Mira should have known peace wouldn't last.
Peace never lasted at Aristella.
She was halfway through breakfast, if you could call staring suspiciously at a plate of gold-trimmed pancakes breakfast, when the murmurs started.
Not the usual whispers.
These were sharper.
Heavier.
The kind that cut.
She caught snippets as she passed tables.
"…did you hear?"
"…totally inappropriate."
"…she thinks she's untouchable now."
"…poor prince."
Mira paused mid-step.
Poor prince?
Now she knew something was wrong.
Leo slid into the seat beside her like a seasoned detective. "We have a problem."
"Define problem."
"Someone leaked a story."
Mira narrowed her eyes. "About me?"
"About you," Leo confirmed. "And the prince. And the garden."
Mira's fork clattered against the plate. "What garden?"
"The one you were definitely not secretly meeting him in."
She groaned. "What are they saying?"
Leo slid his phone across the table.
The headline glared up at her:
LUCKY STAR CAUGHT IN SECRET ROYAL MEETING
Is the Commoner Using Scandal to Climb the Crown?
Mira's stomach dropped.
Below it was a grainy photo.
Her.
Adrian.
Standing far too close in the south gardens.
The angle made it look intimate.
Personal.
Like a confession moment.
Mira slammed the phone down. "This is ridiculous."
Leo grimaced. "Welcome to aristocratic warfare."
Across the hall, Lady Seraphina sat calmly at her table, sipping tea like she hadn't just set fire to someone's reputation.
She didn't look at Mira.
She didn't have to.
Mira stood.
Leo grabbed her sleeve. "Mira, don't."
"I just want to talk."
"That's what villains say before things explode."
Mira marched across the cafeteria anyway.
The room fell quiet as she approached Seraphina's table.
Seraphina lifted her eyes gracefully. "Good morning."
"Cut it," Mira said. "Did you leak the story?"
Seraphina smiled softly. "Careful. Accusations are dangerous."
"You warned me," Mira said through clenched teeth. "This is your 'kindness,' isn't it?"
Seraphina rose slowly, elegant and unbothered. "I told you to be careful. You chose not to listen."
Students leaned closer. Phones appeared.
Seraphina lowered her voice. "You don't belong in that world, Mira. And the sooner you accept it, the less damage you'll cause."
Mira laughed, short and sharp. "Damage? To who? Your ego?"
Seraphina's smile thinned. "To the crown."
Mira leaned forward. "I didn't ask for him. I didn't chase him. And I'm not scared of you."
Seraphina's eyes hardened. "You should be."
Before Mira could respond, a familiar cold presence filled the space.
Prince Adrian.
He stood at the edge of the cafeteria, gaze locked on them.
"What is going on?" he asked.
Seraphina turned instantly, her expression transforming into innocent concern. "Nothing at all, Your Highness. I was merely offering guidance."
Mira snorted. "She published gossip."
Adrian's eyes flicked to the phone in Leo's hand.
His jaw tightened.
"Leave us," Adrian said quietly.
Seraphina hesitated. "Adrian, "
"I said," he repeated, firmer now, "leave."
Seraphina bowed smoothly. "As you wish."
As she walked away, she glanced at Mira once.
A promise.
This wasn't over.
Adrian turned to Mira.
"You shouldn't have confronted her publicly," he said.
Mira crossed her arms. "You shouldn't have secret gardens."
His lips twitched, barely.
"This situation is dangerous," Adrian continued. "You're being targeted."
"I can handle myself."
"I know," he said, softer than she expected.
That surprised them both.
He stepped closer. "But the story will spread. The council won't like this."
Mira's throat tightened. "So what? You'll deny it?"
"Yes."
She stiffened. "Excuse me?"
"I'll deny everything," Adrian said calmly. "I won't let this hurt you."
Her heart thumped painfully.
"I don't need your protection," she said.
"I know," he replied. "But you'll have it anyway."
She looked at him, really looked.
Not the prince.
Not the crown.
Just a boy trying to do the right thing in the worst possible way.
"Thank you," she said quietly.
Their moment shattered as a voice echoed through the hall.
"Mira Lawson."
The Headmaster stood at the entrance, expression unreadable.
"My office. Now."
The students buzzed.
Leo mouthed, I'll bring snacks if you get arrested.
Mira squared her shoulders and followed the Headmaster.
Behind her, Adrian watched.
And for the first time since Mira Lawson entered Aristella,
He was worried.