Chapter 20: Lesson and Mischief

The sun had dipped just enough for the shadow to stretch long across the cobblestone path, painting the castle ground in hues of warm amber. My feet dragged slightly as I walked, the weight of exhaustion pulling at my shoulders, not just physical, but mental too. All afternoon. Theo and Ajax had been bickering. Their voices echoed in my head more persistently than the sound of my own thoughts.

"I told you I can handle walking her highness back to the castle," Theo said, his tone clipped, as he strode beside me with his usual stoic demeanor.

Ajax walked on my other side, hands casually tucked into his coat pockets, smiling like this was just another pleasant stroll. "I thought you didn't want to be seen by the other royals?" Theo added coldly, his words deliberate, like a blade pressed against skin.