Elara’s POV
I woke to the smell of herbs and clean linen.
For a moment, I didn’t remember where I was. My body felt heavy, limbs weighed down as if I had been submerged in water for too long. Then the ache crept in—behind my eyes, along my spine, deep in my chest where breath felt slightly too tight.
“Elara.”
Dani’s voice cut through the haze.
I turned my head slowly and saw him sitting beside the bed, his large hands folded together like he was afraid to touch anything. His face was drawn, eyes rimmed red, the kind of exhaustion that came not from lack of sleep but from too much fear carried too long.
“Dad,” I whispered.
He surged forward instantly, gripping my hand with both of his. “You scared me half to death.”
“I’m fine,” I said automatically, though my voice came out thin. “Just tired.”
“You collapsed,” he said. “In front of half the court.”
I swallowed. “Embarrassing.”
He didn’t smile.
Beside him, another presence shifted.
Caden stood near the window, arms crossed, posture rigid, gaze fixed anywhere but on me. The light from outside cut sharp lines across his face, emphasizing how closed off he looked, how carefully contained.
The sight of him sent a strange twist through my chest.
“You shouldn’t be here,” I said quietly.
“I brought her here,” Dani said at the same time, his tone firm. “I’ll decide who stays.”
Caden inclined his head slightly. “Of course.”
Silence settled, thick and uncomfortable.
“I just fainted,” I said, trying to lighten it. “It happens.”
“It doesn’t happen when someone is being pushed past their limits,” Dani replied.
I squeezed his hand. “Please don’t make this into something bigger than it is.”
His jaw tightened. “This palace is already bigger than you.”
Before I could respond, Caden spoke. “She needs air.”
Dani looked up sharply. “What?”
“Fresh air,” Caden repeated. “Crowds make it worse.”
I blinked, surprised. “I don’t—”
“I’ll go with her,” Caden added. “Briefly.”
Dani hesitated, eyes flicking between us. Something like reluctance warred with trust. Finally, he nodded once. “Don’t go far.”
“We won’t,” Caden said.
Outside, the capital unfolded around us in stark contrast to the palace’s suffocating grandeur. Stone streets buzzed softly with life, merchants calling out, people bowing as Caden passed. I felt eyes on me everywhere—curious, judgmental, speculative.
I hated how exposed it made me feel.
We walked in silence at first.
“So,” I said eventually. “This is what normal people see when they look at you.”
He didn’t respond.
“Did you grow up here?” I pressed. “In the city.”
“No,” he said curtly.
“In the palace?”
“Yes.”
I frowned. “That explains a lot.”
He shot me a look. “Careful.”
“I’m serious,” I said. “It’s like you were raised inside walls instead of among people.”
His jaw flexed. “People disappoint.”
“That’s not an answer,” I said.
“It’s the only one you’ll get.”
We passed a group of children playing near a fountain. They paused to stare at us, whispering excitedly. One of them waved at Caden. He didn’t wave back.
“Were you lonely?” I asked softly.
He stopped walking.
I immediately regretted it.
“That’s none of your concern,” he said flatly.
“I didn’t mean it as an insult,” I said. “Just… curiosity.”
He turned away. “Curiosity is dangerous.”
“So is silence,” I countered.
Before he could respond, a guard approached and murmured something urgently to him. Caden’s expression darkened.
“Stay here,” he ordered.
“I can handle myself,” I said.
“I know,” he replied. “That’s the problem.”
He disappeared around a corner, leaving me alone beneath an archway.
I barely had time to process the quiet before a shadow moved beside me.
A woman stepped out from behind a column, cloaked in dark fabric, her hood drawn low. My instincts screamed danger before my mind caught up.
“Don’t scream,” Arinelle said calmly.
My blood ran cold.
“What are you doing here?” I demanded, glancing around.
“Walking,” she replied lightly. “Just like you.”
“You shouldn’t be seen,” I said.
She smiled beneath the hood. “Neither should you.”
I backed away a step. “Stay away from me.”
“You’re very brave,” Arinelle said. “Or very foolish.”
“What do you want?” I asked, my heart hammering.
She moved closer, her voice dropping. “Your cooperation.”
“I don’t have it,” I snapped.
“You do,” she said. “You just haven’t realized it yet.”
She leaned in, her words sharp as knives. “Your father is very easy to ruin.”
My breath hitched.
“His reputation,” she continued. “His livelihood. His life.”
“Leave him alone,” I whispered.
“That depends,” she replied. “Disappear quietly, and he remains untouched.”
“And if I don’t?” I asked.
Her smile was vicious. “I will make sure he suffers for every breath you take here.”
Something inside me shattered.
I thought of Dani’s hands, rough and warm. Of his tears in the corridor. Of all the years he had protected me.
“I’ll go,” I said hoarsely. “I’ll leave.”
Arinelle straightened, satisfied. “Good girl.”
She turned and vanished into the crowd as easily as she had appeared.
My knees nearly gave out.
“Elara.”
Caden’s voice.
I turned slowly.
He stood a few paces away, his face pale, his eyes dark with something I had never seen before.
He had heard everything.
And suddenly, there was nowhere left to run.