Leorick's mind was tangled in knots, the High Priest's words ringing in his ears. The prophecy had changed. Seraphine had been the one to cure him—he was certain of it. But now, there was a new girl, one the High Priest swore was the true key to his salvation. He had lived through this once, and yet everything was different.
In his past life, there had been no mention of this new girl, no sudden shift in fate. Everything he had fought for, everything he believed in, felt shattered.
The air in the palace had grown heavy, charged with uncertainty. And now, as Leorick stood in the grand hall, he couldn't help but feel a growing unease about the girl who was supposed to heal him.
Aelina entered, her soft steps almost dainty as she made her way to the center of the room. Her wide, innocent eyes seemed to shine with sincerity, her delicate frame wrapped in simple white robes. She curtsied in front of him, her demeanor demure and sweet, but it was impossible for Leorick to ignore the subtle glint in her eyes.
"Your Majesty," Aelina said, her voice high-pitched, almost musical. "It is an honor to meet you. I've heard so much about your curse... I am here to help."
Leorick's gaze lingered on her for a moment, studying the soft, innocent smile on her lips. She looked every bit the part of a humble maiden, but something about her didn't sit right with him.
Her eyes flickered toward Seraphine, who stood a few paces behind him. Aelina's smile widened, just slightly, before her attention returned to Leorick. "I understand the weight of your condition, Your Majesty. I'll do everything in my power to heal you."
---
Over the next few days, Leorick observed Aelina closely. On the surface, she was everything she appeared to be—soft-spoken, kind-hearted, and endlessly polite. She treated Seraphine with a fake respect, addressing her with the same formal courtesy one would show to royalty, but the tension between them was palpable.
"You're so kind, Lady Seraphine," Aelina said one afternoon, offering a sweet smile. "I've heard of your devotion to His Majesty, truly. You must be such a strong woman, to bear such responsibility."
Seraphine's lips tightened, her discomfort barely concealed. "I do what I can."
Aelina's gaze never left her, too innocent in its sweetness, but the undercurrent of something sharp—something almost mocking—was unmistakable.
"You must be so relieved," Aelina continued, her voice soft like a whisper, "that now someone proper will take care of His Majesty's curse. No more worries. No more struggles."
Leorick watched the exchange in silence, his stomach churning. There was something deeply unsettling about Aelina's honeyed words. She spoke with such innocence, but her eyes held a quiet challenge, as if daring Seraphine to say something.
---
The days grew more tense as Aelina's presence became a constant in their lives. She insisted on participating in every treatment, subtly taking charge of the process, her gentle hands lingering just a little too long as she prepared the remedies for Leorick's curse.
Seraphine stood at a distance, her expression unreadable, but Leorick could see the strain in her eyes. He had never seen her so uncertain, so vulnerable.
One evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon, Leorick found himself in the royal garden, walking alone, trying to sort through the thoughts racing through his mind.
"Your Majesty," Aelina's soft voice interrupted his thoughts.
He turned to find her standing a few feet away, her head tilted slightly, her innocent smile as bright as ever.
"You're alone," she said, her tone almost innocent in its concern. "I thought perhaps you needed company."
"I do not mind solitude," Leorick replied coolly.
She took a step closer, her steps so light it was as if she floated rather than walked. "But solitude can be... lonely, don't you think? Especially when the ones who care for you are so distant."
Leorick's brow furrowed. He had heard the subtle accusation in her words, and it left him uneasy.
"You need not concern yourself with such matters," he said, keeping his voice steady.
Aelina's smile softened, almost like a child trying to coax him into something. "I'm only here to help you, Your Majesty. To heal you... to make things right. Perhaps, in time, you'll see that I'm the one you truly need."
Her eyes glinted with something sharp, something far darker than the innocence her appearance suggested.
---
Leorick couldn't shake the nagging feeling that Aelina was playing a dangerous game. Despite her sweet persona, there was something about her that rubbed him the wrong way. The way she kept weaving herself into every conversation, how she subtly undermined Seraphine's efforts with every word.
He caught her one night, just before the bell rang for curfew, standing by the window, gazing out at the darkened courtyard. Her expression was distant, almost predatory, and when she turned to meet his gaze, her smile was no longer warm.
"It's a delicate thing, fate, don't you think?" Aelina said softly, almost to herself. "One wrong step, and everything can unravel."
Leorick's blood ran cold at the underlying threat in her words.
"I will cure you, Your Majesty," she continued, her smile returning as if nothing had happened. "And when I do, I'll be the one who finally saves you. All you have to do is trust me."
The sweetness in her tone was the final nail in the coffin. Leorick realized, in that moment, that Aelina's innocence was a mask—a carefully crafted illusion to make everyone believe she was there to help.
But underneath it all, she wasn't there to save him. She was there to replace Seraphine. And if Leorick didn't act fast, she might just succeed.