Royal Reboot: Level up, Your Majesty!

Chapter 63: The Queen of Shadows

The Queen of Shadows

“I am…” Eydis whispered.

‘Your Majesty, wait— Envy's protest was drowned out by Cerberus's bark.

“…the Queen of Shadows.”

The ravens cried, Enough! You mustn’t—

“This world…” Eydis closed her eyes. “Was never meant for me.”

Astra sank into the white chair, as though the weight of those words pressed her down. Her fingers found the metal edges, then clenched tight. “You don’t belong to this world."

And then she laughed, a sound that hardly counted as laughter. It wasn’t from humour or even disbelief; it was something closer to quiet resignation.

Eydis stayed quiet as Astra’s laughter faded. Astra lowered her head, letting her silver hair fall forward to hide her face. But it wasn’t quick enough. Eydis still caught a flicker of something in her crimson eyes.

Was it pain? Doubt? Some quiet, reluctant acceptance?

Eydis couldn’t tell.

She rose slowly, then crossed the space between them to the wall overrun with climbing plants, idly tracing the roots tangled across its damp, bark-covered surface.

Her Sins’ anxious warnings rippled through once again, but she quickly silenced them.

This place—Astra’s place—was a world away from the city of Alchymia: a modest weatherboard house concealing a vibrant, thriving greenhouse where Astra had secretly nurtured, tended, and protected.

Was this place meant as an escape? Or had she just kept coming back to avoid her?

Either way, Eydis had no right to be here. And yet, here she was, standing in the midst of Astra’s retreat, wrapped in Astra’s shirt, bandaged daily by Astra’s hands. 

But Eydis knew.

It was never just about the bandage.

It was Astra’s way of asking the question neither of them had dared to voice.

Still, Eydis could feel Astra’s gaze burning into her back as the silence dragged on, but she didn’t turn. She just waited, daring Astra to speak first. And then came a sigh. Soft, strained, fragile in a way that startled her.

It made her pause.

And, despite herself, it made her turn.

Astra’s eyes shimmered, a hint of tears clinging to her lashes.

It was subtle.

Not subtle enough for Eydis to ignore.

She didn’t remember moving, only that the distance between them was gone. Her hand found Astra’s face on its own, thumb brushing away the tear before it could fall.

Astra’s eyes widened briefly in surprise.

Eydis tucked a strand of silver hair behind Astra’s ear. “Most people would react with fear, even if they don’t fully understand what the Queen of Shadows does.”

Her hand stayed there a moment longer. Up close, she caught the faint tremble in Astra’s face. It threw her off in a way she couldn’t understand.

Or perhaps, in ways she was finally beginning to.

Concern.

Astra opened her mouth slightly, then closed it again.

“...But you’re hardly most people, are you? And there I go again, monologuing.” Eydis took a step back. “I should probably stop talking to myself.”

“You do that a lot,” Astra said finally. Her voice, once again, betrayed nothing.

Eydis glanced over, amused. “I thought I kept most of that in my head.”

“Sometimes,” Astra said, “silence says more than words.”

“Do you wish I hadn’t told you?”

Astra paused, then her eyes narrowed. “You’ve said this before."

“Oh?”

“Shadows cling to you. Tell me, Your Majesty… what exactly do you mean by shadows?

“Didn’t think you paid such close attention,” Eydis said.

“I remember what matters. And not just about you.”

Eydis gave her a small smile. “Oh, you do, do you?” For what it’s worth, I genuinely was talking to myself.”

Shadows condensed at her command, forming into a sleek Doberman. The dog barked once, bounded forward eagerly, then paused between the two women.

Astra sank into a crouch gracefully and held out her hand. The dog approached, sniffed briefly, then licked her palm.

Eydis crossed her arms. “Traitor.”

Astra stroked the Doberman’s sleek fur as it let out a satisfied whine. Her eyes softened when the sound gave way to something more affectionate.

“Naturally, you’d be a dog person,” Eydis said.

Astra didn't meet her eyes. “This is… the purple smoke, isn’t it?”

Eydis tensed. She'd been certain she'd masked its signature completely. "You can sense it?"

“Process of elimination,” Astra answered simply. She paused, then whispered, “Thomas and Noah…”

Eydis braced for accusation or anger, but Astra only stood there, waiting. 

“Elimination, you say?” she said, as two smaller ravens took shape from the shadows around them.

“Greetings, fair maiden Astra,” one croaked with an exaggerated bow. “A vision, as ever!”

“Isn’t she the one who tried to rip your feathers out?” the other asked innocently.

“We said we’d never mention that again!” the first snapped, puffing up indignantly.

“Mhm. And you accidentally squawked for ten minutes straight?” the second shot back.

Their squabble grew louder, a storm of caws and fluttering wings. Eydis shot the birds an unimpressed glare and dismissed them with a gesture. They vanished, taking the dog with them.

“Were they controlling Thomas and Noah?” Astra asked bluntly.

“Sharp as ever.”

