As Adrian stepped out of the room, his thoughts drifted back to his conversation with Seraphina in the palace garden. Her words about "living, not drowning in the shadows of the past" echoed in his mind, as if she knew exactly the burden he had been carrying all this time.
He had always avoided feelings and the people who tried to get close to him, but there was something different about Seraphina. It wasn't just curiosity, but a sincerity that slowly broke down the walls he had built for so long. Seraphina never forced him to speak, yet every time they were together, he felt that burden lighten just a little.
Adrian gazed at the night sky, where stars had begun to scatter above the palace. Perhaps, she was the answer to the emptiness he had felt all this time. But along with that realization came fear—the fear that he would lose Seraphina, just as he had lost Princess Anya.
With heavier steps, Adrian turned—not towards his chambers, but towards the garden, where he hoped to see Seraphina once again.
**
The spring breeze carried the soft scent of jasmine through the palace corridors, but Evelyn's heart was far from at peace. Though she was merely a noblewoman staying in the palace at Queen Helena's request, she felt her position growing increasingly uncertain.
The deep purple silk gown she wore shimmered under the lantern light, highlighting her elegance. Her long, dark hair was neatly combed, and a sweet smile adorned her lips. She walked confidently toward the main balcony, where she knew Adrian often sought solitude at night.
From a distance, Evelyn saw his figure standing tall, gazing at the starlit sky with an unreadable expression. He looked like a hero from an old tale, but Evelyn already knew that beneath that noble façade lay a loneliness she could exploit.
"Adrian," she called softly, making her footsteps sound as delicate as the whispering wind.
Adrian turned slightly, his gaze indifferent. "Evelyn," he responded without a smile.
She stepped closer, touching Adrian's arm as casually as she could. "The night is so beautiful, isn't it? The sky seems to bless every dream we hold."
Adrian remained silent, his eyes returning to the stars without further response.
Evelyn took a slow breath, gathering her courage. "I think… sometimes we need someone who understands that loneliness," she continued, her voice a little softer, full of meaning. "Someone who knows what it's like to lose and still stand."
Adrian turned to her again, his eyes cold and sharp. "And you think that person is you?"
The question struck Evelyn like a blade cutting through her pride. She smiled faintly, masking her surprise. "We've known each other for so long, Adrian. I've always been by your side."
"By my side," Adrian murmured. "But never truly with me."
Evelyn fell silent, searching for the right words to counter the bitter truth he had just spoken. Adrian had always kept his distance, but she had believed that time would soften his heart.
"Adrian, I know you're still hurting," Evelyn said. "But you don't have to carry this burden alone. Let me help you."
Adrian's eyes remained on the sky. "This burden isn't something you can understand, Evelyn. Not because I don't want you here, but because I can't pretend. Not with you."
Evelyn clenched her hands at her sides, suppressing the anger creeping up inside her. "Then who, Adrian? Who will you allow to stand beside you?"
For a moment, Adrian said nothing. Seraphina's face flashed in his mind—her gentle smile, the way she spoke with sincerity, and the warmth that was slowly beginning to heal the old wounds in his heart.
"Not someone from the past," Adrian said. "But someone who makes me want to step into the future."
Evelyn froze. She knew exactly who he meant. Seraphina. The girl who came from a foreign world, a palace servant who was supposed to be insignificant, yet had now captured Adrian's full attention.
She forced a small smile, though her heart felt shattered. "I'm glad you're starting to think about the future, Adrian," she said, hiding the pain behind her words. "But remember, not everyone who offers their heart will wait for you forever."
Adrian looked at her deeply but said nothing. He simply turned away, leaving Evelyn alone on the balcony.
Evelyn stood still, her eyes blankly following Adrian as he disappeared behind the door. In her heart, she swore that if she couldn't have Adrian the easy way, she would find another way. A way that might destroy Seraphina.
**
The night wrapped the Valoria palace in a serene silence, but for Seraphina, every corner felt filled with unanswered questions. She walked slowly through the corridors toward the palace garden, the place where she often saw Adrian spending his time alone.
A cold breeze blew gently, rustling the leaves and carrying the scent of damp earth. Seraphina found Adrian standing at the edge of the pond, his arms crossed over his chest, his gaze vacant as he stared at the rippling water. The moonlight illuminated his face, highlighting the somber expression hidden behind his sharp, commanding eyes.
"Your Highness," Seraphina called softly, stopping a few steps away from him.
Adrian didn't answer right away. He lowered his head slightly, as if deciding whether he wanted to respond or remain trapped in his thoughts. After a few seconds, he slowly turned to her, his blue eyes gleaming with quiet sorrow.
"A peaceful night, isn't it?" he said.
Seraphina smiled faintly, though her heart ached at the sadness laced in his words. "Yes, peaceful… but heavy," she admitted honestly, without trying to hide what she felt.
Adrian sighed. "When night falls, everything becomes more honest—including pain."
