The carriage carrying Rosaline rolled steadily through the streets of Dagon while her thoughts remained far behind in Virellion Square.
She sat beside the window with her chin resting against her hand, watching buildings pass one after another outside. Yet none of them truly held her attention.
Her mind remained fixed on a certain grey-eyed duke.
More specifically, on the strange smile he had worn before sending her ho.
Rosaline frowned slightly.
Sothing about that smile had unsettled her.
Not because it had been cruel but it was quite the opposite.
The smile had looked almost pleased.
As though he had already decided the outco of whatever matter he intended to handle.
And for so reason that made her curious.
Very curious to the point that she wanted to join him but she couldn’t push her luck around him.
Across from her, Lily was unusually quiet after she had switched carriage when she found out the Duke was not going with them.
Rosaline glanced at Lily who seem to hate everyone except her at the mont.
The maid’s arms were crossed tightly over her chest while her expression remained stormy enough to scare away passing birds.
Rosaline did not need to guess the reason.
Kiel or should she say Matthew.
The white-haired man had sohow managed to irritate Lily simply by existing.
The thought almost made her laugh.
The mont the carriage arrived at the mansion, Lily practically exploded out of the second carriage.
The door had barely opened before she stord across the courtyard.
Not once did she look behind her.
Not once.
Matthew, anwhile, climbed down from beside the coachman looking as though life had personally betrayed him.
His shoulders slumped.
His face carried the exhausted expression of a man whose future suddenly involved working off fifteen gold coins.
Rosaline felt sorry for him.
Inside the mansion, Lily imdiately dragged Rosaline toward her chambers.
"You need rest," she declared firmly.
Rosaline allowed herself to be pushed forward.
Truthfully, she was exhausted.
The events of the day had drained her more than she realized.
The black marketbwas really an eye opener.
Everything swirled together inside her head.
Back inside her room, Lily helped her change into a lighter gown before pulling blankets over her.
Rosaline had intended to remain awake.
She truly had.
Unfortunately, the mont her head touched the pillow, sleep claid her.
Lily watched her for a mont before quietly leaving the room.
The corridor beyond had already grown silent.
Most servants had finished their duties.
Only a few lanterns remained lit.
As Lily walked toward her own room, she noticed a bucket of water sitting near the wall.
Frowning, she bent slightly to move it aside.
That was when sothing strange happened.
For a brief second, her vision blurred.
Lily froze.
The hallway seed to tilt.
She blinked rapidly.
And suddenly saw her reflection in the water.
One eye remained its normal brown colour but the other wasn’t right.
It glowed GOLD.
Bright.
Unnatural.
Lily jerked backward imdiately.
Her heart slamd against her ribs.
"What..."
The golden eye vanished as though it had never existed.
Lily stared at the water then touched her face.
Both eyes felt normal.
When she looked again, only her usual reflection stared back.
Brown eyes, dark hair.
Nothing strange.
Nothing unusual.
After several long seconds, she finally exhaled.
Perhaps she was simply tired.
That had to be it.
Recently she had been suffering headaches more often.
Maybe exhaustion was finally affecting her imagination.
Muttering to herself, Lily abandoned the bucket and continued toward her room.
Yet unease lingered in her chest long after she disappeared around the corner.
Far above the sleeping mansion, another figure stood beneath the night sky.
Xandros erged onto the rooftop without a sound.
Moonlight painted the city silver around him.
The distant lights of Dagon stretched endlessly across the horizon like scattered stars.
Already waiting there was Kiel.
The white-haired man sat calmly upon the edge of the rooftop, one knee raised while he observed the city below.
His expression never changed.
Not even when Xandros approached.
The Duke stopped several feet away.
For a mont neither man spoke.
The silence between them felt natural.
Comfortable.
Eventually Kiel’s grey eyes shifted toward him.
The mont he did, his gaze narrowed slightly.
Blood.
The scent lingered on Xandros.
Fresh and unmistakable.
Kiel imdiately understood what had happened.
Yet he said nothing, he never comnted on matters that were not his concern.
Instead, he reached inside his coat and removed a small black pill.
Without a word, he tossed it toward the Duke.
Xandros caught it effortlessly.
The pill rested in his palm.
Dark as obsidian.
Powerful enough to calm the lingering effects of the poison.
A rare dicine.
Xandros chuckled softly.
"You planned ahead."
"I know you." Kiel’s answer ca flatly.
Xandros swallowed the pill without hesitation.
Imdiately warmth spread through his body.
The remaining traces of poison dissolved.
His eyes briefly darkened.
For a split second, black consud the grey.
Then the effect vanished.
His gaze returned to normal.
Satisfied, Kiel looked away.
Problem solved.
The Duke moved forward and sat beside him.
Below them, the capital continued breathing beneath the night.
For a while neither man spoke.
Then Xandros broke the silence.
