Chapter 18- A Creator's Choice
The fire crackled, casting long shadows across the tent. Seraphina sat on a fur-lined seat, her mind still replaying the events from earlier. Across from her, Caius was quiet, leaning against a crate with his sword resting at his side.
The silence stretched between them, thick with unspoken words.
Seraphina studied him. His usual composed demeanor was still there, but there was something else too. His fingers, usually steady, tapped lightly against his knee. His eyes—those stormy gray eyes—held a heaviness she hadn't seen before.
He's exhausted, she realized.
The battle, the retreat, whatever secrets he was keeping—it was all weighing on him.
She shifted slightly, her dress brushing against her skin. She hadn't had time to change, the fabric still dusted with the remnants of their escape.
"Caius ."
His gaze lifted to hers. "What?"
She hesitated for a moment, then reached for the pitcher of water nearby. Pouring some into a cup, she extended it to him.
"You need to take care of yourself too."
For a moment, he just stared at her. Then, with a slow exhale, he accepted the cup, his fingers brushing against hers.
A simple touch.
But it sent something warm curling through her.
"You're stubborn," he muttered, taking a sip.
She smiled. "I've been told."
The tension between them shifted—not disappearing, but changing into something else.
Something charged.
His eyes lingered on her a little too long. Her lips, her collarbone, the curve of her wrist as she leaned forward just slightly.
Seraphina felt the heat rise between them, the space between their bodies suddenly feeling too small.
And Caius …
He wasn't pulling away.
The quiet between them stretched. The battlefield had been chaos, a clash of steel and magic, but here, inside the tent, time slowed. The only sounds were the distant murmur of soldiers outside and the faint crackling of the fire.
Caius took another sip of water, his throat moving as he swallowed. Seraphina's eyes followed the motion, lingering for just a second too long.
He caught her staring.
A small smirk ghosted his lips, but it didn't reach his eyes. "What?" His voice was rough, laced with exhaustion.
"You're quieter than usual." She tilted her head, studying him.
"Just thinking."
He didn't elaborate.
Seraphina shifted, her dress rustling as she leaned back in her seat. The tension between them was almost tangible now. She could feel it in the way Caius 's gaze flickered over her—the way he caught himself and looked away just as quickly.
A man of control. A knight bound by duty.
But control had limits.
She let the silence stretch, watching him.
Then, deliberately, she reached for the pitcher again. "You should drink more," she murmured, pouring another cup and offering it to him.
Caius didn't take it immediately. Instead, his hand covered hers, steady and warm, before he slowly curled his fingers around the cup.
The touch sent a jolt through her.
His thumb grazed the inside of her wrist—just a whisper of contact, but enough to make her pulse quicken.
Seraphina swallowed, forcing herself to meet his eyes. "Caius ."
"Hmm?" He hadn't moved his hand away.
She hesitated. "Back there… that thing. It wasn't normal, was it?"
His expression darkened. The playful glint in his eyes vanished, replaced by something guarded.
"No."
"And you're not going to tell me what you know?"
He exhaled through his nose, his fingers finally leaving her wrist. "Not yet."
Seraphina narrowed her eyes, but she didn't push further. Not yet.
Instead, she changed the subject. "Then let's talk about something else."
Caius leaned back, watching her. "Like what?"
A slow smile curved her lips. "Like why you're still holding back."
His grip on the cup tightened slightly. "Holding back from what?"
Seraphina leaned in just a little, just enough for the firelight to catch the gold in her eyes. "From me."
The words lingered between them.
Caius didn't answer immediately. But his silence spoke volumes.
Seraphina exhaled as the glowing blue screen of the system appeared before her, flickering with choices.
[Route Progress: Knight – Caius ]
[Affinity: Moderate]
[Next Step: Choose an Approach]
Beneath it, three options gleamed:
1. "Strengthen the bond through trust." (A slow, emotional route—likely to unlock secrets.)
2. "Encourage comfort through touch." (A path leading to intimacy—he was tactile when vulnerable.)
3. "Challenge him to lower his guard." (A route that would make him react—but risk pushing him away.)
Seraphina smirked. She had designed these routes herself. She knew how each one played out, where they would lead.
Her gaze flickered to Caius , watching the tension in his shoulders, the way his fingers gripped the cup. He was always the noble knight, the protector, but even he had limits. He was human beneath all that discipline.
She clicked the second option.
[Path Selected: Encourage Comfort Through Touch]
The screen flickered out.
Seraphina leaned forward, reaching for Caius 's cup again, her fingers brushing his in the process. His skin was warm, calloused from battle, but he didn't pull away.
"Let me help you relax."
His eyes snapped to hers, guarded. "Seraphina—"
"Shh." She reached for his arm, fingers ghosting over the bruises there. "You've taken too many wounds today. Let me take care of you."
His breath hitched slightly.
Caius 's breath hitched. His body tensed for just a moment before he let it go, muscles softening beneath her fingers. He had fought too hard, endured too much, and now—with her, in this quiet space—he no longer had to be the unshakable knight.
His silence was as good as permission.
Seraphina shifted closer, letting her hands glide up his arm, pressing into the firm muscle as she kneaded out the tension. He sighed, head tilting slightly, exposing the strong column of his throat.
"Good," she murmured, trailing her fingers over his collarbone, his chest, each slow movement deliberate. "Just let me take care of you."
Caius 's golden eyes darkened as he watched her. "You're dangerous."
She smiled, pressing her palms to his bare skin. "Only if you want me to be."