The capital had a way of swallowing sound.
Even as they left the throne room, Elena felt the stone corridors closing around them, colder and more severe than anything in the Northern Reach. The walls were carved with old symbols she didn't understand, guards stood every fifteen steps, and every torch felt like it was watching her.
Two steps ahead, Soren walked like he owned the building.
Technically, he didn't.
Practically, he might as well have.
But this wasn't his territory.This wasn't his citadel.This was the High King's domain — and the air itself felt political, sharp-edged, and starved of kindness.
Soren did not look back when he spoke.
"Elena."
She straightened automatically. "Yes—Your Highness?"
"Your Highness?" she asked carefully.
"Good," he said without looking at her. "You remembered."
She frowned. Okay, so the post-trauma emotional thaw was officially over. Welcome back, Ice Prince Soren 2.0.
He led her through a series of stone corridors, deeper into the High King's keep. Guards lined every archway. Advisors whispered from alcoves. No one dared approach him.
When they reached a quiet passage, Soren finally spoke.
"There are things you must understand before we do anything further in this fortress."
She tensed. "That sounds… encouraging."
"It is not."
Great.
He continued, voice clipped and political in a way she had never heard from him.
"The North is not a single kingdom. It is a federation of territories. Each ruled by a prince. Each responsible for defending its borders. They answer to the High King, but they do not trust him. Nor each other."
"And you?" she asked softly.
"I am the only one who governs the Reach," he said. "The only territory bordering both the Riftlands and the Kharath Empire. It makes my domain… inconvenient. And makes me indispensable."
Elena swallowed. "And me?"
Soren finally turned his head — just enough for her to see the shadow crossing his face.
"You," he said, "are a variable no one planned for. Not him. Not the council. Not the empire. Not me."
That last part cut deeper than she expected.
"So to them I'm… dangerous?"
"To some of them," he murmured, "you are an opportunity. To others, a threat. And to all of them, you are unknown — which is the most dangerous category of all."
She rubbed her arms. "And what am I to you?"
For a moment, silence stretched between them — long enough for the world to hold its breath.
Then Soren's jaw tightened, and he looked forward again.
"Protected," he said coolly. "But not exempt."
Not exempt.
It shouldn't sting. It absolutely did.
They walked the rest of the way to the stables in tense silence.
Soren mounted first, then offered his hand to her with regal detachment, not the warmth he'd shown days before.
"Your place is here," he said, guiding her onto the horse in front of him. "Until we return to the Reach, you stay in my sight."
She bristled. "Because I'm… unpredictable?"
"No," he said. "Because this place is."
The ride out of the capital was escorted by guards, tension rising from every stone. Elena felt eyes on her the entire time.
Only when the gates closed behind them and they were miles from the capital did Soren's grip loosen by a fraction.
But he didn't speak.
Not once.
Not on the road.
Not at camp.
Not until the snow-capped spires of the Northern Citadel finally rose into view.
...
BACK AT THE CITADEL
Elena was escorted inside to rest.
Soren stayed in the courtyard with his Sentinels — Kael, Eris, Rhun, and the others — all standing in a loose semi-circle around their commander.
For a long moment, no one spoke.
Then Kael said quietly, "So. The king didn't kill you."
Soren shot him a flat, deadly look.
Rhun cleared his throat. "We, uh… noticed something. On the ride."
Soren turned his head, slowly, like a predator deciding whether to tolerate noise.
Eris, unfortunately brave, stepped forward.
"You didn't blink. Not once. Not even when we crossed the ravine."
"So?" Soren growled.
"So," Eris continued carefully, "that's usually when you yell at us for riding too close to the edge. This time you were… preoccupied."
Kael crossed his arms. "This wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that you spent the entire four-hour ride staring at Elena's head, would it?"
Slow, murderous silence.
Rhun coughed. "It was… noticeable."
"Obvious," added Eris.
"Embarrassing," said Rhun.
"For him or us?" Eris asked.
"Both."
Soren's jaw flexed. "I will put all of you into weapons training until the snow melts."
Kael snorted. "That's six months."
"Eight," Soren corrected icily, "if I am displeased."
The Sentinels exchanged glances.
"We'll be quiet now," Rhun said.
"Very quiet," Eris added.
"Silent," Kael finished.
Soren glared at them one last time, cloak snapping as he turned toward the citadel entrance.
But Kael called softly after him:
"She's safe now, Soren."
The prince paused.
Just for a beat.
Then continued inside without a word.