Thorne awoke with a groan, the world swimming back into focus. The first thing he saw was Selene’s worried face hovering above him. Her eyes, wide with concern, locked onto his, and before he could stop himself, a goofy smile spread across his face.

  Of course, the first thing I do is grin like an idiot.

  “He’s awake!” Selene’s voice rang out, a mix of relief and surprise.

  Another face appeared over Thorne’s, pinched and decidedly less welcoming. The older woman who always shadowed Selene, her governess, stared down at him with a sour expression, her eyes filled with disapproval. “He may have hit his head,” she said, her voice sharp as a knife. “That expression is... unsettling.”

  From somewhere beside him, Thorne could hear Selene’s voice, still soft with concern. “No, his expression changed when he saw you,” she said with a small, almost teasing smile. “He was fine just a moment ago. Now he is frowning.”

  The governess narrowed her eyes. “That he does,” she replied curtly.

  “Will he be alright?” Selene asked, the worry back in her voice.

  A man from across the room, likely the shopkeeper, answered from somewhere in the background. “I don’t see why not, my lady. Just needs a moment to catch his breath.”

  Thorne groaned as he sat up, each movement accompanied by the dull ache of his overworked body. He rubbed his face, the memories of what had happened coming back in waves. Oh gods... I passed out in front of her. The embarrassment flooded his mind, followed quickly by frustration. “I’m gonna kill him,” he muttered under his breath. “Jonah, Ben, both of them.”

  He checked his stamina points. Only 70 left. “Damn it, Jonah!”

  He rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly all too aware of the eyes fixed on him. His gaze flickered to Selene, who was still watching him with an expression of concern. The way she looked at him made his heart race. But then he noticed her governess, staring at him like he was some criminal trying to corrupt her charge.

  He realized he was lying on a wooden table in the middle of a small shop, its shelves crowded with goods. Selene, her ever-watchful governess, and the shopkeeper all stood nearby, each with vastly different expressions: concern, disapproval, and curiosity. Outside, the guards blocked the entrance, keeping out the crowd of onlookers that had gathered, craning their necks to see what had happened.

  Thorne massaged his neck awkwardly, his face heating up as he glanced at Selene. He quickly looked away. Great. Just great. Did she have to see me collapse like that? Couldn’t she have seen me doing something... cool? Or at least, not... this?

  His mouth felt dry, and after a moment, he let out a strained chuckle, trying to break the tension. “I’m sorry if I worried you,” he said, swinging his legs off the table and wincing as his body protested.

  “I drank an experimental potion, and it apparently had some side effects,” It felt like he’d been run over by a wagon, his muscles burning, his head pounding. He rubbed his temples, trying to gather his thoughts.

  Selene took a tentative step forward, her blue eyes wide with concern. “You shouldn’t consume unknown potions, my lord,” she said softly. “It could have been deadly!”

  Thorne nodded, feeling like a complete fool. “Yeah, I know. Lesson learned.” He tried to smile but it came out weak, almost sheepish. “A friend of mine is trying to become an alchemist. He experiments with all kinds of things. Usually, the side effects are minimal. You know, like turning your skin blue or losing your hair.”

  Selene gasped, her gloved hand flying to her mouth in shock. The shopkeeper scoffed, shaking his head. “Minimal side effects? Some alchemist...” he muttered under his breath.

  But it was the governess who cut in, her voice sharp as she eyed Thorne with suspicion. “You’ve already made friends in the city, my lord?” Her tone was cold, each word carefully measured. Her eyes, however, spoke of suspicion, like a hawk ready to swoop down on a threat.

  Thorne’s social instincts kicked in. With a casual grin, he called upon his Acting skill, letting his charm slip effortlessly into place. “What can I say? I’m quite lovable.” He spread his hands in a gesture of mock helplessness, his smirk growing. “Besides, that’s why I travel. I love meeting new people, learning new things.” His words were boosted by his Echoes of Truth skill, giving them a subtle but undeniable weight.

  The governess’s narrowed eyes never left his, but before she could respond, Selene stepped closer and placed a gentle hand on Thorne’s shoulder. The soft touch sent a shockwave through him, his breath catching in his throat.

  “My lord, you had me truly worried,” she said quietly, her eyes filled with sincerity.

  For a moment, the rest of the world seemed to disappear. Thorne looked into her eyes—those deep blue eyes—and felt something shift inside him. He didn’t know what it was, but it left him feeling... unsteady. He swallowed hard, his pulse quickening.

