.
I yawned once more and leaned my head back, staring up at Evelisse's face above me.
She really was beautiful. Soft features, kind eyes, an almost unreal grace to her presence. It felt like the gods had crafted her with care—then decided she was too perfect and sent her down as a human instead.
And of course, they sent her straight to that damned second prince.
I sighed internally.
No man deserved someone like Evelisse.
"Tell me about yourself, Evelisse," I said, absently catching a strand of her wavy hair between my fingers.
She let out a soft, awkward laugh. "What would I even say? I'm not very interesting."
I tilted my head back slightly to look at her. "You once mentioned you were interested in healing and medicines, didn't you?"
She froze, eyes widening just a little. "Oh… you remember?"
"Yes," I said simply. "So… have you ever thought about studying at the temple?"
Her reaction was immediate. Her eyes widened in genuine shock, and she shook her head almost too fast. "No—no! How could I even think of that?" she said quickly. "I would be more than content learning under a village healer."
But her eyes betrayed her. There wa something dim and aching that hadn't been present a moment ago.
In Meredia's memories, Evelisse had studied at the temple. She had belonged there. But right now… now she didn't even allow herself to imagine it. The temple would never accept her, not with her background, not with the stain of her family's reputation.
It was ridiculous.
What did gambling have to do with magic? Or healing? Or devotion?
I sighed and straightened slightly in my chair. "What if…" I began, then paused, choosing my words carefully. "What if I were to arrange your admission into the temple?"
Her breath hitched.
"My lady…" she whispered, disbelief clear in her voice. "—that is not—"
"Here you are."
Uh-oh.
i
I knew who he was even before I saw him. Kairan appeared, already walking toward us with that unhurried confidence that made everyone else instinctively remember their place.
Evelisse stiffened. She stepped back at once and lowered herself into a deep, proper bow. "Your Imperial Highness, Crown Prince of Valkathra," she greeted, voice perfectly even despite the way her fingers trembled at her sides.
By now, everyone in the palace had learned the same reflex. When the Crown Prince approached, you moved back.
I rose from my chair as well. "Your Highness."
He stopped in front of me, close enough that I had to fight the urge to straighten my posture again even though I already was. His gaze flicked past me, landing on Evelisse.
It was just for a second but it was enough.
His expressions tightened.
Why was he looking at her like that?
And why did that reaction make my chest feel… unsettled?
I cleared my throat, louder than necessary, forcing his attention back to me. "Your Highness," I said carefully, "I thought there was no training today."
He looked at me again.
"Yes," he replied smoothly. Then he paused, lips parting as if the rest of the sentence had misplaced itself. "I simply… had nothing to occupy my time."
My jaw nearly fell to the marble.
Nothing to do?
This was the same man who ran half the kingdom, terrified ministers, trained soldiers like weapons, and casually disappeared at night like a looming threat wrapped in silk.
I stared at him, utterly unprepared for that answer.
"Oh," I managed, brilliantly.
Behind me, Evelisse stood very still.
And for reasons I could not explain, the air between the three of us felt suddenly tight.
He pointed toward Evelisse with a small, precise motion of his fingers.
"Who," he asked calmly, "is she?"
For a moment, my thoughts simply… stopped.
He had never asked about anyone standing beside me before. Not Fenric, not Fenric, not servants, or guards. And yet now his attention had fixed itself on Evelisse as if she alone had stepped out of place.
"She—" I cleared my throat, forcing my voice to work. "She is my lady-in-waiting. My mother appointed her."
I glanced back at Evelisse as I spoke, as if seeking reassurance. She kept her head bowed, posture perfect, hands folded with grace.
"Oh," Kairan said.
Just that. Nothing more.
I gestured subtly for Evelisse to leave. She didn't hesitate. She bowed once more and withdrew, her steps quiet as she disappeared down the garden path.
The moment she was gone, the space felt… exposed.
I turned back to him. "Do you know her, Your Highness?"
I wasn't sure why I asked. Maybe I expected him to dismiss it. Maybe I wanted him to. Or maybe I already knew I wouldn't like the answer.
"Yes."
The word landed cleanly.
My breath caught. "Oh. How?"
He tilted his head slightly, eyes narrowing just enough to remind me who I was speaking to. "You forget yourself," he said mildly. "You do not question me so freely."
"Right," I murmured at once, heat creeping up my neck.
He studied me for a moment, then looked toward the path Evelisse had taken, as if measuring something. "I merely find it… curious," he continued. "Whether her presence here is coincidence, or intention. Your mother does not act without reason. Especially when it concerns someone of her background."
That knot returned to my chest.
I rubbed my arm, suddenly very aware of the breeze against my skin, and let my gaze drift to a strange green-black flower growing near the edge of the garden. It was oddly ugly, stubbornly alive despite its color.
