Seraphina awoke to the suffocating weight of a hand clamped tightly over her mouth. Her eyes snapped open, heart hammering against her ribs as she found herself staring into the shadowed face of a hooded figure. Instinct roared to life.
Before she could struggle, rough hands grabbed her wrists, pulling them toward the silk cords they tried to bind her with. But Seraphina was no helpless damsel. Her pulse steadied, rage sparking in her veins like wildfire.
She twisted sharply, jerking one hand free and reaching under her pillow. Her fingers closed around the cool, familiar hilt of her dagger.
With a swift, practiced motion, she slashed outward, the blade biting into flesh. The attacker hissed, stumbling back as crimson bloomed against the dark fabric of his sleeve.
"Guards!" Seraphina's voice rang out, sharp and commanding, even as her breath came fast.
The door burst open before her cry had fully echoed, armored men flooding into the chamber with swords drawn.
"Seize them!" she barked, stepping back as the hooded figure lunged for her again.
The guards met the attackers with steel and fury, the clash of blades ringing out in the confined space. Seraphina pressed her back to the wall, her dagger still raised as she surveyed the chaos. One of the intruders fell to the floor, blood pooling beneath him. The others fought desperately, but the guards overwhelmed them within moments, forcing them to their knees.
And then Kael was there.
He burst through the doorway, disheveled and out of breath, his eyes wide as they swept over the scene. He took in the bloodstains, the broken furniture, and the fury etched into Seraphina's face.
"Your Highness—"
"I'm fine," she cut him off, her voice cold and sharp. "Take them to the dungeon."
The guards obeyed without question, dragging the attackers out. But Seraphina didn't miss the way Kael lingered, his gaze fixed on her.
When the last of the intruders was hauled away, Seraphina followed, her steps swift and deliberate as she strode toward the dungeon. She felt Kael fall into step behind her, silent but watchful.
The torches in the dungeon flickered, casting jagged shadows against the damp stone walls. The prisoners knelt in chains, their hoods ripped away to reveal pale, sweat-slicked faces. Blood crusted one man's arm where her dagger had struck him, and he flinched as she approached.
Seraphina stopped before them, her dagger still in hand, its blade gleaming faintly in the dim light.
"Who sent you?" Her voice was like ice, sharp enough to cut.
The men exchanged nervous glances, but none of them spoke.
"Do you think I'm here to play games?" She crouched, bringing herself to their level, and let the tip of her dagger trail along one man's throat. He stilled, his breath coming in shallow pants.
Kael watched from the corner, his expression unreadable, but Seraphina felt his gaze like a weight pressing against her.
"Well?" she demanded, pressing the blade just hard enough to draw a thin line of blood.
"It—it was the king of Veyra!" the injured man blurted, his voice trembling. "We were sent by him—"
"Shut up!" one of the others hissed, but it was too late.
Seraphina straightened, her eyes narrowing.
"Veyra," she repeated slowly, tasting the name like poison.
The border kingdom had been a thorn in her side for months, their raids growing bolder despite the treaties that had bound them to peace. She'd suspected treachery, but this—this was an act of war.
Her grip on the dagger tightened.
"Why?"
The prisoner hesitated, and Seraphina's patience snapped. She slammed the hilt of the dagger against the bars, the sound echoing through the chamber.
"Why?" she demanded again.
"Because your kingdom is weak!" the man spat, his fear giving way to defiance. "They know your father is ill, and they know you won't last long enough to stop them."
The words struck like a blow, but Seraphina refused to flinch. Instead, she smiled, cold and sharp.
"Is that what they think?"
The man opened his mouth to speak, but she silenced him with a look.
"Lock them away," she ordered the guards. "Let them rot until I decide what to do with them."
As the guards dragged the prisoners deeper into the cells, Seraphina turned on her heel and strode out of the dungeon. Kael followed, his steps quieter than hers but no less sure.
The moment they reached the hallway, Seraphina stopped, her breath sharp as she turned to face him.
"You saw what they said."
Kael nodded. "I did."
"Verya thinks we're weak." Her voice trembled with barely restrained fury. "They think we're vulnerable enough to attack. That we can be picked apart like prey."
She stepped closer, her eyes blazing. "I won't let that happen."
Kael studied her for a moment, his expression unreadable. "What do you plan to do?"
Seraphina didn't hesitate. "I'll go to Veyra myself."
Kael's eyes widened, but she didn't give him a chance to protest.
"They need to see that I am not afraid of them," she said, her voice like steel. "And if they think I'm too weak to stand, then I'll show them exactly how wrong they are."
Kael hesitated, but then he bowed his head. "Then let me come with you."
Seraphina blinked, surprised by the quiet intensity in his voice.
"I said I would serve you, Your Highness," Kael continued. "That hasn't changed."
For the first time since the attack, Seraphina felt the faintest flicker of something steady beneath her rage—something that almost felt like trust.
"Very well," she said at last. "Prepare yourself. We leave at dawn."
And as Kael bowed and turned away, Seraphina's gaze lingered on him just a moment longer than necessary, the echo of his earlier words—I'll prove my loyalty—still ringing in her ears.