I left the Academy building as quietly as I could.

  There was a chill in the air, but it carried something calm,

  collected.

  As if even thoughts became clearer in it.

  I walked along the path,

  under lanterns trembling in the wind,

  and was already close to the forest’s edge…

  when I heard footsteps.

  Not loud.

  But… too confident to be a coincidence.

  Someone was following me again.

  I sped up.

  Then broke into a run.

  Cut through a dark stretch between the trees

  and suddenly stopped, turned around:

  “Elinia, come out.”

  The leaves stirred.

  Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

  She stepped out from behind a tree.

  Hands on her hips.

  Her cheeks slightly flushed—either from running or from the cold.

  “How did you know?” she asked with a frown.

  “You don’t know how to walk quietly,” I answered honestly.

  “Your steps are too… straightforward.”

  She snorted.

  “That was… intentionally quiet.”

  “Uh… no.”

  She crossed her arms.

  “And anyway. What are you doing out here at night?”

  I sighed.

  “I wanted some fresh air.”

  She raised an eyebrow.

  “Alone? At night? Toward the forest?”

  “Yes.”

  “And if that had been an enemy?”

  “Then I would’ve walked even faster.”

  She rolled her eyes.

  “Zen…”

  I shrugged.

  “And what are you doing here?”

  This time she hesitated for a second.

  “I… saw someone leaving the Academy…

  and decided to… follow.”

  “And if it had been an enemy?” I asked calmly.

  She pressed her lips together.

  “Then I would have acted.”

  “Sounds logical.”

  We stood there in silence for a few seconds,

  like two idiots caught doing something silly.

  I turned around.

  “Let’s keep going.”

  “Where?” she asked.

  “To the city.”

  “…I’m coming with you!”

  She shouted almost at my back.

  I nearly sighed out loud.

  Of course.

  But honestly?

  I didn’t mind her presence.

  We walked in silence.

  It’s rare for a princess to stay quiet for so long—

  but now she was simply walking beside me.

  Pale patches of moonlight fell at our feet.

  The cold air pleasantly cooled my skin.

  Our breath rose in white mist.

  I sped up—just to feel the speed.

  To feel freedom.

  Elinia didn’t lag behind

  and didn’t even try to say anything unnecessary.

  When the first bright lights appeared ahead—

  lanterns, signs, the glow of taverns—

  I knew we had arrived.

  We stood at the entrance to the night capital.

  The capital at night was different:

  quieter, deeper, more sincere.

  “Well,” I said. “We’re here.”

  Elinia looked at me with a faint smile.

  “So… what do we do?”

  I looked at the city,

  at the lights, the cobblestones, the few passersby.

  And thought:

  Yeah… what will we do?