Samara then turned her head slightly and looked at Stacey.
"I'll leave first," she said calmly.
Without waiting for a response, she stepped past the fallen girls and continued down the garden path, her pace unhurried, as though nothing unusual had just happened.
Behind her, the blonde girl whimpered softly while clutching her injured arm. The other girl remained unconscious on the ground.
Stacey stood frozen where she was.
Her mouth opened slightly, but no words came out. The scene she had just witnessed replayed in her mind again and again.
Samara… had done that?
The quiet girl who barely spoke?
Her eyes slowly moved to the two girls lying on the ground.
A chill ran down her spine.
Samara, meanwhile, walked further down the path, the soft crunch of gravel beneath her shoes the only sound accompanying her thoughts.
That wasn't a smart choice.
The voice appeared suddenly in her mind—low, familiar, and annoyingly calm.
Adrian.
Samara's lips curved slightly.
She let out a soft snicker.
"Says someone who disappears and appears whenever he wants," she replied aloud.
Her voice was casual, almost amused.
A passing breeze rustled the flowers beside the path, but there was no visible sign of the man she was addressing.
For a moment, there was silence.
Then Adrian's voice returned, faintly amused.
You're reckless.
Samara continued walking as if she were having a perfectly normal conversation.
"They grabbed me first," she said with a shrug.
You broke one girl's arm.
Samara tilted her head slightly.
"She'll live."
Adrian chuckled softly inside her mind.
You're far more dangerous than you pretend to be.
Samara's eyes narrowed faintly.
"And you're far more irritating than you realize."
The invisible presence beside her seemed almost pleased by that response.
Yet here you are… still relying on me.
Samara's steps slowed slightly.
Her fingers brushed against the silver bracelet around her wrist.
The faint warmth returned.
"I never said I was relying on you," she muttered.
Adrian's voice lowered, almost teasing.
We'll see about that.
Samara rolled her eyes.
"You see, you still haven't told me what you are," Samara said.
She glanced sideways.
To anyone else, the path appeared empty.
But to her, Adrian walked beside her as though he had always been there.
His posture was relaxed, hands tucked casually into his pockets, his expression unreadable.
I am now a part of you, Adrian replied calmly inside her mind. Or, if you prefer… you could say I am the stronger part of you. At least for now.
Samara's eyes narrowed slightly.
She studied him more carefully.
Something about his presence—his calm confidence, the way he spoke as if he already knew the outcome of things—stirred an old memory.
Suddenly, realization struck her.
Her eyes widened.
"You mean… a gumivile?" she asked slowly.
"The one that guards royalty?"
For the briefest moment, an emotion flickered across Adrian's eyes.
It was so quick Samara almost thought she imagined it.
But something had definitely changed.
Adrian looked away.
He did not answer immediately.
Meanwhile—
Far away from the quiet gardens of the estate, within the palace walls, a man walked calmly through a vast corridor.
Servants lined the passage the moment they saw him approaching. One by one they lowered their heads, bowing deeply as he passed.
Not a single one dared to meet his eyes.
The doors at the end of the corridor were enormous—carved from dark wood and reinforced with iron patterns that twisted like living shadows.
The guards standing beside them immediately pushed the doors open.
They moved quickly.
Silently.
Respectfully.
The doors creaked open, revealing a grand chamber beyond.
The room was massive.
Dark marble floors stretched across the chamber, polished to a mirror shine. The walls were decorated in shades of grey and black, elegant yet intimidating. Tall windows allowed thin streams of light to spill across the floor, giving the entire space an almost haunting beauty.
The man stepped inside.
His aura alone commanded attention.
He was tall—taller than most men—with broad shoulders and a posture that radiated quiet authority.
His long white hair moved gently in the breeze that flowed through the open balcony ahead.
Without speaking, he walked toward it.
Each step echoed softly across the vast room.
Finally, he stopped at the balcony.
His hands moved neatly behind his back as he looked out over the kingdom stretching far below.
The wind tugged gently at his hair and coat.
For a moment, the room remained silent.
Then—
A shadow appeared several steps behind him.
It did not approach closer.
The man did not turn around.
He already knew it was there.
"I saw her," the man said at last.
His voice was deep.
Calm.
Dangerously alluring.
The shadow remained still.
"And?" the shadow asked cautiously.
The man's gaze remained fixed on the horizon.
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
"So… she's alive after all," the man murmured.
"Just a little… tempered magic."
The wind grew stronger across the balcony, stirring his long white hair as he gazed over the kingdom below.
A faint smile slowly formed on his lips.
"And far more interesting than I expected."