(Geo's POV)
Kyren Fernandez was a beast.
Unpredictable. Powerful. Brutal.
But even the strongest beasts had blind spots.
And I had been watching him long enough to find them.
I stood at the far end of the royal courtyard, sipping from a goblet of wine as Kyren sparred with his men. His movements were precise, efficient, deadly. He wielded his sword like it was an extension of himself, cutting through opponents like they were nothing.
The men admired him. Feared him. Followed him.
I would change that.
The trick to dismantling a man like Kyren wasn't brute force—it was doubt. Rot. Poison.
I turned to the soldier beside me, a young noble eager to rise in the ranks. Eager to listen.
"Did you hear?" I mused, keeping my voice low enough to force him to lean in. "About Lord Fernandez?"
The soldier's brow furrowed. "What about him?"
I let a slow, knowing smile creep onto my lips.
"A little rumor… that he's not as loyal to the crown as he seems."
The soldier stiffened. "That's ridiculous."
"Is it?" I swirled my wine, watching Kyren disarm his opponent with terrifying ease. "It's only natural for someone as powerful as him to start thinking beyond his station. He leads the armies, he commands the kingdom's respect… and he has the future duchess wrapped around his finger."
I watched as uncertainty flickered across the soldier's face. The first seed planted.
Now, let it grow.
---
Kyren's POV
Something was wrong.
I could feel it.
The whispers had started that morning—low, slithering rumors. Discontent stirring among my men.
I saw it in the way they watched me. The way their laughter quieted when I entered a room.
And when I traced it back, I found one common thread.
Geo Rosairio.
He was too careful, too subtle. But I wasn't an idiot. This wasn't coincidence.
I turned, scanning the crowd at the training grounds, and found him standing at the edge, his expression calm. Too calm.
He lifted his goblet in a mocking salute.
And then—he smiled.
A challenge.
My fingers curled into a fist.
Geo thought he could play these games with me? That he could slither in the shadows and not get burned?
He had no idea who he was dealing with.
If he wanted war, I would gladly give him one.
(Vidalia's POV)
The tension in the courtyard was thick enough to choke on.
I didn't know what had happened between Kyren and Geo, but something had.
The air crackled as they stood on opposite sides of the training ground, locked in a silent battle. Kyren's jaw was clenched tight, his shoulders squared as if ready to lunge. Geo, in contrast, was as smooth as ever, sipping wine with an almost lazy amusement.
I wasn't stupid. This was personal.
And unfortunately, I had just walked into it.
I didn't want to be here. I'd only come because I'd overheard something about my name being thrown around by the noblemen, and I wasn't about to let them talk about me like some prize to be won.
Instead, I had walked straight into this.
I sighed, lifting my skirts slightly as I made my way over. "Why do I get the feeling you two are seconds away from drawing swords?"
Geo's face lit up as soon as he saw me. Too quickly.
"Ah, my lady," he purred, stepping toward me smoothly. "What perfect timing. Lord Fernandez and I were just discussing… alliances."
Kyren scoffed. "Is that what you call it?"
Geo only smiled.
There was something wrong about the way he looked at me—like he was seeing something more than what was there. Like I was his.
Kyren noticed it, too.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Kyren growled, stepping in front of me slightly. It was subtle, possessive. A move meant to stake his claim.
Geo tilted his head. "My dear Lord Fernandez, I only wish to make the lady feel… welcomed."
Before Kyren could bite back, another voice cut through the air.
"Welcomed? What a joke."
I internally groaned.
Here we go.
Kahina glided in, wearing that smug expression she always did when she thought she was winning.
"Vidalia, darling," she said, linking her arm through mine before I could stop her. "You really should be more careful. It seems you're surrounded by men who think they have some kind of claim over you."
I stiffened.
She wasn't wrong.
Kyren and Geo both looked like they were ready to murder each other.
Geo still had that infuriating smirk, but his grip on his goblet was a little too tight.
Kyren was worse. Tense. Coiled like a storm waiting to break.
I needed to stop this before it spiraled.
"Kahina," I said sweetly, "I don't recall asking for your opinion."
She laughed. "Of course you didn't. But you'll thank me later."
She leaned in close, her voice just loud enough for everyone to hear.
"If you're not careful, one of them is going to destroy you."
I felt a chill run down my spine.
And for the first time, I wasn't sure if she was wrong.