The palace was a place of intricate pathways, secretive corners, and unavoidable encounters. No matter how much Alina tried to remain unseen, fate had other plans.
It started with an order.
"Lin Mei, take these to the eastern pavilion," one of the senior servants instructed, handing her a small, lacquered tray bearing a porcelain tea set. "Be quick, but careful. The prince is there."
Alina's breath caught. The prince.
She had only seen him from a distance, except for that one moment in the shadows when his mask had nearly slipped. The memory of his strained posture, his barely concealed exhaustion, haunted her. Now, she would be forced into his proximity, closer than she had dared to be.
Steeling herself, she took the tray and set off toward the eastern pavilion, her heart thudding against her ribs.
The pavilion was open on all sides, allowing the evening breeze to carry the scent of cherry blossoms and incense through the space. It was quiet, devoid of courtiers and attendants, save for the lone figure seated near the edge, his gaze fixed beyond the palace walls.
Prince Sheen.
Alina swallowed hard and stepped forward carefully, keeping her head lowered as she approached the wooden table near him. She placed the tray down without a sound, rehearsing in her mind the words every servant knew by heart: Your Highness, your tea is ready. Then she would bow and leave, unnoticed. Forgotten.
But before she could speak, his voice cut through the silence.
"You move quietly."
Her breath hitched. He was speaking to her.
"I… I did not wish to disturb Your Highness," she managed, keeping her head bowed.
A pause. Then—
"Yet you listen well."
Alina's hands clenched against her apron. Does he know? Had he seen her in the corridor where she overheard the nobles whispering about him? Had he sensed her presence that night when he nearly collapsed?
"Look at me."
The order was soft, but it left no room for defiance.
Slowly, hesitantly, Alina lifted her gaze. His eyes met hers—dark, penetrating, as if searching for something beyond what he could see. Up close, she could see the faint traces of exhaustion beneath his carefully controlled expression, the weight he carried hidden beneath silk and armour.
For a moment, neither of them spoke. The world around them fell away, the distance between them seeming both vast and non-existent.
Then, he tilted his head slightly, studying her in a way that made her feel exposed.
"You are not from here."
Alina's blood ran cold.
It was not a question. It was a statement.
She forced herself to remain composed. "I am a servant in the palace, Your Highness."
His lips curled into something that was not quite a smile, not quite amusement. "Are you?"
Alina's breath caught in her throat. Was it possible that he knew? That he had sensed something the moment their eyes met?
"The stars shift," he said suddenly, his gaze moving past her toward the darkening sky. "They have whispered of change for some time now."
Alina's hands trembled. She did not understand his words entirely, but something within them felt eerily close to the truth she had yet to uncover.
Before she could muster a response, another voice called from outside the pavilion. "Your Highness, the council awaits."
The brief moment between them shattered. Prince Sheen turned his gaze away from her, his expression returning to its usual unreadable state. Without another word, he rose gracefully to his feet, his robes billowing slightly in the evening wind.
Alina lowered her head quickly as he passed by, her heart still hammering in her chest.
He knew. Somehow, impossibly, he knew.
And for the first time since she had arrived in this world, she realized she was not as hidden as she had once believed.