"Now... I have nowhere left to run."
The silence after that was strained. Weighty.
Nova narrowed her eyes, then shook her head and refocused on the scene. Her stance changed—a slight straightening of her back, fingers closing as she thought.
Her tone was stronger now.
"How much did you assist the Vellore Kingdom?" she asked.
A flash of guilt crossed Natasha’s face. She paused, then looked at Leon who stood with unflinching but little cold stare.
Natasha’s voice shook, but the words came out.
"I provided them with military codes. Strategic positions. Vulnerable points near the western and eastern border."
Leon’s eyebrow flicked.
Nova’s jaw was clenched. "Go on," Nova said.
Natasha swallowed hard, not meeting Leon’s eyes.
"I sent the routine reports. Every ten days. Army deployments. Scout rotations. Fort positions. Even the southern region guard rosters..." she stopped for a moment, then went on, with venom, "All because your moron king gave me everything to trust with."
Leon’s eyebrows rose.
Nova massaged her temple slowly, eyes narrowing in incredulity.
So, based on the intel you provided them... and the king giving you classified documents on a silver platter..." she growled, the rage simmering under her even tone, "Vellore had all they required to destroy us."
Leon sighed. His hand moved down to his side as he retreated, eyes fixed towards the night horizon.
"So, we’ve been losing from within outwards, both" he spoke softly. "And we didn’t even realize that.
Nova folded her arms, her voice biting once more.
"Is that all you shared with them?"
Natasha nodded deliberately. "That’s it."
Leon regarded her, expression unreadable.
Nova didn’t glance at her—she glanced beyond her, along the road that had brought them to this place. At the price.
"We need to consider wisely from here," Leon said finally, his tone low, but heavy with meaning.
He shifted slightly; his eyes still focused on the stars overhead.
"But for now..." Leon sighed, his voice soothing but tinged with weariness. His hand settled on Nova’s once more. "Let’s go back to the mansion. We’ll figure out what to do with her in light of information tomorrow."
Nova nodded demurely. Her eyes drifted to Natasha—hurt but uncomplaining, still regarding them with inscrutable eyes.
Leon addressed her. "Do you have us back without being detected?"
Natasha remained silent. She just closed her eyes for a moment, then nodded infinitesimally. "I can bring you through a veil—silent, unobserved."
Nova raised a brow. "You’re not going to knock us out, are you?"
Natasha smiled slightly, blood still drying on her lower lip. "You’d already be out if I intended to. And first—if I even attempt anything, that slave seal will kill me."
Leon chuckled under his breath. "Fair enough. Then do it."
Natasha raised her hand. A ripple of blue light spread from her palm, expanding outward until it formed a transparent sphere around them. The air shifted—thickened—as the barrier solidified.
Nova glanced around the inside of the dome. "Feels like we’re underwater."
Leon tested the sphere’s surface with his fingers. "More like air wrapped in silk... impressive."
Without hesitation, the sphere started moving forward, utterly quiet. It rose from the ground and moved silently down the garden path, unnoticed by the guards marching along the palace walls.
Getting close to the outer wall, Nova huddled against the edge of the barrier, her gaze frowning. "No one’s seeing this?"
"They won’t," Natasha replied calmly, her attention fixed on keeping up the veil. "Unless they’re a Monarch or better."
Leon shared a look with Nova, both of them silently recognizing the surprising power Natasha remained possessed of, despite her being weakened.
The sphere drifted toward the wall. It stopped just short of the wall before shooting upward suddenly—then carrying on past the top, vanishing into the open night with not even a single torchlight flaring to respond.
Nova raised her brows. "Okay... that’s really impressive."
Leon smiled faintly. "Begin to think that letting her live was the correct decision, perhaps."
Natasha remained silent.
They rode quickly across the deserted ground, the distance between the palace and the city’s outskirts. Before long, the tall shadow of Leon’s estate rose on the horizon, black and still under the light of the moon.
As they approached the outer courtyard of the mansion, the sphere floated gently down, settling silently.
Leon moved ahead. "This is—"
When he didn’t finish, the sphere moved again, heading directly for his room’s balcony.
Nova blinked. "She learned where you sleep?"
Leon arched a brow at Natasha. "I should be complimented. or just concerned.
The sphere flowed right onto the balcony and evaporated in a gentle throb of blue light, freeing the three of them inside Leon’s room without even creaking the floorboards.
Nova strode ahead, arms folded. "I swear if she tries anything cute—"
"She won’t," Leon said softly, his gaze still on Natasha.
Natasha, who was now a couple of feet away from them, quickly swept the room with her eyes. Her eyes lingered on the furniture, the open balcony, the bed—before resting on Leon’s face.
Leon lifted an eyebrow, his arms slowly folding across his chest. "How did you know this was my room?"
Natasha shrugged a little, the edge of her mouth tugging into a smug half-smile. "I watched you the whole night. After dinner, you went up to your room, agitated. I watched you pace and couldn’t sleep. how you kept trying to calm down."
Her gaze flicked in Nova’s direction, swift and flirtatious. "Then, around midnight, you snuck out of your mansion and into hers."
Leon’s face did not change, but Nova’s narrowed.
Natasha went on, her voice breezy and infuriatingly relaxed. "Then you both snuck out through the outer grounds... directly to the Moonspire night market."
Her smile grew. "I saw all of it."
Nova moved out from behind Leon, crossing her arms tightly on her chest. She glared at Natasha with icy ferocity. "So you’ve been stalking us the entire time?"
Natasha didn’t flinch. "Clearly."
Nova’s eyes further narrowed, but Leon put a soothing hand on her arm before she could respond again. "It’s okay. Let her go for now."
He turned back to Natasha. "When I want you, I’ll call. Until then—stay out of here."
Natasha cocked her head, then nodded. Saying nothing more, she turned to face the balcony. In a gentle caress of wind, her form melted into the darkness, disappearing from the light of the room into the blackness outside the open window.
Silence fell within the room.
Nova and Leon alone were left.
A chill wind blew in through the open balcony, sweeping across the curtains and against their skin like a midnight whisper. Outside, the world was hushed—nothing but the quiet of far-off leaves and the silver light of the moon casting its gentle beams over the floorboards.
Nova looked over at the empty window, then slowly back at Leon.
"She truly does get on my nerves," Nova growled, her gaze still locked on the balcony where Natasha had disappeared.
Leon smiled weakly, his tone soft. "She’s skilled at this."
He sat back a little, fingers in pockets. "But I suppose that’s fair... it does take talent to tail us across an entire night without either of us catching on."
Nova gave him a sidelong look. "Are you impressed?"
Leon chuckled under his breath. "A little. But mostly annoyed."
Nova sighed and shook her head. "Next time, I’m punching her first."
Leon only chuckled on her comment.
The wind moved again—gentle, cool, and full of secrets—and the night resumed its stillness around them.