the bloom of light and shadow

The boy who arrived at House Rubienne was no ordinary guest.

He was Kael Asterion — heir to the Imperial Throne of Eldoria.The only son of Emperor Asterion.And one of the few who knew the true reason for his presence in the North.

To most, his visit was diplomatic — a quiet investigation wrapped in courtesy.But in truth, he had been sent for something far more delicate.Something far more dangerous.

Her eyes.

The crimson gaze of Seraphina Rubienne was the greatest mystery in the empire.Unexplained. Unmatched. And perhaps… prophetic.

Only the heads of the great noble houses had seen the Crown Prince's face.So when Kael stepped through the gates of House Rubienne in plain traveler's garb, no servant questioned him. No knight bowed. No whisper passed through the halls.

But the Duke had recognized him.And allowed him to stay.

Not as a prince.But as a shadow.

Because before the empire could claim its future, Kael had to understand the girl who had once been born in silence — and whose gaze now threatened to awaken something long buried in Eldoria's blood.

Kael stood in the shadow of a rose-covered archway, watching the estate breathe beneath the weight of centuries.

House Rubienne was nothing like he had imagined.

It was beautiful, yes — almost painfully so. Marble courtyards veined with gold. Silver-stag banners fluttering like whispers. Columns wrapped in blooming ivy and silence.

But the silence here was not peace. It was pressure.

The kind of silence that came with watching eyes… and unspoken expectations.

He had grown up in a palace of marble and firelight, where every word was calculated and every gaze meant something. But this place — this house — was colder than court.

No wonder she had gone to the city alone.

His gaze lifted toward the eastern wing, where a tall arched window caught the dying light. The glass gleamed red — not from the sun, but from memory.

He remembered her eyes.

Crimson. Still. Burning.

She hadn't screamed. Hadn't cried. Even when she collapsed in his arms, she had looked at him like she was trying to understand something — or him.

She didn't know who he was. Not yet.

And that, oddly, made him stay.

Seraphina Rubienne.The girl who saw truth in a world built on lies.

They had called her cursed. Dangerous. Untouchable.But Kael had seen many kinds of danger.

Hers was the kind that changed things.

"My lord, the Lady will see you now," said the knight, bowing with well-rehearsed politeness.

Kael turned his head slowly. His features betrayed nothing. He had worn masks his whole life — this one was no different.

Still, as he followed the knight through the silver corridors of House Rubienne, one thought curled quietly in the back of his mind:

He had come to uncover her secrets.

But perhaps… she would uncover his first.

Seraphina sat at the edge of her chaise, fingers pressed tightly together in her lap. The silk of her gown clung cool to her skin, but the air around her felt strangely warm — tense, humming, alive.

Her eyes still burned, faintly. Not with pain… but with pressure. As if the world was holding its breath through her.

She had slept only briefly after waking from the incident in the city, but something had shifted. She could feel it. Like threads being pulled in directions she didn't understand.

They said a mercenary had saved her.

But Seraphina remembered more than that.

She remembered his eyes.Calm. Dark. Unflinching.

They hadn't darted away like the others'. He hadn't flinched when he saw her. He hadn't feared her — or worse, worshipped her. He had simply… seen her.

And she had seen something, too.

Not in the way others saw. But in the space between heartbeats, when time seemed to still — she had felt something unfamiliar rise in her chest.

A presence. A pull. A recognition that didn't belong to memory, but to something deeper.

A knock came at the door. Firm. Controlled.

Seraphina rose carefully.

The knight at the threshold gave a courteous bow. "The guest from the capital is waiting, my lady. The Duke has arranged a private room."

Guest from the capital…

She nodded silently, drawing her hood up over her crimson eyes. It was instinct, even now — a quiet effort to keep the world from shrinking away from her gaze.

They walked through a long corridor, lit only by filtered sunlight and distant chandeliers. As they passed, the staff lowered their heads, not from respect — but discomfort.

Even after fifteen years, they still didn't look her in the eye.

But she had learned not to mind.

Or at least, how to pretend.

