Warning

Paedyn

The royal gardens look absolutely beautiful. Silk banners ripple in the warm breeze, their golden embroidery catching the sunlight. Colourful flowers line the pathways, and delicate pastries are piled up on silver trays on the long banquet tables. I force a smile as we take our seats, but I barely have time to breathe before Ellie rushes over, practically vibrating with excitement. "Look at you!" she exclaims, gripping my hands. "I swear, you're glowing."

Blair's voice cuts through the moment. "That's just the sweat."

I glance up, finding her standing near the banquet table, a goblet of wine in hand. She tilts her head, eyes scanning me from head to toe. "Pregnancy suits you, Paedyn. You look... well-rested. I didn't think that was possible." 

Kai

I watch Paedyn closely as the celebration unfolds, looking for any sign that she needs to rest. She's strong, but this is too much for her.

When it's time for gifts, Ellie hands Paedyn a small box. "This is from Adena," she says, practically bouncing with excitement. "She wanted you to have this when you had a baby, even though you two were so young when she passed. 

Paedyn opens it, revealing a tiny embroidered blanket. Soft, deep blue fabric—the colour of her eyes. 

"I love it," Paedyn says, running her fingers over the thread. Her voice is thick with emotion.

Then, another gift is placed in front of her. There's no name attached. The box is plain, the wrapping simple. Paedyn hesitates before untying the string and lifting the lid.

Inside is a single, silver dagger.

A hush falls over the group closest to us. Paedyn picks it up slowly, inspecting the craftsmanship. The hilt is engraved with swirling designs—beautiful, but unmistakably meant for a weapon.

My blood turns to ice.

Paedyn lifts a folded note from the box, scanning the words quickly. Her expression gives nothing away, but I see her fingers tighten around the paper.

I step closer, lowering my voice. "What does it say?"

She exhales slowly before handing it to me. The note is written in delicate, looping script.

Be careful. The palace is not as safe as you think.

I clench my jaw, scanning the crowd. No one looks out of place, but my gut twists with unease.

Paedyn swallows, tucking the dagger into her lap like a shield. "I guess I should take that as a blessing."

But I know better. This isn't a gift. It's a warning.

And whoever sent it is already watching.

Paedyn

I'm a little shaky from the gift that I received, but Kai and I decided to do the gender reveal to try to distract people from the earlier incident. I breathe through my nose, to try to calm my nerves. Kai squeezes my hand. 

"A falcon will drop a basket of flowers, either forget-me-nots for a boy, or wild roses for a girl." Queen Myla declares. I hold my breath as the falcon flies over the gardens. Cheers erupt when small blue flowers descend from the sky. A boy. We're going to have a mini-Kai. But soon, the cheers evolve into screams. 

Wait. Screams?  Pain shoots down my side and when I look down, a throwing star is embedded in my side. 

Kai

Blood seeps down Paedyn's side. I gently bring her to the ground, covering her with my body. I try to find a Healer within reach. Nothing. Once the Imperials clear the area, I carry her bridal style into her room. 

"You okay?" I ask. She looks at me. 

"Yeah," she says shakily. 

"Don't lie to me, Paedyn," Kai says softly, his grip tightening around me. "You need to rest," he insists, his voice more forceful now, though his hands tremble as he unbuttons my blouse to assess the damage. "We need to stop the bleeding first. I'll get a Healer, Paedyn. Hold on."

I nod but catch his hand before he can stand. "No. Not a Healer. We don't know who to trust. Not after what happened earlier."

He looks at me, hesitation flickering in his eyes.

"Please, Kai," I whisper. "I trust you. Just—just help me. You're the only one who can." He reluctantly nods, and presses a clean bandage against my wound to stop the bleeding.  

After a while, the bleeding final stops. I'm still lightheaded, but I can feel the warmth of Kai's hand in mine. And for now, that's enough.

I glance up at him, forcing a small, reassuring smile. He plants a kiss on my lips and ruffles my hair. 

"You should sleep," he murmurs. I close my eyes, and drift off into dreamless sleep.

that was a lot longer, so i hope you enjoyed it! thats all coming from me today, but thank you to all of the people who are reading my fanfic bc we reached 300 reads today!

love youuu