Chapter 44

Ember

I spend most of the morning in my office, sorting through the latest batch of reports from the outer patrols. A few details don’t sit right with me. Patrol rotations that overlap where they shouldn’t.

Two identical status notes submitted by guards who weren’t assigned to the same region. Nothing conclusive, but enough to flag.

I make quiet notes in the margins and stack the suspicious reports to the side. I’ll cross reference them later with the older logs. There’s no sense in assuming anything yet, but I’ve learned not to ignore patterns. Especially lately. I don’t know who I can trust beyond a very short list, and even then, I double check everything.

The room is quiet. Only the soft rustle of paper and the occasional tap of my pencil breaks the silence. I’ve started to appreciate having a space that’s mine. It’s not big, but it’s private, and it gives me something I’ve never really had before, a place to belong.

I try not to think about Prince Kaine.

He’s been... different since the estate visit. Civil. Sometimes warmer, but I don’t know what to make of the shift.

There’s a careful edge to how we speak now. Less clipped than before, but less familiar too. Like he’s trying to reset something neither of us will name.

The quiet tension between us has settled into something steadier. Not resolved. Just... quieter.

The bond still pulls at me when he’s near. Not as sharply as before, thanks to the potion, but it’s there, a low hum beneath my thoughts.

I’ve gotten better at pushing it away, but it takes effort, more than I’d like to admit. Sometimes I catch myself waiting for him to enter a room, even when I know he’s not coming.

I finish reviewing the last page of the incident summary and close the file with a quiet thud. There’s more to do, but my eyes are starting to blur from reading. I stand and stretch, rolling out the tension in my shoulders before stepping out into the corridor.

The hallway is cooler than my office. I inhale, trying to clear my head. I’ve only taken two steps when Prince Jasper appears like he’s been summoned by scent. He’s already there, leaning against the far wall like he’s been waiting.

I pause mid-step.

His smile is too easy. “You’re busy these days,” he says, pushing off the wall to join me. “I was starting to think you were avoiding me.”

“I’ve been working,” I say. I don’t stop walking.

He falls into step beside me. “Still, I remember you owe me something.”

I glance at him, already knowing where this is headed.

“That date you promised,” he says, voice lighter now. “I haven’t forgotten.”

I stop. “That wasn’t a promise,” I say flatly. “I was blackmailed.”

Jasper raises both hands in mock offense. “I never claimed your word was won honestly, but you said it. You still said you’d come to dinner.”

I cross my arms. “And I’m telling you I won’t. I’m under no obligation to follow through on something you forced me into.”

His smile falters just a little, but not enough to make him back down. “That’s a shame,” he says. “You might have even enjoyed it.”

“I don’t owe you anything,” I say, quieter now. “You’re not entitled to my time just because you tricked me once.”

He blinks, and for a second, there’s something sharper behind his expression. Then it smooths over.

“Can’t blame a guy for trying,” he says with a shrug.

I don’t bother answering. I turn and walk away, not fast, but with enough purpose that he doesn’t try to follow.

Bianca

Bianca stays where she is, just beyond the edge of the corridor, her breath shallow. She doesn’t move until Ember’s footsteps fade down the hall.

She heard everything.

The idea had seemed perfect. Jasper was charming, persistent, the kind of distraction that could muddle Ember’s focus and give Ember’s mark an owner,

For a time, it had worked. Jasper was interested, and Ember hadn’t seemed completely indifferent.

But now?

Now she’s not so sure.

Bianca steps away from the wall and turns into a side corridor. Ember didn’t hesitate to shut Jasper down. She didn’t seem concerned about being polite.

Worst of all, she didn’t seem afraid of consequences. She walked away like she belonged here. Maybe she does, a that’s the problem.

Ember has gained too much ground, too quickly. The guards listen to her now. She has an office, a title, influence.

She speaks and people listen. Even Kaine, he listens. His eyes linger. He’s watching her more carefully now, but not in the way Bianca hoped, and not for the reasons she wanted.

Bianca turns sharply, exiting into the west hallway, then follows the back route toward the kitchens. She knows where the Captain of the Guard takes his midday tea. She times her approach carefully, letting her expression relax into something neutral.

Her fingers smooth the front of her jacket as she walks, careful not to rush. The Captain is alone at one of the corner tables, reviewing what looks like a list of rotating assignments. His frown is permanent, his posture stiff even when he’s seated.

Bianca approaches slowly, hands folded in front of her. “Captain.” He looks up, surprised, but nods. “Miss Bianca.”

She smiles. “I hope I’m not interrupting.”

“You are,” he says, but he sets the paper aside anyway.

She takes that as invitation and sits. “I just needed a moment of your time. Something’s been on my mind.”

The Captain waits.

Bianca glances toward the hallway as if checking that no one’s listening. Then she looks back at him, her voice soft. “It’s about Ember.”

His eyes narrow slightly.

“She’s doing well,” Bianca says, keeping her tone light. “Everyone says so. She’s smart. Capable. Determined.”

The Captain’s mouth twitches, but he doesn’t interrupt.

“I only wonder if we’ve moved too quickly,” Bianca continues. “Giving someone so new so much influence, so much access. I’m sure you’ve considered the risks.”

“She’s proven herself,” he says, though his voice is flat, almost sarcastic. “That’s why she was promoted.”

“Of course,” Bianca nods. “Still, power changes people, and loyalty takes time to prove. I only worry that we’re placing a great deal of trust in someone who hasn’t truly been tested.”

The Captain doesn’t disagree. He taps his fingers once against the table.

Bianca tilts her head, her smile gentle. “I only bring it up because I know how seriously you take your command. You’ve worked hard to uphold the guard’s standards.”

He nods once, slowly.

“I would just hate to see that compromised,” she adds.

There’s a pause. Long enough to let the weight of her words settle. Then she stands.

“Thank you for listening,” she says. “I’ll leave you to your work.”

The Captain offers a curt nod, but he watches her as she walks away.

Bianca exits through the back corridor, the same one she entered through. She doesn’t rush. Her pulse is steady. Her steps are measured. Calculated.

If Ember and Jasper don’t work out, then so be it. Bianca isn’t naive. She knows Kaine’s attention is shifting, and no matter how careful she is, she’s losing time. If Ember keeps gaining power, keeps earning loyalty, removing her won’t be enough if her mark is revealed.

She smiles faintly to herself as she turns the corner.

Sometimes, if you want something gone, you don’t just remove it. You break it.

Speaking to the Captain was the start.