Kael’s eyes widened as her words sank in. That makes sense, he thought bitterly. It’s so obvious. How could I not have realized it before?

  “But why now?” Kael asked, his curiosity returning. “Aside from the assassination of Professor Sariel, nothing else happene-"

  He stopped mid-sentence as another thought struck him. His breath caught.

  Cassandra smiled faintly, as if reading his mind. "The disappearance of Astra," she finished for him.

  Her voice dropped, soft but sharp enough to cut through the air. "Her vanishing was so sudden that no one saw it coming. But..." She paused, watching his reaction. "She was sighted in the outer district just a few days after she disappeared."

  Kael’s eyes widened. “Wait, she was seen in the outer district?”

  "Yes," Cassandra replied, tilting her head slightly. "I assumed you already knew. After all, she’s the reason you’re so desperate to go there, isn't she?"

  Kael didn’t answer. He simply stared at her, his mind spinning.

  Cassandra stepped closer, slowly and deliberately, until she was only inches away. Her perfume, subtle and cold like winter air, brushed against him.

  "I must admit," she murmured, her tone shifting into something darker, almost intimate. "I'm jealous."

  Her lips hovered near his ear. "Jealous that you're willing to risk so much for a girl who chose to disappear and who is probably committing treason against the Empire now?"

  Her breath tickled his skin as she whispered, "I should reject your request right now and have you imprisoned for thinking such things."

  Her words were venom wrapped in silk.

  The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  But Kael didn’t move. He didn’t flinch. He simply met her gaze. Steady, unyielding, unreadable.

  "But that wouldn't be any fun," Cassandra said suddenly, stepping back with a graceful spin. A faint, wicked smile curved her lips.

  "I want to see how this story unfolds," she continued, her voice trembling with excitement. "Whether its ending will be tragic...or happy." Her eyes shimmered with a strange light, half wonder and half madness.

  "I'll be a spectator but also a key player in this script," she declared.

  Her tone had turned fanatical, her words ringing through the quiet room like a prophecy.

  Then, her gaze softened as it drifted toward a painting on the wall. Her next words were barely a whisper, almost lost in the silence. "...and maybe you'll be the one to break my cage."

  Still processing her wild mood swing, Kael could only stare at her, unsure whether to be wary or amused.

  "If it pleases you," he said dryly, his sarcasm barely concealed by exhaustion.

  Cassandra turned back to him, the manic gleam in her eyes gone, replaced by cool composure. "Enough of this," she said briskly, in a tone that implied she was giving an order. “Tomorrow, I can get you outside.”

  Kael’s expression brightened, but only for a moment until she added, "However," she said, her smile returning slyly. "I'm coming with you."

  His brows furrowed. “No, forget it."

  "Then it's no deal."

  She spoke with effortless certainty, as if she already knew how the conversation would end. Her smile didn’t falter; it was the look of a queen who never needed to bargain, only wait for others to realize they had no choice.

  Kael sighed, realizing that he had no choice but to accept her offer. "Fine," he muttered. "But wear something inconspicuous and a hood. Walking through the outer district with a high noble isn’t exactly anonymous.”

  "Obviously," Cassandra replied, a hint of amusement flickering in her eyes. She pointed at the door. "Now go. I need my sleep.”

  "All right," Kael said, turning to leave.

  He was about to open the door when her voice stopped him. It was quiet, unguarded, and almost hesitant.

  "...and I lied," she admitted. "About the many men I said had been in my room. No one ever has. You’re the first.”

  Kael looked back, puzzled. "Why are you telling me that?"

  Cassandra only shrugged, her tone softer than usual. "I don't know. It just felt like something I had to correct.”

  Then she smiled genuinely, free of her usual pretense. "So," she said lightly, "be honored for being the first."

  Kael couldn’t help but chuckle. “I am, princess.”

  He opened the door and stepped into the corridor, leaving behind a blushing Cassandra. She stood in the quiet glow of her room with a small, inexplicable smile on her lips.