"Did you enjoy your visit?"
Kiel’s expression remained completely unchanged.
"It is acceptable."The response made Xandros laughed.
Only Kiel could describe several days of constant argunts with Lily as acceptable.
The thought alone amused him.
"You seem fond of irritating her."
"I did nothing."
"That is exactly the problem."
Kiel glanced toward him.
Xandros’ smile widened.
"Most people attempt conversation."
"I see no reason."
"She thinks you’re a lizard."
Kiel blinked once.
The reaction was so rare that it nearly qualified as shock.
"A what?"
"A lizard."
The white-haired man stared.
For perhaps the first ti in years, he appeared genuinely confused.
Xandros laughed harder.
The sound echoed briefly across the rooftop.
"You should’ve seen your face."
Kiel looked entirely unimpressed.
"You’re becoming strange."
"Perhaps."
The answer ca too easily.
That made Kiel study him more carefully.
There was a difference tonight.
A noticeable one.
Sothing about the Duke seed lighter.
Not physically but emotionally.
The change was subtle enough that most people would never notice it but Kiel was not most people.
His gaze narrowed slightly.
Then he understood.
Rosaline.
The realization explained everything.
Xandros followed his line of thought without needing words.
A small smile appeared.
"She should be asleep."
Kiel imdiately regretted noticing.
"I didn’t ask." Ca his answer dryly.
"No."Xandros reiterated "But you were thinking it."
The white-haired man sighed internally.
Unfortunately, Xandros had beco unbearable.
That realization alone convinced him it was ti to leave.
Before he could stand, however, Xandros spoke again.
This ti his voice carried an unfamiliar softness.
When Kiel looked over, he discovered the Duke staring toward the mansion.
Toward one particular wing.
Toward one particular room.
"She’s beautiful."
The statent arrived without warning.
Kiel imdiately looked away.
He had no interest in becoming involved in this conversation.
Unfortunately, Xandros continued anyway.
"Do you know what makes it worse?"
"No."
"She doesn’t realize it."
Kiel remained silent.
Xandros smiled faintly.
His gaze lingered on the illuminated window.
"She still looks at herself like she’s searching for flaws."
The words carried unexpected affection.
It was warm.
For a long mont neither man spoke.
Then Xandros finally stood.
"I should go."
Kiel nodded.
"A wise decision."
The Duke raised an eyebrow.
"What does that an?"
"It ans stop staring at her window."
Xandros stared.
Kiel stared back.
Then the Duke called him several nas that were not particularly respectful.
The white-haired man remained unmoved.
Monts later, Xandros disappeared into the mansion.
The corridors had grown completely silent by then.
Only a handful of candles remained burning.
When he entered his chambers, he found Rosaline exactly where he expected.
Fast asleep.
Moonlight spilled across her silver-white hair.
One arm remained tucked beneath her cheek.
Her breathing was soft and peaceful
For several seconds Xandros simply stood there watching her.
The sight settled sothing deep inside him.
Slowly he crossed the room.
Then sat near the edge of the bed.
Rosaline shifted slightly in her sleep and a lock of hair fell across her face.
Without thinking, Xandros brushed it away as his fingers lingered.
Only briefly.
Then he stood and moved toward the washroom.
The scent of blood still clung faintly to him.
That would not do.
Not around her.
By the ti he finished washing and changing, the night had deepened considerably.
When he returned, Rosaline remained asleep.
For the first ti in many years, Xandros allowed himself to relax completely.
The late night arrived faster than expected.
Rosaline woke slowly.
The candles reflection filled the room.
For several monts she remained disoriented.
Then she noticed him.
Xandros sat upon a nearby couch reading docunts.
His grey eyes lifted imdiately.
The mont he realized she was awake, the papers disappeared onto the table.
Rosaline sat up.
Heat imdiately rushed into her cheeks.
The mory of their previous interactions returned all at once.
Xandros noticed....off course he noticed everything about he.
A faint smile touched his lips.
Rosaline looked away instantly.
The Duke stood and crossed the ro
Then sat upon the edge of her bed.
Far too close.
Her heart imdiately began misbehaving.
"You’re staring," she accused.
"You were sleeping."
"That’s not an answer."
"It was enough of one."
Rosaline huffed.
Xandros appeared entirely too pleased with himself.
After a mont, she finally gathered her courage.
"What happened?"
His eyebrow lifted.
"To what?"
"The problem."
The one he had left to handle.
The mysterious matter from the marketplace.
For a brief second sothing dark flickered across his expression.
Then it vanished.
"As I expected."
That answered absolutely nothing.
Rosaline narrowed her eyes.
"You enjoy being questioned"
"Only with you."
Unfortunately, that answer made her blush again.
Which only encouraged him.
The Duke leaned back slightly.
A satisfied look crossed his face as he rembered what had happened back at Virellion square.
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