The quiet within both camps lingered long after the representatives had left their respective lords with thoughts they could not easily shake. The tension was no longer about politics or long-standing rivalries, but something far more perplexing—something neither Caelum nor Seraphina wished to dwell on.
Caelum remained seated in his tent, one gloved hand resting against his temple as Magnus' words replayed in his mind. You didn't shift away.
It was true. He had not. Not only that—he had allowed it. The memory flashed vividly in his thoughts: Seraphina's red eyes locked onto his, her touch hesitant yet oddly gentle, the heat of her presence much too close. A strange, inexplicable feeling coiled in his chest at the recollection. His fingers curled into a fist, jaw tightening. This is ridiculous. He had faced countless adversaries, fought in brutal wars, yet here he was, unsettled by something as trivial as a touch.
Meanwhile, across the camp, Seraphina stood near the entrance of her tent, arms crossed, gaze fixated on the field beyond. She had hardly spoken since Ilyra had left, her mind occupied with an aggravating string of thoughts. You acted without thinking.
She had. That was the problem. Why? Seraphina prided herself on control, on precision, and yet in that moment, she had moved purely on instinct. Her fingers had brushed against his skin, and the sensation still lingered, warm and frustratingly persistent. She inhaled sharply, trying to banish the thought.
Outside, Lyra's laughter filled the air, her small form twirling in the flower fields, oblivious to the turmoil within the two lords. The knights and guards of both houses watched over her, some chuckling at her boundless energy, others quietly acknowledging the unusual peace that had settled between their factions since the child's arrival.
Then, as if the universe itself had decided to taunt them, fate wove its strings once more.
A sudden, delighted squeal from Lyra drew attention. The little girl had suddenly bolted towards something—or rather, someone.