Three

Amara felt stuck in a boring routine, her loneliness weighing her down as she sat quietly. Craving some excitement, she decided to head to the market, hoping to grab a few things she missed yesterday because of the attack.

The street was always so vibrant in Valeforte, she could almost feel an electric buzz in the air, calling to her, she enjoyed the noise. Stepping out of her car, everything around her seemed to come alive the sound of her heels clicking against the pavement broke the silence. The evening air was filled with a mix of sounds distant car horns blended with the chatter of busy vendors, all of them trying to catch the attention of people passing by. The streets were alive with a colorful array of activity; laughter mingled with the quick steps of folks rushing off to their next stop, as the sunset wrapped the city in a cosy glow. She loved it every bit of distraction it brought her.

Valeforte had always felt too sharp for her, too watchful. The glass towers sparkled with sterile light, but between them, narrow alleys carried whispers and danger. The city breathed secrets, and tonight, Amara was trapped in the middle of them.

“Stay close.”

Darius’s voice was low, quiet enough for only her to hear, but there was no softness in it. His hand brushed against her back, urging her forward, not quite touching, but close enough that she felt the command.

Amara stiffened. “I don’t need babysitting”

His eyes flicked toward her, pale and unreadable beneath the city lights. “You need protection.”

She let out a short laugh, sharp as glass. “From what? Street vendors? The paparazzi? Or my father’s paranoia?”

“From everything, it seems you've forgotten what happened yesterday ” he said simply.

That answer unsettled her more than it should have.

His stride was precise, controlled, each scan of the street making Amara feel like she was walking with a soldier rather than a bodyguard.

And maybe he was.

She stole a glance at him when he wasn’t looking. His frame was broad enough to cast a shadow over her without trying, his black coat cut sharp, blending him into the night. There was something dangerous in the way he carried himself like a predator among prey.

Amara hated that it made her pulse race.

They turned down one of the narrow market streets that cut through Valeforte. Lanterns swung above them, glowing red and gold, their flames flickering against the dusk. The air smelled of roasted chestnuts, motor oil, and the faint trace of rain.

Children darted between stalls, chasing after sticks of candy. Lovers leaned against crumbling walls, whispering promises that would be broken by morning. And above it all, the steel spires of Valeforte towered, reaching toward the night sky like blades.

Amara walked slowly, taking it in, a faint smile touching her lips. She had grown up here, but with her father’s grip on her life, she had rarely been allowed to walk freely. Darius, apparently, was determined to make even this feel like a cage.

“You’re walking too slow,” he muttered, adjusting his pace.

“I’m enjoying myself,” she shot back. “Not all of us are machines programmed to follow orders”

His jaw tightened, but he didn’t answer.

They passed an alley. Amara barely noticed it, but Darius’s hand shot out, catching her arm and pulling her closer to him.

“Hey” she started, but he held a finger to his lips. His eyes scanned the dark gap between buildings, every muscle in his body taut.

Amara froze, following his gaze. The alley seemed empty just dumpsters, dripping water, the echo of rats scurrying. But in Valeforte, emptiness was never safe.

“Do you see something?” she whispered.

“Not something,” he said, voice like steel. “Someone.”

A chill ran down her spine.

For a long moment, the world held its breath. Then, from the shadows, a man stepped forward dirty coat, eyes sharp as a knife. He didn’t move toward them, but his smile was wide, too wide.

“Evening,” the man said. His voice slurred, but there was calculation in his gaze. “Pretty night for a walk.”

Amara’s hand instinctively went to the small clutch bag at her side. She had nothing in it that could help her. She hated that.

Darius shifted, placing himself between her and the stranger, his coat falling open just enough to reveal the faint gleam of a weapon holstered at his side.

“Keep moving,” he said to her without looking back.

But Amara’s pride was louder than her fear. “I can handle one man.”

The corner of Darius’s mouth twitched, but not in amusement. “You don’t need to.”

The man laughed, showing too many teeth. “She’s feisty. I like that.”

He stepped closer.

Darius moved before Amara even registered the threat. One second he was at her side, the next his hand had the stranger pinned against the alley wall, forearm pressing into his throat.

The man’s laugh turned into a choke.

“You like what you see huh?” Darius hissed. “Hey, look at me. Do you see her now?”

His voice was soft, but deadly enough that Amara shivered despite the fact that she wasn’t the one pressed against cold brick.

The man gurgled something, his bravado breaking. Darius’s grip tightened.

“Darius,” Amara said sharply. She wasn’t sure why she spoke. Maybe because his violence unsettled her more than the threat itself. “Let him go.”

For a second, she thought Darius might ignore her. His eyes were locked on the stranger, cold and merciless. Then, slowly, he stepped back. The man gasped for air, sliding down the wall.

“Get out,” Darius ordered.

The stranger didn’t need telling twice. He scrambled into the darkness, vanishing like smoke.

Amara exhaled. Her heartbeat was wild in her chest.

“You could have killed him,” she said.

Darius turned back to her, face unreadable. “That  the point.”

There was no apology, no hesitation. Just the truth, laid bare.

Amara swallowed hard. “You’re insane.”

“ I’m the reason you’re still breathing.”

They walked again, this time faster. Amara didn’t protest when Darius kept close, his presence almost suffocating. She hated that part of her felt safer with him near.

“This is the real Valeforte,” Darius said suddenly.

She glanced at him, surprised he had spoken. “What do you mean?”

“Light on the surface. Rot underneath you should know that.” His gaze flicked to the skyscrapers. “You might choose not to see it, but it’s there. Always waiting.”

Amara tilted her head. “You talk like you know the city better than I do.”

“I do.”

“Maybe you should write poetry about it since you know so much instead of working as my glorified shadow,” she said, smirking.

His lips almost curved. Almost. But he kept his eyes on the road.

The drive home was silent, she was on her way back to the big castle filled with nothingness. The Drevino crest glinted overhead a lion with its jaws open, crown tipped with blood.

“Home sweet home,” Amara muttered as they arrived

Darius glanced at the crest. His face didn’t change, but Amara caught the faintest flicker of disdain in his eyes.

She turned to face him, tilting her head with mock sweetness. “Well, bodyguard, did I pass the test? Survived the scary streets of Valeforte without fainting?”

He leaned in, just slightly, his shadow swallowing hers. “Remember you  survived because I was here.”

Her breath caught, though she refused to let it show. She forced a laugh. “Wow this is going to be a constant reminder every time you do your job “

“If that’s what it takes for you to listen.”

Their eyes locked, something unspoken sparking between them.

For the first time that night, Amara wasn’t sure if she wanted to step closer or run.