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"Leave her alone."
A calm yet dangerous voice cut through the air like a sharp blade. Ray froze. Along with the guards who held her.
Prince Kasper rushed to his side, his brows furrowing in confusion as he followed Lucian's line of sight. "Lucian?" He asked quietly. "What's wrong?"
The guards stiffened instantly. "My lord," they bowed in unison, their grips tightened out of reflex before it loosened again.
Lucian didn't acknowledge them at first. He walked forward, each step calculated and his presence alone was enough to make the air thick.
"What are you doing?" He asked. As he stood in front of them.
Cold sweat ran down the guard's spines. Did we do something wrong? Why did the duke stop us? I've heard the rumors about the duke… would we get punished ?
One of them swallowed hard and tried to explain. "M…my lord, we were ordered..
"Not you," Lucian said plainly. His gaze fixed on Ray. Kasper's gaze turned sharply toward Lucian. His brows knitted in confusion. "You know her?" He asked.
"She is Celestine Varondulf". The words fell out of his mouth like a verdict. Kasper's eyes widened in shock, as Ray stared back at him. Her brows raised while her expression screamed I told you so.
Kasper brows lifted slowly in disbelief.
"You're… serious?" he asked. His gaze on Celestine and back to Lucian.
But Lucian did not look away from her, as he asked again. "What are you doing here?" His voice, low but undeniably tense.
For the first time since he arrived, something in his expression had cracked. And Kasper watched him carefully, the realization settling in.
Whoever this woman was or claimed to be, she mattered.
Ray stood still. She was grateful that Lucian had arrived before she was mercilessly thrown out of the palace. But now that he was in front of her, it was painfully clear she had no backup plan.
Why was she even here again? She asked herself, as Lucian's intense gaze pierced straight through her.
Her eyes suddenly lit up, a bright smile stretched across her face as the only words she could remember spilled out her mouth.
"I'm here to take you on our evening stroll."
Lucian's expression dropped. Behind Ray, the guards exchanged glances, a thought forming in their minds.
Could she really be the Duke's fiancee? And how could a woman ask a man out so boldly?
Kasper couldn't help but scoff at her audacity. She was either outrageously indecent or completely mad.
Lucian's breath hitched, a faint flush rising to his cheeks before his face hardened.
"Leave," he said. His eyes met with the guards. Their bodies stiffened. "Y…yes, my lord!"
They bowed deeply and bolted away, silently thanking the heavens for sparing their lives. Kasper remained standing besides Lucian, until he glanced at him.
The look alone said everything. Kasper hesitated. He stole one last glance at Celestine, then turned and walked away.
Ray watched him leave before shifting her attention back to Lucian. "So," she said, tilting her head slightly, "are you ready? The sun's almost down."
Lucian stared at her, disbelief flickered across his face. "Have you no sense of propriety?" He asked coldly. "You are a lady, and you behave like a child with no knowledge of decorum."
Before she could respond, he reached for the red long coat draped over his official attire. In one smooth motion, removed it and wrapped it over her shoulders. Covering her stained dress.
The fabric was warm.
"From now on," he said quietly, his voice low and controlled. "You will conduct yourself with dignity, especially in public." He said.
Ray blinked, frozen from the weight of his coat and his presence.
But then, she caught a familiar entity at the edge of her vision. It was the Damarcus Varondulf. Celestine's father.
Ray breath hitched. Quickly, she snatched Lucian by the collar and pulled him sharply to the side. Into a narrow corner, hidden behind the stone pillars of the corridor.
Lucian froze in shock. He had just warned her about decorum and within that moment, she was doing the exact opposite.
Was this another attempt to seduce him?
"What is the meaning of this?" He demanded, his voice tightened as he struggled to pull away from her grip. "Hold still," she hissed. Pulling him closer.
Lucian froze from her unseemly behavior.
"It's cel ... .my father," she whispered urgently, correcting herself in the process. "He can't see me."
Lucian cautiously peeked past the pillar. She was right. The marquis was indeed there, walking through the corridor in quiet conversation with the Duke of Voss.
Lucian had assumed he had already left the palace, but clearly not. Lucian watched them pass, his gaze sharp as he tried to catch fragments of their whispered exchange.
Then suddenly, the marquis's head snapped in their direction. Lucian reacted fast. He pulled back behind the pillar, leaning closer to Ray than intended.
"What is it?" The duke of Voss asked. His brows knitted into confusion. "Nothing," the Marquis responded. "I thought I saw something."
"Did he see you?" Ray whispered. Panic spiralling in her chest. "Is he coming this way?"
"Shushhh," Lucian muttered, his voice low, yet controlled. "You're being too loud. He might hear you."
Ray quickly nodded, clamping her hands over her mouth to stifle any sound.
Lucian's gaze fell on her, and for the first time, the air between them felt heavy. His chest brushed against hers, the rise and fall of her breath brushing against him.
Ray gaze lifted, locking onto his. Lucian's jaw tightened, his normally controlled composure flickered. As a strange and sudden heat spread across his cheeks and ears, catching him off guard.
Why am I…. feeling this way?. He thought, though he refused to move. He simply held still, aware of every subtle movement she made.
Ray's brows furrowed with concern as her gaze lingered on Lucian. "Are you….okay?" She whispered softly, tilting her head. "Your ears, they're red."
She lifted a hand as if to touch them, Then Lucian stiffened instantly. His composure snapped back into place as he stepped back, the distance between them restored and adjusted his collar gently.
"He's gone," he said quietly, his voice steady, betraying nothing.
"Really?" Ray asked, surprise flickered across her face. She peeked through the pillar and indeed he was gone.
Relief flowed through her as a proud smile slowly spread across her lips at the face she hadn't been caught.
