Breakfast was quiet. Servants moved carefully around them. No one looked directly at her face—only at her neck. The mark felt warm again, but she resisted touching it.
Sebastian sipped his tea as if nothing had changed.
"Why are they staring?" she asked quietly.
"They are not staring."
"They are."
A pause.
"They are adjusting."
"To what?"
"To you."
That was not comforting.
—
The council chamber felt heavier than the courtyard. Nobles stood when Sebastian entered. Their eyes followed him—then shifted to her. Whispers floated through the hall, soft but deliberate.
She stood slightly behind him. He did not correct her.
A middle-aged lord spoke carefully. "Your Highness, is it wise to—"
Sebastian didn't look at him. "Finish that sentence."
The man swallowed. "—to introduce her so soon?"
Introduce. So that's what this was.
Sebastian glanced at Eliana, then back at the room. "She is not being introduced," he said evenly. "She is acknowledged."
Silence fell instantly.
Eliana felt it then—power. Not hers. His. And somehow… she was standing inside it.
—
By mid-afternoon, the palace corridors were quieter, but whispers followed her anyway. A servant paused mid-step, eyes flicking to her neck before looking away.
Eliana kept her head high, ignoring it. Yet she felt Sebastian's presence everywhere, even when he wasn't beside her.
"You are being watched," he said suddenly, appearing at her side without a sound.
She jumped slightly. "I—"
"Do not draw attention," he interrupted. "Not for their sake. For yours."
Her pulse quickened. "I'm careful."
"Not careful enough." His gaze softened for a fleeting moment, almost imperceptible, before hardening again.
—
By late afternoon, she returned to her chambers exhausted. She undressed and tried to stretch, ignoring the lingering ache from training. The mark pulsed faintly on her neck.
A soft knock came at her door. She opened it. Sebastian stood there.
"You did not rest properly after training," he said.
Her brows furrowed. "I'm fine."
"Yes." He stepped inside without waiting. The room felt smaller. He merely observed her for a moment, quiet and measured.
"You overexert yourself," he said. "It will get you hurt. Or worse."
"I want to protect you," she whispered.
His gaze darkened slightly, unreadable. "Then remember this—being reckless will not protect anyone."
He left before she could reply, leaving a heavy silence in his wake.
—
Night fell slowly. Eliana lay awake, body aching, mind replaying his words. Being reckless will not protect anyone.
The mark pulsed softly. Like agreement.
Across the palace, Sebastian stood by his window. He felt it too—the bond strengthening. Too quickly. He had meant to control it, not deepen it.
And yet… when he closed his eyes, he knew exactly where she was.
And that was a problem.