CHAPTER 518: EAVESDROPPING

Callista’s eyes narrowed, and she rushed to the door. The door was pushed open. Her gaze darted around, trying to catch a glimpse of who was at the door.

The hallway was empty. There wasn’t a single soul in sight. Callista would have been fooled that no one was here.

But the air was heavy. She felt it, lingering, like smoke after fire. Someone had been there, they used magic to mask their presence before they left. Someone had listened.

She panicked. How much had the person heard?

Her fingers tightened around the handle as a low hum of energy buzzed in her ears. She stepped out, walking briskly, her eyes scanning the dim corridor.

A soft shuffle echoed ahead. Fleeting footsteps.

Without hesitation, Callista took off, her footsteps light but swift against the cold marble floor. Her instincts screamed. Whoever had been there wasn’t just eavesdropping, they had a purpose.

She turned the corner and collided with a group of maids carrying linen. They staggered, startled by her sudden appearance.

"My lady?" one of them gasped, her eyes wide with surprise. They were surprised to see the priestess running down the hall.

Callista steadied herself, heart still pounding. "Did you see someone just come through here?"

The maids exchanged quick, confused glances.

"No, my lady. We’ve seen no one," another replied, her voice uncertain.

Callista narrowed her eyes. They looked genuinely confused.

One of them, a short girl with freckles, averted her gaze too quickly. But now wasn’t the time to question them. Whoever had been there wouldn’t wait.

She pushed past them, ignoring the stares they exchanged as she strode down the corridor. The hallway widened into a busy passage filled with nobles, servants, and guards. People moved in every direction. The scent of spices from the kitchens drifted through the air. Laughter and footsteps blended into chaos.

They are preparing for the funeral and coronation. Everyone was dressed in black, the curtains all covered in signs of mourning

Callista grabbed her black dress, which contrasted with her fair skin and white hair. Her heartbeat spiked.

Callista paused, her fingers clutched into the dress. She was secretly trembling.

Her eyes darted from face to face. Too many people. Too much movement. Some spare a curious glance. Their brows furrowed confused about what she was searching for.

The priestess forced a smile to hide her frustration.

Whoever it was, if they had made it here, they were long gone now. Blended into the crowd. There was no way she could spot them now.

She slowly exhaled, frustration curling in her gut.

Who had been there? Who had listened? Was it a loyalist to Karissa? A spy for Alfonso? Or someone else entirely someone she hadn’t accounted for?

And how had she not sensed them sooner?

Something about their energy had been... familiar.

Callista’s fingers curled into a fist by her side. She couldn’t afford to be reckless. Not now. Not when things were moving faster than she planned.

She turned back toward Eleanor’s chambers, mind already racing.

Away from the silver crescent, a tall figure dressed in black stepped out. His expression was calm but he was shaking inside from what he heard.

He never imagined he would stumble across such information.

*-****

It was long past the day. The air was chill, and the clock was close to midnight. Grunts and groans could still be heard from the training courtyard

Huff

Huff

Cedric’s chest rapidly rose and fell. He was drenched in sweat and could barely move his hand but he wasn’t going to stop. He had to keep pushing.

His dark eyes glanced at the moon, Cedric pulled in a deep breath with his eyes closed. He saw her face as clear as day..

No matter how difficult it got, he wasn’t going to stop. He had to get to her side before it was too late

He gritted his teeth and got into position, trying to hold the flames..

Days have passed, if not weeks ever since he started training with Thamiel and Azrael. Much hasn’t changed since the first attempt; he had not been able to get to that state, which made him feel invisible.

They had trained endlessly but it wasn’t working. He should be able to synchronise with his other side by now. Why was he still failing?

He was not taking breaks even when Elysia begged him. How could he relax when he had no idea how Abrielle was doing?

This wasn’t his home, she was.

He opened his eyes and released a long breath, ready to try again. Cedric’s eyes flickered then went wide. "When did you get here?" He was surprised to see Raziel standing at the corner of the courtyard.

He had a bored expression on his face with his hand crossed on his chest. There was something about the king of Netheralis that Cedric never understood

.

Whether he despised him or not?

Late at night, he usually feels gazes on him, one of which he was certain was Raziel. He would watch until Cedric collapsed due to exhaustion.

Raziel had a strong presence, one of the most powerful ones he had felt before but he also could perfectly mask it. Even Cedric could not sense him at times.

"I want front row seats to watch your stupidity." He bluntly said. Cedric’s brows twitched but he swallowed his words. Raziel could kill him without moving a finger.

"What’s so interesting about my stupidity then?" He scoffed at the man who could be described as the devil himself. Raziel smiled. "It’s fun watching you try so desperately while doing it all wrong, at the rate you are going, you would never synchronise perfectly."

Cedric was stunned, he was doing it wrong? But he followed all the instructions. "Then why don’t you show me the right way, or do you just love to watch me suffer?" He sneered.

Raziel’s mismatched eyes sparkled. "The latter is the case." Raziel shrugged. Cedric was starting to find him annoying.

He pulled his sword, which was pinned in the ground, and walked off, going by him. "You can leave now the show is over." He scoffed.

Raziel chuckled, it was the first time Cedric heard him laugh. Deep and melodic. His brows furrowed. Cedric stopped, his grip tightened on the hilt. "What’s so funny?" He spat.

"You know, if you ask nicely on your knees, I might consider helping you. That would be an entertaining sight, but I guess your pride won’t let you."

Was he taunting him?

"Is that all it takes?" Cedric asked, What was pride to him now?

"Maybe." Raziel chimed.

Cedric smirked then turned around. To Raziel’s astonishment, the proud prince of Draconia knelt before him without thinking twice. "Do you

want me to kiss your feet?" Cedric taunted. Staring straight at those mismatched eyes.