Chapter 44
The next morning, I spent an embarrassing amount of time pacing in circles around my room.
I picked up my satchel, shoved a few supplies inside, pulled them back out, adjusted the shoulder strap, and packed them all over again. I looked like someone preparing for an expedition into wild rather than a simple trip to town.
To be fair, it felt remarkably high-stakes.
Not because of the market cleanup, but because returning to the scene of the chaos meant facing all the turbulent thoughts I've spent the last twenty-four hours ignoring.
"Right," I muttered, clutching my satchel against my chest like a shield. "You can do this. You are a functional, reasonable person. You will step into town, inspect the damage, and not accidentally detonate anything." I paused. "...Ideally."
Breakfast was an absolute masterclass in awkward silence. At least on my side of the table.
Lysenne spoke occasionally, her voice calm and remarkably steady. Rhaevan listened, offering silent nods and brief, composed responses-looking for all the world as though he hadn't completely shattered my emotional stability in a stone corridor two nights ago.
I, meanwhile, stared at my eggs as if they held the secrets of the universe. We did not exchange a single word.
When it was time to depart, Rhaevan didn't even bother entering the carriage with us.
"I shall meet you both in the lower district," he said flatly.
Of course. Teleporting away. Coward. I offered a stiff nod to the floor, refusing to look him in the eye.
Once the carriage wheels began to turn, a quiet aura fell over the cabin. Lysenne watched me carefully from the opposite seat for several long minutes before breaking the silence.
"Are you alright, Cassiane? You seem far quieter than usual."
"I am fine," I lied, immediately fixing my gaze on the passing countryside outside the window.
She let out a soft, weary sigh. "Cassiane... I truly wished to speak with you."
I groaned internally. Here it comes.
"Very well," I said, turning back to face her. "What is on your mind, Your Highness?"
"You may call me Lysenne."
I hesitated, giving a formal nod. "...Alright. Lysenne."
She studied my expression. "I do not know what impression you have of me," she said gently, her tone losing its public polish.
"But I want you to know I bear no resentment toward you. Truthfully, I am grateful you are here. The kingdom is in a perilous state, and there are very few people I can truly rely upon."
She met my eyes directly. "What you did at the festival mattered, Cassiane. I would genuinely like for us to try to understand one another. Perhaps not as sisters immediately... but at least as friends."
I took a slow, deliberate breath. It sounded completely genuine. And, inconveniently for my ever suspecting mind, she was being entirely sincere.
"I am remarkably bad at this," I admitted, gesturing vaguely between the two of us. "People, delicate conversations, feelings... generally all of it. But I don't dislike you. So... yes. We can try."
Her shoulders visibly dropped, and for the first time, I noticed the faint cracks in her flawless posture. She looked exhausted. Faint shadows rested beneath her eyes-the kind of deep, quiet weight someone carries around for months without complaint.
I tilted my head, observing her closely. "You seem to be managing the weight of the crown while the King remains.....absent."
Her small smile faded. "Father has not been the same since the attack on Mother," she whispered, looking down at her neatly folded hands.
"He has withdrawn completely. He avoids his councilors, rarely speaks, and several lords are already questioning his ability to rule. A political crisis is the absolute last thing this realm can endure right now."
I listened properly this time, the plight of this place clicking into place in a colder, harsher light. This wasn't just a plotline in a novel anymore.
"So I had no choice but to step forward," she said simply, without a trace of self-pity. Just absolute duty. "And Rhaevan... he has been the only one keeping me anchored through it all. I truly do not know how I would have survived these months without him."
"Yes, I figured," I muttered quietly. "You two seem... close."
A soft, genuine warmth lit up her face as she looked toward the window. "He is exceptionally special to me, Cassiane."
Suddenly, a strange, heavy ache settled directly in my chest. I forced a polite smile onto my face anyway, taking that uncomfortable feeling and shoving it firmly into the dark vault of thoughts I refused to examine.
When the carriage pulled into the central square, the festive atmosphere from two nights ago was entirely gone.
The market decorations were still hanging, which only made the scene look more dismal.
Torn banners fluttered in the breeze, shattered glass littered the cobblestones, and temporary medical tents lined the plaza.
Families huddled together, some wearing bandages, others simply staring blankly at the ruined stalls.
Rhaevan was already present, tall and commanding as he directed a unit of royal guards and mages.
The moment the carriage door opened, Lysenne stepped out, her posture instantly rigid with authority. She marched straight toward the chief official.
"Give me a report on the situation," she commanded.
The official bowed deeply. "Your Highness, casualties are thankfully light, but the structural damage is severe. Half the merchants have lost their stock, and several families are without shelter tonight."
Lysenne didn't hesitate for a second. "Set up temporary lodgings in the lower hall immediately. The crown will fund the complete reconstruction of every damaged home and business. Medical care is to be provided without charge, and begin distributing rations and warm blankets at once."
Her instructions were swift, decisive, and absolute. I stood back like a silent spectator, impressed by her competence.
