Chapter 21
?──── Koen ? ────?
I wake to the soft light of dawn spilling into the cave. The rain had stopped sometime in the night, leaving the air cool and still.
Serenya is already awake, studying the map. I watch her for a moment. Her eyes are lighter this morning—not bright, but no longer vacant and haunted like the night before.
“Morning,” I say, hesitantly.
She hums in response but doesn’t look at me. I can almost hear the war going on inside her head.
I dig through my pack, pulling out some of the rations. “Not the best breakfast, but it’ll do,” I say, passing her half.
She accepts it without a word. We eat in silence, the weight of it pressing on me. When she’s done, she brushes her hands together and says, “We should probably get going.” Her tone isn’t clipped, but it’s more guarded than it usually is.
“Serenya—”
She cuts me off, voice firm. “Not now.” She walks past me and out of the cave, not bothering to see if I follow.
I clench my jaw. I’m getting really tired of her doing that. With a sharp exhale, I go after her.
When I catch up, I grab her arm—not hard, but firm enough to make her stop walking. “Will you stop that?”
She turns, feigning innocence. “Stop what?”
“Walking away every time I try to talk to you,” I grit out.
Her eyes narrow. “Ever think that maybe I just don’t want to talk?”
“I just—”
“Not everything is about you and your feelings, Koen,” she snaps. “You seem to forget where we are, and what you’re supposed to be doing.”
“Stop. Interrupting. Me,” I growl.
“Stop saying things that don’t need to be said.”
My chest tightens. “You know what? Forget it. Every time I try to reach you, you slam the door in my face.”
“I have to slam the door,” she fires back, stepping closer. “If I don’t, everything will fall apart.”
Before I can respond, there’s a low whir of wings cutting through the fog. The sound isn’t natural. It’s too heavy.
I instinctively reach for the dagger at my hip, already stepping slightly in front of Serenya before I even register the movement. My pulse hammers in my ears, every sense snapping to attention.
A massive bat drops out of the mist. It swoops low, circles once, then dives, shifting midair in a ripple of shadow and magic that prickles across my skin.
A tall figure lands in a crouch, his cloak settling around him like smoke made flesh. Pale skin, silver eyes gleaming, and a sharp, knowing smile.
My grip tightens on my blade until my knuckles ache. Every instinct in me screams predator.
“What in the gods—” I mutter, taking half a step forward.
The figure rises to full height, pulling his hood up with gloved hands. He smirks at Serenya before flicking his gaze toward me.
“You got a puppy,” the stranger drawls, voice smooth as silk. “How quaint.”
My jaw sets. I don’t move, don’t look away. “Step back,” I say in a low voice to Serenya. “Now.”
She groans. Loudly.
“Oh, for the love of—put the blade away, Koen.”
I don’t budge, muscles straining tight. “He’s a vampire.”
“Yes. Thank you for the brilliant observation.” She rolls her eyes.
“A vampire ,” I repeat, as if she didn’t hear me. “Don’t just stand there—”
“He’s not going to kill us.”
“You don’t know that.”
“Yes, I do .”
“Forgive me if I don’t take your word for it when he just dropped from the sky.”
The vampire chuckles, low and amused, clearly savoring every second of this. His smile curves wider as he looks Serenya over. “I do admire his instincts. You should keep him, Ren. He’s quite entertaining.”
The familiarity— Ren —sparks hot in my chest. My jaw clenches so tight I’m surprised my teeth don’t crack.
“You’re brave,” he says, stepping closer with the deliberate ease of someone who knows exactly how much space he owns. “And a bit reckless. But not entirely stupid. You obviously hate what I am, but you’ve never seen a vampire in person until now, have you?”
I force my grip tighter on the dagger. “I don’t need to have met one to know what your kind does.”
“Ah. That old song.” His smile widens, sharp and bright against his pale face.
Serenya groans again, crossing her arms. “Would you both stop?”
“Koen,” she says sharply, “you can’t even protect yourself very well. You nearly got killed three days ago . What do you think you’re going to do against the vampire king?”
I freeze. “ The what ?” There’s no way I heard that right.
He bows slightly and winks. “King Dimitri Zalyth of Noctheron.”
“You’re joking,” I say, glancing at Serenya.
“Unfortunately not,” she mutters, annoyance flickering across her face.
Dimitri’s voice is smooth as velvet, his every word soaked with self-satisfaction. “So, what brings our little shadow princess all the way to the edge of the world? You never leave your palace walls anymore. I thought you’d grown too delicate.”