  “I’m sorry,” he whispered, his voice barely audible.

  They stayed like that for a moment, staring at each other, lost in the quiet. Thorne didn’t know why, but it felt like the air between them had changed. It was... different. He wasn’t used to feeling this way, and for the life of him, he didn’t know how to handle it.

  The moment was shattered when the governess stepped forward, her voice slicing through the quiet like a knife. “My lady, we should be going. They’ll be waiting for your return.”

  Selene blinked, breaking the spell between them. She nodded reluctantly but didn’t move. Thorne, not wanting her to leave just yet, blurted out the first thing that came to his mind. “You know, my friend has all kinds of potions,” he said hurriedly. “He even has one that makes your skin glow!”

  Gods, no! Thorne thought as the words left his mouth. His eyes widened in horror, and he coughed awkwardly, trying to fix the blunder. “I-I mean... not that you need it. Your skin is already... I mean, you’re...”

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  Stop talking. Just stop talking. His mind screamed at him. He was making a complete fool of himself. Thorne, who always had the right thing to say, who could charm his way through any situation, was floundering in front of this girl.

  To his surprise, Selene chuckled softly, lifting a gloved hand to her mouth to hide her smile, though her eyes sparkled with amusement. “Lord Silverbane, I would love to meet this friend of yours,” she said, her voice teasing but warm.

  “You... would?” Thorne blinked, confused.

  Selene nodded, but her governess quickly stepped in, her tone icy. “That would not be proper, my lady. I insist we leave.”

  Selene sighed, her shoulders sagging slightly. “Of course,” she muttered, but as she turned to leave, her eyes gleamed with mischief again. “But first, I should compensate this lovely gentleman for providing a safe space for Lord Silverbane to recuperate.” She gestured toward the shopkeeper with a graceful wave. “Would you follow me, sir?”

  The shopkeeper, who had been watching the whole scene unfold with thinly veiled amusement, followed her to the back of the shop, leaving Thorne alone with the glowering governess.

  As soon as Selene was out of earshot, Thorne forced himself to breath, his legs were still wobbly and his body felt like it was made of lead. He checked his stamina points again—still low. I’m going to kill Jonah.

  When Selene returned, her smile was brighter, and the shopkeeper had a satisfied grin on his face. “Until next time, Lord Silverbane,” Selene said softly as she stopped in front of him. She gave a small, graceful curtsy before heading toward the door. Just as she reached the exit, she glanced back and gave him a playful wink.

  Thorne blinked, utterly caught off guard, as she disappeared into the street with her entourage.

  He stood there, staring at the door long after she had gone, trying to process everything. His heart was still racing, and his face was warm. What in the hells just happened?

  A delicate cough from behind him jolted him back to reality. The shopkeeper stepped forward, smirking as he handed Thorne a small piece of paper.

  “For you, my lord,” the man said, clearly enjoying himself.

  Thorne unfolded the note, his eyes scanning the words:

  Meet me one hour after sundown at the statue of Grisley the Great.

  That stupid grin found its way back to his face.

  *

  Thorne stood anxiously by the statue of Grisley the Great, a rather fat man immortalized in stone, holding a long parchment like he’d just solved the kingdom’s biggest puzzle. Thorne, however, was far from feeling triumphant. He tapped his foot impatiently, his eyes darting around the quiet noble quarter. His palms were sweaty, and every few seconds, he wiped them on his pants, then cursed himself, checking to make sure he hadn’t left any stains.

  Why am I like this? He had spent nearly an hour deciding what to wear. He didn’t want to overdo it, he needed to look like a lord, but not too much like one, in case he needed to remain inconspicuous. In the end, he chose simple but sharp clothes and added a cloak for good measure. After everything that had happened lately, he wasn’t sure how the night would end.

  The noble quarter was quiet. Most of the shops had closed at sundown, and with the recent rise in aether waves, few people ventured out after dark. The silence only made his nerves worse.

  Then he heard it—footsteps.

  Thorne’s breath caught as he looked up. Selene was walking quickly toward him, her eyes darting around, scanning the shadows of the empty street. Her long blonde hair was loose, cascading over her shoulders, and she wore a pale blue dress with a fur-trimmed cloak that matched the color of her eyes.

  She looked... beautiful.

  When she spotted him, her entire face lit up, and she smiled radiantly, making his heart skip a beat. She crossed the street, pulling up her hood as she reached him, her cheeks slightly flushed from the cool evening air.

