Vesper's lips curved into a smirk. They walked side by side down the academy's cobblestone path, his crimson eyes gleaming with amusement.
"Try a teenager who outsmarted the entire Empire."
Blazar blinked, her mouth falling open slightly.
"Night's the same age as me, and well, the rest of the kings. Started with nothing." Vesper's pace slowed as they walked beneath the arched walkway.
"No name, no title, just a brave heart and a willingness to do what others wouldn't. While the Pentarch heirs were still training in their castles, before our fathers' deaths, Night was already building his own kingdom—right under the Empire's nose. He was approximately sixteen then."
He paused, running his fingers through his red hair. Blazar found herself moving closer as they walked, drawn by the casual way he told the story.
