"Did you think I wouldn't find you?"
Kai narrowed his eyes as Bram's voice drifted through the window, the unmistakable tone of arrogance laced with venom.
He leaned closer to the glass, careful not to make a sound, and looked down.
Below, in the courtyard, Bram stood, facing Phoebe who was flanked by two of his teammates.
While both men weren't particularly burly, they were quite intimidating, their grips tight on Phoebe's arms as they held her in place. She struggled against them, her fiery red hair disheveled and her emerald eyes flashing with anger and fear.
"You think you're clever, don't you?" Bram sneered, stepping closer to her. "You and your little team, and that insufferable Kai Velroth, humiliated me. You thought there wouldn't be consequences?"
"You'll pay for it, Phoebe. All of you will. I don't forget easily and I'll make sure the rest of you don't too."
Phoebe spat at him, her voice defiant. "You're pathetic, Bram. Only a coward picks on someone who can't fight back."
Bram's expression darkened, and he raised a hand as if to strike her. But before he could, Kai made his decision.
Enough of this, he thought, stepping back from the window and opening it with a single pull.
Without hesitation, he launched himself out, his boots crunching against the gravel of the courtyard as he landed in a crouch. The sudden movement startled Bram and his lackeys, their heads snapping toward Kai.
"Let her go." Kai said, his voice cold and commanding as he rose to his full height.
Bram's mouth twisted into a sneer. "Ah, Velroth. I was wondering when you'd show up. You always seem to think you're the hero, don't you?"
Kai ignored him and focused on the two holding Phoebe. "I said, let her go."
The two men hesitated, glancing at Bram for confirmation. But before they could act, Kai moved.
The first man barely had time to react before Kai's fist connected with his jaw, sending him sprawling to the ground.
The second tried to release Phoebe and swing at Kai, but Kai ducked under the blow and delivered a swift kick to his knee, forcing him to collapse in pain.
Phoebe stumbled forward, free from their grasp, and Kai caught her arm to steady her. "You alright?" he asked, his voice softening slightly.
She nodded, her breaths coming in short gasps. "Thanks to you."
Kai turned his attention back to Bram, who was watching everything with a mixture of irritation and amusement.
"You're making a mistake, Velroth." Bram said, crossing his arms. "You think you can solve everything with your fists? You have no idea who you're dealing with."
"Oh, I know exactly who I'm dealing with." Kai shot back. "A spoiled brat who can't handle losing."
Bram's smirk didn't even lose its edge at his words. Instead, he took a step closer, his voice dropping to a more menacing tone.
"This isn't over, Velroth. You think it is? No. I hold Phoebe's life in my hands and I can do anything I want with it." He chuckled.
"She's the daughter of little Lord Aldron, isn't she?" His eyes flicked to Phoebe before coming back to Kai. "That little patch of land near ours? All I have to do is send word home to my father, High Lord Lawless, and her family will be ruined."
His smirk widened. "You can't protect her from that."
Phoebe's face paled at Bram's words. She stepped closer to Kai, her hands trembling slightly. "He… he's not lying, Kai." She whispered. "If Lord Lawless wants to destroy my family, he can."
Kai's gaze never left Bram. "You talk a big game, Lawless, but you don't scare me. And you're not going to touch her or her family. If you try it, it'll be the last thing you do."
Bram laughed, the sound sharp and mocking. "We'll see about that."
Kai stepped forward, his presence radiating a quiet intensity. "I'm warning you, Bram. You don't want to cross me."
For a moment, the two stood in silence, their gazes locked in a battle of wills. Finally, Bram smirked again and motioned to his lackeys. "Let's go. I've wasted enough time on this."
The group turned and walked away, leaving Kai and Phoebe alone in the courtyard.
When they were finally gone, Phoebe exhaled shakily, her shoulders slumping as the adrenaline began to fade. Her hand trembled and she almost fell to her knees before Kai steadied her.
"Thank you." She said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Kai turned to her, his expression softening. "Don't thank me yet. Bram's not going to let this go. But don't worry. We'll figure something out."
She looked up at him, her eyes filled with unshed tears and uncertainty. "How? He's right. My family's position is fragile. If High Lord Lawless decides that my family is a nuisance or threat…"
Kai placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "We'll deal with it when the time comes. For now, let's get you back to your room. You need to rest."
Phoebe hesitated before nodding. "Alright. But Kai… be careful. He's dangerous."
Kai gave her a small smile. "So am I."
The walk to Phoebe's quarters was quiet, the both of them puzzling out the current situation. They had to stop Bram or this situation could result in the ruin of not just a family but the whole of the peasants in the Aldron lands.
When they reached the door to Phoebe's private suite, she turned to him, her expression a mix of gratitude and worry. "Thank you again, Kai. For everything."
He nodded, seeing the brave face she'd put on. "Get some rest, Phoebe. You'll feel better after some sleep."
She lingered for a moment before stepping inside, the door closing softly behind her.
Kai stood there for a few seconds, his mind racing with thoughts of what to do next.
Bram won't stop. And if he gets his father involved, things could get messy fast.
With a determined expression, Kai turned and strode down the hall.
It was time to find a solution to this problem before it spiraled out of control.