CHAPTER 6
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Zarethian's voice jolted Sorayael from her peaceful sleep.
With a groggy groan, she squinted at him. "It's five in the morning, Zan... go back to sleep."
Despite his efforts, she didn't budge an inch.
'Wow... she's really strong,' he thought, already out of breath.
Zarethian smirked, undeterred, and gave it another try only to be yanked forward instead.
In one swift motion, Sorayael tossed a blanket over him.
Zarethian lay there in stunned silence, wrapped in the very blanket he meant to throw off.
Zarethian, wrapped in the blanket Sorayael threw at him, eventually gave in. The warmth, the quiet, and the faint scent of lavender from her pillow-all of it lulled him to sleep beside her bed like a tired puppy.
By the time the sun fully rose, the manor was buzzing.
Panic lightly crept into the Grand Duke's tone. "Find him. Now."
Servants scrambled across the manor, checking every corridor, courtyard, and corner. Until a timid knock opened the door to Sorayael's room.
And there, like a scene frozen in time, was Zarethian sleeping soundly, tangled in a blanket on Sorayael's bed, one leg awkwardly draped off the side. Sorayael, still sleeping, had unconsciously hugged her pillow tighter.
The room fell silent.
One of the maids covered her gasp. Another turned red. A knight slowly backed out, pretending not to see anything.
Someone whispered, "Should we... wake them?"
He gasped. "What the-"
Shooting upright, he looked around in confusion. This wasn't his room.
Then his eyes locked on Sorayael, calmly sitting in the corner with her legs crossed, a thick book in hand and a mug of hot cocoa gently steaming in front of her.
Zarethian's face turned a vivid red like a tomato. "I-I wasn't-I didn't mean to-!"
Without finishing, he leapt out of bed and dashed toward the door.
Just then, a soft knock came.
Zarethian shot one last glare at Sorayael before storming out.
As the door clicked closed behind him, Sorayael burst into laughter, nearly spilling her cocoa. "Pfft.. HAHAHA! That face! Oh gods, that was hilarious!" she wiped away a tear of joy, still grinning.
Then, noticing the quiet stirring from across the room, she looked over and smiled softly.
Her little brother sat up, rubbing his eyes sleepily. She walked over, knelt beside the bed, and kissed his forehead.
Krios nodded with a tiny yawn and took her hand, his sleepy face brightening just a little.
The morning sun bathed the dining hall in warm gold as Sorayael, Krios, and Zarethian sat across the Grand Duke, the scent of breakfast wafting between them.
The table was set with buttery pancakes, golden and fluffy, fruit compote, eggs cooked in different styles, and a pot of lavender tea steaming softly beside a platter of warm chocolate bread.
Zarethian was unusually quiet, poking at his pancake.
The Grand Duke noticed and raised a brow. "Did you sleep well, son?"
Zarethian's fork slipped from his hand. "Ye- I mean... I did," he mumbled.
The Grand Duke chuckled. "Word travels fast in this manor, Zarethian."
Sorayael sipped her tea, fighting a smirk.
Zarethian almost choked. "W-What?! No! It's not like that!"
Sorayael finally let her laughter out, covering her mouth with a napkin. Krios was just eating beside her silently, not minding his surroundings.
The Grand Duke only smiled and said, "Ah, youth," before taking a peaceful bite of his pancake.
Later that morning, the training grounds were buzzing. The knights of Aethenroth stood in a half-circle, some holding wooden practice swords, others in the middle of their stretches. When Zarethian and Sorayael (and our baby Krios) arrived together, all eyes turned.
Zarethian's eye twitched. "You all want to die early, huh?"
The knights laughed but their laughter stopped when Zarethian suddenly lunged at them with his wooden sword.
Zarethian moved faster than usual. His strikes are sharper and more precise. Then, something pulsed. A faint red aura shimmered around his body, faint but unmistakable.
Silence fell.
The knights stared. "W-Wait... is that... aura?!"
Zarethian froze mid-swing. He looked at his hand, mildly surprised himself. "I... did it?"
From the sidelines, Sorayael nonchalantly glanced at him over her book.
On the other side of the training field, behind the stables, a small figure crouched in the shadows, Krios, trying to copy Sorayael's gestures with a small twig in his hand, whispering something under his breath.
The boy yelped and dropped the twig. He turned around sheepishly.
Sorayael stood there, arms crossed but smiling.
Sorayael knelt down, gently brushing his hair back. "Then let me help you. Let's start with something simple. I'll teach you how to feel mana."
Krios' eyes lit up with joy.
Sorayael knelt behind Krios, her hand gently placed between his shoulder blades, guiding the current of mana with slow, careful pulses.
Krios closed his eyes, his brows furrowed in deep concentration. The grass beneath them rustled softly, touched by a breeze that hadn't been there before.
A faint shimmer danced along his arms. Sorayael's eyes widened slightly.
Then the wind shifted. The air grew still and it was heavy. Sorayael's hand froze.
Something was responding.
And it wasn't her. Not this time.
Somewhere far beyond the manor, a pair of eyes opened.
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