CHAPTER 26- Spark In Her Eyes

The golden hues of the setting sun stretched across the ocean, reflecting off the pristine deck of the yacht. The gentle lull of the waves lapping against the hull mixed with the occasional cry of seagulls in the distance. The air carried the scent of salt and something metallic—faint, but noticeable, a reminder of the tension that clung to the vessel like an unseen force.

For the first time, Ivelle was smiling. A real, genuine smile. The kind that touched her eyes, making them glisten under the twilight. The sight did something to me, a strange warmth blooming in my chest, warring with the familiar coldness I had grown used to.

I didn't want to admit it, but the contrast of the crimson sky against her silver hair made her look—stunning. And for a fleeting moment, I allowed myself to wonder: would she ever smile like that at me?

She wasn't Erika. I knew that well. And yet, my mind, cruel as ever, reached for the possibility, however illogical, however desperate. Humans are foolish creatures, clinging to even the frailest thread of hope in the abyss.

Her smile faded the moment her gaze found mine, morphing into something colder—harsher. Her body stiffened, slipping into the cautious stance of a protector, shielding the young boy she had just pulled from the shadows. A boy she had risked my suspicion for.

"Are you spying on me now?" Her tone was razor-sharp, her icy blue eyes scanning me for a trace of deception.

I chuckled, watching her approach, every step calculated. "Spying?" I leaned against the doorway, slipping my hands into my pockets. "Why would I do that?"

Her brow furrowed, uncertainty flickering behind her guarded expression. "Maybe because you doubt me. Maybe because you want to see if your doubts are right or wrong."

Smart. She had hit the mark, but I only smiled, a soft chuckle escaping me. "You're so wrong, Princess." My voice dropped into a whisper. "I trust you... very much."

Her breath hitched, the words catching her off guard. I could see the confusion settle in her eyes, uncertainty battling against the instinct to remain guarded.

Shifting my gaze, I let it land on the boy beside her. He stood rigid, his hazel-green eyes brimming with defiance, yet controlled, like a caged flame waiting to be unleashed.

"You have good taste in men, Princess," I mused, smirking.

Ivelle rolled her eyes, exasperated. "You're thinking nonsense, Aeron."

I gasped dramatically. "What am I even thinking? Dirty-minded Ivelle." I shook my head in mock disappointment, earning a glare so sharp I almost expected her to pull a gun on me.

But my attention returned to the boy. He was difficult to read, but not impossible. Unlike Ivelle, who hid behind layers of calculated indifference, he wore his contempt openly. A fighter. A survivor.

"What's your name?" I asked, my voice losing its amusement, settling into something more cold—more authoritative.

"Kaizen." His response was clipped, his stare unwavering.

I took a slow step closer, assessing him. He was tall, perhaps 180 cm, too refined in appearance for a typical fighter. A spy, then.

"Kaizen, hmm. In which department were you?"

Before he could answer, Ivelle stepped forward, placing herself between us. "He's mine to interrogate, Aeron."

I arched a brow. "You ask me to trust you, yet act so impulsively. How contradictory."

Her jaw tightened, frustration clear as she released my wrist. A silent admission of defeat.

Kaizen's gaze flickered between us before finally speaking. "Special Squad—The Ranger."

The words settled heavily between us.

The Rangers. The Ghost Fleet's bloodiest division. Where young spies—kids, really—were thrown into a pit of violence and survival. A hundred entered, but only eight emerged. It wasn't just training; it was war. And if this boy was here, standing before me, it meant he had survived hell.

"Must be humiliating to get caught on your very first mission, though you are the best of Special Squad," I mocked, watching as his eyes darkened with restrained fury.

Amateur. A fully trained spy shouldn't let emotions slip.

I turned my attention back to Ivelle, who had once again masked her expression. But something was different. The way she stood protectively, the way her lips pressed together—there was something more between them. Something deeper.

"Must be good to see your family, Princess?" I teased, grinning.

Her irritation flared. "Think whatever you want. Not like you'll trust me anyway."

"I told you, I trust you very much."

She scoffed, clearly not convinced.

The yacht swayed slightly with the waves, the silence stretching between us, broken only by the distant hum of the engines and the eerie stillness of the open sea.

"Can you cook?" I asked Kaizen abruptly.

Both he and Ivelle blinked in disbelief.

Kaizen hesitated before nodding.

"Perfect! Kaizen, from tomorrow, you'll be working as my son's caretaker."

"WHAT?" Ivelle's shocked voice mixed with Kaizen's dumbfounded expression.

"Are you insane, Aeron? WHY WOULD YOU—"

"Take away your toy after giving him to you?" I smirked, watching her face flush in anger.

"You can't do this, Aeron," she gritted out.

I stepped closer, lowering my voice. "You can't stop me, Princess."

She was fuming, but she knew the truth. I had already decided, and there was no changing my mind.

"You're having fun, aren't you? Giving me hope and then breaking it?" Her voice wavered, genuine hurt seeping through.

Did I care? Yes.

Did I show it? No.

Reaching out, I tucked a stray strand of silver hair behind her ear, my fingers ghosting over her cheek. Her lips parted slightly, as if she wanted to say something, but I didn't let her.

"Princess, do you know why I brought you here today, even at the risk of inviting Ghost Fleet's spies?"

She stared, unsure.

I leaned in just a fraction closer. "Be careful, Princess. Didn't you say you wanted to rule Helheim with me?"

For a second, her defenses cracked, vulnerability slipping through. But I stepped back, shoving my hands into my pockets, pushing down the voices screaming in my head.

She wasn't Erika. But if I let myself believe even for a moment that she was, then losing her would be unbearable.

And that was a weakness I couldn't afford.