The crisp evening air carried the scent of hay and fresh earth as Selene and Arabella made their way toward the Stables and Training Grounds for their Equestrian Studies class. The soft rhythm of their boots against the cobbled path filled the silence between them until Arabella finally broke it with a sigh.
"You know," Arabella started, tilting her head toward Selene, "the atmosphere at lunch was... tense."
Selene kept her expression neutral, pretending not to understand. "Tense?"
Arabella huffed. "Oh, don't play coy with me. The Crown Prince was being unusually affectionate with you in the Great Hall." She folded her arms. "And you, my dear friend, did not look particularly thrilled about it."
Selene forced a small chuckle, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Arabella, you're overthinking things. Keith and I are simply trying to make this work."
Arabella studied her closely. "Are you? Because to me, it doesn't look like you're happy. There's no warmth in your expression, no giddy excitement. It doesn't feel like love—it feels more like duty."
Selene's fingers curled into the fabric of her riding gloves. "That's ridiculous," she said, forcing a lighter tone. "I'm fine, Arabella. Truly."
Arabella sighed, clearly unconvinced. "If you ever want to talk about it, you know I'm here, right?"
Selene offered a smile, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Of course. Now, let's not keep the others waiting."
By the time they reached the Training Grounds, their friends were already gathered.
"Ah, finally!" Cedric called, grinning as Selene approached. His blue eyes gleamed mischievously. "Tell me, Lady Selene, will you be gracing us with another fall today?"
Selene rolled her eyes, smirking. "You sound awfully confident for someone who nearly got thrown off his horse last week."
The group chuckled as Astrid, Camille, Dorian, Lucian, and Eric greeted the two women. Arabella offered polite hellos, but her eyes flickered toward Selene with a hint of lingering concern.
Cedric, still grinning, took a step closer to Selene's horse. "If you need help mounting, I'd be happy to—"
Selene scoffed. "I can manage just fine, thank you very much."
With practiced ease, she reached for the reins and attempted to swing herself onto the saddle. But just as she lifted her leg, her foot slipped from the stirrup, and she lost her balance.
She barely had time to brace for the fall before strong arms caught her mid-air.
Cedric.
He had reacted instantly, one arm wrapped around her waist while the other steadied her back. Their faces were close—closer than they had ever been before. His deep blue eyes flickered with amusement, but there was something else beneath the surface. Concern. Warmth.
Selene opened her mouth to speak, but before she could say anything—
A shadow loomed over them.
The next second, she was yanked away from Cedric's grasp, rough fingers closing around her wrist.
Keith.
His grip was firm, his golden eyes blazing with barely contained fury.
"That's enough," he growled, his voice dangerously low. Before anyone could react, he turned sharply, dragging Selene with him as he stormed out of the Training Hall.
The group was left stunned.
Eric's expression darkened instantly, his body tensing as he took a step forward. "I swear, if he—"
Cedric grabbed his arm, stopping him. "Don't."
Eric turned on him, furious. "Don't? He just dragged my sister away like she belongs to him!"
Cedric's jaw tightened. "I know," he said, voice low. "And believe me, I don't like it either. But Eric, he's still the Crown Prince. If we act without thinking, we risk more than just our tempers."
Eric clenched his fists, but he knew Cedric was right. Confronting Keith recklessly could be seen as an act of defiance against the Crown. No matter how much he wanted to, he couldn't afford to fight Keith outright.
Arabella, watching the scene unfold, looked deeply distressed. Her heart ached for Selene, and the way Keith had handled her made her uneasy.
Dorian crossed his arms. "This isn't right."
Lucian, usually one to stay out of matters of romance, nodded in agreement. "He's letting his emotions get the better of him."
Camille exhaled sharply, shaking her head. "If Selene was truly happy, she wouldn't be in this position."
Eric's eyes burned with frustration. "We need to do something," he muttered.
Cedric exhaled, watching the direction Keith had dragged Selene. "We will," he promised. "But we have to be smart about it."
As they stood in tense silence, Arabella whispered under her breath, "Selene... please be okay."