Chapter 24

A few days later…..

Kaelion had noticed Rhaine's change in behavior long before anyone else did. Her silences had grown longer, her gaze colder, and her once fleeting moments of warmth toward him were now completely absent. Whenever he tried to ask what was wrong, her response was always the same—a hollow "I'm fine"—before she would walk away, leaving him standing there with more questions than answers.

Even the king had begun to notice the strange tension between his general and the saintess. Rumors spread like wildfire throughout the palace. Kaelion no longer attended meals regularly and only appeared for his official duties. Sometimes, he didn't even sleep at the palace. Instead, he spent nights patrolling the outskirts or training his soldiers until dawn.

The men under his command felt the shift as well. Training became harsher, drills relentless, and punishments brutal. Fortunate soldiers were merely ordered to run laps around the palace grounds for hours. The less fortunate were left bruised and exhausted. The atmosphere in the barracks was tense, and Kaelion's once steady leadership now carried an edge of frustration and unrest.

"You know," Selara said one afternoon, her brow furrowed in thought. "I haven't seen the general for the past two days."

Rhaine didn't look up from the shimmering liquids she was carefully mixing. "He's probably busy attending matters of the court."

Selara narrowed her eyes. "Really? I don't think so." Her gaze lingered on Rhaine. "He's been acting strange ever since that night in the cave. You never told me what happened."

"Nothing happened," Rhaine said flatly, her tone devoid of emotion.

Selara's keen eyes caught the subtle tension in her friend's posture. Something was definitely wrong, but Rhaine's walls were as impenetrable as ever.

"You know," Selara said softly, her voice tinged with concern, "you looked a lot happier when you weren't taking that elixir." She hesitated but added, "Just think about it." With that, she left the room, the door closing with a quiet click.

Rhaine stared at the closed door, Selara's words echoing in her mind. She tried to shake off the lingering unease but found herself unable to concentrate on her task. Sighing, she stood and walked to the balcony window, the cool evening air brushing against her face.

"Thalric," she called, her voice steady.

Nothing.

Frowning, she called again, louder this time. Still, there was no response. Just as she was about to give up and return inside, a shadow materialized before her, bowing respectfully.

"Saintess," the figure said, his voice low and unwavering.

Rhaine blinked, slightly startled that it had actually worked. She stepped closer, but Thalric instinctively took a step back.

"What's wrong?" she asked, her brows furrowing.

"The general instructed me to maintain a respectful distance from you," Thalric said solemnly.

"I see," Rhaine said, momentarily caught off guard by the reminder of Kaelion's rigid instructions. Regaining her composure, she held out a neatly folded letter. "I need you to deliver this message to the Kingdom of Celestia. Take it to my sect and give it directly to Elder Mirriam."

Thalric hesitated. "The general assigned me to protect you."

"And the general assigned you to me," Rhaine said, a sly smile tugging at her lips. "So now you should listen to me, right?" She arched a brow expectantly, her voice firm.

Thalric hesitated but then nodded. "As you command, Saintess."

"Good," she said simply. "Now go."

Without another word, Thalric took the letter, leaping effortlessly from the balcony and vanishing into the shadows as though he had never been there.

Rhaine watched the space where he had disappeared, her mind swirling with thoughts. She returned to her table, attempting to refocus on her work, but Selara's words haunted her.

You looked a lot happier when you weren't taking that elixir.

The truth of it gnawed at her. She knew why she had resumed taking the bitter concoction—it dulled her emotions, made her feel nothing at all. Love, attachment, longing—these were luxuries she couldn't afford as the saintess. But Kaelion's presence had stirred something dangerous within her, something she had thought long buried.

Her fingers trembled as she picked up a vial. The image of Kaelion's eyes—piercing, intense, filled with questions he never voiced—flashed through her mind. The way he had held her that night in the cave, unyielding yet gentle, had left an indelible mark on her soul.

No. She couldn't allow herself to feel this way. Tomorrow, she would increase her dosage and erase these thoughts from her mind entirely. She would remember her duty, her purpose, and forget Kaelion and the way he made her heart waver.

The palace grounds stretched endlessly beneath the fading light of dusk. Rhaine wandered aimlessly, her thoughts as restless as the wind stirring the leaves. Her heart felt heavy, the weight of emotions she couldn't untangle gnawing at her resolve. She walked further and further until the neatly paved paths gave way to untamed wilderness—the edge of the forest beckoning her with its vibrant allure.

The trees stood proud, their towering forms casting long shadows across the earth. Wildflowers and herbs painted the forest floor in bursts of color, their fragrance mingling with the crisp scent of moss. Rhaine paused, glancing back toward the distant silhouette of the palace. The guards and servants all seemed preoccupied, none noticing her quiet retreat.

The forest was a sanctuary of life, teeming with flora unlike anything cultivated within the palace walls. She marveled at the symphony of plants thriving together in chaotic harmony. Her gaze fell upon a patch of scarlet blooms, their vibrant petals gleaming like drops of blood under the dimming sky.

Stepping toward them, she didn't notice the uneven ground beneath her feet. Her foot caught on a protruding root, sending her sprawling forward. Pain flared up her arm as she scraped it against a jagged stone. Blood welled from the gash, but she paid it little mind, too captivated by the flower before her.

An Olderon.

Its petals were wide, almost too perfect to be real, with sharp thorns spiraling along its stem. The sight of it tugged at a long-buried memory. Her mother had loved these flowers, often bringing them to Rhaine when she was just a child. The memory was bittersweet, a ghost of warmth mingling with the ache of loss. A tear slid down her cheek before she could stop it.

"It's quite beautiful, isn't it?"

The voice came from the shadows, smooth and laced with amusement.