The night air was crisp as Kael and Riven stepped out of the café, leaving Duke Valen behind. The streets of Veyholm were quieter now, the usual chatter of merchants and townsfolk replaced by the distant hum of lantern-lit roads.
Kael walked in silence, her mind still turning over everything she had learned.
Her brother was alive. Hidden in Varendel.
And now… she was going to him.
"So, you're really doing this."
Riven's voice broke through the quiet.
Kael glanced at him. His disguise was still in place—grey hair, dark eyes. A reminder that even here, even now, he wasn't free to be himself.
"Yes," she said simply.
Riven exhaled, running a hand through his "grey" hair. "Well, sweetheart, looks like we have some planning to do."
She arched an eyebrow. "We?"
Riven grinned. "Oh, you didn't think I was going to let you have all the fun, did you?"
Kael rolled her eyes but didn't argue. Not yet.
They walked in silence for a few more moments before Riven reached into his coat pocket.
"Oh, before I forget—"
He pulled out a small glass vial filled with deep blue capsules.
Kael frowned. "What is that?"
"A little gift from our dear Duke," Riven said, twirling the vial between his fingers. "Apparently, these pills can change someone's entire appearance for a few days. Hair, skin, eye color—you name it."
Kael's frown deepened. "That's… convenient."
"Isn't it?" Riven's smirk faded slightly as he pocketed the vial. "Valen was serious when he said we need to be careful. If people find out your brother is alive, this isn't just about you anymore. It could start a war."
Kael exhaled slowly. She had known the stakes were high. But hearing them put into words—**hearing how fragile this secret was—**made it feel even heavier.
She looked at Riven. "You think it's worth the risk?"
He held her gaze. "I think you don't have a choice."
She clenched her jaw but nodded. He wasn't wrong.
They continued walking until the inn came into view, warm candlelight flickering behind the windows.
They stepped inside, the scent of ale and roasted meat still lingering from earlier. A few stragglers remained at the tables, drinking quietly, the energy of the tavern now subdued.
Kael took a seat at their usual corner table.
Riven leaned back against the chair across from her, stretching his arms above his head.
"So," he said casually, "when do we leave?"
Kael narrowed her eyes. "You're a prince, Riven. You can't just disappear from Velmont whenever you feel like it."
He chuckled. "I've done it before."
"You were already gone for 2 weeks in the Underground City. A prince being absent for this long? That raises suspicion."
Riven waved a hand dismissively. "I already have a plan to cover my absence. If anyone notices I'm missing, they'll believe something else entirely."
Kael studied him. "You thought about this."
"Of course," Riven said. "I always think ahead, sweetheart."
She wasn't convinced. "Why are you doing this?"
His smirk softened slightly. "Because I have no interest in the throne."
Kael frowned.
"I don't want it," Riven said simply. "And I'd much rather see it returned to the rightful heir."
His blue-green eyes gleamed. "And also… you'd be lost without me."
Kael snorted. "You're delusional."
Riven leaned forward slightly. "Come on, admit it. You'd miss me."
Kael picked up a knife from the table and started twirling it between her fingers. "I'd miss throwing things at you."
Riven grinned. "I'll take what I can get."
She shook her head, but there was something different in the way she looked at him now.
A few days ago, she would have brushed him off completely. But now…
He had stayed.
He had listened.
And he was offering to walk into danger for a cause that wasn't even his.
She exhaled, tilting her head. "And what about your father?"
The playfulness in Riven's eyes dimmed slightly.
For the first time that night, he didn't have an immediate response.
Then—quietly—he just looked at her.
Kael didn't press.
She could see something shift in his expression, something that made her decide that—just this once—she wouldn't push for an answer.
Instead, she simply nodded.
A silent understanding.
A moment later, Riven sighed dramatically. "Well, I should probably go play the part of a dutiful prince before we leave."
Kael smirked. "Try not to cause too much trouble."
Riven stood, adjusting his coat. "I make no promises."
Kael rolled her eyes.
As he reached the door, he glanced back at her, something unreadable flickering behind his usual grin.
"I'll see you soon, sweetheart."
Then, he was gone.
Kael sat back in her chair, staring at the empty space where he had been.
This was really happening.
For the first time in years, she wasn't running.
She was chasing something.
And she wasn't doing it alone.