Seraphina Drakos had always prided herself on being disciplined, focused, and completely unaffected by distractions.
But now?
She was distracted.
And the cause of that distraction was none other than Kairos, the infuriatingly powerful outsider who had humiliated her twice, saved Lysvein, and now stood at the center of its rise.
And for some damn reason… I can't stop watching him.
It wasn't attraction. It couldn't be.
It was curiosity. Nothing more.
At least, that's what she kept telling herself.
A few days after the festival, Seraphina found herself in the royal courtyard, standing across from Kairos in a private sparring match.
It had started as a simple training session. Then a challenge. Then… something else entirely.
Kairos dodged her strikes effortlessly, his casual smirk making her blood boil. "Is that all you've got, Seraphina?"
"Tch." She swung her enchanted blade in a precise arc. He blocked it with a single hand, deflecting the attack like it was nothing.
Seraphina gritted her teeth. Damn him. He's not even trying.
"You're getting slower," Kairos teased.
She lunged forward, spinning mid-air to land a heavy downward strike—only for him to sidestep at the last second, his breath ghosting near her ear.
"Getting desperate?" he whispered.
Her face flushed.
Why did that sound like flirting?!
She swung again, aiming for his legs. He caught her wrist, stopping the attack mid-motion.
For a moment, neither of them moved.
His grip was firm but not forceful. His crimson eyes gleamed with amusement.
And Seraphina, for the first time in her life, found herself at a complete loss for words.
She yanked her hand back, stepping away. "You're insufferable."
Kairos just grinned. "And you're predictable."
The Problem with Kairos
Seraphina couldn't stop thinking about him.
Even as she trained alone in her quarters, his words echoed in her mind.
Predictable.
Slower.
Getting desperate?
Every interaction, every sparring session, every damn glance he threw her way—it all stuck in her head like an unshakable curse.
Why does he get under my skin so easily?
She wasn't used to being second to anyone. She wasn't used to losing.
And she definitely wasn't used to being intrigued by someone she was supposed to see as an enemy.
Late that night, a sealed letter arrived at Seraphina's quarters.
She broke the wax seal and read the contents carefully.
"Seraphina Drakos,
You were sent to Lysvein to assess its strength. Instead, you remain there, aligning yourself with the enemy.
Do not forget your duty to the Draconian Empire. A reckoning is coming. Choose your side wisely."
Seraphina clenched the letter.
Her loyalty had never been in question before. But now…
Now she wasn't so sure.
Her golden eyes flickered toward the training grounds, where Kairos stood beneath the moonlight, casually sharpening Aetherfang.
A part of her wanted to hate him. To see him as an obstacle.
But another part?
Another part of her wanted to know more.
And that was a problem.