MasukCelesteHis sword dipped.Only by an inch.It was enough.I rolled toward my fallen weapon, fingers scraping across the hilt.Steel kissed my palm.I came up swinging.He barely managed to intercept the strike.The impact drove him back two steps.His injured shoulder sagged.The arrow protruded through the joint, the shaft trembling with every movement.Whoever had fired it knew exactly where to aim.Not to kill.To break his rhythm.Rage flashed across his face.He snapped the shaft with one hand and let the broken wood fall.The arrowhead remained buried beneath the armor.Ignoring the pain, he raised his sword again."You've got loyal soldiers.""So do you."Below us, someone shouted."Archers! Hold your fire!"Another voice answered from the enemy ranks."No one interferes!"Neither army moved.Hundreds watched from the blood-soaked hillside.No one dared dishonor the duel.The commander attacked again.His speed hadn't vanished.But it had changed.His left arm no longer moved f
CelesteOur swords met before either of us finished the first step.The impact echoed across the ridge.He drove forward.I gave ground.Not because I had to.Because I wanted him committed.His blade came from the left.I caught it.He reversed the strike instantly, aiming for my ribs.Steel scraped steel as I twisted my wrist.Sparks burst between us.He spun with the momentum, his cloak sweeping across the stones.The next strike came from an angle I'd never seen before.I barely caught it.The force numbed my fingers.He was changing his rhythm.No longer measured.No longer testing.He wanted this finished.Good.So did I.I stepped inside his guard.Our shoulders slammed together.His breath escaped in a sharp grunt.I drove the pommel of my sword toward his temple.He ducked.The blow glanced off his helmet instead.He answered with a savage knee to my stomach.Air exploded from my lungs.Pain folded through my body.I stumbled back.He didn't hesitate.His sword flashed again.
CelesteSteel met steel.The impact rang through my arm.He didn't test my guard.He attacked to kill.Three strikes came in quick succession.High.Low.Then a thrust aimed straight for my heart.I turned the blade aside and stepped to my left. The point slipped past my ribs close enough for me to feel the rush of air.Fast.Faster than anyone I'd faced in years.His sword flowed back into guard without a wasted movement.No flourish.No arrogance.Only precision.Good.Those were the opponents worth remembering.He advanced again.I answered.Our blades collided in a blur, each searching for an opening the other refused to give.Around us, the battle continued.The clash of armies faded beneath the sharp rhythm of steel striking steel.He feinted toward my shoulder.I didn't bite.Instead, I drove my boot into his knee.He twisted away before the kick landed cleanly, losing only a step.A small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth."You learn quickly.""I've had good teachers.""
Celeste The first volley struck before the echo of my command had faded.Arrows poured from the ravine in a black wave.The front ranks had nowhere to run.Men threw up shields. Others stumbled into those behind them. Horses screamed somewhere below as panicked handlers lost control.The enemy line folded in on itself."Second volley!" I shouted.The archers moved with practiced precision.Draw.Aim.Release.Another storm swept across the ridge.This time the arrows found gaps between shields. Soldiers dropped one after another, their careful formation dissolving into chaos.The commander reacted faster than most."Shields! Forward!" he roared.His officers repeated the order.Discipline returned in patches. Small groups locked shields together, creating pockets of resistance.Better than average.Still not enough."Mara."She was already moving.Her squad surged from the rocks on our left, slamming into the exposed flank before the enemy realized anyone had left cover.Steel rang t
Celeste The enemy kept climbing.One rank.Then another.Steel glimmered beneath the moonlight as shields rose over the lip of the ridge. Their commander was careful. He refused to rush, forcing his soldiers to secure every step before committing the next line.Smart.Very smart.I counted silently.Thirty.Forty.Fifty.Still not enough.Behind me, someone's breathing quickened."Captain..." Tomas whispered.I raised one finger.Wait.He fell silent.The enemy spread wider across the crest, expecting arrows that never came. They advanced cautiously, weapons drawn, eyes sweeping every shadow.One soldier kicked over an abandoned shield.Another prodded the ground with his spear."They really think we fled," Mara murmured."No," I whispered."They think we're hiding.""There isn't much difference.""There is."I watched their formation loosen."When people believe danger is close, they stay together.""And when they believe it's farther away?""They stop protecting each other."Almost
Celeste The silence that followed wasn't peace. It was calculation. Below us, torches shifted like restless stars across the hillside as enemy officers barked clipped orders. Lines dissolved, then reformed with unnerving precision. Wounded were dragged back. Fresh soldiers stepped forward without hesitation. "They're replacing the front rank," Tomas observed. "I see it." "They've got reserves." "They always did." The difference was that now they were using them properly. A horn echoed through the valley. Low. Long. Different from the earlier commands. Mara frowned. "New signal." "New commander," I guessed. The thought settled heavily in my chest. Whoever had been directing them before had learned from every exchange. If someone even more capable had taken over... Our window was closing. A runner approached from behind. "Captain." I turned. "The western watch reports movement through the trees." "How many?" "They couldn't tell. No torches." My stomach tightened.
CelesteCelia led me outside the pack house without saying a word.The moment we stepped into the open grounds, I felt it. The shift. The way people noticed me and then pretended not to. Workers paused in their tasks. Servants lowered their heads. Conversations stopped as if someone had pressed a h
CelesteThe castle felt unusually quiet that morning. The corridors, normally filled with servants and guards moving with purpose, seemed subdued, almost hesitant, as if even the walls were holding their breath. I walked slowly, my mind still caught between fragments of memory and the weight of tru
CelesteI did not go back to the east wing that day.As tempting as it was, I knew better. Discovering the truth was one thing. Acting without thought was another. Edgar was not careless, and neither could I afford to be.Instead, I stayed visible.That alone was a strategy.I attended breakfast in
Celeste The room was quiet, almost too quiet. The guard and the smaller figure sat against the wall, their faces pale, hands tense. Lyra had tied their hands securely, her movements careful, precise. She glanced at me, her eyes wide but steady. “They… they won’t try anything, right?” she asked n







