Kael stood on the balcony until nighttime crept closer to midnight. Time stretched endlessly, each minute dragging itself forward. The cold gnawed at his skin, making him tremble, yet he didn't move. Ausma's quiet company felt infinitely more bearable than returning to the glittering hall behind him.

  From the balcony, Kael watched servants and townsfolk prepare sky lanterns in the palace gardens below. A tradition Lia had once told him about with sparkling eyes.

  Her joy had been so genuine back then. She spoke of it as if it were the most beautiful moment of the year.

  Children laughed as their parents helped them light the lanterns, guiding their small hands carefully. The warm glow flickered against the snow, soft and hopeful.

  It was said that every sky lantern carried a wish to the heavens, drifting upward in the hope of being heard.

  Kael exhaled slowly.

  What a superstition.

  He turned away and walked back toward the ballroom doors.

  He entered just as the king addressed his guests, gesturing toward the servants lining the walls.

  "We have prepared enough sky lanterns for all of you," the king announced warmly. "In a few minutes, we will gather outside and light them together. Let us watch as they illuminate the night sky and guide us into the new year."

  Applause rippled through the hall. Children clapped eagerly, their excitement impossible to miss. But the king raised his hand once more, and the room quieted again.

  "Before we do so," he continued, "there is one more announcement that I am honored to make."

  His gaze drifted through the crowd until it settled on Cassandra, who was standing beside her parents. A gentle smile crossed his face.

  "Cassandra of House Montclair has chosen to enter into the most intimate bond imaginable: marriage."

  A murmur swept through the hall.

  "The man she has chosen is—" The king paused, searching the crowd once more. "—Kael. A student of the Academy, and a most promising one.”

  Kael froze.

  "Their affection blossomed within the walls of the Academy," the king continued, "and we all hope it will grow to even greater heights. Come forward, the two of you."

  Cassandra moved immediately, gliding toward the king with practiced grace. Kael remained where he stood, his thoughts stalled and his expression unreadable. Only after a heartbeat too long did he begin to walk forward.

  When they stood before the king, he nodded approvingly.

  "You look splendid together. I regret missing your dance earlier, but I hear it was beautiful. I hope to see it now, performed by our newly engaged couple.”

  Cassandra dipped into a graceful bow, smiling flawlessly.

  "It would be our honor, Your Majesty."

  Kael mirrored the gesture, but his smile was hollow.

  They returned to the dance floor and moved in time with the music once more.

  But this time, there was nothing.

  No warmth.

  No connection.

  Only emptiness.

  Cassandra sensed the change. As they danced, she leaned closer and rested her head near his chest, hoping no one would notice their quiet exchange.

  "I expected a stronger reaction from you," she murmured.

  Kael looked down at her, meeting her golden eyes—eyes that no longer stirred anything within him.

  "I've felt too much today," he replied quietly. "So now there's nothing left."

  His gaze hardened.

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  "You made this arrangement to watch me. To control me. I understand that.”

  Then, in a steady, final voice, he continued.

  "But know this: No matter what you do, no matter what you force into existence...

  I will never love you."

  Cassandra met his gaze. Her expression remained composed, almost serene, but her eyes betrayed her. They shimmered and wavered, as if his words had struck deeper than she wanted to admit.

  "Kael, please," she whispered. "I did this to protect you. Once you are bound to me, the king will never doubt your loyalty. You will gain safety, influence, and freedom in ways you can't even see yet."

  Her voice faltered. "I know Lia reacted emotionally, but I wanted to spare her. I wanted her to hear it from me first, before the king announced it to everyone at midnight.”

  Her eyes reddened.

  "It was strategic. Political." She swallowed. "But I would never have done this if I didn't have feelings for you."

  For a moment, their last dance came to mind, two figures moving in perfect harmony.

  But this time, Kael felt nothing.

  He slowly shook his head.

  "It doesn't matter," he said quietly. "I used you. You used me. A bond built on that can never last.”

  His gaze hardened, not with anger but with certainty.

  "If you truly knew me, you would have known this: I would rather be arrested than live in a cage I never chose."

  He leaned closer, close enough that it could be mistaken for a kiss. Instead, his lips hovered near her ear.

  "What hurts most," he murmured, "is that it was you who locked the door. You. The one who said she was different. In the end, you are no different from the rest. You may believe your own justifications, but we both know this was never just about me."

