episode 3

"She was the enemy I was meant to hate. So why couldn't I look away?"

The palace corridor fell silent.

Seraphyne stared at the man holding her wrist.

Kael Draven.

The Hybrid King.

The man she had spent centuries blaming for her family's downfall.

For a moment, neither of them moved.

Neither looked away.

His silver eyes remained fixed on hers.

Cold.

Observant.

As if trying to uncover every secret she carried.

"Who are you?" he asked again.

His voice was calm.

Yet there was something dangerous beneath it.

Seraphyne quickly hid her emotions behind a blank expression.

"Just a guest."

Kael's eyebrow lifted.

"Guests don't wander through restricted areas of the palace."

The corner of her lips twitched.

"Then perhaps your security needs improvement."

For the first time, surprise flashed across his face.

Most people feared him.

This woman was mocking him.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

Slowly, Kael released her wrist.

Yet he didn't step away.

The distance between them remained dangerously small.

Seraphyne could feel her heart beating faster.

Annoying.

She hated it.

"Have we met before?" Kael suddenly asked.

The question struck her like lightning.

Her body tensed.

For a brief moment, memories flashed through her mind.

Blood.

Screams.

A burning castle.

Silver eyes watching from the shadows.

Her gaze hardened.

"No."

The lie came out effortlessly.

Kael studied her carefully.

He knew she was hiding something.

The question was what.

Before he could speak again, footsteps echoed through the corridor.

A guard appeared.

"Your Majesty."

The guard bowed immediately.

"The council meeting is about to begin."

Kael looked annoyed.

Seraphyne almost smiled.

Good.

A distraction.

Without waiting for permission, she turned and walked away.

But just as she reached the end of the corridor—

"Be careful."

She stopped.

Kael's voice echoed behind her.

"There are dangerous people in this kingdom."

Seraphyne glanced over her shoulder.

Their eyes met once more.

"If I were you," Kael continued, "I'd trust no one."

Something about those words felt strange.

Almost like a warning.

Before she could respond, he walked away.

Leaving her standing alone.

Confused.

And somehow more curious about him than before.

Later that night...

Seraphyne sat on the balcony of her inn.

The moon hung high above the kingdom.

Nyx rested beside her.

For the first time since returning, uncertainty crept into her thoughts.

Kael wasn't what she expected.

The man she remembered was supposed to be cruel.

Heartless.

A villain.

Yet today...

He had warned her.

Why?

A low growl escaped Nyx.

Seraphyne immediately became alert.

The panther had sensed something.

Or someone.

A folded piece of paper suddenly landed beside her.

Her eyes narrowed.

She looked around.

Nothing.

Whoever had thrown it was already gone.

Carefully, she unfolded the note.

Only a few words were written on it.

Her expression froze.

Because the message said:

"If you want the truth about your parents' death... come to the abandoned cathedral tomorrow night."

No signature.

No name.

Nothing.

Only a warning written beneath it.

"And don't let the Hybrid King find out."

Seraphyne stared at the note.

The wind howled around her.

For the first time in eighteen hundred years...

She felt like she was finally getting closer to the truth.

But she didn't know that someone else had already seen the message.

From the rooftop across the street...

Kael watched silently.

His silver eyes fixed on the note in her hand.

And for the first time...

The Hybrid King looked worried.

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