The palace was nothing like the dungeon.
That was the first thing I noticed the moment Lukas led me through the tall ivory doors. Sunlight poured across polished marble floors, reflecting off crystal chandeliers that hung like frozen stars above us. The walls were decorated with intricate carvings of dragons and ancient symbols I didn't understand. Everything looked expensive, powerful, and untouchable.
And yet yesterday I was sleeping on stone beneath this same building.
"You'll be staying in the east wing," Lukas said calmly as he walked beside me. His posture was straight, composed, almost knight-like. "It's quieter there. Fewer guards."
"Fewer ways to escape too?" I muttered.
He glanced at me but didn't comment.
Servants bowed when we passed. Some looked at me with curiosity. Others with suspicion. I resisted the urge to wave awkwardly. I may have been a dungeon prisoner yesterday, but today I refused to look like a peasant on a palace tour.
"That hall leads to the banquet chamber," Lukas continued, gesturing toward a pair of golden doors towering above us. "Royal gatherings, political meetings, ceremonies."
"Is there dessert at those?" I asked seriously.
He paused. "…Yes."
"Then I support it."
I swear I saw him fighting a smile.
We continued walking through corridors lined with tall windows that overlooked massive gardens. Fountains sparkled in the distance. Flowers bloomed in colors I had never seen back on Earth. It was strange. This world was brutal and beautiful all at once.
Then Lukas stopped abruptly.
"This area is forbidden."
In front of us stood a massive black door sealed with red tape crossing over it like a warning sign. A dark aura faintly pulsed around the frame, subtle but unmistakable. Even standing near it made my chest feel tight.
"Is that… glowing?" I asked quietly.
"The prince's private chamber," Lukas replied. "Do not enter under any circumstances."
That answer made me want to enter even more, but I valued being alive.
"What's in there?"
He hesitated only slightly. "Personal matters."
That wasn't mysterious at all.
We moved on toward the outer gardens, where the palace grounds sloped down into soft green hills. The air felt lighter outside. A gentle breeze carried the scent of water from a nearby pond.
"I didn't expect this place to be so… peaceful," I said.
"It isn't always," Lukas answered.
We walked down the slope carefully, though I may have been too busy admiring the view because suddenly my foot sank into mud.
"Oh no."
The ground slipped beneath me, my balance completely gone. For a brief second, I imagined rolling down the hill face-first and becoming palace gossip for the next decade.
Strong arms wrapped around my waist.
I gasped as Lukas pulled me upright against him. My back pressed lightly against his chest. His grip was firm, protective. My heart started pounding in a very inconvenient way.
"Careful," he said near my ear, his voice lower than usual.
I looked up at him. We were far too close. His hand was still resting at my waist. My fingers were curled into the fabric of his uniform without me even realizing it.
"Thank you," I murmured.
His expression softened. Just slightly. "You should watch your step."
"Maybe I should just hold onto you then."
His ears tinged faintly red.
"That would be improper."
"I almost got killed because of my clumsiness. Imagine slipping and falling over a mud hill—how embarrassing. I think that earns me some exceptions."
There was something unspoken hanging between us. A quiet shift. Not dramatic, not overwhelming, but noticeable. The kind that makes your chest feel warm without permission.
Impulsively, I smiled at him.
"Then at least let me thank you properly."
I opened my arms to give him a simple hug. Nothing too dramatic, you know? Just to show appreciation.
He seemed hesitant for a second before leaning forward. And before I could even process my thoughts, I saw a tall shadow loom over me with a dark figure and an aura that spoke commanding power.
"You seem comfortable."
The voice cut through the air like steel. Was I in trouble with the bad-mouthed polar bear again? I frowned together with Lukas as we both froze in place.
We turned slowly, slightly shivering not from the cold but with how angry he seemed, but why?.
The prince stood near the garden archway, silver eyes cold and unreadable. His posture was flawless, hands resting behind his back, expression calm in a way that felt dangerous. He looked like he had been there long enough to see everything.
How long had he been watching? I let out a shuddering murmur as I bit my lower lip
"I nearly slipped," I said quickly.
"I noticed," he replied, his tone flat and firm.
Lukas straightened immediately. "Your Highness."
The prince's gaze shifted between us. Something unreadable flashed in his eyes. Could it be a hint of jealousy?.
Lukas….
"I instructed you to specifically provide a tour to our guest," he said calmly in a slightly agitated tone. "Not physical support," he said while giving lukas a critical stare-down.
"It was necessary for her safety," Lukas answered nervously.
Silence settled over the garden. As the two men went limb, it felt like two rabid dogs fighting over territory; the dead silence was cutthroat even. The prince stepped closer, his presence alone shifting the temperature of the air. My earlier embarrassment turned into something more complicated.
"You attract chaos rather easily; you must be a trouble magnet. I ought to keep you by my side next time you decide to wander outside the palace, little human," he said to me. In that darn, taunting tone again mocking me, I knew he was deep down
"I didn't ask to fall," I snapped back before I could think. I was always sharp-mouthed, but dumb-witted was never a good combo because I never used my brain to think before I spoke.
His eyebrow lifted almost imperceptibly as he stared into my soul.
"You continue to speak boldly for someone in your position. You should be careful or that tongue might get chopped."
EEK!!
YOU WOULDN'T!!!
Oh yes, I would, or do you want to try and see my puny, impotent shrimp
There it was. That familiar irritation bubbled up inside me, but so did something else. A strange tension. Like he wasn't just angry.
He stopped in front of us, eyes locking onto mine.
"And for future reference, if you are going to fall, you will ensure that no other man is touching you."
What-
Excuse me????
I looked over at Lukas to see he shared the same expression, if not more shocked than me, at the words that came out of this man's crusty lips. And with one last look at Lukas, he murmured quietly so the prince didnt hear his quiet rambles
The prince turned away smoothly. "The tour is over."
Just like that.
The lightness from earlier vanished. The warm air from the garden no longer felt comforting. Somehow the palace seemed smaller now, suffocating beneath his silent authority.
And as he walked ahead of us, not looking back once, I couldn't shake the feeling that the real danger here wasn't the dungeon.
It was whatever emotions were beginning to surface between the three of us.