Chapter 83
The palace gardens were quieter than the council halls.
Less guarded.
Less controlled.
But somehow—
More revealing.
Alvira did not come there by accident.
She had followed Lisa after the meeting, not directly, not obviously, but enough to end up where the others gathered when the formalities of the palace faded.
Hiccup was already there, sitting on the low stone edge near the fountain, one arm resting behind him while Lisa stood close enough that their shoulders brushed without either of them noticing.
Or perhaps—
Without either of them needing to notice.
Alvira slowed as she approached.
There was something effortless about them.
Lisa said, "You came."
Alvira replied, "You say that every time like you expect me not to."
Hiccup said, "People usually do not come back after seeing how things work here."
Alvira said, "You are all very convinced I will leave."
Lisa smiled slightly.
Lisa said, "We are waiting to see if you prove us wrong."
Alvira stepped closer, her gaze shifting between them.
Alvira said, "And if I do."
Hiccup said, "Then you stay."
Lisa added softly, "And things change."
Before Alvira could respond, footsteps approached.
Not rushed.
Not hesitant.
Just steady.
Zack.
He stopped a short distance away, his gaze moving first to Hiccup and Lisa, then—
To Alvira.
That quiet pull settled again.
Stronger now.
More noticeable.
Alvira felt it before she fully understood it.
Zack said, "You found your way here."
Alvira replied, "I was not trying to get lost."
Zack said, "That does not always matter in this place."
Alvira said, "It seems to matter to you."
Zack held her gaze for a moment.
Zack said, "It does."
That was enough to shift the air.
Subtle.
But real.
From the side, Ray watched.
He had arrived moments earlier but had not stepped forward.
His attention stayed on them.
Not openly.
Not obviously.
But constantly.
Ray said, "You are all acting like this is normal."
Hiccup glanced at him.
Hiccup said, "What is."
Ray stepped closer now, his eyes briefly meeting Alvira's before shifting away.
Ray said, "This."
Lisa looked between them.
Lisa said, "It is just a conversation."
Ray replied quietly, "No."
His gaze returned to Zack.
Ray said, "It is not."
The silence that followed was not uncomfortable.
But it was aware.
Zack noticed it.
Of course he did.
His eyes moved briefly to Ray.
Then back to Alvira.
Alvira, unaware of the shift beneath the surface, tilted her head slightly.
Alvira said, "You all speak like there is something I am missing."
Hiccup said lightly, "You will figure it out."
Lisa added, "Or it will find you."
Alvira frowned slightly.
Alvira said, "That does not help."
Zack spoke then.
Zack said, "Not everything needs to be explained immediately."
Alvira looked at him.
Alvira said, "You say that like you already know."
Zack replied, "I do."
The words were simple.
But they carried more than they should have.
Alvira held his gaze a second longer this time.
Then—
She looked away first.
Ray saw it.
Every detail.
Every pause.
Every shift.
And something in his chest tightened.
Not sharp.
Not sudden.
But steady.
Like a truth he had been ignoring was slowly refusing to stay quiet.
Lisa stepped slightly closer to Hiccup, her hand brushing his without thinking.
He responded without looking, his fingers catching hers easily.
Natural.
Unforced.
Alvira noticed that.
Alvira said softly, "You two do that without even looking."
Hiccup said, "Do what."
Alvira gestured lightly.
Alvira said, "That."
Lisa smiled faintly.
Lisa said, "It just happens."
Alvira said, "That sounds simple."
Hiccup replied, "It is not."
Zack watched that exchange carefully.
Then his gaze shifted back to Alvira.
Zack said, "Some things feel simple when they are right."
Alvira looked at him again.
Alvira said, "And how do you know when something is right."
Zack answered without hesitation.
Zack said, "You stop questioning it."
The words settled between them.
And this time—
Alvira felt it.
Not just curiosity.
Not just interest.
Something deeper.
Something quieter.
Something that did not ask for permission to exist.
She did not respond immediately.
Ray did.
But not to them.
Ray said, "We should not stay here too long."
Hiccup glanced at him.
Hiccup said, "Since when do you care about time."
Ray said, "Since things started becoming unclear."
Lisa looked at him carefully.
Lisa said, "Or too clear."
Ray did not answer that.
Zack noticed.
Of course he did.
His attention shifted again.
This time—
More deliberate.
More aware.
Zack said, "You are leaving."
Ray replied, "Maybe."
Zack said, "You do not leave without a reason."
Ray held his gaze for a moment.
Then—
Ray said, "Then I guess I have one."
The tension was quiet.
But present.
Alvira looked between them.
Alvira said, "Did I miss something."
Hiccup said quickly, "No."
Lisa added, "Not yet."
Zack's eyes did not leave Ray.
Ray did not look back at Alvira again.
Not this time.
Instead—
He turned.
And walked away.
Steady.
Controlled.
But not unaffected.
Alvira watched him go, confusion flickering briefly across her face.
Alvira said, "He is… different."
Hiccup said, "He has always been like that."
Lisa said softly, "Just not like this."
Zack finally looked away from where Ray had gone.
Then back at Alvira.
And something in his expression had changed.
Not colder.
Not distant.
But—
More certain.
Zack said, "You should head back before it gets late."
Alvira said, "You are sending me away."
Zack said, "I am being careful."
Alvira asked, "For who."
Zack did not hesitate this time.
Zack said, "For all of us."
That answer stayed with her.
Even as she turned.
Even as she began to walk away.
Even as the distance grew—
That quiet pull remained.
Stronger now.
Impossible to ignore.
And behind her—
Zack watched.
Not just because he wanted to.
But because he could not seem to stop.