Whispers in the dark

The night had settled over the fortress, casting long shadows through the stone corridors. The air was thick with the scent of burning torches and damp stone, the usual stillness of the night punctuated by the occasional distant clank of armor.

Elara sat on her cot, absentmindedly rubbing her sore shoulder. Training had been harsher than usual, and she could still hear Valen's voice in her head pointing out her mistakes. Hesitation. She hated that word.

Kai sat on the cot across from her, rolling his shoulders. "You seem… off," he noted, not looking up.

"I'm fine."

Kai didn't push. He never did. Instead, he ran a hand through his messy hair and exhaled. "I think Valen likes you."

Elara nearly choked. "Excuse me?"

Kai shrugged. "He pays a lot of attention to you. More than the others."

Elara scoffed. "He's just making sure I'm not a liability."

Kai hummed in thought but said nothing more.

She didn't know why that irritated her.

Lilian's Dilemma

Lilian stood outside the fortress walls, arms crossed as she scanned the darkened path leading toward the town. She had planned to head back, at least for the night, but something kept her lingering.

More specifically, someone.

Her eyes landed on a familiar figure near the training grounds—Keshav.

He stood in his usual quiet way, leaning against a wooden post, expression unreadable. His gaze flickered to her briefly before returning to whatever thoughts occupied his mind.

Lilian scowled. That man is impossible.

She had convinced herself that his constant watching was a sign of irritation—maybe even disapproval—but there was something else there. Something she couldn't figure out, and that frustrated her even more.

"Are you just going to keep staring at me, or do you actually have something to say?" she finally snapped.

Keshav didn't flinch, didn't react.

"I didn't say anything," he replied calmly.

Lilian's hands clenched into fists. "Then stop looking at me like that!"

Keshav raised a brow, clearly amused. "Like what?"

She let out an exasperated sigh. "Like I'm some fool who wandered in here by accident."

A long pause.

Then, finally, he spoke.

"I don't think you're a fool," Keshav said, his voice low and even. "Just loud."

Lilian opened her mouth to retort but found herself momentarily speechless.

What was worse—his words or the fact that they made her heart race just a little?

Damien's Observations

Damien sat in his quarters, his fingers drumming lightly against the wooden desk. He had spent the better part of the evening in silence, thoughts swirling.

Something about the recruit—Eli—bothered him.

It wasn't just the way Valen seemed to take interest, or the way he caught Keshav occasionally watching him too. It was something more… something he couldn't name yet.

"She's good," Rhys said, lounging on a nearby chair, arms crossed. "Better than most."

Damien frowned. "He."

Rhys smirked. "Right. 'He.'"

Damien narrowed his eyes. "What are you implying?"

Rhys only shrugged, mischief in his gaze. "Nothing. Just that you don't usually waste this much thought on new recruits."

Damien said nothing.

Because Rhys was right.