The prince shadow
741 Words
hapter 7
Elior’s POV
I woke up feeling heavy, sluggish, and irritated with my own existence. Despite the urge to roll over and sleep another lifetime, I forced myself to prepare with reluctant care.
Today… I was reporting to duty as the prince’s knight.
Lucky me.
As I tightened my cloak, I felt a stare drilling into my skull.
Leon.
Lying on his bed like he owned the place, studying me with narrowed eyes.
I checked myself quickly no clothes misplaced, nothing odd.
I tilted my head, silently asking What now?
He just hissed under his breath and rolled away.
Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed.
I ignored him and headed out.
At the intersection, I ran into the captain. He briefed me again unnecessarily, because he already did yesterday but apparently repetition builds character.
Then he dropped the real bomb:
“You’ll be moving to the prince’s quarters.”
My soul left my body.
What a beautiful, miserable blessing.
Prince’s Wing
When I arrived, the prince Kealum was still in his chambers. Probably busy being royal or looking intimidating for no reason.
Honestly, thank the gods.
I wasn’t ready to see him yet.
Not after what happened last time.
Not after those eyes.
I pinched myself. Hard.
Focus, Elara.
Don’t be stupid.
Noon
Footsteps echoed long before he appeared.
The prince walked out like he had the sun in his pocket calm, composed, annoyingly magnetic.
Our eyes met for half a second.
He noticed.
He always noticed.
I bowed quickly.
“Rise, Sir Elior,” he said, voice smooth enough to melt morals.
I obeyed.
“From now on, you are my shadow. Where I go, you go. When I breathe, you listen. You are my extension.”
His gaze sharpened. “Do you accept this duty with your life?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Then report first thing in the morning.”
Dismissed.
As if he hadn’t just rearranged my organs with that voice.
The Next Morning The Prince’s Chambers
I arrived early, stationed at the front of his personal chamber. My palms were sweating inside my gloves.
This would be my first day fully living as the prince’s shadow.
My chest tightened.
My heart begged for release from my ribs.
The prince stepped out dressed and ready.
“Hunting today,” he said, tone bored.
We rode into the forest, and the place felt unreal too quiet, too beautiful, too unreal, like stepping into a painting.
The prince yawned lazily.
“I’m the one protecting you, Your Highness,” he said mockingly.
“It seems you don’t yet understand your duty.”
Before I could respond, he rode ahead, throwing me a sideways look.
I didn’t listen to his lecture.
How could I when his voice sounded like a mix of temptation, sunlight, and ocean breeze?
This job would kill me.
He slowed suddenly.
My nerves snapped awake.
Then
Shapes moved.
Figures stepped out from the shadows.
Thugs.
Surrounding us.
Not the prince’s first ambush, clearly his expression didn’t even flicker.
“Who dares?” he asked, voice cold, emotionless.
A young man stepped forward.
Barely older than me.
So young to be commanding thugs.
I stepped forward protectively.
“If you know who he is,” I said sharply, “then you should know he’s the crown prince.”
The thug laughed.
“And you must be his precious knight.”
“And you’re about to regret speaking.”
I unsheathed my sword.
I launched forward.
Steel clashed.
The forest roared with chaos.
I fought brutally, instinctively.
My blade met his throat deep, clean.
He fell.
My hands trembled, but there was no time for regret.
The others panicked.
I finished most of them.
But I didn’t leave untouched blood seeped from a gash on my arm.
Returning to the Palace
“You’re not useless,” the prince said calmly.
“Seems I chose correctly this time.”
I barely heard him.
My arm burned with pain.
His personal physician cleaned my wound.
The prince watched me too closely.
Too silently.
He was noticing things.
Pieces.
Cracks.
Dangerous cracks.
I kept my expression calm, but my heart was screaming.
The moment I was dismissed, I rushed back to my quarters.
I needed rest.
I needed distance.
I needed to keep my secret safe.
Because the prince ,Kealum.
was starting to look at me differently.
And nothing was more dangerous than that.
- Writer