While Lysenne moved toward the crowds to speak with the affected families, I wandered aimlessly through the perimeter, trying to figure out what Theo meant by 'observe.' Very specific advice, old man. Thank you.
Suddenly, I felt a slight tug at the my skirt.
I looked down to find the little boy from two nights ago, holding the hand of a smaller girl. The little girl looked up at me with wide, glittering eyes. "Are you the lady who saved my brother from the giant monster?"
My mind short circuited for a moment. I crouched down so I was eye-level with them. "Well... I wouldn't say 'saved' so much as-"
Before I could finish my excuse, the little girl stepped forward and wrapped her small arms tightly around my neck.
I froze, my hands hovering awkwardly in the air like rusted machinery before I patted her back.
I didn't pull away, though. Warmth bloomed in my chest.
"Thank you! You are a hero!" she whispered.
"My brother said you used magic to protect him!"
I pulled away, just enough to look at her, "Keep the magic a secret between us, alright?"
She nodded eagerly. Reaching into my satchel, I pulled out a few silver coins and pressed them into the her palm. "Go find something sweet to eat."
Their faces lit up instantly. "Thank you, pretty lady!" they chirped, running off into the crowded square.
I watched them go, a small, genuine smile creeping onto my face despite myself.
Pretty? Those kids have excellent eyesight!!
Not the time, Cassiane!
Oh right, Observe...
I took a slow breath, looking out over the town. If I wanted to stop feeling like an helpless bystander, I needed to start somewhere.
And I knew exactly who I needed to talk to first.
I found Rhaevan near a collapsed brick archway, supervising a group of mages using levitation magic to clear heavy stone.
I walked straight up to him and gave a loud, deliberate clear of my throat. He glanced at me for a fraction of a second, before returning his attention to the construction effort.
I frowned, clearing my throat even louder. Still no response.
Ah. Silent treatment. Very mature.
"How can I help?" I asked plainly.
"It is handled," he replied, his voice completely flat. "We have sufficient personnel."
I stared at the side of his face, my frustration finally bubbling to the surface. "That was not my question, Rhaevan."
He remained utterly still, ignoring me.
I crossed my arms, stepping directly into his line of sight. "You know what? I am furious."
That finally got a reaction from him. He stopped moving and looked at me.
"I am furious with you," I continued, the words spilling out before I could censor them. "I am angry that you brought me into this mess, I am angry about the things you said to me in the corridor, and I am angry that you are acting as though nothing happened while deliberately ignoring my presence."
He didn't interrupt. He simply stood there, listening intently.
"I panicked two nights ago," I admitted, my voice dropping slightly.
"I saw a child in danger, I wanted to help, and I acted blindly. I still do not know how to control this raw magic properly."
I glanced toward the medical tents before meeting his dark gaze again.
"But seeing this... I want to learn. I want to be useful, not a liability."
I swallowed my pride, taking a single step closer. "So if we could end this pathetic silence and treat each other like civil human beings so we can resume training... I would appreciate it."
A long, heavy silence stretched between us. The surrounding noise of the bustling square seemed to fade into quiet background.
Finally, Rhaevan let out a slow, deep breath, the rigid tension draining from his shoulders. "I'm sorry." He met my eyes for only a second before looking away again. "I didn't mean to make you feel that way."
I blinked, caught entirely off guard. "What?"
"?What happened two nights ago could have killed you," he said, his voice dropping to a low, rough murmur that barely carried across the room.
?I stared at him, my mind freezing at the sudden shift in his tone.
?"And no," he added, stepping closer until the air between us felt suddenly thin. "I didn't step in to hide your magic from the public."
?I couldn't find a single word.
?"The Tower would survive a scandal," he said softly, his gaze locked onto mine with an intensity that made my chest tighten. "The kingdom would manage. I wasn't protecting a secret, Cassiane. I was terrified of you getting hurt."
?My breath caught in my throat.
?"You completely shook me," he whispered, the cool composure on his face cracking to show something raw and fierce beneath it.
"I'm not afraid of what you can do. I never was and never will be. But," he continued as he stepped closer, "You are under my protection and........There are things I'm willing to sacrifice. Your safety isn't among them, Cassie."
My heart did a sudden, chaotic flip against my ribs.
He stared at me for one more breathless second before his eyes drifted downward, catching the glint of the silver-and-blue bracelet on my wrist. An unreadable shadow passed over his face at the sight of Lucien's gift.
A moment later, he cleared his throat, taking a step back as his cold, flawless mask slipped right back into place.
"Training resumes tomorrow at dawn. Don't be late."
I blinked, my thoughts spinning.
He turned around and walked back toward the mages, leaving me standing alone.
I stood there for a long moment, trying to process the encounter. Nothing about this day had followed my logical, careful plan. And my chest, for reasons I deeply resented, was fluttering uncontrollably.
I pressed a hand against my racing pulse and let out a quiet sigh.
Honestly, Cassiane. You have a total fool of a heart.