Sam.
The sight of him ignited a storm of emotions in Verina—guilt, irritation, and a strange sense of unease. The last time they'd spoken had ended in biting words. She had pushed him away, but now, seeing him again, the tension in her chest tightened, the weight of words left unspoken bearing down on her.
"Verina," Sam said, his voice smooth as silk, but his eyes… his eyes held something darker, a secret she couldn't yet decipher. "It's been some time, hasn't it?"
"Sam," she replied, her voice steady despite the knot in her stomach. She wiped her hands on her apron, trying to distract herself from the swirling unease. "What brings you here? I thought you'd be too busy."
He shrugged, leaning casually against the counter. His posture was relaxed, but Verina noticed how his eyes were alert, watching her every move. "Just passing through. Heard the Archduke is in town. Thought I'd see how the locals are holding up."
Her brow furrowed at the mention of the Archduke. "What do you care about him? You weren't exactly his biggest supporter before winter."
"People change," Sam answered smoothly, but the edge in his tone was impossible to miss. His curiosity piqued. "I'm more interested in what you think of him."
A sudden wave of irritation swept over Verina, the words of the guard still echoing in her mind. "What do you want me to say? That I trust a noble who shows up while our soldiers are still dying on the front lines? It feels like a performance, a distraction from the war. Kindness can hide cruelty just as easily as a dagger conceals a blade. And this guard—"
Sam raised an eyebrow, intrigued by her sharp reaction, though the flicker of something unreadable in his eyes didn't escape her. "Such scepticism," he remarked, almost amused. "Maybe it's best to be sceptical of the smiles of nobility."
"You don't really believe that, do you?" she challenged, surprised by the sudden change in him. "I thought you were more idealistic."
"I can be both," he said with a sly smile, his eyes narrowing as if weighing her response. "Idealistic and realistic, depending on who's in the room."
Verina's confusion deepened. "What's changed?"
Sam's smirk faded, and for a moment, he seemed less like the easy-going young man she remembered and more like someone carrying a heavy burden. "Perhaps I've just learned to see things more clearly."
"Or maybe you just enjoy provoking me," she shot back, frustration mingling with curiosity. What had happened to him since their last encounter?
Before she could push further, Sam's tone turned more serious. "But tell me—did the Archduke's guard say anything interesting to you?"
Verina hesitated, the words of the guard ringing in her ears. "He… asked too many questions. More than he had any right to."
A spark of interest flared in Sam's eyes, but he quickly masked it. "Curious," he murmured. "What do you think he's after?"
"Not my problem," she replied tersely, though the unease gnawing at her was hard to ignore. "I'm not interested in their noble games."
He leaned closer, lowering his voice to a whisper that made her skin prickle. "Maybe this isn't just a game, Verina. Haven't you ever wondered if you were meant for something more?"
Her heart skipped, irritation flaring once more. "I've had enough of that suggestion for one day."
"From the guard?" Sam pressed, his voice tight with a sharp edge of curiosity.
"Don't start." She crossed her arms, the frustration in her voice cutting through the tension. "I don't need a lecture from you on my place in the world. I'm exactly where I want to be."
Sam's smile turned faintly mocking. "Alright, alright. Just thought you might consider it."
Before Verina could respond, the door swung open, and a blast of cold air swept into the room. She turned to face the new arrival, a figure stepping inside, the scent of fresh snow clinging to his cloak.
The guard from earlier stood in the doorway, his eyes scanning the room with an intensity that prickled the air.
"Seems I'm interrupting something," he said, his voice carrying an amused lilt as he stepped in, shaking off the snow. The moment he crossed the threshold, the atmosphere shifted. The earlier tension between Verina and Sam was replaced with something electric.
"Not at all," Sam replied, his expression neutral but his gaze unwavering. "We were just discussing the Archduke's visit."
The guard's eyes narrowed slightly. "I see. And what do you think of his intentions?"
"And what do you think?" Sam countered smoothly, his voice holding a subtle challenge.
The guard's jaw tightened, but he maintained a calm demeanour. "I think the Archduke is here for noble reasons. But it's hard to trust intentions in times like these. We must remain vigilant."
Sam's smile widened, though it didn't reach his eyes. "Vigilant, indeed. It's curious how those in power come to towns like this, offering support while their positions remain untouched. It's easy to be generous when you're untouchable."
The guard's face remained impassive, but Verina could feel the tension crackling between them. She quickly moved to prepare a drink for the guard, her hands trembling ever so slightly. As she served him a steaming cup of spiced tea, the warmth contrasted sharply with the cold that still lingered in the room.
"You must be cold," she murmured, her voice soft. "A little warmth won't hurt."
The guard took the tea with a curt nod, his gaze lingering on her for just a moment before he spoke again. "You're quite thoughtful, Miss Verina. It's rare to see such kindness in these times."
