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Chapter 6 - WHISPERS AND WATCHERS

Seraphina

Talon Redgrave became my shadow.

Three days had passed since our sparring match, and everywhere I went, he was there. Watching. Waiting. Testing.

"Morning, Seth," he said as I entered the dining hall, his amber eyes tracking my every move. "Sleep well? No bad dreams about village life?"

I kept my expression neutral. "Slept fine, thank you."

"Funny thing about village life," Talon continued, falling into step beside me. "I've traveled through most of the northern settlements. Millbrook included. Can't say I remember any families named Thornbrook there."

My blood chilled, but I kept walking. "It's a common name. Easy to overlook."

"Is it?" His smile was all teeth, no warmth. "I have an excellent memory for names. And faces."

Before I could respond, a heavy hand landed on Talon's shoulder.

"Redgrave." Kieran's voice was quiet, but something in his tone made several nearby cadets step back. "Don't you have somewhere else to be?"

Talon's perfect features hardened. "Just making conversation with our mysterious friend here."

"Find someone else to talk to."

The two of them stared at each other, golden boy and silver-haired champion. The air between them crackled with tension. Other cadets sensed it too, conversations dying as heads turned our way.

"Careful, Stormbane," Talon said softly. "People might think you're playing favorites with the village boy."

"People might think a lot of things." Kieran's pale eyes never wavered. "Most of them would be wrong. Now move along."

For a heartbeat, I thought Talon might push it further. His hands clenched into fists, and I could see him weighing his chances against the kingdom's most famous young warrior.

Common sense won. Talon stepped back with a mocking bow.

"Of course. Wouldn't want to keep you from your... mentoring duties."

He walked away, but not before shooting me a look that promised this wasn't over.

"Thanks," I said quietly to Kieran.

He grunted, already turning back to his breakfast. "Just eat your food. We have combat drills in twenty minutes."

But I caught something in his expression, a flicker of concern that made my chest tight for reasons I didn't want to examine. The morning drills were brutal. Master Aldwin put us through formation fighting, where small groups had to work together to overcome larger forces. It required trust, timing, and perfect coordination.

I found myself paired with Kieran and two other cadets against a team of six. The odds should have been impossible.

"Seth, take point," Kieran commanded as we faced our opponents. "Draw their attention. Marcus and Finn, flank left and right when they commit. I'll come through the center."

"Draw their attention how?" I asked, gripping my practice sword.

"However you managed to beat Talon. Use your speed."

The signal came, and chaos erupted. Six opponents rushed us like a human avalanche. I darted forward, staying just out of reach, forcing them to chase me in a ragged line instead of maintaining their formation.

"Now!" Kieran shouted.

Marcus and Finn struck from the sides while Kieran crashed through the middle like a steel thunderbolt. In seconds, half our opponents were down. But one of them got lucky. His wooden sword caught me across the shoulder, spinning me off balance. I stumbled, my guard dropping just as another blade swept toward my ribs.

Kieran appeared between us like magic, his sword deflecting the strike. But the movement brought us close together, closer than we'd ever been. I could smell leather and steel on him, I could see the pale stubble along his jaw.

"Your stance is wrong," he said, his voice rougher than usual. "Here."

His hands covered mine on the sword grip, adjusting my fingers. His chest pressed against my back as he guided my arms into the proper position.

"Feel the balance," he murmured, his breath warm against my ear. "The sword should be an extension of your arm, not a separate weapon."

Every nerve in my body came alive. This was dangerous, more dangerous than any sparring match or suspicious question. The way my heart raced when he touched me, the way his nearness made my thoughts scatter like leaves...

"Better?" he asked, his hands still covering mine.

I couldn't speak. Could barely breathe. So I nodded. He stepped back abruptly, as if burned. For just a moment, his pale eyes met mine, and I saw something there that made my stomach flip.

"Good," he said, his voice carefully controlled. "Practice that grip tonight."

Then he was gone, barking orders at the other cadets, leaving me standing there with my heart pounding and my hands still tingling from his touch.

"Well, well," Elias said, appearing at my elbow with his usual grin. "That was interesting."

"What was?" I tried to sound casual.

"Our famous Kieran, getting all hands-on with his teaching." Elias waggled his eyebrows. "He's never done that with anyone else."

Heat flooded my face. "He was just correcting my form."

"Sure he was." Elias chuckled. "And I'm the High King's long-lost brother. Face it, little bird, you've caught his attention. The question is, what are you going to do about it?"

Nothing. I was going to do absolutely nothing about it, because getting involved with Kieran Stormbane was the fastest way to expose my secret and get myself killed.

But that didn't stop me from replaying the moment over and over as we finished training. Lunch was a welcome distraction from my churning thoughts. I sat with Elias and a group of other cadets, listening to their jokes and complaints about the morning's drills. For a few minutes, I could almost forget about Talon's suspicious questions and Kieran's lingering touches.

Then the dining hall doors burst open.

A royal messenger strode in, his blue and gold uniform spotless despite the road dust on his boots. The hall fell silent as hundreds of cadets turned to stare.

"By order of His Majesty King Aldwin the Third!" the messenger announced, his voice carrying to every corner of the vast room. "All citizens are commanded to aid in the search for a fugitive!"

My fork clattered to my plate. Around me, cadets leaned forward with interest, but I felt like I was drowning.

"The runaway betrothed of Lord Magnus Blackclaw!" the messenger continued. "Lady Seraphina of House Ravencrest, fled her lawful marriage and is considered dangerous!"

No. Oh gods, no.

"She may be disguised!" The messenger began unrolling a large parchment. "All are commanded to examine this likeness and report any suspicious persons!"

The world tilted around me. This was it. This was how it ended. In a few seconds, my face would be displayed for hundreds of people to see. Someone would recognize me. Someone would remember the thin boy with the soft hands and nervous manner.

The portrait unfurled with agonizing slowness. I forced myself to look, my heart hammering against my ribs.

The face staring back from the parchment was beautiful, aristocratic, and utterly feminine. Long dark hair framed delicate features. Jewels glittered at the throat. It was everything I'd been three weeks ago, everything I'd left behind. But it wasn't me. Not anymore.

The artist had painted Lady Seraphina Ravencrest in all her noble finery. The girl in the portrait looked soft, sheltered, exactly like what she was supposed to be a nobleman's pampered daughter. Seth Thornbrook, the scrawny village boy with chopped hair and calloused hands, bore little resemblance to that painted lady.

Still, I couldn't risk it. I ducked my head and concentrated on my food, trying to look bored by the whole affair.

"Pretty little thing," someone said at the next table. "Wonder what she did to make Magnus Blackclaw so angry."

"Probably refused to share his bed before the wedding," another cadet laughed. "I hear he likes them broken in early."

"Can you blame her for running?" a third voice added. "Magnus has a reputation for being... rough with his wives."

The conversation continued, but I stopped listening. Blood roared in my ears as I fought to stay calm, to keep breathing normally.

"Anyone with information will be rewarded!" the messenger concluded. "The girl is considered extremely dangerous and should not be approached directly!"

Dangerous. If they only knew how right they were. Gradually, the dining hall returned to its normal noise level. Cadets went back to their meals and conversations. The crisis had passed.

Or so I thought. When I finally dared to raise my head, I found myself looking directly into Kieran Stormbane's piercing blue eyes.

He was staring at me from across the hall, his expression unreadable. But there was something in his gaze, a sharp intelligence, a careful consideration that made my blood turn to ice water. Our eyes met and held. I wanted to look away, knew I should look away, but I couldn't move.

Kieran's gaze didn't waver. Didn't shift. Didn't blink. He knew..

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