chapter thirty-three

Keith had enough.

For weeks, he had watched as Selene avoided him with impressive precision. She arrived late to meals, left meetings in a hurry, and came up with endless excuses whenever he tried to approach her. It was infuriating. He wasn't one to chase after people, but this time, he wasn't going to let it slide.

So, he observed her carefully, noting the patterns in her behavior. He realized that she intentionally came late to the Great Hall, slipping in only when everyone was seated to minimize the chance of running into him. If he attempted to approach her at meals, she conveniently had a reason to leave or engaged herself in deep conversation with someone else.

That evening, Keith positioned himself in the hallway leading to the Great Hall. He waited patiently, leaning casually against the wall, arms crossed. Right on cue, Selene appeared, walking briskly toward the hall doors, her eyes focused ahead.

Keith stepped in front of her path.

Selene halted abruptly, her lips parting slightly in surprise.

"Going somewhere?" Keith asked smoothly.

She immediately schooled her features into indifference. "Yes, to dinner."

Keith arched a brow. "How convenient. Always arriving just late enough to avoid me."

Selene sighed, folding her arms. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Keith's jaw ticked. "Oh, come on, Selene. You've been avoiding me like the plague, and don't even try denying it."

"I haven't—"

Keith cut her off. "Really? Then why do you leave the moment a meeting is over? Why have you stopped handling council documents? Why do you arrive late to every meal?"

Selene's eyes flickered with frustration. "Why does it matter, Keith?"

"It matters because we've developed something more than just an arranged marriage," he said firmly. "We've become friends."

Selene scoffed. "Friends? Keith, we could never be friends."

Keith took a step closer. "And why is that?"

She met his gaze head-on, her voice cold. "Because I was only being cordial. That's all."

A flicker of something unreadable passed through Keith's golden eyes, but before he could say anything, Selene pulled herself from his grip. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have dinner to attend."

She turned and strode into the Great Hall without looking back.

***

Selene spotted her usual table and made her way over, sliding into the seat beside her brother, Eric. He gave her a curious glance but didn't comment, diving back into his conversation.

Her gaze drifted to another part of the hall, where Cedric sat, leaning close to Arabella, whispering something that made her laugh. Their ease with each other was undeniable, a stark contrast to the previous tension between them.

Selene's mind drifted back to the night after the sword-fighting competition when Cedric had asked for her help.

He had been a nervous wreck, determined to make his confession perfect. Together, they had arranged an intimate dinner in the garden, with lanterns illuminating the space and delicate floral arrangements adorning the table. Selene had even run around gathering last-minute items to make sure everything was flawless.

When Arabella finally stepped into the garden, led by Selene, her eyes had widened in astonishment. The setting was beautiful, and when Cedric pulled out a chair for her, his intentions were clear.

Selene had stepped away, giving them their privacy. She hadn't needed to hear Cedric's words to know what he had said—his love for Arabella had been evident in every single thing he had done.

The sound of Cedric's voice snapped her back to the present. He was speaking excitedly to the group, inviting everyone to his upcoming birthday celebration.

"A ball?" Arabella asked, her eyes sparkling.

"Yes," Cedric confirmed with a grin. "It'll be this weekend at the Greystone estate. I expect all of you to be there."

Selene blinked in surprise. She hadn't known about this.

Arabella turned to Selene, Camille, and Astrid. "We should go shopping tomorrow after classes. We need gowns."

Camille clapped her hands together. "Yes! It's been so long since we all went out together."

Selene nodded, masking her thoughts with a small smile. Shopping with the girls was always an entertaining affair.

But deep down, her mind was still lingering on Keith and their earlier confrontation.