(Vidalia's POV)
The halls of the royal palace smelled of waxed wood and burning candles, but beneath the grandeur, tension simmered.
I had barely caught my breath after the attack, yet here I was, forced into another ordeal—a formal court gathering.
Kyren stood beside me, brooding as usual, his sharp gaze sweeping over the nobles assembled in the grand hall. His presence was suffocating, all sharp angles and quiet arrogance.
And then he walked in.
Geo Rosario.
Tall, elegant, and effortless in a way Kyren never was. His meadow-green eyes carried a certain soft danger, like a man who did not need to announce his strength—it simply existed.
Where Kyren burned like a raging storm, Geo was calm, steady… yet just as lethal.
My breath caught as he approached.
"Duchess Caradine," he greeted, his voice smooth, almost teasing. "I finally meet the woman causing quite the stir in Etril."
I blinked. "I—excuse me?"
His lips quirked. "Word travels fast, my lady." He tilted his head slightly. "Assassins in the dead of night? That's quite the welcome party."
Kyren tensed beside me. "You're well-informed."
Geo turned to him, and for the first time in my life, I watched Kyren meet a man who didn't immediately cower in his presence.
No. Geo matched it.
"A warrior should be," Geo said simply. "Though, I can't decide if your information network is lacking, or if you're just too stubborn to admit when you're being hunted."
Kyren's expression darkened. "Careful, Rosario."
Geo smiled, unbothered. "Just an observation, Your Grace."
The air crackled between them.
I watched, intrigued, as these two men—so different, yet equally dangerous—sized each other up.
Then, Geo turned to me again. "If I may, Duchess… I do hope you're unharmed?"
I hesitated, sensing something unspoken in his words.
Kyren answered for me. "She's fine."
chuckled softly. "Ah. Spoken like a man desperate to keep a secret."
Kyren's hands curled into fists.
And for the first time, I realized something.
This marriage was meant to be political.
But suddenly, it felt like something more.
And Geo Rosario was not just another noble.
He was here for a reason.
And I had a feeling he was about to turn everything upside down
I took a slow breath, gathering myself as the tension between the two men simmered. Kyren's glare could set fire to stone, but Geo only met it with effortless amusement, as if he thrived in the challenge.
This was dangerous.
Not the kind of danger that came from swords or assassins—but a different, more insidious game. And I was caught in the middle.
"Walk with me, Duchess?" Geo extended a hand slightly, not touching me but offering the choice. "Unless your betrothed is the possessive type?"
Kyren made a noise in his throat—something between a scoff and a growl—but he didn't stop me.
Interesting.
I turned on my heel and walked with Geo down the hall, the air thick with the weight of whatever this was.
---
A Private Conversation
Once we were out of earshot, I spoke first. "You know more than you let on."
Geo chuckled, slipping his hands behind his back. "A bold assumption, but not incorrect."
I narrowed my eyes. "So why don't you enlighten me?"
"Because, Duchess Caradine, knowledge is power, and power should never be given freely." His meadow-green eyes gleamed as he glanced at me. "Tell me, do you trust your dear fiancé?"
I stiffened. "That's a dangerous question."
"And you didn't answer it."
I exhaled sharply. "Kyren may be insufferable, but he's also the reason I'm still alive after last night."
"Ah," Geo mused. "So he saved you."
Something in his tone—amused, knowing—unsettled me.
"What exactly are you implying?" I asked, stopping to face him fully.
Geo tilted his head. "That you should never mistake survival for trust, Duchess."
My fingers twitched. "And you think I should trust you instead?"
"I think," he murmured, stepping closer, "that you should trust yourself. And your instincts."
The space between us was small, not inappropriate, but enough to feel his presence. Where Kyren's was overwhelming, Geo's was effortless. A quiet strength that didn't need to be forced.
"And what do your instincts tell you?" I asked, unwilling to let him control the conversation.
Geo smiled slightly. "That I should be watching you very closely, Duchess. After all—you are far more interesting than they give you credit for."
A thrill ran down my spine. This man was trouble.
And yet, I had a feeling I'd be seeing much more of him.