***
“Find her! Now!” Calia commanded, steely and unyielding, as she turned from the drawing room. Her gaze swept over the guards lined along the corridor, each one straightening under her fierce, unwavering stare. “I don’t care how you do it, or how long it takes! If she can sneak in once, she’ll try again. This ends now.”

The guards exchanged brief, tense glances before scattering to obey, leaving only Calia and Devon in the quiet aftermath of her command. Devon remained seated by the table, his expression a blend of calculated calm and wary frustration. He leaned back, watching her closely as she turned to him, her narrowed eyes betraying the simmering anger she was holding in check.

“If this girl is slipping in undetected, perhaps it’s best to reconsider entering the tournament yourself,” Devon said, his tone carefully measured. “It’s clear her family supports the emperor, Calia, and who’s to say how much she overheard?”

“You know I won’t back down,” Calia’s jaw tightened, her gaze hardening and each word laced with conviction. “My uncle can send all the spies he wants. I won’t let him or any of his pawns intimidate me out of reclaiming my place.”

Devon’s brow furrowed slightly, his gaze holding hers with a quiet intensity. “Calia, it’s not simply a matter of intimidation. If she heard enough, she could already be reporting to the emperor.”

“Then let her,” Calia replied coolly, lifting her chin. “It’s not as if she’s learned my alias. And that’s the only name that matters in this tournament.”

She turned away, her expression steely as she dismissed Devon with a curt nod. Calia did her best to ignore the way he hesitated, quite hiding the concern in his gaze as he rose and took his leave. Devon was loyal, devoted to her, but there were times when Calia felt the weight of his doubts pressing against her own resolve. She pushed the thought aside, unwilling to entertain any shadow of hesitation. This path was the only way forward, and she would not allow a single, sheltered noble girl to alter it.

Once Devon’s footsteps faded down the hall, Calia exhaled slowly, her fingers brushing the cool, polished edge of a nearby pillar as she collected herself. She tilted her head slightly, calling out in a low, steady tone, “Noctyra, I need your counsel.”

A dark shimmer rippled along the floor, a form slithering from the shadows as a sleek, black snake emerged, her scales gleaming faintly in the dim light. Noctyra’s voice coiled in Calia’s mind as her lithe form wound itself around Calia’s arm, ascending to drape over her shoulders with the ease of familiarity.

“Calia,” Noctyra’s voice was rich and dark, each syllable winding through Calia’s thoughts. “I sense frustration... and uncertainty. Hardly like you.”

“A girl blessed by Myelia has been listening in on my meetings, apparently undetected,” she explained, her tone a mix of annoyance and genuine curiosity. “How did she manage to escape your sight?”

A low, almost amused hum echoed through Noctyra’s mind-voice. “Ah, so one of my younger sisters has chosen a vessel among the nobility, has she? I had forgotten they could do that.”

“You knew it was possible?”

“Of course. The only requirement is that they must believe in your power. Liora and I are simply well known, so it’s easier for us to grant our power to those we chose. We also have plenty to spare,” Noctyra chuckled, a reminder of the goddess’s deep, ancient amusement at mortal affairs. There was something both unsettling and fascinating about the way Noctyra’s voice curled into her mind, intimate and calculating. “Myelia will be intensely loyal to her chosen, as that girl is likely the only one who believes in her power.”

“This complicates things,” Calia said, her voice tight. “I’ll have to proceed with care. But Riven, if she’s under Myelia’s protection…”

Noctyra shifted, her coils tightening slightly around Calia’s shoulders, her cool, smooth scales an oddly comforting weight. “Do not fret. Myelia’s chosen vessel can be dealt with if needed. She isn’t invincible, nor is her protection limitless.”

A surge of determination rose within Calia as she felt the weight of her goddess’s assurance. “It might come to that soon enough. If Riven wishes to test her strength against me, she’ll soon learn how limited that power really is.”

Noctyra’s chuckle was dark, a promise of support wrapped in an ancient, unfathomable amusement. Calia held her gaze steady, her focus sharpening as the pieces began to align in her mind. Myelia’s blessing would complicate her path forward, but it would not stop her.

