The world seemed to narrow, shrinking into the space between Seraphina and the man before her. The golden-eyed stranger stood tall, his presence an unspoken force that demanded attention. Everything about him—his gaze, his stance, the way he seemed so utterly composed yet simmering with something untamed—sent a ripple through her soul.
The moment stretched, silent yet deafening.
Then he spoke.
"Seraphina Vale," he murmured, her name rolling off his tongue with an unsettling familiarity. "A pleasure."
His voice was deep, rich, laced with amusement—but beneath it, something darker lingered, as though he knew a secret she did not.
Seraphina straightened, forcing her expression into one of polite indifference despite the erratic rhythm of her pulse. "You seem to know my name, but I don't recall having the pleasure of an introduction."
The man's lips curled at the edges, his smirk deliberate, almost teasing. "Kael Draven."
The name struck her like a whisper from a forgotten dream. A flicker of something—pain, longing, anger—gripped her chest before vanishing just as quickly.
Kael extended his hand. An invitation. A challenge.
Seraphina hesitated for a fraction of a second before slipping her fingers into his. The moment their skin touched, a shock of something otherworldly pulsed through her. A flash of something too quick to grasp—embers in the dark, a voice calling a name that wasn't hers yet felt like it should be.
She inhaled sharply and withdrew her hand.
Kael's gaze remained locked on hers, as if he had felt it too. "Interesting."
Before she could respond, another presence reminded her she wasn't alone.
Lysian.
He stepped forward, the warmth in his silver gaze cooling just slightly. "Draven," he said smoothly, though there was an unmistakable edge beneath his tone.
Kael turned his head lazily, as though only now acknowledging Lysian's presence. "Veyne."
Seraphina glanced between them, feeling an unexpected tension thickening the air. She had known Lysian for years—he was a scholar, a seeker of knowledge, always poised and diplomatic. But in this moment, there was something different in him. His stance was stiffer, his shoulders taut.
And Kael… there was an amusement dancing in his golden eyes, as if he were fully aware of the invisible line that had been drawn between them—and he enjoyed it.
"You two know each other?" Seraphina asked, her curiosity sharpening.
Kael chuckled, the sound deep and knowing. "Something like that."
Lysian's jaw tightened. "Draven and I have crossed paths before."
"Briefly," Kael agreed, his smirk widening.
The cryptic exchange only fueled Seraphina's growing unease. There was something between these two men, something left unsaid.
And she wasn't sure she wanted to know what.
### *Shadows in the Garden*
The night air was crisp when Seraphina finally stepped onto the balcony, seeking a moment of solitude. The gala had continued in a swirl of conversations, forced smiles, and half-spoken truths, but her mind remained trapped in an endless loop of golden eyes and cryptic tension.
Kael Draven.
Why did his presence feel like a force colliding with her soul? Why did his voice, his gaze, his very existence unsettle something within her?
She leaned against the stone railing, inhaling deeply, trying to shake the feeling.
"Running away already?"
She tensed.
The voice was smooth, edged with amusement.
Seraphina turned, already knowing who she would find.
Kael stood a few feet away, bathed in the silver glow of the moonlight. The night breeze tousled his dark hair, and the shadows clung to him like an old companion. He looked effortlessly at ease, and yet… there was something dangerous about him, something that warned her not to let her guard down.
"I wasn't aware I needed to make an escape," she replied coolly.
Kael's smirk deepened. "You looked like you were drowning in that ballroom."
She scoffed, turning back to the view of the estate gardens. "I can handle a simple social event."
"Mm," Kael murmured, stepping closer. "I don't doubt that."
Seraphina glanced at him from the corner of her eye. There was something in the way he looked at her, like he was searching for something in her face—something only he seemed to understand.
"What is it?" she asked, her voice quieter than she intended.
Kael exhaled softly, his amusement dimming into something more contemplative. "You remind me of someone."
Her heart stuttered. "Who?"
He didn't answer immediately. Instead, his golden gaze flickered over her features, his expression unreadable. "Someone from a lifetime ago."
The words sent a chill down her spine.
For a moment, an eerie silence stretched between them. The distant hum of the gala faded, leaving only the rustling of leaves and the steady rhythm of her own breath.
Then—
"I don't believe in coincidences," Kael said. "And I don't believe you do either."
Her fingers tightened against the railing. He was right. She didn't.
Seraphina turned fully to face him, lifting her chin. "What exactly are you implying, Lord Draven?"
He studied her, the gold in his eyes gleaming like firelight. "That we were meant to meet."
Her breath caught. Not because of the words themselves, but because deep down—despite her logic, despite her denial—some part of her believed him.
And that terrified her.
Before she could formulate a response, another voice cut through the moment.
"You should be careful, Seraphina."
Both of them turned.
Lysian stood at the entrance to the balcony, his expression carefully neutral—but his eyes burned with something possessive.
Seraphina blinked. "Lysian?"
Kael, however, merely chuckled. "Now, now, Veyne," he drawled. "Are you warning her about me?"
Lysian's gaze remained on Seraphina. "Kael Draven isn't who he appears to be."
Kael smirked, clearly entertained. "You sound so sure of that."
"I am sure," Lysian said, his voice steel.
Seraphina watched the silent battle between them, her unease growing.
There was more to this. More than they were telling her.
And for the first time in her life…
She wondered if she was standing at the edge of something far greater than she could comprehend.