The palace corridors were quieter than the training grounds. Xerxus walked ahead with his hands folded behind his back, while Kota and Leiya followed a few steps behind.
For several moments, Xerxus said nothing.
Kota noticed. Leiya noticed too, but neither interrupted him.
Eventually, Xerxus stopped and turned around.
"Why did you give up?" he asked.
Kota looked at him. "I was tired," he replied.
Xerxus studied him carefully. "I watched the entire fight. You were faster than Remi. You avoided his attacks with ease. Even when he caught you, you slipped away without difficulty. You could have continued."
"I was reaching my limit," Kota answered.
Xerxus's eyes narrowed. "Your physical limit?" he pressed.
"Yes," Kota said.
"And if you hadn't stopped?" Xerxus asked.
Kota looked down at his hand, his fingers curling slightly. "I would have hurt myself," he muttered.
The corridor fell quiet.
Xerxus studied him. There was no hesitation in the answer, no attempt to hide it. But there was still something Kota wasn't saying.
Xerxus could feel it. He simply didn't know what it was.
"Very well," he said after a moment. "You've given me an answer. I'll accept it for now."
Kota raised an eyebrow. "For now?" he asked.
Xerxus gave him a faint smile. "I'm still king. That means I'm allowed to remain curious."
Leiya couldn't help but smile faintly. Kota sighed. "Fine," he said.
They continued down the corridor. After several turns, Xerxus stopped in front of another set of doors.
"There is something else we need to discuss," he said.
Kota looked at the doors. "What?" he asked.
"Your supervision," Xerxus answered.
Kota's expression flattened. "I thought we already settled that."
"We did. But now that you've demonstrated what you're capable of, the arrangement needs to be more direct." Xerxus replied.
Xerxus opened the doors.
Two guards stood waiting outside.
Kota recognized them from the group of guards stationed at the gates when he had first entered Solstia.
"Bijan and Jarek" Xerxus called.
Bijan stepped forward. "Yes, Your Majesty," he answered.
Jarek bowed his head. "Your Majesty," he said.
Xerxus looked toward Kota. "These two will be responsible for keeping an eye on you while you're in Solstia."
Kota looked at both guards. "For how long?" he asked.
"Until I decide otherwise," Xerxus replied.
Kota looked back at Xerxus. "So I'm being watched."
"You're being supervised," Xerxus corrected.
"Sounds the same," Kota muttered under his breath.
"It isn't," Xerxus said firmly.
Kota glanced at Bijan and Jarek again. "What exactly are they supposed to do?" he asked.
"Make sure you don't disappear," Xerxus ordered.
"I don't disappear," Kota answered flatly.
Leiya looked at him. "You disappeared during your fight," she pointed out.
"That was different," he said, a little sharper than usual.
"How?" she asked.
"I was fighting," Kota replied, almost dismissive.
Leiya opened her mouth, then stopped. She had no answer for that.
Xerxus almost smiled. "Bijan and Jarek aren't here to restrict you. They're here to make sure you don't wander into something you shouldn't."
Kota looked toward the hallway behind them. "And if I do?" he asked.
"Then they'll stop you," Xerxus said.
Kota's eyes returned to Xerxus. "And if they can't?"
Xerxus held his gaze. "Then you'll have given me another problem to solve."
Kota stared at him for a moment before turning away. "Fine," he muttered.
Bijan stepped back into position. Jarek did the same.
Kota walked past them with Leiya beside him. Neither guard followed immediately. They waited for Xerxus's signal.
"Stay close," Xerxus ordered.
"Yes, Your Majesty," they answered together.
Kota continued down the corridor. Leiya followed.
After a few seconds, Bijan and Jarek began walking behind them.
Kota's steps were steady, but not quite normal. Every few paces his right hand twitched once, a small residual tremor from earlier, before it settled again.
Leiya noticed.
She also noticed something else.
For a fraction of a second, as the light from the high windows passed over him, Kota's outline seemed to flicker or faint, almost like heat rising off stone. It was gone so quickly she almost believed she'd imagined it.
She said nothing.
Behind them, Xerxus remained in the doorway, watching Kota, Leiya, and the two guards move down the corridor.
He was faster than Remi, he thought. Precise. Controlled. And he still chose to stop.
His fingers curled slightly against the doorframe.
What exactly are you protecting by holding back?
Kota could hear their footsteps. He didn't turn around.
"They're following us," Leiya whispered.
"I know," Kota answered quietly.
"You're not bothered?" she asked, watching him closely.
"Not in the slightest, he replied.
"Really?" she pressed, clearly not buying it.
Kota glanced back. Bijan met his eyes for only a moment before looking forward again.
Kota turned away. "They can watch," he said.
Leiya studied him. "You're surprisingly calm about this," she said.
Kota shrugged. "I have nothing to hide."
Before Xerxus could dwell on it any further, footsteps approached from the opposite end of the corridor.
Rhen appeared and stopped when he saw Xerxus.
"Your Majesty," he said.
Xerxus turned. "What is it?"
Rhen hesitated for a moment. "I just received word. Your family is returning from Onyxville."
Xerxus's expression changed. "Already?" he asked.
"They should arrive within the next few days," Rhen reported.
Xerxus looked down the corridor where Kota had disappeared. "It has been months since we've seen them."
"Yes. They've been in Onyxville for quite some time," Rhen confirmed.
Xerxus exhaled quietly. "I suppose it was only a matter of time."
Rhen nodded. "Do you want the palace prepared for their arrival?"
"Yes," Xerxus said.
Xerxus paused, then looked toward the corridor again.
"And don't tell Kota yet." Xerxus added.
Rhen raised an eyebrow. "Why?" he asked.
"Because I want him settled before he has another thing to worry about."
Rhen gave a small nod. "Understood."
Xerxus turned back toward the empty hallway.
His family was coming home.
And soon, the palace would be very different.
Kota continued down the corridor with Leiya beside him, the sound of Bijan and Jarek's footsteps following close behind.
Then he stopped.
Leiya looked at him. "What?" she asked.
"Hold on," Kota said. "Someone's coming."
His eyes shifted toward the far end of the corridor.
Nothing. No movement. No sound.
Then Jaeger appeared beside him.
Leiya turned sharply. "Jaeger?" she said, surprised.
Jaeger glanced toward her before looking past them at Bijan and Jarek.
"New company?" he asked.
Kota looked back at the two guards. "Apparently," he said.
Jaeger's expression remained unreadable.
Kota studied him. "You're back early."
"I found something," Jaeger said. "Didn't want to stay out longer than I had to."
Kota's eyes sharpened.
Jaeger looked down the hall, then back at him. "I'll tell you when we get to the room."
Kota nodded once.
They kept walking. Bijan and Jarek stayed a few steps behind, following without a word.