"I don't know," I said quietly. "You would have to ask my mother."
He hummed softly, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. And somehow, that quiet sound unsettled me more than any sharp reply could have.
"Would you… like to go to the market?"
I frowned and looked up at him. "Huh? Market?"
He nodded once, as if this was the most reasonable suggestion in the world. "The capital market. I have observed that you leave this ugly palace far too rarely."
I scowled. "This palace is not ugly."
"It is," he replied flatly. "I dislike the colour combinations."
"Oh really?" I narrowed my eyes. "And what do you like? Black and grey?"
One corner of his mouth lifted, slow and maddening. "No."
"Yeah. Sure."
I didn't have the energy to keep sparring with him. I folded my arms across my chest. "Why are you taking me to the market? And what exactly is the capital market?"
"It lies at the heart of Valkathra," he said, voice slipping into that calm, instructive tonehe used while training. "The royal quarter, the academies, the temples, the guild halls. Everything begins there." He extended his hand toward me. "And the capital market is where merchants from every corner of the kingdoms gather. If something exists, it can be found there."
That… actually sounded incredible.
Before I could overthink it, I placed my hand in his. He didn't hesitate. He stepped closer at once, pulling me in with a firm tug that erased the space between us. His scent filled my lungs, clean and unfamiliar and far too distracting.
I shut my eyes.
When I opened them again—
"What the hell—"
We stood in the middle of a big market.
It stretched endlessly in every direction, alive in a way the palace never was. Wide, polished stone roads gleamed under the sun, so smooth they reflected flashes of colour as people moved across them. Stalls crowded both sides, layered and overflowing, their awnings bright with dye and embroidery. Silk banners fluttered overhead, stitched with sigils and trade marks.
Tall buildings rose above the shops, white stone and warm gold accents stacked with purpose. Homes were built atop the storefronts, wooden balconies jutting out, laundry hanging lazily from railings. Voices overlapped everywhere...laughter, bargaining, greetings shouted across stalls. Somewhere a musician played a stringed instrument, the sound weaving through the noise like thread.
The air smelled of everything at once. Fresh bread, spiced meats, crushed herbs, flowers, incense, metal, ink. People moved with confidence and speed, scholars in long robes brushing past armored guards, merchants arguing cheerfully with nobles who clearly had never learned the value of restraint.
Children darted between legs. Animals lounged near stalls. Craftsmen hammered, scribes wrote, vendors shouted prices like declarations of war.
I just stood there, stunned.
"This is…" I breathed, slowly turning in a circle. "This is insane."
Kairan watched me from the side. "You look less like you wish to escape now."
"I've never seen anything like this," I admitted, forgetting for once to guard my tone.
"Then walk," he said simply. "The market does not admire hesitation."
He stepped forward, and instinctively, I followed.
"But first, we get cloaks and disguise ourselves," he said, already moving.
Not walking but with striding with those long, infuriatingly efficient steps that assumed everyone else had the same legs.
I hurried after him, half jogging just to keep up. "You could slow down, you know. I am not built like a warhorse."
He did not slow down.
We slipped into a narrow alley where the noise of the market dimmed into a low hum. By the time I finally caught up, slightly out of breath and deeply offended, he was already standing before a small stall piled with folded cloaks.
He took two without hesitation, dropped a few coins, and turned. Before I could say a word, one of the cloaks landed over my head and shoulders.
"Wrap it."
I pulled the fabric off my face and stared at it like it had personally insulted my ancestors. "It's ugly."
He glanced at me, already fastening his own cloak with ease. The hood shadowed his face, but his voice carried unmistakable amusement. "Oh, forgive me, my lady, for not selecting one embroidered with jewels and royal crests."
I clenched my jaw. Bastard.
"It smells like dust and questionable life choices," I muttered, holding it at arm's length.
"It smells like anonymity," he replied. "A concept you desperately need."
I shot him a glare and wrapped it around myself anyway, tugging the hood up. The fabric was heavier than I expected, rough but warm. The moment it settled, I felt…less seen.
He adjusted his own hood and then looked at me again, eyes flicking over my face, my hands, the way I stood.
"Good," he said. "You now resemble a normal citizen."
"That was not a compliment."
"It was," he replied calmly. "You are simply unused to them."
I huffed and followed him back toward the mouth of the alley. As we stepped into the noise and colour of the market again, he lowered his voice.
"Stay close. Do not wander. And if anyone grabs you—"
"I scream?"
"You stab," he said. "Screaming is optional."
I stared at him. "You really know how to reassure a lady."
One corner of his mouth curved beneath the hood. "You are still alive. That should reassure you enough."
And somehow, annoyingly, it did.