Elara watched through the carriage window.
Dark fields moving slowly past. Trees turned into black silhouettes against a starry sky. The occasional gleam of moonlight on a distant river.
Everything so calm now.
So different from just a few hours ago.
Her mind kept replaying the events. Over and over. As if she couldn't completely believe they had survived.
The crash. The horrible sound of splintering wood as Daemon's carriage deliberately rammed theirs. The cry of her guard when he was struck. The wet sound of boots against flesh. Blood staining the road.
Nia crying. Clinging to her. Begging her not to go.
And Daemon. That smile. That damnable smug smile as he drawled his words with cruel amusement. Enjoying every second of his power over them.
'We almost lost everything. I almost lost Nia. Almost...'
She couldn't finish the thought.
She closed her eyes briefly. Breathed deeply.
'Our guard.'
Marcus. A loyal man who had served their family for years. Who had agreed to escort them knowing the risk. Who had nearly died protecting them from something that wasn't even his responsibility.
And now he lay on the carriage bench, barely stabilized, breathing weakly. Alive only because...
Her gaze shifted to the young man sitting opposite her.
Kael Drayvar.
Their savior.
Though in an... odd way.
He was not like the heroes in the stories her mother used to tell her when she was a child. He didn't arrive on a white horse shouting about justice and honor. He didn't immediately declare he would stop the villain.
Instead, he had arrived with quiet steps. Hands behind his back. A bored expression.
And then... that horrible confusion when he seemed to take Daemon's side.
Elara remembered that moment. The absolute terror. The betrayal. Thinking this noble young man was just like all the others. That he would see Daemon as "a gentleman helping his betrothed" and leave them to their fate.
The horror in Nia's eyes. The desperate moan of Marcus bleeding on the ground. Her own heart breaking.
And then Kael had spoken again.
"Enough with the jokes, bastard."
Three words that changed everything.
The voice was cold. Lethal. Emotionless but filled with an absolute authority that shouldn't exist in a boy his age.
And Daemon had backed down. He had obeyed. He had fled.
'He saved us. He really saved us.'
But that wasn't all.
What came next was even more bewildering.
He had healed Marcus. Well, his knight had, but under his orders. He had organized everything with an efficiency that spoke of experience no child should have.
And then... he had defied his own escort.
Direct orders from his father. A Grand Duke. One of the most powerful men in the Empire.
And this boy had said "no" without blinking.
He had sent his entire escort back. He had decided to stay with only one knight.
Just to accompany them.
Just to protect them.
'Why?'
'Why would he do something like that?'
'He doesn't know us. We owe him nothing. His family gains nothing by helping us.'
'Then why?'
Elara watched him from her seat.
Kael was sitting near the opposite window. Relaxed posture. One leg crossed over the other in a way that seemed too adult for his size. Staring at the night scenery with a thoughtful expression.
Just a child. Ten years old the Captain had mentioned. Almost Nia's age.
But something about him didn't fit that age.
Those eyes. Cold. Calculating. As if he were seeing pieces on a chessboard instead of people.
That voice. Authoritative. Without doubt. Without hesitation. Giving orders to men three times his age and expecting to be obeyed.
Her father had always said that the children of powerful families were unique. That they grew faster than normal children. That they learned things others couldn't imagine. Politics. Strategy. Manipulation.
But this...
This was different.
This wasn't merely a precocious or well-educated child.
This was something more.
Elara felt a shiver run down her spine.
'Should I be afraid of him?'
'Or should I be grateful?'
Both, probably.
She suddenly realized something.
She didn't even know his full name. Just "Drayvar." Just the last name the Captain had mentioned. Just the House he represented.
But not the name of the boy who had risked so much for them.
'I should ask him. It would be the right thing to do. The least after everything he has done.'
She took a breath, preparing to speak.
Her gaze landed on Kael again.
'Where is he looking?'
She followed the line of the boy's vision.