As she neared the door to the chamber, the ache behind her eyes returned — soft but pulsing, like something ancient stirring in her blood.

The knight opened the door.

Seraphina stepped inside.

And there he was.

The chamber was quiet when she entered.

He sat near the tall arched window, posture straight, head slightly bowed. His cloak was simple, his presence unassuming — just a boy from the road. Forgettable.

But he wasn't.

The moment Seraphina stepped inside, the air shifted.

Their eyes met — and everything stilled.

She reached instinctively for his thoughts, the way she always did. It was second nature. Automatic. A whisper of curiosity was usually all it took to part the veil and hear the mind beneath.

But this time… there was nothing.

No thoughts.No emotions.Only silence.

As if her ability had struck a wall.

Her breath caught. Her eyes narrowed, uncertain.

He was watching her too. Calm, composed… but she could tell. He was trying something. Searching for something. But if he was expecting to read her like a nobleman's daughter — he would find nothing.

And she knew it then.

He couldn't see her either.

Their powers… did not work on each other.

A beat passed between them — strange and electric.

She took a small step to the side — meant only to pass him in the narrow chamber.

He moved at the same time.

Their shoulders bumped.

And then, without warning, their hands brushed — just for a second.

The world shattered.

Seraphina's breath vanished from her lungs. Heat surged through her limbs like fire uncoiling in her blood. Her vision cracked — not dimmed, not blurred — but opened.

She saw it.

Wings of flame. A sea of stars collapsing inward. A voice she could not hear, yet understood.

A great golden eye turning toward her in the dark.

Her knees buckled. She didn't even have time to cry out.

He caught her before she hit the ground.

"Hey—!"

His arms wrapped around her, steady, warm. Her body trembled in his grasp, too hot, too still.

Her crimson eyes fluttered closed, and a strange red glow lingered beneath the lids.

No maids were outside. The knight who brought her had already gone.

He looked down at her — at the girl now trembling in his arms.

She was pale, far too pale, but the glow beneath her lashes still pulsed softly… unnaturally. Almost alive.

He adjusted his hold, lifting her closer, steadying her head against his shoulder as he stepped out into the corridor with quiet urgency.

The marble floors echoed beneath his boots.

His cloak flared behind him, boots striking the marble floor with purpose. Every second she remained unconscious made the air feel heavier — like something was watching, waiting.

No servants or guards crossed his path. The corridors were empty, silent — as if the entire estate was holding its breath.

At last, he reached the heavy oak doors of the Duke's study.

Kael paused, steadying his breath.

Then he pushed the doors open and stepped inside, the girl still cradled safely in his arms.

The Duke looked up, and the sight of Seraphina collapsed in Kael's arms—unconscious and vulnerable—sent a chill through him. A sudden wave of fear tightened his chest.

Without hesitation, the Duke rose and took Seraphina from Kael's arms. He moved swiftly but carefully, laying her gently on one of the elegant sofas in his study — a place usually reserved for important guests.

His eyes lingered on her pale face, concern flickering beneath his composed exterior.

The Duke swiftly summoned the nearest butler."Clear the room. I want no distractions."

The servants bowed and quietly left, leaving the study enveloped in silence.

Turning to Kael, the Duke's brow furrowed deeply, worry shadowing his usually composed face."What happened to her? I didn't expect Seraphina to faint. I will call the doctor immediately. But first… please, explain why she is in this condition."

Kael shook his head, his voice low but firm."I don't know, Duke. We barely spoke, yet she collapsed so suddenly. I couldn't understand what happened."

He paused, then added with quiet pain,"But, Duke… seeing that no one has treated her like a person until now—that pains me."

The Duke's brow furrowed deeper."What do you mean by that, Your Highness?"

Kael's eyes darkened slightly."I wanted to call the doctor myself, but there was no one with her. Not a single maid. And yet, you expect me to leave such an important noblewoman alone like that?"

Alfred looked taken aback."What? I had no idea it was so…"

And for the first time, the cold, mature, and unwavering Duke trembled — just slightly, but enough to betray the storm brewing beneath his calm exterior.