Returning to the shaded paths near the pergola, she found the other girls still wandering in loose groups, their laughter drifting through the flowers and hedges. Eirlys glanced up as Riven rejoined them, her expression brightening immediately.

“Oh, Lady Riven, we wondered if you had gotten lost!” she teased, and Riven returned Eirlys’s warm smile, feigning a sheepish look.

“I may have underestimated the garden’s size,” she replied lightly. “It’s so easy to get turned around with so many lovely paths.”

The girls seemed to take her response well, a few chuckling softly, though Riven noted how one or two cast sidelong glances her way. Galica, in particular, seemed to eye her as though trying to read something hidden. Riven was grateful for the reprieve, grateful for the chance to slip back into the group unnoticed before Yvette could return. She settled herself at the edge of their gathering, listening to their chatter without committing to any one conversation, her mind still processing her unexpected encounter with Elias.

“Lady Yvette!” Riven did her best to merely smile as Yvette reappeared, glaring daggers at her as she walked briskly toward the group. A few of the other girls quickly stepped aside, casting wary glances between Yvette and Riven, as if they sensed the tension simmering just below the surface.

Eirlys, ever gracious, offered Yvette a welcoming smile. “Did you manage to find what you needed, Lady Yvette?”

“Ah, yes,” Yvette replied, her tone clipped, but she quickly smoothed her expression into a courteous smile. “It seems I am the last one to finish my trip through your luscious estate.”

Even as she spoke toward Eirlys, Yvette’s eyes never left Riven, and she met Yvette’s glare with a calm expression, feeling a flicker of satisfaction. Since she had arrived first, she had denied Yvette any chance of trying to turn the girls against her without seeming petty. It was a small victory, and Riven had no doubt that Yvette would do her best to get back at her.

‘Let her. We aren’t even main characters in this story.’ Riven dismissed, brushing off Yvette's silent challenge. She kept her focus on the laughter and chatter around her, more than content to let Yvette stew in her frustrations. Eirlys, as if sensing the need to redirect the group’s attention, began to guide them back toward the pergola, commenting on the various flowers and shrubs lining the path. The other girls were quick to fall into step behind her, a few exchanging appreciative murmurs about the carefully arranged blooms.

“Ah, there you are, Eirlys.”

Riven glanced up sharply, following the gaze of all the other girls as Kaelen stepped into the garden. He was dressed in a style both understated and elegant, with a dark, well-fitted coat that hinted at his foreign origins while still adhering to Vassorian fashion. His expression was warm as he approached, his gaze briefly flicking over each of the ladies before settling, with a glint of surprise, on Riven. She straightened, momentarily caught off guard by the sudden attention but maintaining a polite composure.

“Forgive me for interrupting your tea,” Kaelen said, inclining his head to the group with a soft smile. “I only hoped to speak with my sister for a moment. But I seem to have stumbled upon a far more illustrious gathering than I expected.”

The girls giggled, charmed by his easy grace and the compliment woven so smoothly into his greeting. Riven did her best not to frown, now more easily realizing how different Kaelen’s attitude was. In the book, Kaelen was cold and distant, hardened by his years of solitude before Lyra had managed to soften him. Here, he was charming and approachable, as if he had never known the bitterness that had defined his character.

This warmth suited him well, she supposed, but it left Riven feeling strangely off balance. She couldn’t reconcile the image of the reserved, exiled prince with the man who now stood before her, effortlessly drawing the attention of everyone around him.

And then, it seemed to only be for a moment, Riven noticed a cold look passed over Kaelen’s face, as if he was bored with the act he was putting on. All the light faded from those golden eyes, leaving behind a gaze that seemed almost hollow, distant… more like the Kaelen she remembered from the book. But in an instant, the look vanished, replaced by that same easy charm. Riven might have thought she’d imagined it if not for the faint chill left in its wake, an undercurrent of something darker beneath his practiced expression.

‘Why are you here, Kaelen?’ Riven wondered to herself, and as if hearing her thoughts, he quickly turned to face her.

“It seems not everyone is so pleased with my presence,” Kaelen chuckled slightly, and Riven shook her head, doing her best to reclaim her lost smile.

“Oh, I only feared we might be stealing you from matters more urgent than a garden stroll, my lord,” she replied with a composed smile. Around her, the other girls exchanged glances, murmuring their agreement in soft tones, though a few cast curious glances at Riven, clearly noting the focus Kaelen seemed to hold on her.

“You’re far from stealing me away, Lady Riven. It’s my pleasure,” Kaelen said, that easy smile touching his lips once more, though his gaze remained fixed on her, curious and perhaps a touch too observant. “After all, it’s not every day I have the chance to speak with one of Myelia’s chosen.”

The mention of her goddess made all the chatter stop, and Riven knew she was the center of attention. How she answered would affect how most of the girls and by extension, their families, saw her magic. Riven took a deep breath, managing to meet Kaelen’s gaze evenly.

“I am no different from any other girl who has managed to draw the eyes of a goddess, Lord Kaelen,” Riven spoke calmly, her tone laced with humility, though each word was measured to carry an undeniable weight. “We are equally burdened with our gifts and the trials it will bring us.”