And immediately felt heat rising to her cheeks.
He was looking... at her chest.
Not obviously. Not in a way others would easily notice. But definitely...
Elara instinctively crossed her arms over her chest. An automatic, protective movement.
'He's just a boy. He's just... looking without thinking. Children do that. Innocent curiosity.'
But something in those eyes didn't seem innocent.
"Sister..."
Nia's voice. Low but clear in the confined space of the carriage.
Elara turned to her little sister.
Nia was looking at Kael. Then at Elara. Then at Kael again. Her eyes narrowed.
"That boy is looking at your breasts."
The silence that followed was absolute.
Elara felt her face burn.
"What? Nia!"
Aldric, who had been half-asleep in his corner, opened one eye. He looked at the scene with an expression that suggested he wasn't paid enough for this.
Kael blinked. Once. As if he had just been pulled from his thoughts.
"No, no, you're wrong." The words came out quickly. Too quickly. The kind of automatic denial that only makes things more suspicious.
He turned his gaze towards the window with a movement that tried to look casual but only looked guilty.
Nia didn't stop. Her voice rose. Panic entering every word.
"That's why he saved us! Sister, what is going to become of us!"
Tears filled the girl's eyes again. Her childish mind jumping to conclusions. Noble saves damsel in distress. Noble expects a "reward."
Stories everyone knew. Stories that ended badly.
"Nia, calm down!" Elara grabbed her sister's shoulders. Trying to sound firm. Trying to sound convincing.
"It's just a misunderstanding."
She looked at Kael. The boy was looking at her now. Neutral expression but something in his eyes...
'Amusement? Shame? Neither?'
"He's just a child, Nia. It was just... just a misunderstanding. Children look at things without thinking. It's normal."
Though as she said the words, a part of her wondered if she truly believed it.
Kael cleared his throat. A deliberate sound. As if he were clearing his throat but really just looking to break the tension.
He coughed again.
"Yes, exactly. Just a misunderstanding." His voice came out too casual. Too indifferent.
"I was looking out the window behind you. The scenery. The trees."
A brief pause.
"I haven't properly introduced myself yet, have I?" He changed the subject with the subtlety of a hammer against an anvil.
"I am Kael Drayvar."
He leaned slightly forward. Not much. Just enough to appear courteous.
"And you?"
Elara blinked. Processing the sudden shift in conversation.
She straightened up instinctively. A more formal posture. The education her father had instilled in her taking control.
"Ah, forgive us, young Kael." She bowed slightly, difficult in a moving carriage but necessary.
"We had not properly introduced ourselves."
She took a deep breath.
"We are from the Voss family. I am Elara Voss, and this is my younger sister, Nia Voss."
Nia, still teary-eyed but regaining some composure, also bowed. Nearly hitting her head on the bench in the process.
"Yes, yes! We are very grateful, young Kael! Thank you for saving us from that horrible Daemon! If you hadn't been there, he would have...!" The energy returned to her voice with surprising speed.
"I only did what anyone would do." Kael interrupted her. Neutral, flat voice.
The words sounded right. Humble. Appropriate.
But the tone... the tone lacked the warmth that should accompany those words.
He sounded like someone reciting a learned line. Saying what was expected of him. Nothing more.
Silence fell briefly.
Kael watched them. Eyes moving between Elara and Nia. Evaluating. Measuring.
Then he spoke again.
"Leaving the thanks aside now..." He leaned slightly forward. Elbows on his knees. Fingers intertwined. The posture of a businessman discussing a contract, not a boy in a carriage.
"What truly happened?"
A tone that expected a complete answer. No evasions. No lies.
Elara looked at Nia.
Nia looked at Elara.
Silent communication between sisters. Years of living together allowing conversation without words.
'Should we tell him?'
'He already saved us.'
'But it's family information. Private problems.'
'What choice do we have? If he's going to help us, he needs to know.'
