After saying goodbye to his friends, Kael headed toward the dormitory. By the time he arrived at his room, the sun had set and darkness had fallen. A cool breeze blew in through the open window.
He walked over, leaned against the frame, and listened to the quiet hum of the evening. Smiling at a familiar sound, he stretched out his arm.
A moment later, a sharp gust of wind swept through the open window, and Ausma landed gracefully on his forearm. The falcon's claws gripped him firmly yet gently, as if unwilling to cause him pain.
Kael's smile deepened. He brushed his hand along Ausma's sleek feathers. "I fulfilled my promise," he murmured, more to himself than to the bird. His gaze was distant. "Another piece of my old life left behind."
He looked back at Ausma, the warmth returning to his eyes. "I'm glad your wing healed so quickly. Lia's paste and potions really worked wonders." His tone softened. "I'm honored that such a majestic, mysterious creature would choose to stay with me. It eases the worry I try to ignore."
The admission hung in the air for a moment before Kael shook his head. "Irrelevant. For now," he said under his breath.
He turned to his desk, the falcon still calmly perched on his arm, and picked up a letter he had written earlier. "You remember what to do, right?" he asked, smiling faintly at himself for speaking as though Ausma could answer. "I showed you the place yesterday. Just deliver it to the person I told you about."
Ausma's golden eyes locked on Kael's, bright and almost knowing. The bird lifted one claw as if giving permission.
Kael chuckled softly. "Always dramatic," he whispered as he tied the letter securely to the falcon's leg.
When he was finished, he opened the window wider. Ausma spread his powerful, silent wings and took flight into the night. The wind stirred the curtains as the falcon disappeared into the darkness.
Kael watched until only the sound of the wind remained. His shoulders tensed slightly. Let's see if this relationship survived the last ordeal, he thought, giving a faint, wry smile. He couldn't quite hide the unease beneath.
...
The morning air was cool and misty when Kael arrived at the training grounds—the place he had mentioned in his letter the night before. His footsteps echoed faintly, then faded into the stillness of the vast arena.
He glanced around. No one. The silence pressed gently against him, neither hostile nor welcoming. With a quiet sigh, he lowered himself onto the cold stone floor and tilted his head back to watch Ausma glide elegantly through the pale dawn sky.
For a while, he simply watched, his thoughts wandering in rhythm with the falcon's circling flight. Then, the soft crunch of approaching footsteps broke the silence.
"You have quite a peculiar companion, I must say," a familiar voice said from behind him.
Kael turned. Cassandra stepped into the clearing, her golden hair tied neatly in a knot, with a few strands falling across her face. She carried herself with her usual composure, but there was an edge of curiosity beneath it.
"I was rather surprised," she continued with a faint smile, "when I heard a knock at my window last night. I was even more surprised to find a falcon waiting there with a letter." Her laugh was quiet and dry, though her expression remained serious.
She walked over and sat beside him without ceremony. For a moment, neither spoke. They simply watched the sky, where Ausma traced wide arcs through the mist.
"He is indeed unique," Kael said at last, a soft smile crossing his face. His gaze followed the falcon as it dived sharply downward, then soared back up with effortless grace, clutching something small and limp in its talons.
"A squirrel," Cassandra murmured, her voice calm yet faintly amused. "Efficient, isn't he?"
Kael nodded, still smiling faintly. "Efficient . . . and free."
Ausma circled above them, a dark blur against the pale morning sky. The faint rustle of his wings was the only sound between them.
"I thought you'd never want to see me again," Cassandra said at last. Her voice was quiet and fragile, unlike anything Kael had ever heard before.
He turned slightly and saw the hesitation in her eyes, but he didn't answer right away. The silence lingered between them until he finally exhaled. "No, that's not it."
He shook his head slowly. "It hurt when you said what you did," he admitted in a low voice. "But I was at fault, too, for leaving you there in the middle of that chaos. I acted like a child." His gaze drifted toward the horizon, his expression distant. "You were right. I am an outsider. I can deny it as much as I want, but that won't change the truth."
Cassandra said nothing. She simply watched him as the mist curled softly around them like smoke. After a long moment, she reached out and gently laid her hand on his.
"Just because you're an outsider doesn't make you lesser," she said softly, her tone stripped of its usual poise. "You're different from us, yes. But not in the way you think." Her fingers tightened slightly around his. "During our last trip, I realized something: You're better than us."
Kael's brow lifted slightly, but she didn't look away.
"You truly believe that every soul has worth," Cassandra continued, her voice trembling just enough to betray her sincerity. "You help people not because it benefits you, but because it's the right thing to do."
