Ashes of Devotion

Focus and Distraction

Daniel moved through the dimly lit corridors of the Winchester estate, his pulse still unsteady from the vision he had just witnessed. His breath came in slow, controlled exhales, but his mind was anything but calm. The image of Emilia’s bare skin, the candlelight licking against the delicate curve of her back, the subtle dip of her waist, it was seared into his thoughts, an unwelcome distraction that refused to be shaken.

He was trained for control. Discipline. Stealth. This mission required precision, not indulgence. And yet, as he made his way back to the quarters assigned to him and his men, his thoughts betrayed him, drifting back to what he had seen. The way her damp hair clung to her shoulders, the way her fingers had hesitated for the briefest moment before pulling the curtain shut, as if she had felt his presence.

Get it together, he told himself, clenching his jaw. He had been on dangerous missions before, had infiltrated hostile territories and dismantled enemy forces. Never had he let his mind wander like this. He had no time for distractions, especially not ones as dangerous as this.

“Captain?”

Daniel snapped his head up, realizing he had nearly walked past his own chambers. Lieutenant Hale stood in the doorway, arms crossed, studying him with a raised brow. Inside, the other men were seated, finalizing details of their cover identities, but it was clear they had noticed something off about their leader.

“You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” Hale said, stepping aside so Daniel could enter. “Or something else entirely.”

Daniel ignored the insinuation and walked in, rolling his shoulders back as he took his seat at the head of the small round table in the center of the room. The men glanced up from their assigned roles, their expressions ranging from curiosity to mild concern.

“We were just discussing tomorrow’s meeting with Lord and Lady Winchester,” Hale continued, but his gaze remained locked on Daniel. “You with us, Captain?”

Daniel leaned forward, rubbing his temples before clasping his hands together on the table. “Of course. Give me a rundown.”

Hale exchanged a look with Corporal Graves, who cleared his throat before speaking. “We are expected at breakfast with Lord and Lady Winchester tomorrow. It will be the first formal opportunity to establish our cover. We need to present ourselves as genuine allies, particularly you, Captain.”

Daniel nodded, forcing himself to focus. “And the daughter?” The words left his lips before he could stop them.

Hale smirked knowingly. “Emilia Winchester? She’ll be there, from what we’ve gathered. Why?”

Daniel stiffened. He had spoken too soon, and he knew it. He forced a casual shrug. “Just making sure we’re aware of everyone in the household.”

Hale’s smirk didn’t fade. “Of course.”

Daniel reached for a glass of brandy that had been left on the table. He took a slow sip, letting the burn anchor him. “Continue.”

Hale turned serious again. “The Winchesters suspect nothing as of now, but we must tread carefully. They are intelligent, particularly Lord Winchester. He has hosted countless influential figures in this estate, many of them with their own hidden agendas. If he senses anything off about us, this mission will be over before it begins.”

Daniel exhaled through his nose, nodding in understanding. “Then we play our parts flawlessly.”

Lieutenant Hale leaned back, watching Daniel for a long moment before speaking again. “You sure you’re ready for this, Captain? You seem… distracted.”

Daniel set his glass down harder than he intended. “I’m always ready.”

The silence that followed was heavy, thick with unspoken questions. The men returned to discussing their roles, but Daniel’s mind still drifted.

He had spent years perfecting the art of deception. He had worn a hundred different faces, lied effortlessly, slipped in and out of places like a ghost. But this? This felt different.

The woman he had just seen was not just any noble’s daughter, she was a Winchester. She was part of the very family he had come to dismantle.

And yet, for the first time in a long time, Daniel felt like he was the one being unraveled.

He needed to get his head back in the game.

Because if he didn’t, it wouldn’t just be the mission at risk.

It would be him.