“So they belong to your world.” Astra’s eyes sharpened. “They belong to you?”

“Yes…and no,” Eydis replied smoothly.

Astra snapped, “Do you ever give a straight answer, Eydis?”

“Oh, I’ve perfected the art of ambiguity. It’s a talent, really.” Eydis’s smile widening. “But I suppose I’m staring into a mirror. Wouldn’t you agree?”

“Meaning?”

“Meaning you’re also hiding who you are.” She gently lifted Astra’s chin. “Isn’t it about time… you told me who you really are?”

Astra’s shoulders tensed. She stepped back, but not fast enough to keep Eydis from feeling the quickened pulse under her fingertips.

“I was hoping you could tell me that,” Astra said sharply. “Pride.”

Pride?

The name circled in Eydis’s mind, forcing a reassessment. Was this about Greed posing as Pride? If Athena had read Thomas’s mind, she might’ve picked that up. But Astra hadn’t reacted to the ravens. So was this something else?

Personal. Important.

Either way, Eydis needed to clarify.

“My name,” Eydis stated slowly, her gaze locked onto Astra’s, daring her to find any trace of deception. “Is Eydis.”

She stepped forward. Close enough that heat passed between them. “Nothing more. Nothing less.”

“You really expect me to believe that?” Astra retorted.

Eydis leaned in slightly. Her breath brushed against Astra’s skin, barely there. “What I expect,” she murmured, “is for you to stop dancing around the truth. Honesty suits you far better, Astra.”

“Stay back, or I’ll—“

“You’ll hurt me? Kill me?” Eydis interrupted “Strange threats, considering how hard you’ve worked to avoid doing either.”

Astra scoffed. “You’re making a lot of assumptions.”

She turned, abrupt, like putting distance between them might help. “Why the hell are you treating me like I’m not a threat? We’ve been chasing you and your shadows. Who acts like this unless they’re either a fool or—”

“Perhaps I am.” Eydis exhaled a quiet laugh.

Astra’s response came too quickly.

“Finally, we agree on something.”

Then she went quiet. Her jaw clenched, as if she hadn’t meant to say it, or had meant it too much.

“Why do you care?” Eydis asked softly. Her fingers traced the edge of the bandage on her side. “Really.”

Astra hesitated. “...I don’t.”

“Yet you healed me,” Eydis said, tilting her head slightly.

Astra’s jaw tightened, silence answering for her.

Eydis stepped closer, her hands settling lightly on Astra’s shoulders, her touch more intimate than forceful. “This bandage isn’t for me,” she said. “It’s for you.”

That hit something. Astra inhaled sharply. Her skin reacted first—goosebumps—and then came the blade.

A flash of movement. Astra’s diamond dagger stopped just shy of Eydis’s throat.

Eydis didn’t flinch.

“And how, exactly, did you assume that?” Astra’s voice was steady, but her grip wasn’t.

“Assume?” Eydis only smiled, infuriatingly unbothered. “Process of elimination.”

She lifted a hand. Closed it around the blade slowly. The metal cut in, shallow but firm. A bead of blood surfaced.

Astra’s eyes widened, and the dagger vanished in a shimmer of light. Her hand twitched, startled at her own reaction, but Eydis swiftly caught her retreating fingers in a gentle hold.

Golden light flared softly between them, pulsing warmly around their joined hands.

Astra didn’t move. Didn’t speak.

Their fingers curled together, instinctive, magnetic.

As if, in that moment, letting go wasn’t an option at all.

As if drawn by something stronger than either of them.

“You can try to hide in the shadows, Astra,” Eydis whispered. “But remember… I move them.”

The wound on Eydis’s palm healed almost instantly, though neither noticed. She was watching Astra instead. Watching the tension in her jaw, the pulse in her neck, the faint colour dusting her cheeks.

Eydis raised her free hand. Let it hover near Astra’s face. Not quite a touch. Not quite nothing. 

“Tell me, Astra…” she purred, savouring each syllable.

Astra’s hand tensed. Then tightened in hers. It sent a thrill racing through Eydis.

Enough to make her hold on tighter.

Enough for her thumb to wander, drawing slow circles against Astra’s skin… just to see if she would stop her.

She didn't. Instead, Astra just breathed, sharper than before. Her lashes fluttered once before her expression settled again.

Eydis felt herself smiling softly, not mocking or taunting, but something gentler, something dangerously close to affection. Her voice softened even further, intimate like a secret shared only between them.

“Is Astra even your real name?”

The words passed softly along Astra’s ear. Eydis saw the tension, heard the sharp intake of breath she tried to hide, caught the faint scent of sandalwood clinging to her skin.

Felt it, too.

Astra’s skin was warm beneath her touch. Eydis felt the inevitability of something about to change. Eydis didn’t know what it meant yet, only that Astra didn’t fit any of the roles she’d assigned to others. Not threat, not ally, not enemy.

And definitely not a stranger.

She didn’t want her to be.