Her gaze fell and her expression turned distant. "You showed me something I didn't understand before: Altruism." She smiled faintly, her lips curved in a way that was unguarded by pride or pretense. "Helping others for their sake alone. It's complicated. And frightening. But beautiful."
When she looked at him again, her eyes held none of their usual guarded distance. Just warmth. Quiet gratitude.
Cassandra exhaled softly and looked toward the fog-covered treetops. "But I still meant what I said back then," she murmured. "You don't understand the politics of his empire, the weight of its history, or the scars buried under its foundation. Trying to stop what's been woven into its power for centuries is impossible."
She turned back to him, her tone steady though uncertainty lingered in her eyes. "So please, don't do something like that again. You could easily find yourself in a situation from which no one could rescue you."
Kael's brows drew together. "So you did nothing back then to protect me?"
Cassandra lifted her head slightly, her expression initially unreadable. Then, with a faint shrug, she let a teasing smile touch her lips. "I can't say what I was thinking back then. Maybe I was just a foolish girl in love. Who knows?"
Her light giggle broke through the tension, fragile yet genuine. Kael couldn't help but laugh quietly, too. The tension between them eased, like mist scattered by the morning sun.
Their laughter faded, leaving only the distant rustle of the forest and the sharp cry of Ausma, circling high above.
"Thank you, then," Kael said at last. His tone was quiet but sincere. A faint smile tugged at his lips. "I should apologize, too. I blamed you for not doing anything, even though I know you didn't make the rules. You're just another noble heir, bound to obey the same expectations your family drilled into you."
Cassandra's expression darkened. "I wouldn't put it so crudely," she said, her voice cool again. "But you're not entirely wrong." She looked away for a moment, her jaw tightening. "Still, that doesn't change the fact that the execution was lawful. I know we'll never see eye to eye on that."
Kael's lips twitched with a mixture of amusement and disbelief. "I see. So where's the usual Cassandra? The one who treats every conversation like a chess match? Should I be worried?"
Cassandra chuckled softly. This time, her voice carried a warmth that felt genuine. "I don't think I need to wear a mask around you anymore," she said. "You already know too much about me."
She turned to him and studied his face.
"So," she added with quiet amusement, "when are you going to tell me why I'm really here? You wouldn't have summoned me just to talk. You've made that quite clear over the past few days."
Kael sighed, the sound heavy with guilt. He could hear the faint trace of disappointment in her voice, and it stung more than he expected.
"You're right," he said quietly. "I understand your position, and I'm grateful that you tried to protect me. But..." His voice faltered, and he pressed a hand to his temple as if the memory itself were a physical ache. "I can't get that scene out of my head."
His expression tightened and pain flickered across his face. "Her laugh right before the end. The way her eyes seemed to stay alive for a moment after...and your face." He turned to her, his voice breaking. "That cold, indifferent face. It all keeps replaying. I can't forget it."
He let out a quiet, bitter laugh that sounded more exhausted than amused. "So, yes, I couldn't stand to see you these past few days. I'm sorry about that. It wasn't fair. You weren't the one holding the sword. I know it sounds contradictory, but..." He trailed off, unable to finish his thought.
Cassandra's gaze softened. For the first time, the walls behind her composure seemed to crack. Her eyes shimmered faintly, catching the light and turning red around the edges.
"I understand," she whispered, her voice rough and on the verge of breaking.
But before she could respond, Kael suddenly rose to his feet and extended his hand toward her with a gentle, disarming smile.
"I asked you to come today," he said softly, "because I want us to move past what happened. I really enjoyed your company, Cassandra. I'd like to keep you as my friend."
He drew his sword and held it up between them as the morning light glinted off the steel. "How about we train together? Just the two of us. No politics. No masks. It'd be a good way to start over, don't you think?"
Cassandra stared at him for a moment, clearly caught off guard. Then, a quiet, light, and genuine laugh escaped her. She reached out and took his hand. He helped her to her feet. She drew her own blade and stepped into a stance across from him. Her expression was bright and unguarded.
Kael smiled back, matching her energy as he poised his sword in return. To an onlooker, it would have looked like a reconciliation—two students finding peace through steel and motion.
But beneath the calm surface, Kael's thoughts twisted.
I'm sorry, Cassandra, he thought, his smile unchanged. This was the only way. If I had asked you directly, you would have refused. I need to train with you. I need to pass this evaluation.
He shifted his grip on the sword, and his eyes sharpened.
Even if it means lying to you.