Chapter 249

AURELIA’S POV Darius released me instantly, stepping back, his face shifting into its usual mask of calm detachment. But I already knew who it was before I turned. Seraphina stood at the edge of the courtyard, her arms folded, her perfect brows arched in suspicion. She looked as though she had been watching long enough to take in more than I wanted her to. “I thought I heard… noises,” she said, her tone deceptively light. “But I didn’t expect to find my dear sister playing warrior with her guard.” Her eyes swept over me, then landed on Darius, lingering in a way that made my stomach twist. My throat went dry. “It’s nothing,” I said quickly, brushing my damp hair back from my face, desperate to cover the trembling in my hands. “Just—just stretching.” “Stretching?” Seraphina repeated, her lips curving into a smile that wasn’t really a smile. “Funny. From where I stood, it looked very much like fighting.” She tilted her head, her gaze sharp and probing. “Father wouldn’t approve, you know.