  “Hi,” she said breathlessly, her voice soft but full of warmth.

  Thorne’s eyes locked onto hers. For a second, he forgot how to speak. “Hi,” he finally managed to respond, though his voice felt awkward in his own ears. What am I doing here? This was Selene Ravencourt. This spells disaster. And yet, he couldn’t bring himself to regret it.

  There was a brief silence, both of them standing there, caught in the strangeness of the moment. Selene was the first to break it.

  “Well?” she asked, her eyes bright with curiosity. “Where are we going?”

  Of all the things Thorne had been thinking about leading up to this meeting, that was the one detail he hadn’t considered. He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “Uh... where do you want to go?”

  Selene tilted her head, thinking for a moment, then shrugged. “I don’t care,” she said with a smile. “I’ve only ever gone to Tara’s tearoom, here in the noble quarter. I’ve never been anywhere else.”

  Thorne blinked. Tara’s? The places he usually went, the taverns and wineries Uncle owned, weren’t exactly suited for someone like Selene. He frowned, trying to come up with something.

  “You said you had friends,” Selene continued, curiosity gleaming in her eyes. “Where do you go with them?”

  Thorne hesitated, wondering if taking her to his usual spots was really a good idea. “Uh, we go to Gilly’s Tavern,” he said finally. It was a relatively tame place compared to some of the other dives in the city, just a quiet spot where working men grabbed a bite to eat or a drink after their shifts. “But I don’t know if you’d like it. It’s... a little rough.”

  Instead of the caution or revulsion he expected, Selene’s eyes lit up with excitement. “It’s okay,” she reassured him, stepping closer. “I’ve always wanted to go to a place like that.” She leaned in, conspiratorially, her voice a whisper. “It wouldn’t be proper. But no one knows where I am tonight.”

  Her intoxicating perfume filled the air around him, and Thorne couldn’t help but smile at her excitement. It was contagious.

  “Okay,” he nodded, grinning. “But if we go there, you’ll need this.” He unclasped his cloak and leaned closer, gently draping it over her shoulders. He heard her breath catch as his hands lingered for just a moment before he stepped back.

  “My lady,” he said with a flourish, his voice playful. “Let’s have a night we’ll never forget.”

  Selene laughed, her eyes twinkling as she pulled the cloak tighter around herself. “Lead the way.”

  They walked through the quiet streets, talking about little things, nothing important, but every word felt easy, natural. They laughed together, Selene’s unrestrained enthusiasm shining through as she bounced slightly with each step, her face open and sincere. She was different from the composed, noblewoman Thorne had first met. She was real.

  As they approached Gilly’s Tavern, the warm light spilling from its windows into the street, Thorne’s heart sank slightly. He hadn’t expected to run into his friends. But there, at the corner table, sat Jonah, Ben, and Darius, drinking, eating, and talking like they always did.

  Thorne coughed awkwardly, hesitating just outside the door. Selene noticed immediately, her brow furrowing with concern. “What’s wrong?”

  Thorne scratched his head, avoiding her gaze. “My friends are in there. If you’d rather go somewhere else...”

  Instead of recoiling, Selene reached out, placing her hand gently over his heart. The simple touch sent a jolt through him, his pulse quickening. “I’d love to meet them,” she said, her voice soft but sincere.

  Thorne stared at her for a moment, stunned. What is wrong with me? He quickly pulled himself together and led her inside.

  As they approached the table, Darius glanced up, his usual serious expression quickly morphing into one of surprise. “Well, well, well,” he began, his voice teasing. But then his eyes widened as he took in the sight of Selene beside Thorne. “What...”

  Jonah, of course, couldn’t resist. His grin was practically predatory. “Oh, this is interesting.” His tone dripped with innuendo, and Thorne could already see where his friend’s thoughts were going.

  Ben, on the other hand, was more focused on his food, barely sparing them a glance.

  Thorne sighed internally, quickly introducing Selene to his friends. As he did, he subtly signed with his hands, ensuring only the guys would understand: Southern lord. We’ve known each other for weeks.

  Darius’s brow shot up for a split second, but he quickly recovered, nodding in acknowledgment. Jonah, ever the smirking troublemaker, seemed ready to make a joke but held back. Ben gave the smallest of nods before shoving another bite of food into his mouth.

  Selene, completely unaware of the brief exchange, smiled warmly and took a seat beside Thorne.

  “Well,” Darius said, clearing his throat and eyeing Thorne with barely hidden amusement. “This just got interesting.”

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