A Step Ahead

Seraphine didn't slow. She met the stranger's gaze, her expression carefully neutral, even as her mind raced.

They were blocking her path deliberately. That meant they either suspected her—or they knew exactly what she had found.

Either way, she couldn't let them trap her.

"Out late, Lady Seraphine?" the figure mused, voice smooth, unreadable.

She tilted her head, feigning amusement. "The same could be said of you."

A test. A challenge.

The stranger didn't move.

Seraphine shifted her stance, fingers brushing the book beneath her cloak. She had two choices: fight her way through and risk drawing attention—or misdirect them entirely.

She chose the latter.

With a slow smile, she took a step closer, lowering her voice. "If you're trying to intimidate me, you'll have to do better."

Surprise flickered in their gaze. Just for a moment.

It was enough.

Seraphine turned sharply, slipping into the shadows before they could react. She knew the palace better than they did—knew the hidden passages, the blind spots.

By the time the stranger turned to follow, she was already gone.

To be continued…

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