Все главы Blood and Moonlight : Глава 11 - Глава 20

The palace felt different the next morning. Quieter. Servants moved in hushed steps, their eyes darting toward the windows as if the night itself might still be watching. I couldn’t stop replaying the scene at the gate — the cloaked figures, the urgency in their voices, the way they’d slipped through Kael’s and Lucien’s reach as though they’d known every blind spot. It wasn’t just the danger that bothered me. It was the fact that they’d been here before. Kael was waiting outside my chamber when I emerged, arms folded, amber eyes shadowed from lack of sleep. His expression eased slightly when he saw me, but only slightly. “Breakfast,” he said, jerking his head toward the corridor. “And after that, we need to talk.” I followed him through the winding hallways, acutely aware of the soldiers posted at almost every turn. “Lucien doubling patrols?” I asked. “Tripling them,” Kael said grimly. “And I agree with him for once. Whoever those people were, they weren’t amateurs.” The wa

The next morning, the palace felt colder than usual. The winter sun cut sharp across the stone courtyards, but even its light seemed to falter against the shadow that had settled over the court. Whispers trailed me wherever I went, ghostly echoes of curiosity, jealousy, and fear. Kael’s warning from the previous night rang in my ears like a constant hum: “Stay where it’s safe.” But safety had become a flexible term. I had learned quickly that the palace offered very little of it anymore. I wrapped my shawl tighter around my shoulders as I moved through the corridors, my footsteps echoing softly over polished stone. Servants curtsied and murmured as I passed, eyes flicking nervously toward the windows. They had already begun noticing the subtle tension between the two men who followed me like shadows—Kael, protective and raw with fire barely restrained, and Lucien, whose gaze lingered too long and burned too brightly in a way that made me shiver even now. I was halfway down the hall

The morning sunlight was cruel that day. It poured through the tall windows of my chambers, casting long, sharp shadows across the floor, and yet it brought no warmth. I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, listening to the quiet hum of the palace as though it were holding its breath. Kael had been restless since yesterday’s encounter with Veyris’s hounds. I could see it in the way he moved—like a predator on edge, constantly scanning, constantly calculating. Lucien, meanwhile, had been unusually silent, his presence both comforting and infuriating in its ambiguity. He didn’t hover, but the intensity in his crimson gaze followed me wherever I went, making me hyperaware of every movement. I dressed quickly, pulling on the simplest of gowns, my mind churning. Today, Kael and I were supposed to meet with the council to discuss the security breaches, but I knew this wasn’t just about paperwork. Veyris was more than a threat—he was a storm, and I was caught in its center. As I stepped in

The courtyard still smelled faintly of blood. By morning, the stains were gone, scrubbed away by servants who moved in silence, but the memory clung to the air. I woke in my chambers to find my hands still trembling, my dreams tangled with images of crimson eyes and shadows curling like smoke. I had thought sleep would dull the fear. It didn’t. Kael stood by the window, arms folded, his amber eyes catching the pale light. He hadn’t changed from the night before, still in the same dark shirt, sleeves rolled to the elbow, sword belted at his side. He’d been here all night—I could tell by the stiffness in his shoulders, the faint dark circles under his eyes. “You’re awake,” he said, his voice low, almost relieved. I pushed the blankets aside. “You stayed.” “You think I’d leave you unguarded after that?” His jaw tightened. “Veyris isn’t finished. You saw that yourself.” I hesitated, then asked, “Why didn’t he just kill me last night? He could have.” Kael didn’t answer right away.

Chapter 19 – The Dawn Pact The first light of dawn crept through the window, brushing the edges of my chamber in gold. But it didn’t feel warm. It felt pale, fragile—like a candle flickering against a storm. I hadn’t slept. Not really. My body might have closed its eyes, but my mind stayed wide awake, tuned to the faint scrape of boots in the corridor. Kael was still there, a silent sentinel leaning against the wall outside my door. Every so often I’d hear the shift of leather as he adjusted his stance, but otherwise, nothing. It was strange, how comforting that quiet presence was. Even stranger how it unsettled me in a completely different way. When I finally opened the door, Kael straightened immediately, amber eyes sweeping over me with that assessing sharpness. “Morning,” I murmured. “You didn’t sleep,” he said flatly, like it wasn’t even a question. I raised an eyebrow. “Neither did you.” His lips twitched, but didn’t quite form a smile. “I’m used to it.” He stepped insi