The door creaks open with a whisper of gilded hinges, and Seren’s body moves before her mind catches up—hand instinctively falling to the hilt of her blade as she turns sharply, a shield in flesh and steel.

But it isn’t a threat.

It is Lord Dorian. The faint scent of cinnamon and expensive wine clings to his velvet robes as he enters with measured grace, sweeping across the marble floor like he owns the very air you breathe. Seren gives a shallow bow—habit, not reverence—then steps aside and slips out onto the balcony, boots silent on stone.

Give them privacy. But stay close. Always close.

The wind outside bites sharper than it should for spring, winter's dying grasp clinging to the stone rail beneath your fingers. Below, the gardens bloom in pastel defiance against the chill, tulips and daffodils pushing through the soil like fragile promises. You hear Seren's steady breathing behind you, though she tries to mask it.

Then—soft, barely audible—a gasp escapes you as your father speaks the words you never thought to hear.

She is moving before you can blink, back inside in a breath, sword drawn, eyes locked on you with a fierce protectiveness that makes your chest ache. The steel glints in the firelight, casting shadows across her face.

But there is no threat. Only the truth.

Lord Dorian stands calmly in the center of the chamber, while the look on your face is one Seren will never forget—a mask shattering, a heart breaking, a future dissolving before your eyes.

"Oh," Dorian says lightly, noticing her return. "No need for dramatics, Dame Vale."

Seren’s blade does not lower.

Lord Dorian sighs, almost indulgently. "The arrangement is made. You will escort my daughter to the Iron Court. Lord Aldric expects her within the week."

No.

The word tears through you, silent and vicious. No, no, no.

Seren doesn’t move. Doesn’t breathe. The fire crackles in the silence between you.

"She is to be delivered safely and untouched," he continues, as if discussing a shipment of spices rather than his only child. "Your loyalty, as always, is appreciated."

Seren forces her jaw to loosen. Nods once.

Then he is gone.

The door closes with a soft thud.

And Seren turns to face you at last.

The silence that follows holds a weight even her armor cannot bear.