Chapter 8
Caius' POV
I can't believe that she actually set the room on fire. I chuckled.
My little star.
Shadows curled around me as I watched the chaos unfold from my hiding place. The flames consumed the silken drapes first, eating away at the fine furnishings that once made this place a prison for her.
Sierra didn't just leave, she erased every trace of her existence from this place.
A slow grin stretched across my lips.
She had more fire in her than I'd thought. My firecracker.
I leaned against the cold stone, my arms crossed as I watched Kaelvar storm into the burning ruins of the chamber. His entourage followed, his new bride trailing behind, eyes wide with terror. The fool barely spared her a glance as he shoved past her, rage distorting his features.
He was seething.
"Find her!" he roared, grabbing a nearby guard by the throat and lifting him off the ground. The man choked, clawing at Kaelvar's grip, his boots scraping against the floor.
"Y-your Highness," the guard gasped. "We—we don't know how far she's gotten—"
Kaelvar threw him aside like a rag doll. "Then FIND OUT! Inform every soldier in the palace. I want her caught before sunrise!"
The new bride, what was her name again? stepped forward hesitantly. "Kaelvar, please, you need to–"
He turned on her with such fury that she stumbled backwards. Her heel caught on the hem of her dress, and she fell, barely catching herself before her head struck the floor lightly.
Kaelvar didn't even spare her a second glance.
What a loser. What did my star see in him?
He looked like an idiot standing in the centre of the room, breathing as if he wanted to convulse.
Then Kaelvar's gaze snagged on something among the ashes and he stilled.
I narrowed my eyes, watching as he stepped forward, crouching amid the wreckage.
His fingers closed around a small, metallic object and I immediately knew what it was.
Sierra's wedding ring.
For a moment, he just stared at it. A laugh threatened to rise in my throat at the sheer irony.
She left it behind, discarded like a worthless piece.
His expression changed from amusement then back to his nasty anger. His hand tightened around the band until his knuckles went white.
Then, without a word, he turned on his heel and stalked out of the room, his entourage scrambling after him. His new bride looked lost as she also stood up trailing after him.
I waited until their footsteps faded down the hall before stepping forward. My shadows stretched and coiled as I emerged from the darkness, the scent of smoke and burning silk thick in the air.
I ran my fingers along the charred remains of the vanity, the very one she must have sat at, waiting for the fool she once loved to notice her.
A chuckle escaped me.
"She's finally done with you, Kaelvar."
I twirled a finger, and my shadows danced through the air, weaving through the flames. The fire flickered in response, almost as if it recognized me.
She was no longer his.
And soon, she'd be mine.
With one last glance at the destruction she left behind, I stepped into the shadows and vanished.
I reappeared in a dimly lit chamber, where the scent of dried herbs and parchment paper filled the air.
Aelira sat at a wooden table, writing out some letters on her reading table. At my sudden arrival, she startled, nearly knocking over an ink bottle.
"Heavens, Caius!" she snapped, pressing a hand to her chest. "Must you always do that?"
I smirked, stepping closer. "You should be used to it by now."
Her eyes flickered with irritation before settling. "Is it done?" she asked.
I didn't answer immediately. Instead, I strolled toward a shelf, running a finger along the sides of the dusty books. "Why don't you tell me?"
She scowled. "Stop playing games, Caius."
I turned to face her fully, tilting my head. "She's gone."
Aelira's shoulders sagged with relief. "Then you kept your end of the deal."
My smirk widened. "Did I?"
She stiffened. "Caius—"
I took a slow step forward, watching as she unconsciously took a step back. Smart girl.
"I ensured she left that prison, didn't I?" I murmured. "Not my fault that someone else got to her first."
Aelira's jaw clenched. "You swore to me—"
"I swore to let her escape," I interrupted, voice silken. "And she did. I never said I'd be the one to break her chains."
Her hands curled into fists. "You're toying with me."
"Am I?"
She inhaled sharply, struggling to keep her temper in check. "You know what's at stake, Caius. If you—"
"Careful," I cut in, voice dropping. "You're dangerously close to forgetting who you're speaking to."
Aelira hesitated.
No one touched me. No one commanded me. And she knew it.
She swallowed, then squared her shoulders. "She's safe now and that's all that matters."
"For the moment."
Aelira's brows furrowed. "You're still going after her, aren't you?"
I smiled, slow and wicked. "What do you think?"
Her lips parted as if to argue, but she knew better.
I didn't waste my time explaining myself. Not to her.
"Don't forget your end of the deal. You helped my men breach your barrier, I helped Sierra escape, and finally, you completed your part. I would like to see changes soon."
She nodded at my words and turned back to her table to continue whatever she was doing.
I let the shadows curl around me o
nce more, dissolving into the darkness.
Sierra may have escaped the palace.
But she hadn't escaped me.
I'm coming, Stellar Mea.