A flash of panic shot through Riven as Calia’s gaze held her fast, that icy blue stare piercing and unyielding. In this proximity, the depth of Calia’s presence, her quiet but undeniable authority, was palpable. Even though that fate was nothing but a forgotten memory, an event that had yet to happen, Riven couldn’t help but remember how those cold eyes had sentenced her and her family to lifetime imprisonment.

Riven’s breath caught, her body frozen as if held by the very steel of Calia’s gaze. Her throat tightened, her mind desperately urging her legs to move, to flee from that pitiless stare, but her body refused to obey, her limbs locked as if paralyzed by an invisible force.

Then, in an instant, a firm grip closed around her hand, and before she could even register the motion, she was yanked backward into the shadows. Elias’s arm wrapped around her, his other hand pressed firmly over her mouth to stifle any sound as he pulled her close, guiding them both away from the drawing room with quick, fluid steps. Riven’s heart thundered in her chest, her pulse hammering against his steady, unyielding grip. She barely dared to breathe, her gaze still locked on the hallway as Elias maneuvered them with practiced ease into a narrow passageway that led to the servants' quarters. The quiet hum of voices faded behind them, replaced by the echo of distant thunder that rattled the stone walls.

He paused just long enough to meet her gaze, his expression calm and unreadable as he pressed a finger to his lips, signaling for her silence. Riven nodded, forcing herself to take a shallow breath and focus. She had to match his composure, despite the adrenaline flooding her veins. Now was not the time to be paralyzed by fear; she needed to escape.

“Can you get us out of here?” Elias’s voice was barely more than a whisper, the intensity in his gaze a stark contrast to his usual, measured demeanor. He knew her powers could have easily handled this… but he must have sensed the doubt flooding her mind, the same doubt she hadn’t wanted to admit even to herself.

Riven shook her head, her frustration flaring as she realized the weight of the clouds above had dampened Myelia’s presence, the soft glow of her power dimmed by the approaching storm. “I told you, my magic only works with clear weather.”

Elias’s eyes narrowed thoughtfully, his jaw clenching as he scanned their surroundings. Then, with a decisive nod, he took her hand again, and began to lead her through the dimly lit passage, his steps careful yet purposeful. They moved deeper into the servants’ quarters, weaving between narrow halls and empty storerooms, where the faint scent of dust and linen clung to the air. The sound of distant voices and hurried footsteps echoed from the estate’s main corridors, but the shadows swallowed them, leaving them cocooned in a hushed quiet broken only by the soft rumble of thunder overhead.

Riven’s hand felt small and light in his grip, but Elias held it firmly, not letting her fall behind as they moved swiftly through the maze of servants’ passages. He pulled her close whenever they neared an open doorway or a lighted hall, pressing her into the shadows with a cautious alertness that betrayed his calm expression. Her heart still pounded, but Elias’s unerring steadiness was something to focus on, a steady thread that kept her grounded even as her pulse raced

He glanced back at her, his eyes meeting hers briefly with a look that softened as he whispered, “Stay close. I’ll get us out.”

Riven could only nod as she met those intense grey eyes, trusting his calm certainty, feeling it begin to chip away at the lingering remnants of panic within her. Thunder crashed louder overhead, rattling the stone walls, and Riven’s pulse echoed the sound, hammering with renewed intensity. But Elias’s hand remained a warm, steadying anchor in her own, leading her through the winding passages with practiced precision until they reached a narrow doorway at the far end of the servants’ wing.

“We can slip out here and make our way out through the stables. The rain and storm should cover our tracks,” Elias whispered, his voice steady despite the growing sounds of chaos. “They’ll assume you won’t go outside into the storm, considering you are the earl’s daughter.”

“Okay,” Riven agreed, allowing Elias to pull her out into the pouring rain, soaking them within moments. The storm’s roar enveloped them, shrouding their movements as they made their way along the wall, the world reduced to a blur of shadows and silver-lined raindrops. If not for Elias’s hand holding hers, Riven doubted she would have been able to brave the weather, especially without so much as an umbrella to protect her.

As they reached the cover of the stables, he finally released her hand, moving quickly to brush the rain from his face. Riven did the same, blinking away droplets as she met his gaze, her chest still heaving from the run. For a moment, they simply stared at each other, rain-soaked and breathless, the tension of their escape hanging in the air between them.

“You didn’t have to help me,” she managed, her voice a whisper barely audible over the downpour. “She didn’t notice you. You could have left me.”

Elias remained quiet for a moment, and Riven started to feel ridiculous for saying anything. What was she saying, that she wanted to be left alone to face Calia’s wrath? She had froze from the simple act of their eyes meeting; if she had been forced in front of the princess, she likely wouldn’t have even been able to speak. When she didn’t have to face her, she could still see Calia as the heroine of the story, but when faced with those cold eyes again, all she saw was the woman who condemned her to die.

“You seem certain that the princess will reclaim the throne. Sometimes, you even seem to want that,” Elias finally spoke, his voice a quiet murmur against the storm’s fury, though his gaze never wavered from hers. “But you were terrified when your eyes met. Why?”

Riven felt her pulse quicken, her throat tightening at the question. How could she explain that to Elias… that the girl she had admired on the pages of a novel was now the same figure who had orchestrated her demise? How could she convey that the terror was not from Calia herself but from the stark reminder of her own helplessness in the face of fate, a fate that had already played out once before?

“It’s not that I want her to take the throne, exactly,” she said carefully, each word feeling like it held a double edge. “I... I just think she’s the best chance Vassoria has. Even if it means I’m no longer safe, she would rule better than her uncle. I just… don’t want to die.”

Elias remained silent, as if considering her words. Riven wished she had something more convincing to say, but nothing came to mind. She had already decided to give up being Shin, accepting her first death as the death of her original life but accepting Riven’s death wasn’t something she could do. She had to survive, she had to–

“I won’t let that happen,” Elias murmured, his voice barely more than a whisper, but the words were rich with something unspoken, something that shimmered in his gaze even through the storm-drenched darkness. “If there’s a chance to keep you safe, I’ll find it. I swear it on a knight’s honor.”

The weight of his words settled over her, bringing an ache to her chest that was both comforting and terrifying. She knew Elias had no reason to offer her loyalty; after all he was just a knight and even if Calia was uncertain about whether or not Kaelen would support her, he could just as easily pledge himself to support the former princess and save himself.

Yet here he was, drenched from head to toe, his calm, unyielding gaze filled with something that looked too much like hope. For a heartbeat, Riven’s breath hitched, her thoughts tangling as she tried to grasp the weight of his promise. The familiarity washed over her again, as if tugging at a long-forgotten memory, but Riven did her best to push it away.

“Let’s… let’s just get out of here and get you registered for the tournament,” Riven managed, reluctantly leaning out of Elias’s touch. “You… you still need to return to Duke Taren’s estate before they notice you’re missing.”

Elias seemed to hesitate, but he nodded slowly, his expression softening, though his gaze lingered on her for a moment longer. “Right. Let’s make sure you get home safe first.”

They moved together toward the estate gates, the sound of their footfalls lost in the downpour. As they crept through the shadows, Riven couldn’t shake the warmth of his words, that quiet yet fervent promise. She hadn't dared to hope that anyone would truly be on her side, not even as she approached Elias to ask for his help. But she couldn’t deny that it was… reassuring, a strange but undeniable comfort she hadn’t known she’d needed.

Her heart continued to pound, lingering on the weight of his promise.