Chapter 45

The office door stays shut more often now.

Not because I’m hiding, but because it’s easier to work without interruptions. Easier to think when I don’t have to wonder who might walk by and glance in. The workload hasn’t lightened since the promotion.

If anything, it’s picked up, and I like that. I’d rather stay busy than give anyone more reason to talk. Still, they’re still talking.

I hear it when I walk down the halls. I hear the way voices lower, and the looks passed between guards.

It’s not open hostility, not like it used to be, but there’s something behind it.. Like they’re all waiting to see if I’ll slip. Some of them think I got here too fast. Some still think I shouldn’t be here at all.

They never say it to my face. They nod when I give orders. Most follow through without question, but I see the way a few hesitate.

I notice who avoids eye contact. I’ve started keeping track, not out of paranoia, but because it feels necessary now. Being prepared means knowing where the weak points are.

I do my best to stay ahead of it. I finish reports early and double check route adjustments. I flag irregularities and take the extra shifts no one wants.

I make sure the guards under me are rotated fairly and kept in line. There’s always more to do. That part I don’t mind. The pressure is harder to ignore.

Even simple things take longer now. The moment I step into a room, conversations shift. I feel people trying to decide how to treat me.

It’s like they’re waiting for someone else to decide first. Some are cautious. Others are cold. A few are warmer than before, but that feels like its own kind of trap.

Nara doesn’t say much. She doesn’t need to. I can feel her watching, same as I feel the eyes on me in the corridors. None of it changes how I do my job.

I pass Prince Jasper on my way to the lower barracks. He’s leaning against the wall near the stairwell, talking to someone I don’t recognize. He looks up when he sees me.

He doesn’t say anything this time, just gives a nod, his face not quite up to his usual grin. I meet it with a glance and keep walking.

Nara approves. She’s been waiting for him to back off and she’s glad he finally has.

There’s still tension when he’s around, but at least now it isn’t following me through every hallway. I won’t pretend the problem’s gone, but it’s no longer right in front of me. I don’t give it any more thought.

The rounds are quiet. Nothing unusual on the upper watch, and the shift change is smooth. One of the junior guards left their weapon unchecked after patrol, again. I make a note to address it tomorrow.

Small things add up, and I don’t have the luxury of ignoring them. Especially not now.

I return to my office with a stack of forms that still need approval. Half of them are updates to old requests that should’ve been processed weeks ago.

I read through each one line by line, checking the routing paths and response times. If I miss something, someone else will be ready to catch it, and use it against me.

Later, in Luna training, Bianca is already waiting by the mats. Her tone is too sweet.

“You’ve been busy,” she says as I join her. “Things must be getting intense lately.”

She’s all smiles as we move into the drills. Her determination to move her engagement forward is paying off. She doesn’t look at me when she speaks again.

“Between your new position and all the attention from certain royals... I imagine it’s a lot to manage.”

I don’t answer. There’s no point.

“I hope you’re not taking on more than you can handle,” she adds. “There’s so much scrutiny around you now. I’d hate to see you burned out.”

Her voice is pleasant, concerned, but I know what she’s doing.

“Thank you for your concern,” I say, keeping my voice even.

Bianca’s smile widens. “I mean it. You’ve been doing so well. I’d just hate to see things unravel. People notice everything these days.”

She’s watching my face the whole time. Measuring. Waiting for a reaction.

We finish the drill, and I take a step back. Bianca walks with me, still smiling.

“Just be careful,” she says. “Some people rise fast... but staying there is harder.”

I hold her gaze for a second longer than necessary. Not long enough to draw attention. Just long enough to make sure she knows I heard her.

Then I turn and walk away.

After training, I take a long route back to my office. I tell myself it’s too check the guard rotation there, but really I just need the walk.

My mind runs through Bianca’s words again, looking for hidden layers. I know she didn’t mean them kindly. She never does.

That evening, I head to Prince Kaine’s office with a folder under my arm. It’s a routine update, patrol coverage, new route overlaps, a few flagged anomalies. The kind of thing we can talk about easily.

He’s already at his desk when I enter, eyes on the document in front of him. He looks up when I announce myself, gives a short nod, and motions for me to begin.

We keep it to business. Strategy. Timelines. Numbers. It’s easier that way. There’s no tension in the silence between us tonight. No edge to the pauses. It just feels… quiet.

He makes a few notations in the margins, asks a question about one of the regional rotations, then moves on. I answer cleanly, keep my voice steady. He nods again and doesn’t press.

There’s a pause when I hand him the folder. His fingers brush the edge of mine as he takes it, but neither of us mentions it. I push past the now familiar sting in my mark at the contact and hold my breath, waiting for the dizziness to pass.

I am in control. I stay until the last question is answered. Then I leave without looking back.

The corridor feels quieter than usual. Not empty, just still. The kind of stillness that makes you notice your own footsteps.

I check the corners as I walk, more out of habit than suspicion, but the feeling stays with me.

I pass two guards heading toward the upper balconies. They greet me respectfully, but their eyes linger a moment longer than they should.

I keep walking. I know what they’re thinking. They don’t say it, but I know.

The weight of everything follows me back to my room. The attention. The whispers. The way Bianca watches me too closely.

Even the Captain’s occasional looks, harder to read now than before. He doesn’t hide his doubt the way the others do. He’s waiting for something to prove him right.

Nara stirs. She senses danger. I lock my door. Then I check it again.

I’ve always been cautious. That’s nothing new. But this is different.

There’s something building around me. A shift in the way people move. The way they look. Like something’s been set in motion.

Something’s wrong. I don’t know what yet. But I can feel it.