Seraphina stepped closer, tilting her head as she gazed at his face with quiet understanding. "Your Highness always seems strong, but I know you carry something within. Something you never let anyone see."
For a moment, Adrian remained silent. He continued staring at the pond's surface, his normally regal eyes now vulnerable. "You're right," he finally said. "I carry too much, and perhaps that's the only thing keeping me standing."
Seraphina gently touched his arm, her touch as warm as the spring breeze. "Sometimes, standing doesn't mean carrying everything alone."
Adrian turned to her, his gaze deep. But this time, it was different—it was no longer the cold, distant stare of a prince guarding his heart. It was the gaze of someone slowly beginning to trust.
"Anya," Adrian whispered. "I lost her, in this very place. And since then, I've always felt like a part of me was buried with her."
Seraphina felt the sting behind his words. She knew that name—Adrian's first love, the shadow that had loomed over his heart for so long.
But what worried Seraphina was something beyond the ordinary. Maybe it had to do with her very presence here. Somehow, her connection to Princess Anya felt strangely close. What did it all mean?
**
Seraphina asked again, "Do you still love her, Your Majesty?"
"More than that," Adrian replied, his eyes clouded. "She was the light that made everything possible. And when she left, this world became darker."
Silence enveloped them, only the sound of trickling water breaking the stillness of the night wind. Seraphina knew she could never replace Princess Anya, but she wanted to show that wounds did not have to mark the end of everything.
"I once heard an old story," Seraphina began, her voice as soft as a melody. "There was a man who lost his beloved. He spent the rest of his life trying to find the reason behind her departure until he realized that the reason was not meant to be found, but to be accepted."
Adrian gave a faint smile, though it was tinged with sorrow. "And you think I can accept it?"
"Not in one night," Seraphina replied. "But maybe Your Majesty could start by letting others into your world."
Adrian raised an eyebrow, looking at her with curiosity. "Like you?"
Seraphina held back a smile. "Maybe I could be your first step."
Adrian gazed at her for a long moment before giving a small nod. "The first step, huh?"
Before Seraphina could respond, the sound of approaching footsteps interrupted them. A guard emerged from the shadows, his face tense. "Your Majesty, King Gregory has summoned you. There is urgent news from the Kingdom of Auroria."
Adrian turned, his cold gaze returning like a mask he wore whenever it came to royal matters. He looked at Seraphina for a moment before saying, "We'll talk another time."
Seraphina remained where she stood, watching Adrian disappear with the guard. Deep in her heart, she knew the news from the Kingdom of Auroria would change everything—not only for Adrian but for herself as well.
**
Seraphina stood still, her gaze fixed on the ripples in the water reflecting the moonlight. Adrian's words echoed in her mind, forming an inescapable pattern—a pattern of fate that seemed to have been guiding her ever since she passed through the secret door.
Amelia.
That name rang like a bell from the past, bringing Seraphina back to memories of John's first love, which also ended in tragedy. Adrian and Anya's love story felt like a perfect reflection of John's life in the real world.
"I am here for a reason," she whispered to herself.
All these pieces—her mother's death, John's first love tragedy, and now Adrian's story—seemed to be woven together in a single thread of fate. It was no coincidence that she had crossed into this world. From the very beginning, she felt as if there was a greater force at play, something unseen yet guiding her every step.
She felt a chill seep into her skin, but it wasn't from the night air. It was an eerie sensation, a feeling that her life was part of a grand narrative that had yet to fully unfold. Perhaps she had been sent to this world to uncover the secrets of the past, to expose the truth long buried, and ultimately to break the curse that had taken the people she loved.
"This is more than just a coincidence," Seraphina whispered. "This is my destiny, and I cannot ignore it."
The wind blew stronger, making the branches creak as if whispering their agreement to her words.
Seraphina began to understand that fate had led her to this moment. The only thing she did not yet know was how much the truth would shake Adrian's world—and her own.
**
The night sky hung low outside Seraphina's window. Silence filled the air, almost suffocating, with only the faint ticking of an antique clock in the corner breaking the stillness of her breaths. She sat on the edge of her bed, her eyes locked onto an old, fragile piece of paper in her trembling hands.
She had found the letter by accident while searching for a candle in her mother's old desk drawer. The parchment was yellowed, the ink nearly faded. Yet, in every sentence she managed to read, whispers of the past awakened once more.
"To my daughter, Seraphina, if one day you find this letter, it means the secret I have hidden for so long must now be known. Trust no one, not even your own shadow. Our past is filled with thorns, and you are the only hope left to uncover the truth."
Seraphina's hands shook. The first line alone was enough to make her heartbeat quicken.
"A past full of thorns?" she murmured, her brows furrowing. She quickly scanned the next lines, her burning curiosity consuming her.
"The Kingdom of Auroria is not a fairy tale, my daughter. That is where it all began. I am a part of a dark history that you must uncover for yourself. If you are reading this, go to the secret chamber behind the large bookshelf in the librar—"