'Can we trust him?'
'Do we have a choice?'
The decision was made in seconds.
Elara nodded slightly to her sister. Then looked at Kael.
"Our family, the Vosses... we are merchants." She began. Her voice more serious now. More adult. Leaving behind the panic and embarrassment of the previous moment.
"Well, we were successful merchants."
She settled in her seat. Mentally preparing to tell a story that hurt even to remember.
"Five years ago, my father, Donal Voss, started a spice and imported fabrics business. It started small. Just one warehouse in Arven. A few contacts in neighboring cities."
A pause. Remembering better times.
"But my father has a good eye for quality. And even better for negotiation. He found suppliers other merchants ignored. More efficient routes. Fair prices that attracted customers."
Nia cheered up slightly. Pride in her voice.
"Our spices were the best in Arven! And the fabrics! Silk from the Eastern Lands. Wool from the Northern Mountains. Everything of the highest quality."
"Three years ago, we were growing fast. Too fast, perhaps." Elara continued. Her expression darkening.
"Contracts with merchants from four cities. Orders increasing every month. Enough profit to expand. To hire more employees. To dream of something bigger."
She stopped. Her hand clenched into a fist in her lap.
"Until the Torren family decided we were a threat."
Kael said nothing. He just watched. Listening with what seemed like absolute attention.
"The Torrens..." Elara almost spat the name.
"They are the most established merchant family in Arven. They have controlled the trade routes and major contracts for over thirty years. A near complete monopoly on quality imports."
"And they didn't like us showing up to compete." Nia added. A bitterness unbecoming of a child tainting her words.
"They didn't like that customers started wondering why the Torrens charged so much when the Vosses offered better quality for less."
Elara nodded.
"At first it was small things. Rumors. Whispers in markets that our merchandise was of inferior quality. That our suppliers were unreliable. That we had cheated customers."
"Nothing true, but enough to plant doubts."
Her voice became tenser. More pained.
"Then it escalated. Shipments arriving damaged. Boxes opened in transit, contents stained with something that ruined everything. Spices that smelled horrible even though they weren't actually poisoned."
Nia interrupted. Emotion growing in her voice.
"They poisoned an entire shipment of saffron! Not to hurt people, just enough to make it smell rotten! But everyone believed Dad was selling bad produce!"
"We lost three major contracts that week." Elara closed her eyes. Pain on her face.
"Customers who had sworn loyalty to us suddenly shut their doors. Refused to receive us. Some even demanded money back for merchandise they had already used."
"And your father couldn't prove the sabotage?" Kael spoke for the first time since the story began.
"He tried." Elara opened her eyes. Looked at Kael.
"He hired investigators. Looked for witnesses. Tracked the routes."
"And?"
"Nothing. The Torrens are too careful. Too established. They have contacts in every city. Guards in their pocket. Officials who ignore evidence."
A brief silence.
"So your family was ruined." It was an obvious conclusion.
"Reputation destroyed. Lost contracts. Employees laid off because we couldn't pay them." Elara listed each blow as if it were a stab.
"And debts. Lots of debts."
"Dad had taken out loans to expand." Nia explained.
"Based on growth projections. Contracts we thought we had secured."
"But when everything collapsed..." Elara didn't finish the sentence. She didn't need to.
"The debts kept growing." Kael completed.
"With interest."
"Yes."
"And then the Kladis family appeared."
The way Kael said the name suggested he already knew where the story was going.
Elara nodded slowly.
"Daemon is from the Kladis family. His father, Nikolas Kladis, is..." She searched for the right word.
"A lender. Officially."
"A usurer. Unofficially." Nia added without subtlety.
"Nia..." Elara shot her a warning look. But she didn't contradict her.
"Nikolas Kladis appeared eight months ago. Offering 'help' when my father was most desperate." The disgust was evident in her voice.
"Loans with 'reasonable' interest. 'Flexible' terms. Everything sounded... generous."
