Whispers in the Dark

The palace had always been a place of secrets, its walls whispering the truths no one dared to speak aloud. And tonight, Kaelith intended to listen.

He had given Seraphine enough space to believe she still held control, but he was no fool. He had seen the decision settle in her eyes before he left their chambers.

She would move against him.

It was only a matter of time.

So he followed.

From the shadows of the corridor, Kaelith watched as Seraphine slipped through the winding halls, her cloak drawn tightly around her frame. She moved with purpose, her steps quick, silent—too practiced for an innocent stroll.

She was meeting someone.

Kaelith's jaw tightened. He had spent years maneuvering through court, dodging daggers in the dark, unmasking false loyalties. He had played this game before.

But this time, the opponent was his own wife.

Seraphine disappeared through a side passage, a path known only to those who had spent years within the palace walls. Kaelith followed, keeping his distance, his heartbeat steady despite the surge of anticipation.

The passage opened into the library.

Of course.

A meeting in the open would be too obvious. Here, among the ancient tomes and forgotten knowledge, secrets could be exchanged without suspicion.

Kaelith stepped inside just as Seraphine reached for a book on the highest shelf. But it was not a book she was after.

It was a message.

A small parchment slipped from between the pages, and Kaelith watched as she unfolded it, the candlelight casting flickering shadows over her delicate features.

He took another step forward.

"A peculiar hour for reading, don't you think?"

Seraphine stiffened.

Slowly, she turned, her expression carefully composed. But Kaelith knew her too well now—he saw the flicker of tension in her gaze, the way her fingers curled around the parchment.

"You startled me," she said smoothly, her voice betraying nothing.

Kaelith's lips curved, though there was no humor in it. "Did I?"

He closed the distance between them, his presence towering over hers, his gaze locked onto the letter she had yet to conceal.

"Or were you hoping to remain unseen?"

For the first time, he saw it—hesitation. Brief, but there.

Seraphine exhaled softly, tilting her chin up. "I come here when I cannot sleep. Books offer comfort where the night does not."

Kaelith lifted an eyebrow. "Strange, then, that you do not seem comforted."

He reached out, brushing his fingers against the parchment still clutched in her hand. Seraphine did not flinch, but she did not pull away either.

A challenge.

"Perhaps you underestimate my interests," she murmured.

Kaelith leaned in, his voice low. "Or perhaps you underestimate mine."

The air between them thickened, charged with something neither of them dared name.

But Kaelith was not here to be seduced. Not tonight.

He pulled back, his gaze flickering to the letter.

"Tell me, Seraphine—what truth do you seek in the dead of night?"

Seraphine's lips parted, but no answer came.

And that silence was all the confirmation he needed.

To be continued…