The Masked knight

silent treatment

Elior POV

After the incident with the prince, nothing felt normal anymore.

I wasn’t comfortable around him, not even for a heartbeat.

Every time I thought about what happened in that forest, I felt like I needed to stay ten steps ahead of him. At all times.

The ambush wasn’t announced publicly of course it wasn’t.

If the kingdom found out the crown prince had been attacked, chaos would follow.

And if they found out why it happened, eyes would turn to me.

Prince Kael wasn’t stupid.

He knew keeping it quiet was the safest option… not for himself, but for me.

Because something about me didn’t sit right with him.

He wasn’t fully sure yet but he had suspicions.

My hair, my build, my face… men grow hair, sure, but nobody looks that feminine when it falls loose.

And I could see it in his eyes:

He remembered.

And he noticed too much.

I reported to duty as usual, acting like nothing happened, but the prince didn’t give me many tasks.

Probably for the best, because my nerves were fried.

I tried to avoid him as much as I could.

Not because I disliked him…

but because I was afraid he’d look at me the way he did in the forest like he already knew the truth.

Prince Kael walked in with that effortless grace of his smooth, quiet, confident, like his entire existence was made of silk and arrogance.

I was staring before I even realized it, and he cleared his throat sharply.

I snapped back to reality, face burning.

“Elior,” he called.

“Follow me.”

I obeyed, keeping a full five feet of distance between us as we walked to his study.

Once the doors closed, he turned to me with an unreadable expression.

“Be afraid or not,” he said calmly, “but I won’t expose your secret. You performed your duties well today so I will let it go. For now.”

My breath caught.

Relief and panic hit me at the same time.

“L-Lord Kael…” I began, voice cracking.

But he lifted his hand, dismissing me before I could speak.

Message received.

I left quietly.

On my way back to the quarters, my emotions were a mess.

Relieved because he wasn’t going to expose me.

Terrified because he knew at all.

I couldn’t trust him.

I couldn’t trust anyone.

When I entered the room, Leon was lying on his bed.

He turned around at the perfect moment, and we locked eyes until I looked away first.

“Ohhh, the prince’s knight made sure to take his time with His Highness today,” Leon teased instantly.

I ignored him.

Big mistake.

“Elior,” he continued, sliding closer like some nosy auntie, “why are you and the prince soooo close lately? Tell me what’s going on.”

I stared blankly.

Leon gasped dramatically.

“Oh God don’t tell me the prince confessed! Did you confess? Don’t tell me he prefers the other gender instead”

“Leon,” I cut in, monotone.

“Are you dumb?”

He blinked.

“I’m obviously his personal knight,” I said, rolling my eyes. “Of course I’m close to him, but not in the ridiculous way you’re imagining.”

Leon froze.

Then burst out laughing like it was the funniest thing he’d ever heard.

“Ohh, Elior, you’re killing me"

“I don’t have time for this,” I muttered, climbing into bed.

A sharp pain hit my arm, but I gritted my teeth and ignored it.

I closed my eyes.

Today had been too much.

Way, way too much.