"Nothing is generous without a price." Kael observed.
"No. Nothing is." Elara confirmed bitterly.
"The interest started reasonable. But there were clauses. Hidden conditions in contracts my father didn't read carefully enough."
"He was desperate." Nia defended.
"We needed capital to regain reputation. To try again."
"I know." Elara took her sister's hand.
"I don't blame him. I would have done the same."
She looked at Kael again.
"My father accepted the money. We used it to buy new inventory. To try to rebuild. But..."
"More sabotage." Kael guessed.
"More sabotage." Elara confirmed.
"Every time we tried to rise, something went wrong. Lost merchandise. Contracts mysteriously canceled. Renewed rumors."
"And the Kladis' interest went up."
"Due to 'unforeseen circumstances.' Due to 'increased risk.' Due to any excuse they could invent."
Nia clenched her fists.
"It's a trap! It's all a trap! The Torrens sabotage, the Kladis lend money, and we sink deeper!"
"Are they connected?" Kael asked.
"The Torrens and the Kladis?"
"We suspect so." Elara replied.
"There is no direct proof. But the timing is too convenient. The sabotages increase just when we need more money. And Kladis always appears with 'solutions'."
"Six months ago, Nikolas came with a 'final proposal'." Her voice cracked slightly.
"The entire debt canceled. Completely. The Voss family free of obligations."
A heavy pause.
"In exchange, I become Daemon's wife. 'Union of families' is what he called it. 'Strengthening of commercial ties'."
The silence in the carriage was oppressive.
"Reality: me as a bargaining chip." Elara continued. Her voice harder now. Angrier.
"Me as payment. As property transferred from one family to another."
Nia exploded. Words coming out rushed, furious.
"Daemon is despicable! The whole city knows it! He goes to the brothels every night! All of them! He doesn't care to hide it!"
She breathed raggedly.
"He drinks until he passes out in taverns! I've seen how he treats the maids when he thinks no one is looking! He touches them! He corners them! He's a violent idiot who hits anyone who crosses him!"
Tears streamed down her cheeks again.
"And my father was going to hand my sister over to HIM!"
"Nia..." Elara hugged her sister. Soft but sad voice.
"Dad didn't want to. He had no choice."
"There's always a choice!"
"Not when they threaten to destroy everything." Elara whispered.
"Not when they threaten to confiscate the house. To leave the family on the street. To ruin every last vestige of what we built."
She looked at Kael. Expecting... what? Judgment? Compassion?
"My father tried to negotiate. Offer alternative payments. More time. Anything. But Nikolas refused. And Daemon..." Her face twisted in disgust.
"Daemon saw his opportunity. He had seen me in the market months before. And decided he wanted me."
"Like someone decides they want a new horse." Nia added bitterly.
"My father accepted the proposal two weeks ago. It didn't give him a choice. It was accept or lose everything."
Elara took a deep breath. Finishing the story.
"So I escaped. I took Nia, convinced Marcus to escort us, and packed what little valuable merchandise was left. Our plan was to reach the nearest city, sell everything, and use that money to at least pay off part of the debt. Buy time. Look for an alternative."
"A desperate plan." Kael observed.
"A stupid plan." Elara corrected.
"But it was all we had."
"And Daemon followed you."
"And Daemon followed us. He caught us on the road. He crashed his carriage into ours to stop us. And..." Elara didn't finish. She didn't need to.
"And you know how that ended."
Silence fell over the carriage.
Only the rattling of wheels. Marcus's faint breathing. The sound of horses.
Elara looked at Kael. Expecting a reaction. Expecting an answer.
The boy processed the information. Neutral face. Showing no obvious emotion.
Finally, he spoke.
"I'm sorry for telling you our problems." Elara rushed forward before he could say anything.
"They're not your concern. I shouldn't have burdened..."
"No."
The word was firm. Cutting.
Elara stopped.
