Chapter 9

The air in the royal courtyard felt heavy that evening, like the moon itself was pressing its weight onto the earth. The lamps along the stone path flickered with a soft golden light, casting long shadows over the trimmed hedges.

I shouldn’t have been out here. I knew that. But staying in my chambers all day was like being a bird in a cage — pretty to look at, utterly useless.

Kael had told me earlier that morning, “Stay where you’re safe, Astrid. Don’t wander.”

Naturally, I took that as: Please go wander when I’m not looking.

My slippers crunched softly on the gravel, and I tugged my shawl closer around my shoulders. It wasn’t even cold, but sometimes the palace air made me shiver. Maybe it was the way the stone walls seemed to listen.

A sound caught my ear. Not footsteps — too soft for that — more like the faint brush of fabric against stone. I turned sharply, eyes scanning the darkness.

And then I heard it again.

My name.

“Astrid.”

Lucien stepped into view from behind one of the marble columns, his pale skin catching the moonlight like polished porcelain. His crimson eyes locked onto me, and I felt my chest tighten — not from fear exactly, but from the way he seemed to see me.

“You shouldn’t be walking alone.” His voice was low, like silk dragged across skin. “Especially when whispers are spreading faster than the wind.”

I tilted my head. “Whispers? About me?”

A faint, humorless smile curved his lips. “The court has decided you are... interesting. A novelty. A puzzle to be solved.”

I swallowed. “And that’s a bad thing?”

Lucien took a step closer, the faint scent of cold steel and roses surrounding him. “When nobles whisper, it is rarely harmless.” His gaze flickered briefly toward the dark hedges behind me. “Some are curious. Some are jealous. And some,” his voice dropped even lower, “want you gone.”

Before I could reply, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed from the archway. Kael emerged, his chest rising and falling as though he’d been searching for me. His eyes, warm amber in the lamplight, immediately locked onto Lucien.

“Why is she out here with you?” His tone was sharp, but it wasn’t directed at me — not entirely.

Lucien’s expression didn’t change. “Because she wanted fresh air. And because I was already here to make sure she wasn’t... interrupted.”

Kael stepped forward until he was standing between us. The sheer size of him, all muscle and strength, made the space feel suddenly smaller. “I told you to stay in your chambers,” he said to me, but his voice had softened just slightly.

I crossed my arms. “You also told me not to wander. Technically, I’m in the courtyard. That’s still inside.”

His jaw tightened, but there was a flicker of amusement in his eyes. “You’re impossible.”

Lucien chuckled — a dark, knowing sound. “She’s independent.”

That only made Kael’s shoulders tense more. “And you — stay away from her when I’m not around.”

I looked between them. “I’m sorry, but... are you two actually going to fight over who gets to babysit me?”

Kael didn’t answer, and Lucien simply smiled as though I’d said something amusing.

Before the moment could escalate, a sudden movement caught my attention at the edge of the courtyard — a shadow slipping between the hedges. It was too fast to be a servant, too deliberate to be random.

“Did you see that?” I whispered.

Kael instantly turned, his senses sharp. “Stay here,” he ordered, already moving toward the shadows.

Lucien’s hand brushed my arm, stopping me from following. “Let him handle it. You’d only slow him down.”

“I’m not useless,” I snapped.

“No,” he agreed softly, “but you’re valuable. And that makes you a target.”

The words made my skin prickle.

Kael returned a few minutes later, his brow furrowed. “Nothing. Whoever it was, they’re gone.”

“Or they were never meant to be caught,” Lucien murmured.

Kael shot him a look. “Not helping.”

“I wasn’t trying to,” Lucien replied, almost lazily.

The tension between them was so thick I could have cut it with a butter knife. Part of me wanted to tell them both to grow up. The other part... well, the other part was too busy noticing how close Kael had moved to me, the faint brush of his arm against mine, the way his warmth contrasted Lucien’s icy presence.

“Let’s go back inside,” Kael said firmly.

We walked in tense silence back toward the palace. Lucien stayed a few paces behind, his gaze on me the entire time, as though memorizing every step I took.

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Later that night, I sat by the window in my chambers, looking out over the moonlit gardens. My shawl was still draped around my shoulders, but it did little to keep out the chill that had nothing to do with the temperature.

There was something out there. Someone. And I wasn’t sure if Kael and Lucien were protecting me from it — or from each other.

A soft knock sounded at the door.

“It’s me,” Kael’s voice came, low but steady.

I let him in, and he stepped inside, glancing around the room like he expected danger to be hiding under the bed. “You need to take this seriously, Astrid. That shadow tonight... it wasn’t just a servant out late. It was watching you.”

I hesitated. “Do you think it’s one of the court nobles?”

“Maybe.” He moved closer, his presence filling the space. “Or maybe it’s someone outside the court who’s managed to get in.”

For a moment, we just stood there, the silence between us heavy but not uncomfortable. I noticed the faint scratch on his forearm, probably from chasing the shadow earlier.

“You’re hurt,” I said softly.

“It’s nothing,” he replied.

“Still,” I murmured, reaching out before I could stop myself. My fingers brushed over his skin, and he went very still. His gaze dropped to where my hand lingered, and for a heartbeat, the air between us felt charged — like standing on the edge of something I couldn’t name.

He stepped back suddenly, clearing his throat. “Get some sleep.”

Before I could say anything, he left, the door clicking shut behind him.

I turned back to the window, my heart still racing. Down in the courtyard, a figure lingered at the edge of the shadows, watching the palace.

And even from here, I could swear I saw a flash of crimson eyes.

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