The palace grew quieter at night.
Not peaceful—
Butwatchful.
Shadows stretched longer across the marble floors, swallowing light from the dim candles placed along the walls. Even the servants' footsteps faded into the distance, leaving behind a silence that pressed heavily against the room.
Elira sat beside the cradle.
She hadn't moved for a while.
Her small fingers rested lightly against Kael's blanket, her gaze fixed on his tiny form. Since the tutor's visit, something had been bothering her—an unease she couldn't quite explain.
It wasn't fear.
It was instinct.
Something was about to happen.
Kael stirred.
At first, it was nothing unusual. A slight movement. A soft breath.
Then—
His brows furrowed.
A faint sound escaped him—not quite a cry, not quite a whimper. His small hands clenched tightly, his body tensing as if reacting to something unseen.
Elira straightened immediately.
"Kael…?"
She leaned closer.
His breathing changed.
Uneven.
Sharp.
The air in the room shifted.
Subtle.
But unmistakable.
Elira froze.
The temperature dropped.
Just slightly.
Enough for her breath to feel colder as it left her lips.
The candle flames flickered.
Once.
Twice—
Then steadied.
Her heart began to pound.
"…No," she whispered.
This—
This wasn't normal.
Kael's tiny body trembled, his fingers curling tightly into fists as his eyes fluttered open.
Dark.
Deeper than before.
For a brief moment—
They didn't look like a baby's eyes.
They looked… aware.
Then—
It happened.
A faint ripple spread through the air.
Like something invisible had moved.
The curtains near the window shifted—despite the stillness.
The candlelight dimmed.
And for a single second—
The shadows in the room bent.
Toward him.
Elira's breath caught.
Magic.
But not like the kind she had heard about.
Not light.
Not elemental.
Not something warm or controlled.
This felt—
Heavy.
Cold.
Hungry.
Kael let out a soft, broken cry.
And the pressure intensified.
Elira moved instantly.
Without thinking, she reached into the cradle and grabbed his tiny hand.
"It's okay," she whispered quickly. "I'm here."
The moment her fingers wrapped around his—
Everything stopped.
The air stilled.
The shadows snapped back into place.
The cold vanished.
As if nothing had happened.
Kael blinked.
Once.
Twice.
Then his small body relaxed, the tension leaving him completely.
A soft sound escaped him—almost like a sigh.
And then—
He fell asleep.
Just like that.
Elira didn't move.
Her hand remained in his, her grip tight despite her trembling fingers.
Her mind raced.
That wasn't normal magic.
It couldn't be.
In the novel—
Kael's power hadn't appeared this early.
Not like this.
Not at three days old.
Her chest tightened.
"…They were wrong about you," she murmured softly.
Not weak.
Not useless.
But something else entirely.
Something dangerous.
Something that didn't belong in this world's understanding of magic.
Her gaze shifted slowly toward the door.
Closed.
Silent.
But now—
It didn't feel safe.
If anyone had sensed that—
If anyone had seen it—
Kael wouldn't just be neglected anymore.
He would be feared.
And feared things—
Were destroyed.
Elira's grip tightened slightly.
"No," she whispered.
She wouldn't let that happen.
Not again.
A sudden knock echoed at the door.
Sharp.
Urgent.
Elira froze.
"…Who is it?"
"Commander Cassian."
His voice was low, controlled.
But there was something beneath it.
Tension.
Elira hesitated for a fraction of a second.
Then—
"Enter."
The door opened immediately.
Cassian stepped inside, his expression sharper than usual. His gaze swept the room quickly—windows, corners, shadows—
Then landed on her.
On Kael.
"…Did something happen?" he asked.
Direct.
Focused.
Elira's heart skipped.
He felt it.
Of course he did.
He wouldn't be Captain of the Imperial Guard otherwise.
She had a choice.
Tell him.
Or hide it.
Her eyes dropped briefly to Kael.
Sleeping.
Peaceful.
Dangerous.
"…He cried," she said.
Not a lie.
But not the truth.
Cassian didn't look convinced.
His gaze lingered on the candles.
On the curtains.
On the subtle signs that something had disturbed the room.
Then back to her.
"…That's all?"
A pause.
Elira met his eyes.
"Yes."
Silence stretched between them.
Heavy.
Measured.
Cassian studied her carefully.
Then—
"…Understood."
He didn't press further.
Didn't question her again.
But his expression didn't soften.
Because he knew.
Something had happened.
He just didn't know what.
"Double the guard," he said suddenly, without looking away from her. "No one enters without my permission."
The guards outside responded immediately.
"Yes, Commander!"
Cassian stepped closer.
Not too close.
But enough.
"If there is anything unusual," he said quietly, "you will tell me."
It wasn't an order.
Not entirely.
But it carried weight.
Expectation.
Elira held his gaze.
"…I will."
Another half-truth.
Cassian nodded slowly.
Then turned.
"Rest, Your Highness."
And just like that—
He left.
The door closed.
The room fell silent again.
But now—
It felt different.
Not just watched.
But waiting.
Elira looked down at Kael.
Her fingers still wrapped around his.
Warm.
Alive.
Powerful.
"…You have to hide it," she whispered softly.
More to herself than to him.
Because if he didn't—
This palace wouldn't ignore him anymore.
It would come for him.
Her eyes hardened slightly.
"Until we're strong enough…"
Her grip tightened just a little.
"No one can know."
Because the moment they did—
Everything would change.
And not in their favor.