CHAPTER 7: The Enemy Behind the Smile

By the time I reached the drawing room, I had already forced my expression into something calm and impenetrable.

​Years ago, Vivienne had taught me a painful, expensive lesson: Never let your enemies see what you're thinking.

​That lesson had eventually cost me my life.

​Sunlight streamed through the tall, arched windows as I crossed the threshold. Dust motes drifted lazily through the golden beams, and the comforting scent of fresh jasmine tea lingered in the air.

​Vivienne sat gracefully on one of the velvet sofas.

​At first glance, she looked precisely as she always had: breathtaking, flawless, and completely harmless. Golden hair cascaded over one shoulder in soft waves, and a pale blue dress hugged her figure with practiced elegance. Her posture was delicate enough to make every noble daughter in the kingdom burn with envy.

​In my first life, I had envied her too.

​Now, I knew better. A viper coiled beneath a bed of roses was still a viper.

​The moment she looked up and spotted me, her face lit up with radiant warmth. "Seraphina!"

​The affection in her voice would have fooled almost anyone in the realm.

​Almost.

​I remembered the execution square. I remembered her subtle, triumphant smile as the guards chained me to the stake. I remembered her standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Kael while the crowds cheered for my death.

​The memory hardened my spine into steel.

​"Vivienne."

​She rose instantly, gliding across the room to wrap her arms around me. The gesture looked effortless and sweet—to an outside observer, we were merely two devoted friends reuniting.

​But I felt the underlying tension in her muscles, the subtle, calculating grip of her fingers against my back. It was a performance, carefully calibrated for whoever might be watching.

​"My goodness," she said, pulling back to look at me, her hands resting lightly on my arms. "Everyone at court is talking about you."

​There it was. Straight to the point. Vivienne never wasted breath on idle pleasantries unless they served a purpose.

​"What are they saying?" I asked, keeping my tone mild.

​Her smile widened slightly, though it didn't reach her pale blue eyes. "That you were remarkably brave during the attack at the temple. That you saved dozens of lives."

​Not genuine relief. Not curiosity. Information gathering. She was measuring how much royal favor and attention I had accidentally bought myself.

​"I was simply standing in the right place at the right time," I replied smoothly.

​Her gaze searched mine, probing for cracks, hunting for the soft, eager girl who used to seek her approval. "I heard Prince Kael personally pulled you aside afterward."

​My pulse hit a sharp rhythm.

​So that’s why you’re here. Not out of concern for my safety, but because of Kael.

​Even now, years before she officially claimed her place at his side, she was watching his every move, fiercely protective of her investment.

​I forced a careless shrug. "It was merely formal questioning. Nothing important."

​A flash of cold irritation rippled behind her eyes, gone so quickly a casual onlooker would have missed it entirely. But I caught it.

​And suddenly, another piece of the past clicked into place: Vivienne became her most lethal whenever Kael’s attention drifted—even by an inch.

​My mother entered the drawing room before the conversation could tip into dangerous territory, a pair of servants trailing behind her with fresh tea and warm pastries. The brief distraction gave me time to gather my thoughts.

​Vivienne accepted her porcelain cup with practiced grace, taking a delicate sip before turning her sweetest smile toward my mother. "Aunt Lyra, do you mind if I borrow Seraphina for a short walk through the grounds?"

​My stomach dropped. Absolutely not.

​Yet refusing her out of nowhere would only raise flags I couldn't afford to wave.

​My mother beamed. "Of course, dear. It will do her good to get some fresh air."

​Wonderful.

​Five minutes later, I found myself walking down the gravel paths of our estate gardens beside the woman who had engineered my execution. Birds chirped in the manicured hedges, and the central fountain splashed rhythmically nearby. The scene was picture-perfect, but every instinct in my body screamed that I was walking through a minefield.

​Vivienne remained silent for several long moments.

​The quiet unnerved me. She preferred letting others fill uncomfortable silences, letting them babble until they accidentally handed her leverage.

​I kept my mouth shut.

​"You seem different, Seraphina," she remarked finally, her slippers crunching lightly on the gravel.

​"I've been told that a lot recently."

​"I'm serious." She stopped, turning to face me with a heavy, searching look. "You used to tell me everything."

​Because I used to believe you cared.

​I kept the bitter thought locked behind my teeth. "Events like yesterday have a way of forcing people to grow up quickly."

​The answer didn't satisfy her—I could tell by the tight line of her jaw—but she forced her soft, friendly mask back into place. "I suppose that's true."

​We resumed our pace, heading toward the quiet, secluded eastern edge of the garden. As we approached the tall iron fence bordering the outer woods, a rustle of leaves caught my attention.

​A servant stepped out from behind a tall boxwood hedge, carrying a bundle of dry branches.

​It shouldn't have been unusual, except I didn't recognize his face.

​That was impossible. I knew every groundskeeper, footman, and hand employed on our estate. This man was a complete stranger.

​His head remained lowered as he passed us on the narrow path. For a fraction of a second, as he tilted his chin, our eyes locked.

​Ice flooded my veins.

​Tattooed right behind his left ear was a tiny, jagged mark. Barely visible beneath his hairline, but utterly unmistakable: a crimson dragon coiled around a broken blade.

​The world seemed to lose its sound.

​The stranger continued walking without breaking stride, his expression completely blank, as if he hadn't just exposed a death sentence.

​My heart hammered against my ribs like a trapped bird. No. That can't be.

​The Crimson Dragon syndicate shouldn't be operating openly on private noble estates yet. Not this early in the timeline. Not here.

​Had they always been infiltrating my family's house without my knowledge? Or had my actions at the temple scrambled the timeline so violently that they were accelerating their deployment?

​"Seraphina?"

​Vivienne's voice snapped the tension.

​I realized I had halted mid-step, my body rigid. "What is it?" she asked, her eyes narrowing as she followed my gaze toward the departing servant.

​I forced my posture to relax, shaking my head. "Nothing. Just a sudden dizzy spell."

​Another lie she clearly didn't buy.

​Before she could press the issue, a sudden burst of shouting erupted near the front gate. Heavy, frantic footsteps echoed across the courtyard, followed by the clatter of iron guards' boots.

​Vivienne frowned, her delicate composure slipping into annoyance. "What on earth is that noise?"

​I turned toward the commotion just as a lathered horse burst through the iron gates, its rider leaning low over the reins. The animal was exhausted, white foam flaking from its bit as the rider yanked it to a harsh stop near the main entrance.

​Even from a distance, the crimson and gold cloak was undeniable.

​A royal messenger.

​The guard captain rushed to the horse's side, catching the rider as he nearly collapsed out of the saddle. "What's happened?"

​The messenger gasped for air, his voice carrying clearly across the quiet gardens. "The royal carriage! Prince Kael has been ambushed on the north road!"

​The garden fell dead silent.

​Vivienne's face drained of all color.

​My chest constricted, my pulse roaring in my ears. Ambushed? Again?

​That was completely wrong. Kael was never attacked on the north road in my previous life.

​The messenger swallowed hard, clutching his side. "The attackers... they used black fire. The prince's guard is holding, but the road is cut off!"

​A cold dread crawled up my spine.

​The Crimson Dragon wasn't waiting for the formal ceremonies anymore. They were ripping up the script.

​And the war that had taken five years to destroy my world was starting today.