Florian Laveaux's Arc

Chapter 3 of 10

The lord never came. Florian and Griffin stood on the road until the sun climbed above the trees and the merchants at the well started their morning gossip. One of them called out that the lord had changed his route, taken the northern pass instead. The banner sagged in Griffin's grip. But the merchant had more news. The crown prince himself had arrived at the way castle with his retinue, just before dawn. BelloSaros and his men were staying in the barracks there, preparing for the campaign against Nekros. Griffin's eyes met Florian's, and without a word they were running. The way castle sat two miles north, close enough to reach before the prince departed. They slowed as they approached the barracks. Blue banners hung from every post, each one showing a griffin with wings spread wide. Soldiers moved between the buildings, polishing armor and checking supplies. Florian spotted a war table set up in the courtyard, its surface covered with maps and wooden pawns marking troop positions. Three officers stood around it, pointing and arguing in low voices. Then the door to the main hall opened. A man stepped out, tall and broad-shouldered, wearing armor that caught the morning light. BelloSaros. Florian's breath stopped. The crown prince moved with the easy confidence of someone who'd never doubted his place in the world, never been turned away from anything he wanted. He spoke briefly to one of the officers at the war table, then glanced across the courtyard. His gaze passed over Florian and Griffin like they were part of the landscape. In that moment, Florian understood something he hadn't before: becoming a knight meant more than training or courage. It meant being seen by people like this, and right now, they were invisible.