Chapter Five: The Girl Who Challenged a Prince.

Elara’s POV

Apparently, being summoned to the royal palace meant surrendering every reasonable freedom a person possessed.

At least, that was what Captain Rovan seemed to believe.

"Your Highness's instructions were clear," he reminded me as our carriage approached the market square of Briar Glen. "We are to proceed directly to the capital."

"I'm not the prince," I replied. "And unless the prince specifically forbade me from buying provisions, I see no reason why I shouldn't."

"Lady Elara—"

"Elara. Please. I'm not a lady."

Mira leaned forward from her seat, trying unsuccessfully to hide her grin.

Captain Rovan looked as though he regretted every decision that had brought him here.

"I will accompany you," he said finally.

"Wonderful. You can carry the flour."

His expression suggested that carrying flour was beneath his dignity.

Which, naturally, made me even more determined to buy some.

The market was unusually crowded. Merchants called out their prices, children darted between stalls, and villagers gathered in little groups to exchange rumours about the strange disturbances spreading through the kingdom.

I tried not to listen.

My journey to the capital had already been sufficiently unsettling without hearing more stories about disappearing roads and black flowers.

Mira, however, appeared fascinated.

"Did you hear about the miller's wheel turning backwards?"

"Yes."

"And the woman in Westmere who found frost in her bedroom?"

"Yes."

"And—"

"Mira."

She sighed. "You're becoming terribly boring."

I stopped beside a stall selling dried herbs and provisions.

"How much for the rosemary?"

The merchant named his price.

I frowned. "That's ridiculous."

"Then perhaps you should buy it somewhere else."

"I would, if every other merchant hadn't decided that travellers were made of gold."

Captain Rovan cleared his throat.

"Elara, we should leave."

"In a moment."

I reached for the sack of flour beside the stall.

At that precise moment, someone stepped backwards into my basket.

Three apples rolled across the ground.

"Oh, for goodness' sake!"

The man turned.

He was broad-shouldered, wearing a dark uniform and a sword at his hip. His expression immediately soured.

"Watch where you're standing."

I stared at him.

"You walked into me."

"Mind your tongue, girl."

I blinked.

My tongue?

I looked down at the apples, then back at him.

"Would you prefer I mind your feet instead? They seem to be the problem."

Mira made a noise that sounded suspiciously like a cough.

The guard stepped closer.

"Do you know who you're speaking to?"

"No. But judging by your manners, I doubt it's anyone particularly important."

A few nearby merchants suddenly became very interested in their merchandise.

Captain Rovan moved forward, but before he could intervene, another voice interrupted.

"That's enough."

The newcomer wore a dark travelling coat, his brown hair slightly dishevelled from the journey. His golden eyes settled first on the guard, then on the apples scattered across the ground.

"What's the trouble?"

The guard straightened immediately.

"Nothing, sir. The girl was being insolent."

I raised my eyebrows.

"That's an interesting way of describing someone who knocked over my basket."

The stranger glanced at me.

"Perhaps we can resolve this without insulting one another."

"Certainly. He can pick up the apples."

Silence.

Behind the stranger, a dark-haired man suddenly turned away, shoulders shaking.

Another man stood beside him, expression perfectly composed.

The stranger's mouth twitched.

"You seem determined to make this difficult."

"I wasn't aware picking up apples was difficult."

His golden eyes narrowed slightly.

Then, to my astonishment, he bent down and collected one.

"There. A peaceful resolution."

I accepted the apple.

"How generous."

The dark-haired man behind him finally laughed.

"Adrian," the stranger warned.

"Apologies. I'm finding the situation rather educational."

The stranger ignored him.

Instead, he looked at me more closely.

"Are you travelling to the capital?"

I hesitated.

"Why?"

"Curiosity."

"An unfortunate habit."

His companion laughed again.

The stranger's expression became faintly amused.

"Do you always speak to strangers like this?"

"Only the ones who ask too many questions."

Captain Rovan stepped forward.

"Elara, we really must—"

"Captain," the stranger interrupted, glancing at him. "She's entitled to a few minutes."

I frowned.

"Thank you, but I don't require permission to shop."

Something flickered in his expression.

Amusement, perhaps.

Or surprise.

"Clearly."

I turned back towards the merchant, determined to finish my purchases before the entire market decided to watch me argue with travellers.

Then the stranger asked, "What is your name?"

I looked over my shoulder.

"Elara."

The moment the word left my mouth, something changed.

His expression became completely still.

The amusement vanished from his eyes.

For one strange heartbeat, the market seemed distant, its noise swallowed by an invisible silence.

Beneath the stranger's sleeve, darkness shifted.

I saw it.

A thin shadow curled around his wrist before disappearing.

He stiffened.

And I felt something warm stir beneath my pendant.

The stranger stared at me as though he had just found something he had spent years searching for.

"Elara," he repeated quietly.

I frowned.

"Yes?"

He seemed to recover.

"Nothing."

I narrowed my eyes.

"That didn't sound like nothing."

Before he could answer, Mira grabbed my arm.

Her fingers tightened painfully.

"Elara."

"What?"

She leaned towards my ear.

"Do you know who that is?"

I glanced at the stranger.

"An irritating traveller?"

She pinched me.

"Ouch!"

"That's the crown prince."

My stomach dropped.

I looked at him again.

The golden eyes.

The expensive travelling coat.

The way the guards had immediately straightened.

Oh.

Oh, no.

The crown prince.

I had just argued with the crown prince.

And I had told him that his guard had terrible manners.

The prince watched my realisation unfold with an expression that was becoming increasingly suspicious.

"Something wrong?" he asked.

I straightened immediately.

"Your Highness."

He inclined his head.

"At least your friend knows who I am."

Adrian smiled broadly.

"I suspect she'll be reminding you of this encounter for quite some time."

"Adrian."

"Of course."

I wished the ground would open beneath me.

Unfortunately, it remained stubbornly solid.

The prince's gaze returned to mine.

"Now, perhaps you can answer my earlier question. Have you noticed anything unusual happening around Briar Glen?"

I hesitated.

The flower.

The whisper.

The symbol beside the well.

I didn't know whether I should tell him.

"Why are you investigating the disturbances?"

His expression changed.

"Because they're becoming more frequent."

For the first time, his voice held something other than amusement.

Concern.

And beneath his sleeve, I noticed the shadow move again.

He looked at me as though he recognised something I couldn't possibly understand.

Then he said quietly, "I believe you and I have much to discuss."

I stared at him.

"That sounds terribly inconvenient."

Adrian laughed.

And, despite everything, the prince smiled.

It was brief.

But it was real.

And somehow, that unsettled me more than his title ever could.