The silence that followed her words was palpable, a stillness settling over the group as the weight of her statement hung in the air. The other girls shifted, exchanging glances filled with a mixture of awe and wariness. Her words seemed to catch even Kaelen off guard, his golden eyes narrowing slightly as he studied her, intrigued.

“Equally burdened…” he repeated softly, his voice barely more than a murmur, though the intensity in his gaze suggested he was measuring her, seeking something beneath the surface. “An interesting choice of words, Lady Riven.”

“I understand you are not from Vassoria, Lord Kaelen, but having magic is not a blessing, and I have no qualms about such. It may bring joy to some while equally making others miserable,” Riven continued, surprised by the intensity of her own tone but unwilling to soften it. “I merely wish to live a peaceful life, chosen by Myelia or not.”

For a moment, Kaelen regarded her in silence, his eyes revealing a flicker of approval, though it was quickly masked. She couldn’t tell if he was pleased or upset with her response, but something about the way he regarded her, a hint of a smile just at the corner of his mouth, felt almost like a challenge.

“A noble wish, Lady Riven,” he finally replied, voice smooth yet carrying a subtle, contemplative weight that hinted he was no stranger to complex ambitions. “Yet, I would venture to say that peace rarely accompanies those who stand apart, especially one as favored by the stars as you.”

The comment, though couched in politeness, carried a layer of insight that made Riven pause. It wasn’t lost on her that Kaelen had, intentionally or not, drawn attention to her uniqueness within the crowd, a move that was at once flattering and isolating. She was not the only girl present with magic, but he had only singled her out, in a way saying that neither Yvette or Galica were as special as her. Galica would be less likely to care, but Riven didn’t doubt that Yvette wasn’t taking the slight well.

“Kaelen, stop teasing my friends!” Eirlys quickly grabbed Riven’s arm, childishly sticking her tongue out at her brother. It wasn't too surprising that she would want the tension to stop, but the playful act still caught Riven slightly off guard, a reminder of just how different Kaelen’s world was from hers. Eirlys tugged her closer to the group of girls with a laugh, her warmth dissipating the tension like mist under sunlight.

“Forgive him, my brother thinks he’s more mysterious than he is,” she teased, casting a knowing look at Kaelen before turning back to Riven, a gentle look in her eyes. “But you can ignore his dramatics. He likes to make trouble.”

Kaelen gave a soft, self-effacing chuckle, inclining his head in mock surrender as the other girls laughed, their previous tension easing into the background. Riven noticed how they relaxed, mirroring Eirlys’s lightheartedness and reassured by Kaelen’s easy manner. It was a welcome shift, though Riven couldn’t shake the feeling that beneath his charm, Kaelen’s every word had been chosen with care.

***

As the last carriage pulled away, Eirlys eagerly waved off the last girl, maintaining her grin until it was gone from sight. Eirlys’s smile softened, and she turned back toward Kaelen with a sigh of relief. The air around her seemed to shift, her poised hostess demeanor slipping slightly as she met her brother’s gaze.

“Satisfied?” She murmured, a bit of apprehension seeping into her stance. Kaelen chuckled as he approached the young girl, gently resting his hand on her hair.

“You did a good job,” he agreed, his tone warm as he gently ruffled her hair, a rare softness in his eyes as he watched her. “No one could have done better. The girls enjoyed themselves, and more importantly, I got to see all the girls with magic.”

Eirlys let out a small, relieved sigh, glancing around the now-empty garden. The lively chatter of the guests still echoed faintly in her ears, but now that they had all departed, she allowed her tension to melt away.

“And what about Lady Riven?” Eirlys asked, her gaze flicking up to meet Kaelen's, a faint smile tugging at her lips. “You seemed quite taken with her. I wasn’t expecting you to show such interest.”

Kaelen’s expression grew thoughtful, his golden eyes narrowing slightly as he considered her question. Riven was, of course, the one he had wanted to see the most, but it was good to see the other two girls as well. Everything in Vassoria was so different from Qatia, and it would only help if he understood how the dynamics worked in this new land.

“I guess she reminds me of Lyra a bit,” Kaelen admitted, soft reflection settling on his face as he spoke her name. He hadn’t thought it possible to see any part of Lyra in someone like Riven, but something about her poise, her quiet defiance in the face of nobility’s watchful eyes, had brought her to mind.

“I guess, but I wouldn’t think you’d be happy about that, considering what Lyra did,” Eirlys shrugged, finally stretching as she yawned. “I’m heading to bed, tea parties here are worse than back home.”

“Go on, Eirlys. I’m sure I won’t be far behind.” He gave her a gentle nudge, prompting her toward the doors leading back inside, and she shot him a mock glare before turning away with a wave.

As soon as Eirlys was out of sight, the warmth in Kaelen’s gaze vanished, replaced by a sharper, cold gleam. He turned back toward the quiet garden, the sun dipping lower on the horizon as shadows lengthened across the ivy-clad walls. Riven Marlowe… She was far from what he’d anticipated, even more so than the chaotic whirl of nobles and rules that defined this empire. There was something about her presence that felt almost out of place among the elegant but predictable nobles of Vassoria.

“I wonder how you’ll surprise me next time we meet,” Kaelen chuckled to the empty air, strolling slowly along the gravel path.