She forced a smile, though unease tightened around her chest. "Just trying to do my part," she replied, her tone light but guarded.
Sam's voice cut through the quiet, a note of suspicion threading through his words. "Interesting that she caught your attention," he said, eyeing the guard. "Is there a reason for that?"
Verina tensed at the remark, glancing at the guard. She couldn't tell whether Sam's comment was a jab at her or if he was genuinely suspicious of the man. Either way, the tension in the room grew thicker.
The guard's gaze flicked between them, his expression unreadable. "I'm observant by nature," he said, his voice low but firm. "It's my duty to notice things others might overlook. And Miss Verina… she carries herself in a way that stands out."
Verina stiffened, the hairs on the back of her neck rising. "I don't see how serving tea makes me remarkable," she said, her voice tight.
"Perhaps you underestimate yourself," the guard replied softly, his words carrying an unsettling weight. "Sometimes, the brightest lights are the ones who can't see their own glow."
Sam's laugh was harsh, mocking. "How poetic. Maybe you should leave the Archduke's service and try your hand at ballads."
"Sam, enough," Verina snapped, her patience fraying. "He's just here for tea."
But then the guard spoke again, and his words froze her in place.
"It's not just tea that brings me here," he said, his voice measured. "I'm here on a mission. I'm searching for someone—a young woman who is believed to be the Archduke's daughter."
The air in the room seemed to grow heavy, the weight of his words pressing down on Verina's chest. Her fingers clenched against the counter, and she felt Sam's presence tense beside her. The guard's gaze never left her.
"Missing daughter?" Sam echoed, his voice dripping with disbelief. "And you think this town is your best lead? Sounds like a wild goose chase."
The guard didn't flinch. "Sometimes, wild geese leave feathers behind," he replied coolly, his eyes never leaving Verina.
Her heart pounded, a flare of panic seizing her chest. Could the guard see through her carefully constructed facade? The thought was suffocating, the echoes of her mother's warnings filling her mind. Your father's world is not ours, Verina. You're better off never knowing.
"Why are you telling me this?" she asked, her voice calm but betraying the tension that coiled inside her. "What could this possibly have to do with me?"
The guard paused, his gaze narrowing. "Perhaps nothing. Perhaps everything. You resemble someone—a portrait I once saw in the Archduke's estate."
No. This can't be happening.
"You're mistaken," Verina replied, her voice steady, though her heart raced. "My family has no connection to the nobility."
The guard tilted his head, eyes narrowing as if trying to discern the truth beneath her words. "Is that so? Well...Perhaps I am mistaken. But if you hear anything—or remember something from your past—do let me know. It would be unwise to ignore such things."
Sam let out a brittle laugh. "Good luck with that. You might want to stop harassing the locals with your fantasies."
The guard's face remained impassive as he finished his tea, then placed the empty cup down. "Thank you for the tea, Miss Verina. I'll take my leave. But remember," he said as he turned toward the door. "Sometimes the truth is closer than we realize."
With a polite nod, he turned to leave, his steps slow and measured, each one leaving an echo that seemed to linger in the silence.
As the door swung shut behind him, the tension in the room remained palpable and thick. Verina turned to Sam, her voice sharp. "Why did you have to provoke him?"
Sam's tone shifted, jaw tightened. His words were sharper than before. "I don't trust him. And neither should you. Guards like him don't move without orders. Maybe he knows more about you than he's letting on."
His words sent a shiver through her. But as much as she wanted to brush off the guard's claims, doubt had already crept in. She knew very well about her true family ties, but Arckduke Aleris…
[No, I would not let some guard entice such suspicions.] Verina pressed her fingers to her temples, the weight of the conversation pressing down on her. "This is ridiculous. I'm not some noble's lost daughter."
"You don't know that," Sam countered. "And neither does he. But if there's even a shred of truth to what he said, you'd better be careful. Nobles don't take kindly to mysteries like you."
With that a flicker of unease surfaced. Sam's sharp remarks about the guard, his dismissal of the Archduke, and the way he spoke about noble affairs—it all seemed too practised, too knowing.
She narrowed her eyes at him, her tone shifting. "How is it," Verina said slowly, her eyes narrowing, "that you know so much about how nobles think? You talk as if you've walked among them."
Sam froze for just a fraction of a second—barely noticeable, but enough to stir her suspicion further. Then, he shrugged, his easy demeanour slipping back into place. "Let's just say I've learned to pay attention to the games people play. You'd be surprised how much you can see when you know where to look."
His answer was smooth, but it left her unsatisfied. As much as she wanted to let it go, a seed of doubt had already taken root. What was Sam hiding behind his quicksilver words? And, more pressingly, what steps would she have to take to survive in the world that is trying to consume her?