For a few moments, the dining hall remained unnaturally quiet.
Samara picked up a spoon and looked down at the food placed neatly before her. The meal was simple but well prepared—rice, roasted meat glazed in a sweet sauce, and a small portion of vegetables arranged carefully on the plate.
Across the table, several girls kept stealing glances at her.
But the moment Samara lifted her gaze, they quickly looked away.
Stacey leaned closer, barely containing her excitement.
"That," she whispered, her eyes shining, "was amazing."
Samara raised a brow.
"What was?"
"Don't pretend you don't know," Stacey said, lowering her voice even more. "The whole hall went silent. I thought someone had died."
Samara simply took a bite of her food.
"It was nothing."
Stacey stared at her in disbelief.
"Nothing? You basically threatened to cut out their tongues!"
Samara swallowed calmly.
"I merely reminded them of the law."
Stacey burst into quiet laughter, quickly covering her mouth so the others wouldn't stare again.
"You're terrifying, Sam."
Samara didn't respond.
She simply continued eating, her movements calm and composed.
But inside her mind—
You enjoy intimidating people more than you admit.
Adrian's voice appeared suddenly, smooth and amused.
Samara's hand paused slightly.
You disappeared again, she replied silently, irritation flickering through her thoughts.
I never disappeared, Adrian responded lazily. I simply observe when necessary.
Samara resisted the urge to roll her eyes.
How convenient.
You handled yourself well today, Adrian added after a moment.
That caught her attention.
Is that a compliment?
Don't get used to it.
Samara scoffed inwardly.
Across from her, Stacey was still watching with curiosity.
"You spaced out again," Stacey said.
"Just thinking."
"About what?"
Samara tilted her head slightly.
"About how exhausting today has been."
"That's true," Stacey admitted, stretching slightly in her chair. "But honestly, this place is incredible. The estate, the gardens, the competitions…"
Her voice lowered.
"And the palace."
Samara glanced at her.
"The palace again?"
Stacey nodded, her eyes drifting toward the tall windows of the dining hall as if she could see the distant mountains beyond them.
"They say the royal palace is enormous. Bigger than anything in the capital."
There was a strange softness in her voice.
"Only the most talented candidates get sent there."
Samara took another slow bite of food.
"Is that your goal?"
Stacey hesitated.
Then she smiled.
"Of course."
Samara watched her quietly.
Ambition.
That was what she saw in Stacey's eyes.
Pure and burning.
But Samara felt none of it.
To her, this competition was nothing more than a temporary stop.
Nothing more.
Or at least…
That was what she had believed.
Her fingers brushed against the bracelet on her wrist.
It felt slightly warm.
You're thinking again, Adrian's voice echoed lazily in her mind.
Stay out of my head.
Impossible, he replied without a hint of apology. I live there.
Samara ignored him.
She finished the rest of her meal in silence. Around her, the dining hall gradually returned to its usual noise—low conversations, the clinking of utensils—but no one dared raise their voice the way they had before.
Once she was done, she stood up and left without a word. Stacey didn't stop her—she was just as tired.
This time, she didn't return to her room.
Instead, she stepped outside.
The night air greeted her instantly.
A cool breeze brushed against her skin, carrying the faint scent of grass and distant flowers. It slipped through her hair, calming the lingering tension in her chest.
Samara tilted her head slightly, her gaze lifting toward the sky.
The stars stretched endlessly above her, scattered like fragments of light across a dark canvas. The moon hung quietly among them, pale and distant.
For a moment—
She allowed herself to simply exist.
To feel.
To breathe.
Then—
"I could take you somewhere far more beautiful than this."
Adrian's voice came from beside her.
Samara didn't flinch this time.
She turned her head slowly, her eyes landing on him as he stood there as if he had always been part of the night itself.
"Somewhere," he continued, a faint smile playing on his lips, "where the sky feels close enough to touch."
His gaze lingered on her.
"You'd be grateful."
Samara stared at him for a moment.
Then she looked away.
"Don't bother."
Adrian's smile widened.
"It wasn't a question."
Samara's eyes snapped back to him—
And the world disappeared.
The ground beneath her feet vanished without warning. A sudden force pulled at her, sharp and disorienting, as if space itself had folded in on her existence.
In the next instant—
She was somewhere else.
Samara dropped to one knee, her hand pressing against damp grass. Cold dew soaked through her palm, grounding her as the world stabilized around her.
Her eyes sharpened instantly.
Danger.
Anger surged through her veins as she pushed herself up, her gaze sweeping the surroundings with piercing intensity.
This was not the training grounds.
Not the estate.
She stood in a small orchard-like garden, enclosed by towering structures that rose high into the night. Their silhouettes loomed over her, dark and imposing, blocking out parts of the sky she had been staring at moments ago.
The air here felt different.
Heavier.
Samara's jaw tightened.
She didn't like this.
She didn't like not being in control.
Her voice came out cold.
"You didn't have my permission."
A low chuckle slipped from Adrian as his form slowly faded into the night—until he was gone.
Completely.
Samara's expression darkened.
"Where the hell am I, Adrian?" she demanded, her voice cutting through the silence.
No response.
Her jaw tightened.
"I swear I'm going to kill you," she muttered under her breath, the anger in her tone unmistakable.
Silence answered her again.
Samara exhaled sharply, forcing herself to stay still.
Her eyes swept across the unfamiliar surroundings once more.
How is this place supposed to be better than the training grounds? she thought, irritation simmering beneath the surface. All I feel is…
She paused.
A chill ran down her spine.
Goosebumps rose along her arms.
The air here wasn't just cold—
It felt wrong.
Her senses sharpened instantly, every instinct screaming at her to be alert.
Samara slowly turned, her gaze cutting through the shadows between the towering structures.
"…watched."