"I was the one who asked." Kael continued. His voice leaving no room for argument.
"If I didn't want to know, I wouldn't have asked."
A brief silence.
Then Kael spoke again. A different voice now. As if he were evaluating an academic problem.
"It's a horrible situation."
A pause.
"Very complicated."
A longer, thoughtful pause.
"But relax."
Elara and Nia looked at him. Confused by the change in tone.
"Huh?" They said simultaneously.
Kael looked directly at them. Something in his eyes... determination? Calculation?
"I will help you."
The words fell flat. Like a statement of fact. As if he were saying the sun would rise tomorrow.
"Although I have lost my entire escort by coming here." He continued. A pragmatic tone.
"And I probably won't be able to use my last name openly without causing political complications that would be... inconvenient."
Elara blinked. Processing the words.
"What... what did you just say?"
"I said I will help you." Kael repeated. As if she hadn't understood the language.
"It's not that complicated."
"But... why?" Nia asked. A small voice.
"You don't know us. We owe you nothing. Your family gains nothing..."
"That's not relevant now." Kael interrupted. Not really answering the question.
"The important thing is that if we work as a team, we can find a solution."
It didn't sound inspiring.
It didn't sound like a hero's motivational speech.
It sounded... practical. As if he were proposing a business project. A problem to be solved. A plan to be executed.
"So..." Kael leaned slightly forward.
"Who's with me?"
A bewildered silence.
Nia whispered to Elara. Low enough to be discreet but loud enough for everyone to hear.
"Sister... I think he's crazy."
Elara reacted instinctively. A quick pinch to Nia's arm. Not hard. Just enough to make her quiet down.
"Nia!" She hissed.
Then she looked at Kael.
The boy watched them. Neutral expression. Waiting for an answer.
Elara didn't know what to think.
This boy had just listened to all their problems. Complicated problems. Dangerous problems involving powerful families and massive debts.
And his answer was... to help them?
Just like that?
Without asking what he would gain?
Without demanding payment?
Without obvious conditions?
'It doesn't make sense.'
'No one does this. No one risks so much for strangers.'
'What is he really thinking?'
'What does he want from us?'
But the words that came out of her mouth were different from her thoughts.
"I... we... thank you, young Kael."
She smiled. Not completely convinced. Not completely calm.
But grateful.
Because right now, a crazy ally was better than no ally.
Kael nodded slightly. As if the matter were settled.
He looked out the window. Watching the night scenery.
"How much longer until we arrive?"
The driver's voice answered from outside. Muffled but audible.
"An hour, young sir. Maybe less if the horses maintain this pace."
One hour.
One hour until they reached Arven.
One hour before facing... what?
Elara felt anxiety twisting her stomach.
'Has Daemon arrived yet? Is he waiting?'
'Do my parents know I escaped? Are they looking for me?'
'Does Nikolas know already?'
'What awaits us when we arrive?'
So many questions. So many uncertainties.
She looked at Nia. Her little sister curled up against her side. Eyes beginning to close. Exhausted from the day's trauma.
Soon the girl would be asleep. Her breathing becoming soft and regular.
Elara ran a hand through her sister's hair tenderly. An automatic gesture from years of caring for her.
'I will keep her safe. No matter what.'
'No matter what I have to do.'
'I won't let Daemon touch her. I won't let the Kladis destroy us.'
Her gaze moved to Kael.
The boy was still looking out the window. Profile illuminated by moonlight. Thoughtful but inscrutable expression.
Who was this boy really?
Why was he truly helping them?
What did he want?
The questions spun in her mind without an answer.
But for now... for now she had to trust.
Because she had no other option.
The carriage continued its journey west.
Towards Arven.
Towards their home.
Towards the uncertain future.
And Elara Voss, tired but not defeated, closed her eyes and prayed that this strange boy was truly capable of helping them.
Because if he wasn't...
She didn't want to think about that alternative.