"Your father is gone. I suppose we won't have any more trouble," Lucian said coolly. "well then, I will take my leave." He turned to go.
Ray's hand shot out, gripping the sleeve of his suit. "Wait," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. Lucian's gaze fell on her fingers which tugged at his cuff.
She instantly let go, noticing the crease in his brow at her forwardness. " I don't have a way to get back," she admitted.
Lucian turned to face her fully, his brows raised in curious interest. "And how did you get here?" He asked, his tone even but laced with disbelief.
"My family's official carriage," she said. "I sent it back when I arrived." Lucian shut his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose in disbelief. After everything, now it seemed he was responsible for escorting her home.
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The Duke of Voss and the Marquis stood beneath the shadowed archway, their conversations stretched longer than intended.
"This is what happens when a throne tries to accept an unclean vessel," the Duke muttered bitterly. "Rot spreads."
"Quiet. Maurice," The marquis snapped under his breath. "These walls whisper."
The duke scoffed. "Let them. I am not afraid if my words reach his ears." His voice lowered with disdain. "An unfit ruler will be the downfall of this kingdom."
The marquis's clenched his fist.
"The crown hasn't even settled fully upon his head," the duke continued. "And already the kingdom is turning upside down."
A heavy silence followed, then the marquis spoke. His voice slow and calculated. "We will discuss this tonight."
He glanced down the corridor, then said quietly. "When the time is right, we make hay."
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The streets of Saenia glowed softly under the orange sun.
With each step she took, Ray felt the cool evening breeze brush against her cheeks.
After yesterday, she had taken a liking to walking through the town.
Lucian had initially ordered the carriage to take her home, but she had insisted on walking. Something about it felt grounding, real.
Ray watched the people pass by, merchants closing their stalls and children laughing as they chased one another through the streets carefree and alive.
Ray's heart hammered against her ribcage. Alright, she told herself. Phase three of the plan had begun. Take him on a stroll and seduce him.
They were strolling, so part of the plan was already in motion. Now what?
Do I flirt? How does one flirt with a Duke?
Ah, this wasn't as easy as I thought.
Ray cleared her throat, forcing her shoulders to relax. A small smile spread across her face, slightly stiff. "Isn't this fun?" She said, softly.
Her gaze stayed fixed on the street ahead. Not intentionally, just for safety. If she had looked at him for too long she was certain he would see straight through her facade. If possibly her soul.
Lucian turned his head toward her. He truly didn't understand her. What, exactly was fun about this?
The crowd?. The awkwardness?
The way she kept glancing everywhere but at him?
"If you truly wished to show your gratitude," he said, his voice flat. "There were more interesting ways to do so."
Ray blinked.
"Like what?" She asked, finally turned to face him. But instead, she got no response. Her smile wavered.
Ray's plan wasn't just a spontaneous burst of idea. It was something she had carefully picked, out of the many scenes she had written between Lucian and aleena in her story.
This was the part where he was supposed to be captivated. Mesmerized by the world, and by her.
But now, Lucian didn't slow down. He didn't pause. He seemed unimpressed.
"If you are done, we should start leaving." He said coldly, his voice unimpressed. "It's getting late"
Ray's heart skipped. He wasn't supposed to want to leave. This was the scene where he admired the city and fell in love with… aleena.
Is it because I'm not her?
The realization struck her than expected.
Lucian wasn't entirely rejecting her. He simply wasn't responding, in the way she had expected it to be.
Ray gulped and forced out a small laugh. "You're really not impressed, are you?"
Lucian remained silent for a while. "I don't dislike it," he said. "I simply don't understand why you brought me here."
Because you are supposed to see this..
Ray exhaled slowly. Then suddenly, she thought. How could I forget?
It wasn't the stroll alone, it was the setting. Her eyes suddenly lifted, scanning the road ahead then the buildings. Then her gaze fell, beyond the clustered rooftops. A narrow path was upward, toward higher ground. Visible, past the outer streets.
Ray's pulse increased. That's it.
In the original story, aleena hadn't stayed among the people, she had taken him above them. Somewhere quiet, somewhere high.
Ray abruptly came to a stop. Lucian took a few steps before he had noticed. He turned back toward her, his brows knitted in confusion. "What is it now?" he asked.
Ray looked up at him, her eyes brighter than before. "This isn't the place," she said instantly.
Lucian blinked. "Excuse me?"
Suddenly she grabbed on this hand. Pulling him along with her. "Come with me," she said. "There is a higher route."
Lucian's brows drew closer, but he didn't let go. Unsure of what she meant, but he realized something. Her expression had changed. She had no longer tried to charm him. No longer smiling just to smile.
She seemed certain.
Finally, they arrived at the path she had described. The higher route.
"This is it," Ray said, releasing Lucian's hand as she pointed ahead. Lucian's gaze left hers slowly, and settled on the scenery before them.
The sun glowed as it sank toward the horizon, clouds stretched wide in shades of purple and gold. Below, the city bloomed with life. Calm. Soft and peaceful.
Laughter was still heard upwards but faint and yet warm. Lucian went still.
Surprise flickered on his face, then something even quieter. Awe.
His gaze shifted to Ray, a bright smile on her lips. "Did you really bring me here, because you were grateful?" He asked.
Ray let out a small laugh and turned fully toward him. Then shook her head. "No," she said softly. "Because, this world is beautiful."
Lucian went silent. Whether it was the gentle breeze, or the way she smiled as she said it. Everything in that instant seemed to had slowed for a brief moment.
His eyes lingered on her for a little longer. His pulse quickened, before he finally spoke.
"Indeed," he said quietly. "It is beautiful."
As he slowly turned his gaze back to the sky.