Memories flickered—her father’s sneer, Dedric’s cold eyes, her mother’s hollow comfort. You are a Valtor. Act like one. She’d spent a lifetime burying every feeling and desire beneath layers of duty. But then—

Alex’s voice, rough but earnest, cutting through the sterile silence of his room: “You don’t have to pretend with me.”

She’d frozen, her fingers still tangled in his hair. No one had ever said that to her. Not Elara. Not her tutors. Not even herself.

His hand brushed hers, calloused and warm, as he handed her a stolen pastry from the kitchens—a ridiculous, childish gesture. “Eat,” he grumbled, avoiding her eyes. “You’re too damn thin.”

She’d laughed, startled. Not the polished, empty laugh she’d been trained to wield, but something raw. Real.

Real.

That word haunted her now. Alex had seen her—truly seen her—in moments she hadn’t even known she was hiding. When her mask slipped, he didn’t flinch. Didn’t demand she reassemble it. He’d just… stayed.

And now he was gone.

The door hissed. Boots clicked sharply against the floor.

“My lady—”

“Leave me.” The words tore from her throat, ragged and broken.

Elara didn’t leave. She never did. Instead, she knelt beside Seraphina, her hands hovering uncertainty. “Sera, look at me.”

“Don’t.” Seraphina recoiled, scrambling backward until her spine hit the wall. Her breath came in jagged gasps, each hitching with a fresh wave of tears. “Just… don’t.”

Elara’s expression flickered—a rare crack in her stoic armour. “You’re not thinking clearly. Let me—”

“What does it matter?!” Seraphina’s voice shattered the air, sharp as glass. “He thinks I’m lying and that I’m just another snake in his court! And why wouldn’t he? That’s all I’ve ever been!”

Her fists slammed against the floor, the impact reverberating up her arms. The pain was grounding, real, and she welcomed it. “I told him the truth. I begged him. And he—he laughed—”

A sob choked her. She doubled over, forehead pressing into the cold floor, her body wracked with tremors. Memories surged unbidden—Alex’s head in her lap, his quiet trust as she stroked his hair. The way he’d looked at her, really looked at her, like she was more than a title. Like she was human.

Human. Not a Valtor. Not a bargaining chip. Her.

“You’re not what I expected,” he’d murmured once, half-delirious from fever, his fingers loosely curled around hers. “You’re… better.”

She didn’t know what to say. Hadn’t known how to explain that he was the unexpected one—the first person who hadn’t recoiled from her sharp edges, who’d met her silence with his own, who’d made her feel…

Alive.

Now, that look was gone, replaced by cold dismissal.

Elara’s hands gripped her shoulders, firm but gentle. “Sera, listen to me. You’re not—”

“I love him.”

The confession spilled out, quiet and devastating. Not a revelation—a surrender. To the truth she’d buried beneath duty, to the ache she’d called weakness, to the terrifying, exhilarating freedom of wanting something for herself.

Elara froze.

Seraphina laughed bitterly, the sound wet with tears. “Pathetic, isn’t it? The perfect Valtor daughter, undone by a man who hates her.”

“Sera…” Elara’s voice softened, almost pleading. “You can’t mean that.”

“I do.” Seraphina lifted her head, her eyes blazing through the tears. “I love him. And it’s killing me because he’ll never believe it. Not after everything my family’s done. Not after… me.”

Elara stared at her, shock etched into every line of her face. For once, the unflappable protector had no words.

Seraphina slumped back against the wall, her energy spent. “Just go, Elara. There’s nothing left to salvage here.”

Silence stretched between them, thick and suffocating. Then—

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“No.”

Seraphina blinked. “What?”

Elara’s jaw tightened, her eyes hardening with resolve. “You’re not giving up. Not now.”

“You don’t understand—”

“I understand enough.” Elara seized her wrists, forcing her to meet her gaze. “You think this is about him? It’s not. This is about you. For once in your life, you’re fighting for something real. So fight.”

Seraphina shook her head, fresh tears spilling over. “It’s too late. He’s gone.”

“Then make him see.” Elara’s voice dropped, fierce and unyielding. “You’re not your family. You never were. Show him who you are.”

The words hung in the air, sharp and electric. Seraphina’s breath caught. For a heartbeat, the pain dulled, replaced by something hotter. Something alive.

Show him who you are.

Memories flashed—her mother’s voice, cold and clinical. “Kindness is a weakness, Seraphina. Crush it.” The isolation chamber. Two days of silence, of screaming into a void until her throat bled. The weight of expectations, of a name that felt more like a cage.

No.

Her hands clenched into fists, nails digging into her palms. Her tears burned away, leaving only fire.

Slowly, she pushed herself upright, her spine straightening with a resolve she hadn’t felt since childhood—since the day she’d vowed to survive her family. Elara watched, silent, as Seraphina rose to her feet, her gown rumpled, her face streaked with tears, her eyes—

Her eyes burned. Not with tears. With flames.

“You’re right,” she whispered.

