Chapter 6 A Cold Morning Meal

The small dining room in the mansion was quiet, save for the sound of the morning wind blowing outside. Dust danced in the pale light coming through the narrow windows. In the center of the room stood a plain table, where Lady Aurelia sat straight in her chair, her arms folded across her chest. Her raven hair was tied back, and her violet eyes were fixed on the empty doorway.

A moment later, the quiet was broken by the familiar squeak of wheels.

Kaelen rolled into the room, his movements slow and careful. He wore a clean but simple shirt, and his dark eyes looked tired. He stopped his wheelchair right across from her, offering a small, nervous smile.

"Good morning, Lady Aurelia," Kaelen said softly, his voice a bit weak. "I hope you slept well despite the noise last night."

Aurelia did not answer right away. She leaned back, her sharp eyes scanning his pale face, looking for any sign of a lie. "I slept well enough. But I see you are still breathing."

Kaelen let out a small, awkward chuckle and rubbed the back of his neck. "Yes, luckily. The wind was very cold after the window broke, but I managed to stay warm under the blankets."

Before Aurelia could speak again, the door to the kitchen opened. Two local servants walked into the room, carrying heavy trays.

Aurelia frowned. She expected them to bring stale bread or nothing at all, since Captain Boros had clearly stated they would receive no help. Instead, the servants set down two large plates of hot, seasoned meat, fresh bread, and two cups of perfectly clean water. The food was steaming, filling the dusty room with a rich, delicious smell.

Aurelia did not touch her plate. She watched the servants closely. She noticed that their hands were shaking so badly that the cups rattled against the table. They kept their heads lowered, completely avoiding eye contact with anyone in the room.

"What is the meaning of this?" Aurelia asked, her voice cold. She looked from the hot food up to the older servant. "Who told you to bring this food?"

The servant trembled, his face turning pale. He glanced quickly at Kaelen for a split second before looking back at the floor. "The... Captain Boros gave the order, milady. He said the royal guests must be fed well."

"Boros said that?" Aurelia raised an eyebrow, her voice full of deep disbelief. "The same man who refused to give us a single drop of water yesterday?"

"Yes, milady," the servant whispered, his voice cracking. "Please enjoy the meal."

The two servants bowed quickly, almost tripping over their own feet as they turned and hurried back into the kitchen, slamming the door behind them.

Aurelia looked back at Kaelen. He did not seem bothered by the strange behavior of the servants. He simply picked up a piece of bread with his thin fingers and took a small bite, chewing slowly. A moment later, he covered his mouth with his sleeve and coughed lightly, his shoulders shaking from the effort.

"Are you not going to eat, Lady Aurelia?" Kaelen asked, his eyes wide and innocent. "The food is actually quite good. It is much better than what we had on the road."

"Kaelen, do you think I am stupid?" Aurelia asked, leaning forward across the table. Her eyes were hard. "Yesterday, Captain Boros wanted us dead or starving. Today, his men are running around to serve us a fresh breakfast like loyal maids. And the servants look like they are about to faint from fear. Why are you not suspicious?"

Kaelen blinked, looking confused by her words. He laid his piece of bread back down on his plate and adjusted his position in his wheelchair.

"Well," Kaelen said, making his voice sound thoughtful and a bit naive. "I suppose Captain Boros had a change of heart. After all, you are the daughter of Duke Vance. My father may have exiled me, but your family is still very powerful in the Capital. Boros is a brute, but he is probably smart enough to realize that mistreating you would bring trouble to his head. He must have done this out of respect for your father."

Aurelia scoffed, a look of pure disgust crossing her beautiful face. She let out a short, cold laugh.

"Respect?" Aurelia said, her voice dripping with scorn. "You truly are a fool, Kaelen. Men like Boros do not know the meaning of that word. People in this lawless town do not have hearts, and they do not suddenly become kind because of a name. There is a reason for this change, and I will find out what it is."

"Maybe he just realized he was being too harsh," Kaelen muttered softly, lowering his eyes to his plate like a child who had been scolded for speaking. "We are already stuck in this terrible place. There is no need to think the worst of every little thing."

Aurelia looked at him, shaking her head in deep disappointment. She had been trained by her father to see the hidden motives behind every smile and every gift. She expected to marry a man who could help her fight her enemies, not a boy who believed in the sudden kindness of corrupt guards.

"Your naivety will get you killed one day," Aurelia said coldly. She stood up from the table, not touching a single bite of the fresh breakfast. "Enjoy your food, Prince Kaelen. I am going out to see what the Captain is really planning."

"Please be careful," Kaelen said behind her, his voice full of gentle worry.

Aurelia did not turn back. She marched out of the dining room, her boots clicking against the floor as she left to inspect the courtyard. In her mind, Kaelen was just a lucky idiot who was too blind to see the danger around him.

The moment the heavy door clicked shut behind her, the dining room fell into a deep silence.

Kaelen stopped eating. The worried, helpless expression vanished from his face instantly. His shoulders straightened, and his dark eyes grew incredibly cold and steady.

He lifted his cup of water, taking a slow, calm sip. He looked toward the kitchen door, knowing that the servants were still standing on the other side, shivering in terror of what he might do to them if they made a single mistake.

A slow, regular smile appeared on Kaelen’s lips as he looked out the window, watching his new wife walk into the courtyard.

Look all you want, Aurelia, Kaelen thought to himself, his mind completely relaxed. You will never find the monster you are looking for, because he is sitting right in front of you.