The Scars Between Us

Chapter2

The roses weren’t the only things hiding in the Kingsley estate. I was convinced the entire mansion had secret corners, passageways, and nooks designed for mischief—and for me, they were perfect.

“Adrian!” I whispered, crouching behind a giant potted fern in the conservatory. “Do you think anyone can see us here?”

He raised one eyebrow, leaning against the cold marble wall, arms crossed. “You’ve been hiding behind that same fern for the last three minutes. I’m pretty sure your mother has eyes everywhere.”

I stuck out my tongue at him. “Not if you’re helping me spy!”

He shook his head, a ghost of a smile playing on his lips. “I swear, one day, you’re going to give someone a heart attack.”

I giggled and peeked around the fern. The butler was making his rounds, polishing silver trays, completely unaware of the tiny green-eyed terror crouched mere feet away.

“Mission: Steal a cookie,” I declared dramatically, pointing to the tray of fresh pastries on the side table.

Adrian groaned. “Steal a cookie? That’s the mission?”

“Yes! And if we succeed, it’s a victory for the brave and clever!” I whispered, inching closer to the tray.

He sighed but crouched beside me, his dark eyes scanning for danger. “Fine. But if we get caught, it’s on you.”

I shot him a triumphant look. “Of course! But we won’t get caught, because I have a plan.”

I tiptoed toward the tray, a grin spreading across my face. Adrian followed, careful not to step on the marble in the wrong spot. My tiny heart raced with excitement. I was sure no one had ever felt this thrill over cookies before—but to me, this was everything.

Just as I reached for a chocolate tart, the butler looked up.

I froze.

Adrian froze.

The tray wobbled under my tiny fingers.

But somehow—somehow—Adrian swooped in, blocking me with his long arms, and the butler never noticed a thing.

“Good save,” I whispered, clutching the tart triumphantly. “You’re the best partner in crime, Adrian Vale.”

He rolled his eyes, but the corner of his mouth twitched. “I don’t know whether to be proud or terrified.”

I took a bite of the tart, chocolate smudging my lips. “Proud, obviously. Now, let’s hide before Mother finds out.”

We ran out to the garden, giggling and leaving crumbs in our wake. The roses swayed gently in the afternoon breeze, and the sunlight glinted off the fountain at the center. I perched on the edge, legs swinging, and tossed crumbs to the birds. Adrian sat beside me, hands on his knees, watching with an almost exasperated patience.

“You really think you can get away with this every time?” he asked, frowning slightly.

“Of course!” I said, twirling a stray curl around my finger. “Life is more fun with a little danger.”

He shook his head, but I caught that tiny smile again.

There was something about Adrian. He was older, stronger, smarter than me, but he didn’t make me feel small. He didn’t make me feel like my little schemes were ridiculous. He just… followed along, and sometimes, he even joined in. That made him different from everyone else in the mansion.

After a few minutes, I hopped down from the fountain and darted toward the ivy-covered wall at the back of the garden. “Secret passage!” I announced, pointing to a tiny gap I had discovered yesterday.

He frowned. “Secret passage? Seraphina, you’re going to get trapped in there one day.”

“Then you’ll save me!” I called over my shoulder, squeezing through the gap.

Adrian sighed dramatically but followed, stepping carefully over loose stones. We ended up in a tiny courtyard filled with wildflowers, hidden entirely from the rest of the estate. The air smelled sweet and wild, different from the groomed garden outside. I ran in circles, feeling like the queen of my own little world.

Adrian leaned against the wall, watching me. “You really do act like the whole world is yours.”

“Because it is,” I said, panting slightly, a triumphant grin on my face. “At least, the parts I discover.”

He chuckled softly. “I suppose that makes me your… knight?”

I paused, one eyebrow raised. “Knight? Hmm… yes, I think you could be my knight. Protector of cookies and secret hideouts.”

“Very noble,” he said dryly. “I assume the crown comes with other responsibilities?”

“Bravery, cleverness, and loyalty,” I replied, nodding solemnly.

He laughed, a low sound that made me giggle too. And for a moment, I forgot about the mansion, my parents, the rules… even about the chocolate smudge on my lips.

We explored the courtyard for hours—or at least, it felt like hours. I climbed trees, Adrian helped me down when I got stuck. I made him smell flowers, showed him the tiny pond I had found tucked under a stone arch. Every corner felt like a secret universe that belonged only to us.

At one point, I leaned against a tree, brushing my curls from my face, and watched him as he crouched near the pond, skipping stones. “You’re very quiet when you think no one’s watching,” I said.

“I prefer to observe,” he replied without looking at me. “It’s safer that way.”

I frowned. “You worry too much. Look at me! I’m fine!”

“You’re six,” he said, shaking his head. “It’s my job to worry. Someone has to make sure you don’t climb too high or fall into the fountain—or get lost in the mansion.”

“I don’t get lost,” I said, though I remembered once wandering for nearly an hour behind the west wing. He didn’t need to know that.

“You will,” he said with mock seriousness, “and then I’ll have to rescue you. Again.”

I smiled and leaned against the tree, feeling warm inside. “Then I hope you never leave.”

He glanced at me finally, meeting my eyes for the first time in the courtyard. There was something in that look—a care, a seriousness I didn’t understand at the time. Something that made me feel… safe. Not like a child being protected, but like a partner in some unspoken game.

I didn’t know it then, but that moment, sitting in the courtyard with him, would be one I remembered for years to come.

Eventually, the sound of dinner bells echoed through the walls, dragging us back to reality. I sighed, brushing dirt from my dress. “Already?”

Adrian stood and offered me his hand. “Already,” he said. “But there will always be another adventure tomorrow.”

I took his hand and held it briefly. “Deal. And next time, you’re helping me climb the library balcony. I’ve already planned it.”

“I’ll pretend to object,” he said, lips twitching, “but secretly I’ll be excited.”

“Good. That’s the spirit,” I said, spinning around once and then taking his hand again as we walked toward the mansion.

As we entered the hall, I could feel the late afternoon sun fading behind the windows. The mansion, grand and intimidating, didn’t feel so big anymore—not with Adrian beside me. Somehow, he made the rules, the walls, the distance between our worlds, seem… smaller.

And I knew, even then, that our little adventures were only the beginning