Elara stood, a faint smile tugging at her lips. “I usually am.”

Seraphina didn’t return the smile. Her mind raced, plans crystallizing with brutal clarity. “I need to speak to Zara.”

Elara raised an eyebrow. “Zara? The woman who’d sooner stab you than share air?”

“She’s loyal to him. She’ll listen if it’s for his sake.” Seraphina strode toward the door, her steps steady now, purposeful. “He’s heading to the Iron Spire now. I’m going there. I need access to the schematics. There’s something there. Something my family wanted hidden.”

Elara fell into step beside her. “You think it’s connected to Alex?”

“I know it is.” Seraphina’s voice hardened. “And if I’m going to earn his trust, I’ll need more than words.”

The door slid open, revealing the sterile hallway beyond. Seraphina paused, her gaze lingering on the path Alex had taken.

I’m coming for you, she vowed silently. And this time, I won’t let go.

*****

Zara slammed the wrench down on the Razorwing’s engine panel, the clang echoing through the hangar. The sound matched her mood—sharp, violent, useful. Anything to drown out the memory of Seraphina’s face as Alex walked away.

Pathetic, she told herself. Since when have you cared about his love life?

But she did. And that pissed her off.

The docking door slid open.

She expected Jax or Lyra—someone who actually belonged here.

Instead, Seraphina strode in like she owned the place.

Zara tensed, fingers curling around the wrench. “Oh, great. Just what I needed.” She hefted the tool onto her shoulder, her stance shifting to one of immediate hostility. “If you’re here to order me around, princess, save your breath.”

Seraphina didn’t stop. Didn’t hesitate. Her emerald eyes burned with a focus that caught Zara off guard. “Where is Alex?”

Zara scoffed. “Like I’d tell you.” She stepped forward, blocking Seraphina’s path. “You don’t get to waltz in here after what happened and act like you have a right to know.”

Seraphina’s jaw clenched, but her voice remained cold, sharp. “I’m not here to argue.”

“Oh, really?” Zara folded her arms. “Because that’s all we ever do.” She tilted her head, smirking without humour. “Or did you finally decide to drop the act and admit you’re playing him?”

Seraphina moved fast—too fast. One second she was standing still, the next she had grabbed the front of Zara’s jacket and shoved her back a step. The wrench clattered to the ground.

“I don’t have time for your petty jealousy.”

Zara snarled, shoving Seraphina’s hands off her. “Say that again.”

Seraphina didn’t flinch. “You think I’m the enemy? Fine. But Alex could be in real danger, and you’re too blinded by your insecurities to see it.”

Zara’s fingers twitched toward her knife. She wasn’t actually going to use it—but the instinct was there. “You don’t get to talk to me about Alex.”

“I love him.” The words came out hard, unshakable. “And I will do whatever it takes to protect him.”

Zara laughed, but there was no amusement in it. “Oh, that’s rich. You? Love him? You mean the same man you were forced to marry?”

Seraphina’s expression darkened. “You think I wanted this? You think I had a choice?”

“Spare me the sob story,” Zara spat. “Alex is finally starting to see you for what you are. A liar. A manipulator.” She leaned in, voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. “And I won’t let you sink your claws into him again.”

Seraphina didn’t back down. “You think you’re protecting him, but you’re not. You’re just another obstacle in his way.”

The air between them was razor-sharp, each breath a challenge.

Elara finally stepped in.

“Enough.”

Her voice wasn’t loud, but it carried. A quiet, dangerous authority that cut through the tension like a blade.

Zara barely flicked her eyes toward her. “Stay out of this, Elara.”

“No.” Elara stepped between them, her hand pressing lightly against Zara’s chest—not pushing, but close enough to feel the rapid heartbeat beneath. Her gaze locked onto Zara’s with iron resolve. “Listen to her.”

Zara scoffed. “Why the hell would I—”

“Because she’s right.”

That made Zara hesitate, just for a second.

Elara pressed on. “You don’t have to trust her. You don’t even have to like her. But she’s trying to help Alex. And if you really care about him, you’ll stop letting your emotions cloud your judgment.”

Zara clenched her jaw so tightly it ached. Her fist trembled at her side—relaxing just slightly. “And what? Just follow her lead?”

“No,” Seraphina said. “Work with me.”

Zara turned back to her, anger still flashing in her eyes. “Why?”

Seraphina met her glare head-on. “Because Alex is walking into something bigger than any of us. And if we don’t stop it, he won’t walk out.”

A heavy silence hung between them.

Zara hated this. Hated that Seraphina wasn’t wrong. Hated that Elara had backed her up.

Most of all, she hated the gnawing fear in her gut—the fear that Alex was in real danger and she was wasting time - fighting the wrong battle.

She exhaled sharply through her nose. “Fine,” she muttered. “But don’t think for a second I trust you.”

Seraphina gave a slight nod, tension still radiating off her. “I don’t need you to trust me. I need you to listen.”

Zara folded her arms, her scowl firmly in place. “Start talking, Sera.”