Not when she was so close.

***

Riven let out a relieved breath as she left the registration tent. She could hardly believe it had gone as smoothly as it did, with Elias’s name officially submitted as her chosen knight for the tournament. He was registered simply as “Elias,” with no mention of a family name or any ties to her own. Knights were allowed such privacy if their sponsors requested it, and the ease of concealing their partnership filled her with renewed hope.

“This feels too easy,” she murmured as they walked away from the tournament grounds. Myelia’s faint, amused presence tingled at the back of her mind, a whisper of warning that sent a slight chill through her. Riven knew the goddess was pleased with her progress, but the warning had been clear enough when she asked her guidance earlier.

“You managed to make a fool of one of my older sisters and this will draw their attention,” Myelia had said, her voice flickering with both pride and caution. “My power is growing, but I am no match for even one of them. Be careful where your next steps lead.”

“What feels easy?” Riven was pulled from her thoughts as Elias spoke, and she looked up at him, her own thoughts momentarily scattering as his gaze met hers with quiet intensity.

“Just…everything,” she admitted, a touch of uncertainty in her voice. “I know it was only a few days ago, but it feels like she’s letting me get off too easily.”
            “She may be waiting to see what your intentions are,” Elias offered, and Riven nodded, although it did little to ease her suspicions. If Calia were just another woman, she may have accepted Elias’s simple explanation, but both of them were pawns of the goddesses; there was a bigger game going on. “I have an errand I need to run before I return to the duchy. Will you be alright getting home alone?”

“Hmm? Oh yeah, sure,” Riven gave a slight smile, although she couldn’t help her slight disappointment at Elias leaving so soon. With him beside her, even the daunting task of hiding her true intentions felt less lonely, more manageable. “My maid is nearby, waiting for me to rejoin her.”

“Good,” Elias said, nodding as he gave her a final, lingering glance. “I'll see you soon, then.”

"Thank you, Elias," she replied, feeling her cheeks warm slightly as she held his gaze for a moment longer than necessary. "For everything."

Elias inclined his head, a faint but genuine smile softening his usual stoic expression. "We’ll be prepared. If anything changes… you know where to find me.”

Riven nodded, watching as he turned and made his way down the cobbled street, his silhouette blending into the city’s busy crowds. With a sigh, Riven turned back toward the path that would lead her home, threading carefully between the clustered market stalls bustling with midday activity. A steady hum of voices and clinking of goods surrounded her, the lively noise a stark contrast to the tense quiet that had lingered in her mind since she left the Illirian estate.

Riven soon turned onto the street where Noela was waiting for her, and as she approached, the sight of a familiar figure talking to her maid gave her pause. Kaelen was listening with barely masked disinterest, his eyes constantly wandering around the street as if he was looking for something, or rather someone. Riven immediately turned to try and hide before she was noticed, but it was already too late.

“Lady Riven!” Riven groaned slightly as Noela called out to her, wishing the girl could catch a hint. She slowly forced a smile on her face as she turned, Kaelen and her maid swiftly making their way to her. Kaelen’s face brightened the moment he saw her, the aloof expression he’d worn moments before dissolving into an easy, warm smile. Riven resisted the urge to sigh, though her heart beat a touch faster with each step she took toward the pair.

“Lord Kaelen,” she greeted, dipping into a polite curtsy. “It’s unexpected to see you here.”

“Unexpected, perhaps,” he replied, a glint of amusement in his eyes. “But certainly not unwelcome, I hope?”

She returned his smile with one of her own, as courteous as she could manage. “Not at all. Though I must admit, I am eager to return home.”

“Lady Riven, Lord Kaelen wanted to treat you to a small lunch,” Noela interjected, and Riven struggled not to frown. “I know you haven’t had lunch yet and it would do you no good if you fainted before we reached home!”

Riven took a moment to take in Kaelen’s expression, not liking how pleased he seemed with the circumstances. She was in no mood to entertain whatever game Kaelen was up to, but she was certain that refusing outright would only attract more attention.

“Fine. I suppose lunch is fine.”