CHAPTER 81: HE SEES ME (I)

Later that evening, the ballroom glowed with candles and magic-laced lanterns. A casual dinner, the Queen had called it. Evelisse, now in a twilight blue gown with silver leaves embroidered across the bodice, felt anything but casual.

She sat at the long dining table, nibbling politely at roasted pear while Caelith answered Marcus’s question about his sword training.

"The Blade Temple doesn’t train for tournaments," Caelith said. "They train for survival."

Jared leaned in. "So no fun sparring with bragging rights?"

Caelith gave a slight smile. "Only if you enjoy being knocked out with your own weapon."

The twins laughed. "That sounds like something brother Jared would do to himself."

Seraphina raised her goblet. "To our guests. May curiosity guide your time here."

Everyone lifted their glasses.

Evelisse sipped lightly, then turned as Fluffy floated near her ear.

"He’s too calm," Fluffy whispered. "I don’t trust people that calm."

"That makes two of us," she muttered.

As the meal continued, a magical shimmer passed through the air again.

Ding!

[♡ Affection Points Increased: +25]

[Total points accumulated: 3,670 ♡]

Evelisse nearly choked on her drink.

’What did I do? I haven’t even smiled at him yet!’

Fluffy chuckled. "He likes you. Probably because you called him out. Or maybe he’s into etiquette books."

She buried her face in her hands.

’Kill me now!’

"Technically princess, there are people who might be enthusiastic enough to help

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Later still, Evelisse crept out to the upper balcony. The moon was high, silver and solemn.

Caelith was already there, leaning against the rail.

"You shouldn’t be up," she said softly.

"Neither should you."

They stood in silence, the air still and cool.

"You said I’m not her. Not entirely," Evelisse said.

"Because you’re not," he replied. "You’re... a continuation. But more than that."

He turned to her.

"Evelisse. The girl you were before—her name was Emily. She was my friend. My protector. My secret."

She froze. "Protector?"

"And more," he added. "You don’t remember everything yet. But you will."

Evelisse’s chest tightened. "I’m just a little girl now. I’m not anyone’s protector."

"Not yet. But you will be."

She opened her mouth—but a flicker of something moved across the sky.

A streak of silver split the clouds, like an arrow fired from heaven. It vanished as quickly as it came, leaving only a fading shimmer that could have been mistaken for moonlight—if Evelisse’s heart didn’t thump so loudly against her ribs.

"Did you see that?" she whispered.

Caelith tilted his head slightly. "Yes. But not all things that move in the sky are meant to be spoken about immediately."

His words left her more unsettled than reassured. She looked at him, at the strange calmness in his eyes, as if flickering stars were things he’d already learned to carry in silence.

♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡

The night eased into morning with quiet ceremony. Evelisse found herself tasked with showing Caelith the east halls of Florabelle, though she suspected her mother and brothers had gently maneuvered her into this role.

The marble corridors were cool under her slippers. Golden sconces held enchanted flames that flickered without smoke. Fluffy, her round, invisible guardian, floated beside her shoulder like a self-proclaimed watchdog.

"It’s just walls and tapestries," she said to Caelith, lowering her voice as if confessing a secret. "Don’t expect fireworks."

He followed just a step behind her, eyes scanning with an attentiveness that unsettled her. "Walls and tapestries tell more than fireworks. People rarely look at them properly."

As they walked, Caelith brushed his fingers lightly over the tapestry threads—depictions of battles long past, of queens with stern eyes and kings with victorious swords.

"You notice details most people skip," Evelisse admitted, slowing her pace to see where his gaze lingered.

"The applewood," Caelith murmured, pausing by a window where warm light spilled through. "It smells faintly here. Your carpenters placed it along the sills. Applewood keeps the air sweet."

Evelisse blinked. "I... never noticed, until now."

Caelith gave a small smile. "That’s why I prefer walking with someone closer to my age. Adults stop noticing. Children still can."

Fluffy zipped suddenly right into his line of sight, hovering inches from Caelith’s nose. Evelisse stifled a yell.

’What are you doing?’ Evelisse chastised, feigning.

Fluffy wiggled its tiny paws. "He sees me. I swear on my fluffy tail."

Caelith blinked, then made the smallest movement—half a flinch, half a deliberate shift of his gaze to the left. But he said nothing.

Fluffy gasped. "He does! Did you see that?!"

Evelisse kept her face composed, though her heart fluttered strangely. ’He noticed you. But why won’t he admit it?’

The next hallway was lined with knight statues holding lances. Fluffy hovered behind one, waving its lance like a banner.

"Behold!" Fluffy bellowed—though only Evelisse could hear, but it could feel Caelith could hear what’s being said as well. "Knight of Fuzz challenges the boy prince!"

Caelith’s brow twitched ever so slightly as he passed, though his steps never faltered.

Not to be defeated, Fluffy next hovered upside down in front of him, dangling like a bat. "Spooky spirit of Florabelle corridor!"

Again, Caelith blinked, exhaled, and walked on.

Evelisse covered her mouth with her sleeve, whispering, "Fluffy, you’ll get us caught behaving as though some ghost is in the corridor."

Fluffy crossed his tiny arms. "Mark my words, Princess, he sees me. I’ll prove it with something dramatic."

At the library stairwell, Fluffy spread his tiny wings and puffed himself into an exaggerated ball of light—hovering *right* in Caelith’s path.

For the first time, Caelith hesitated mid-step. His foot hovered above the marble for half a second before lowering again. His eyes flicked *through* Fluffy, but his jaw tightened.

Evelisse gasped quietly.

Fluffy nearly shrieked with triumph. "Aha! Victory! His eyeballs twitched! He fears me!"

But Caelith still said nothing.

Evelisse thought, ’Why hide it? If he truly sees... why not tell me?’

They reached the Solarium Library, sunlight pouring in like melted honey across the floors. Evelisse always loved the scent here—old paper and fresh lilies that Seraphina insisted the servants kept at every table.

Evelisse smoothed her dress as she spoke softly. "This is where I hide when I want quiet. From tutors. From—" she glanced toward Fluffy, who twirled smugly in the air—"other distractions."

Caelith walked slowly between shelves, trailing his fingertips across spines. "Every library has a sound. This one hums."

"Hums?" Evelisse tilted her head.