  He stood up and looked toward the doors.

  "I will light a lantern," he said calmly, "in the hope that I never have to see you again. Then, I will return to the academy to be with a friend who means more to me than any of this ever could."

  Cassandra’s composure cracked. Her hands trembled against her dress.

  "You can't leave," she said softly. “Tonight is our engagement party. What will they say when my fiancé disappears?"

  Kael shrugged.

  “I don’t care. Make up a story. Or tell the truth.”

  Before she could answer, the king’s voice echoed through the hall. His hands clapped once, sharply and commandingly.

  “A wonderful performance,” he declared. "Now, let us proceed to the highlight of tonight. Follow me."

  The royal family moved toward the doors, their steps confident and measured. The nobles followed, eager and expectant. Kael blended into the crowd, not looking back, and left Cassandra standing alone on the dance floor.

  Outside, servants distributed sky lanterns. The guests gathered in silence, each holding a fragile light in trembling hands.

  The king raised his own lantern.

  "Go."

  His lantern rose into the night, and then hundreds more followed. The sky bloomed with drifting lights, each one resembling a fragile star claiming its place in the darkness.

  Kael held his lantern longer than the others.

  Around him, wishes were whispered, folded into flames and released.

  He closed his eyes.

  Some wishes should never be spoken.

  He let go.

  His lantern ascended slowly, climbing higher and higher until it became nothing more than a faint red ember in the vast night sky.

  One by one, the nobles returned to the palace. Laughter resumed. Music followed.

  Only Kael remained, alongside a few parents and children, watching as the sky reclaimed its darkness and the last traces of light disappeared.

  When the spectacle was over, the remaining guests drifted back into the palace, leaving Kael alone beneath the dark sky. Glancing once more at the towering palace, he exhaled slowly and made his way toward the line of carriages waiting to carry the nobles home.

  He passed several before stopping in front of the one Astra had instructed him to take.

  Kael stepped inside.

  From the small window separating the carriage from the driver’s platform, Sylas’s voice echoed low and impatiently.

  “Finally! Let's go."

  Kael shook his head.

  “Take me to the academy.”

  Sylas turned around, his eyes instantly hardening. "That isn't the plan."

  “I know,” Kael replied calmly, meeting his gaze. "But it's important. I’ll meet you there. You’ll still have enough time to regroup with the others at the starting point.”

  Sylas’s expression darkened further.

  "I don't care," he said coldly. "This goes against the plan. And if you interfere with it—"

  His hand shifted slightly, resting near his weapon.

  "I will eliminate you."

  Kael opened his mouth to respond, but the carriage door suddenly swung open.

  Cassandra stood there.

  Kael’s eyes widened. Sylas frowned.

  Before Kael could speak, Cassandra stepped inside and sat down across from him. She sat with a composed posture and an unwavering gaze.

  "I'm coming with you to the academy," she said. "And I won't accept a refusal."

  Kael knew instantly that arguing was pointless. More than that, it was convenient. Sylas couldn’t object now that she was here.

  He nodded briefly at Cassandra, then looked back at Sylas, his expression firm and unyielding.

  Sylas held Kael’s gaze for a moment longer, then flicked his eyes to Cassandra. He exhaled sharply, recognizing exactly who she was.

  Without another word, he turned back around and snapped the reins.

  The carriage began to move.

  Kael leaned against the window, resting his chin on his arm. He stared out at the passing streets, pointedly ignoring Cassandra’s gaze.

  After a while, he spoke without looking at her.

  "You're stubborn," he said quietly. "I'll give you that."

  She chuckled softly.

  "It's both my greatest strength and my greatest flaw," she admitted. "I never know when to stop."

  Her laughter faded and was replaced by a calmer tone.

  "I couldn't let my fiancé leave after a conversation like that."

  At the word "fiancé," Sylas glanced back briefly, surprise flashing across his face. Kael ignored him.

  He finally turned toward Cassandra and studied her open, sincere, and unguarded expression.

  He sighed.

  “I apologize for my choice of words earlier,” he said evenly. "But I meant every one of them."

  Cassandra nodded slowly. "I know," she said. "But how can I regain your trust? You know I’m willing to help, especially with that.”

  Kael hesitated, his gaze drifting back to the window.

  "It's too late," he murmured.

  After a moment, he added, his voice calm but firm.

  "After tonight, there won't be anything left for you to help me with."