Her glare could cut stone. “What do you want, Dimitri?”
His smile falters just a breath, like there’s weight beneath the performance. “We’re running out of time. You know it, and you can’t keep pretending otherwise.”
Her jaw tightens, and she flicks a glance at me—quick, guarded once again. “Not now. Not here.”
My brow furrows, but before I can react, Dimitri steps forward and plucks the map from Serenya’s hand. I clench my fists in silent frustration.
“Hmm.” He scans it lazily. “Ruins, flooded paths. Charmed waterskins. Delightfully archaic.” His silver eyes glint as they cut back to Serenya. “Where are we going?”
She narrows her eyes. “What do you mean?”
He tilts the map toward her, head cocked. “This is one of the Trials of the Fated, yes? Since I know you so well, I can only assume you’re here because you’re trying to save them all. How noble.” His tone drips mockery. “I merely thought if I helped, it would all go faster.”
“Oh, no, no, no. You’re not helping.”
“I insist. Besides, when this little game is done, you can turn your attention back to what really matters.” A pause, his smile softening just enough to needle me. “Like me.”
Serenya reaches for the map, but he only lifts it higher, teasing as he chuckles. “Tell me where you’re going first.”
“ Dimitri— ”
He throws an arm over her shoulder. “Come on, Princess. I’ll be good,” he promises, tone light but his eyes impenetrable. “Scout ahead, maybe clear a few of the nastier things. Make myself useful.”
Her shadows flare. “Get. Your arm. Off of me. Before I break it,” she says through clenched teeth.
He removes his arm, hurt flashing in his eyes before he quickly masks it. “Fine. But I’m not leaving.”
My grip on the blade doesn’t ease. “We don’t even know you.”
He spares me a pitying look, like I’m some child speaking out of turn. “ You don’t know me. I have known Serenya longer than you have been alive, human. You’ve known her for what? A couple of weeks? And yet she’s bleeding and running across cursed marshes for you.”
The words hit their mark. I bristle, heat rushing to my face. “That’s different.”
“It always is.” He turns back to her smoothly, dismissing me as though I were nothing. “So? Do I join your charming little rescue mission?”
Serenya gives him a flat stare, every word clipped with warning. “If you so much as breathe wrong, vampire, I will turn your lungs inside out.”
She grabs the map from him, walking away without waiting for a response.
Dimitri’s grin returns, but this time it doesn’t quite reach his eyes. He follows after her. “That’s the Serenya I missed.”
What just happened?
The water sloshes softly around our ankles as we move single file through a marshy corridor. Serenya leads the way, quiet and purposeful, keeping watch for danger. I walk behind her, putting myself between her and the vampire.
Dimitri follows behind me like a shadow while he hums under his breath. A cheerful, obnoxious hum.
My teeth grind. I can’t understand how she doesn’t seem more bothered .
The King of Noctheron is walking next to us with the ease of a predator on familiar ground, his boots barely rippling the water.
Fae and vampires hate each other. Everyone knows that.
It was burned into their histories by blood and fire.
Yet here she is, walking with the vampire like they are allies. Friends. Maybe more?
I shut that thought down fast.
I clench my fists. It isn’t my business. She can do whatever she wants.
But for some reason I can’t explain, it feels like maybe it should be my business.
Dimitri speeds up, cutting into my line of sight.
Then, with infuriating ease, the vampire reaches Serenya’s side and leans in close, too close, whispering something to her.
I can’t hear the words, but I see the way her expression pinches in mild irritation before she gives a dry response.
Whatever she says doesn’t make him walk away.
They speak for several more minutes, their voices low enough that I can’t make out more than the occasional syllable.
He laughs at one point. A soft, rich sound. Like they are sharing a private joke.
My brooding deepens.
He moves even closer, hovering just inside her space like he belongs there. Like he has permission to. Just before he steps away again, she smiles at him. Barely. Just a flicker of amusement, but it was real.
Sourness twists in my stomach as I watch them. The mist thickens around us. The water feels colder than before, and my thoughts become messy. I wish it didn’t matter so much. But it does. I t feels like holding something in my hands only to watch it slip through my fingers .
I tell myself to focus on the trial. Not her. Not the vampire. Not the godsdamned smile.
But I don’t stop watching.
We walk in silence for what feels like hours. The corridor is far behind us now. More mist gathers low over the land, covering stones and branches. Serenya continues leading us without hesitation, as if the terrain speaks to her. Maybe it does.