chapter thirty

Three weeks had passed since Keith last attempted to win Evangeline back, and he had nothing to show for it except silence and rejection.

He had written letters, sought her out between classes, even tried to speak to her during social gatherings, but Evangeline had remained unmoved—cold, distant, untouchable.

At some point, he stopped trying.

Instead, he threw himself into his responsibilities—his studies, his duties as Crown Prince, and most notably, his student council work.

That was how he and Selene had grown closer.

It wasn't planned, nor was it something he'd expected. But with each meeting, each discussion about academy affairs, and each shared silence in the council hall, he found himself gravitating toward her in ways that felt both natural and unspoken.

Tonight, they were alone in the student council hall, the flickering candlelight casting a warm glow over the long wooden table littered with papers. The sword-fighting competition was tomorrow, and they were finalizing the details.

Selene tapped a quill against the parchment before her, reading through the participant list with a critical eye. "We need to make sure the pairings are fair. No one should feel like they're being thrown into a losing match from the start."

Keith smirked from across the table, arms crossed as he leaned back in his chair. "You say that as if there's anyone who stands a chance against me."

Selene rolled her eyes. "You sound awfully confident."

"It's not confidence," he said, shrugging. "Just the truth."

She huffed, shaking her head as she made a note in the margin of the paper. "Arrogance aside, do you think anyone will pose a real challenge this year?"

Keith thought for a moment before responding. "Lucian Fenwick has improved a great deal. His footwork is sharper, and his reaction time is faster than before."

Selene nodded. "I've noticed that too. He trains constantly. I wouldn't be surprised if he made it to the final rounds."

Keith tilted his head, studying her. "You watch the training sessions?"

"I observe," she corrected, giving him a pointed look. "There's a difference."

He chuckled. "Of course there is."

Selene ignored his teasing tone and continued reviewing the list. "The logistics for tomorrow are all in order, venue, medical staff, timing. The only thing left is ensuring that the arena is set up properly."

Keith exhaled, stretching his arms above his head before rubbing the back of his neck. "I'll oversee it in the morning. You've done enough already."

Selene looked up at him, expression unreadable for a moment before she said, "It's not a burden, you know. I like doing this."

Keith arched a brow. "Since when?"

Selene smirked. "Since I realized that I prefer organizing events over actually participating in them."

Keith laughed, shaking his head. "You're unbelievable."

"Efficient," she corrected.

They lapsed into a comfortable silence, the only sounds in the hall being the faint rustling of paper and the occasional scratching of a quill against parchment.

After a while, Keith spoke again, his voice quieter this time. "Three weeks."

Selene glanced at him. "What about it?"

"That's how long it's been since I stopped trying to win Evangeline back."

Selene lowered her quill, watching him carefully. "And?"

Keith exhaled, rubbing his temple. "And I don't know if I feel relieved or just exhausted."

Selene didn't respond immediately. Instead, she studied him—his slightly furrowed brows, the tension in his jaw, the way his golden eyes were lost in thought.

"You gave it your all," she finally said. "But love isn't something you can force, Keith."

Keith let out a dry chuckle. "You sound like an old scholar."

Selene smirked. "And yet, you know I'm right."

He met her gaze, something unreadable flickering in his eyes before he sighed and leaned back again. "Yeah," he admitted. "You are."

They sat there for a moment, neither speaking, yet understanding all the same.

And though neither of them said it out loud, they both knew, things had changed between them. Whether they acknowledged it or not, something had changed.