The courtyard emptied in waves as nobles and their retinues moved toward the staging area for the hunt’s departure. Servants gathered the remaining supplies, their movements brisk but quiet. The tension in the air hadn’t lessened. It had merely shifted, sharpening with every passing moment.

Cassie stood near the edge of the courtyard, her hands clasped behind her back as she waited for Theodoric’s next move. His silent command earlier still lingered in her mind, unspoken but clear: stay vigilant.

The Crown Prince remained near the center, issuing terse instructions to his guards. Dietrich had vanished into the crowd, leaving behind only the faint ripple of unease he’d created. Cassie inhaled slowly, steadying herself. Whatever games Dietrich was playing, they would unfold soon enough.

Cassie’s gaze flickered toward Theodoric as he took the reins, his expression unreadable, his movements precise. The sight stirred an old memory of Robin, standing by the fire one evening, speaking with that quiet certainty of his.

"The difference between a king and his horse is instinct," he had said, turning a blade of grass between his fingers. "A horse flees at the first sign of danger. A king has to know when to run and when to stand and let the wolves come."

She had thought it was just another one of his musings. But now, as she watched Theodoric settle in the saddle, she understood. He wasn’t merely preparing for the hunt. Instead, he was reading the field, weighing risks, bracing for whatever was coming.

And Cassie? She was no horse.

Cassie fell into step beside the supply carriage, her gaze scanning the palace gates as the grand procession began to form.

Nobles rode at the forefront, their horses draped in fine saddlery, their armor gleaming in the early morning light. Behind them, squires and retainers maneuvered wagons laden with weapons and provisions. The clatter of hooves and wheels echoed against the stone walls as the hunting party assembled in its full splendor.

Cassie climbed onto the supply carriage, her hands resting lightly on the edge as the procession began to move.

The Crown Prince rode ahead, his figure striking against the dawn sky. Beside him, Lady Esther’s gold-trimmed gown shimmered like fire, her laughter cutting through the morning chill.

“Magnificent, isn’t it?” Esther called, her voice loud enough to carry to the surrounding nobles. “My fiancé, leading the charge. Truly, there is no one more suited to claim victory.”

Her gaze swept over the crowd as if daring anyone to disagree.

Cassie averted her eyes, focusing instead on the road ahead.

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The forest loomed as they left the palace grounds, its dark canopy swallowing the light in uneven patches. The steady rhythm of hooves and wheels became muffled against the dirt path, the sounds blending with the occasional rustle of leaves overhead.

Cassie’s sharp eyes flicked between the shadows, her senses attuned to every shift and flicker at the edge of her vision. Her grip on the carriage tightened as they ventured deeper into the trees.

“Do you ever relax?”

The question came from one of the guards riding alongside the supply wagon. He smirked at her, his tone half-joking but edged with curiosity.

Cassie tilted her head slightly but didn’t look at him. “I wasn’t paid to relax.”

The guard chuckled, shaking his head. “Fair enough. But you’re watching the forest like it’s full of assassins.”

She didn’t reply immediately, her gaze lingering on a particularly dense thicket. “Maybe it is.”

The guard’s smirk faded, his grip tightening on the hilt of his sword.

The convoy slowed as they reached a narrow bend in the path, the wagons creaking as the drivers maneuvered carefully around the jutting roots of ancient trees. Cassie used the moment to step down from the carriage, her boots crunching softly against the dirt.

The air was colder here, the shadows thicker. Cassie crouched near the edge of the path, her fingers brushing against a faint set of tracks pressed into the soil. The shape was odd—too large to be human, but too deliberate to belong to a wild animal.

Her chest tightened.

She rose quickly, her gaze sweeping the forest. The treetops shifted gently in the breeze, but the undergrowth remained unnervingly still.

“Everything all right?” one of the guards asked, his voice low.

“Maybe,” Cassie replied, her tone clipped. She stepped back toward the carriage, her posture rigid as she climbed back into her seat.

As the procession continued, the unease in Cassie’s chest grew heavier. Her fingers brushed the hilt of the dagger hidden beneath her cloak—a precaution she hadn’t needed to justify. It wasn’t the same one Commander Robin had given her; that dagger, with its weight of memory and significance, was lost forever. But this one would do.

Its edge was sharp enough, and in moments like these, utility mattered more than sentiment.

Lady Esther’s laughter rang out again, sharp and bright, pulling Cassie’s attention briefly forward. Esther sat perched on her horse, gesturing animatedly as she spoke to the nobles nearest her.

“She does love an audience, doesn’t she?”

Cassie didn’t turn, but the voice behind her was unmistakable.

“I wasn’t aware you were part of this procession, Your Highness,” she said, keeping her tone neutral.

Prince Dietrich’s smirk was audible in his reply. “Oh, I’m everywhere, Cassandra. It’s the only way to keep an eye on things.”

His words sent a ripple of tension through her, but she forced herself to remain still.

The convoy began to slow as they approached the hunting grounds. The forest opened into a wide clearing, the distant sound of rushing water carrying through the trees.

Cassie dismounted from the carriage, her movements fluid as she scanned their surroundings. The nobles disembarked with far less urgency, their attention focused on displaying their poise rather than assessing their surroundings.

Theodoric stood at the front of the clearing, his gaze fixed on the far edge of the woods. Cassie followed his line of sight but saw nothing unusual—just the dense wall of trees that marked the boundary of the hunting grounds.

Yet the unease in her chest refused to fade.

“This is only the beginning,” Dietrich’s voice murmured as he passed her, his tone laced with amusement.

Cassie glanced at him sharply, but his expression was unreadable as he disappeared into the crowd.