Chapter 8

                                    

                                          
Elara and I walked side by side down the long, winding corridor toward our dorm. The polished floors echoed beneath our footsteps, and the rich tapestries lining the walls depicted stories of the kingdom's past—glorious battles, victories, and alliances forged in blood. I could see Elara's eyes darting from one mural to the next, fascinated.
Me? I wasn't impressed.
When we finally reached our room, the heavy wooden door creaked open, revealing what looked like a smaller version of the lavish homeroom we had just left. The beds were neatly made with thick, embroidered blankets, and the windows framed a view of the castle gardens. Bookshelves lined one wall, already filled with more volumes than I could ever care to read. There were even small desks for us, as if they expected us to sit there like proper little students, taking notes on whatever grand lessons they thought would "enrich" our lives.
I dropped my bag on the bed nearest the window and let out a sigh. "Well, at least it's not a dungeon," I muttered, though there was no hiding the sarcasm in my voice.
Elara laughed, plopping down on her bed. "You've got to admit, they really know how to make a place look... royal."
I shrugged. "Yeah, but it's all just a show. None of this really matters to people like us. We're here to look good in the background, while the real stars of the show—the royal kids—get all the attention."
Elara tilted her head, watching me carefully. "You sound bitter."
"I'm not bitter. I just know how things work around here. They'll smile, they'll talk like we're all equals, but at the end of the day, they're still royalty. They'll never see us the same way they see each other." I sat down on my bed, folding my arms. "Besides, what's so great about being around them? We're supposed to be impressed just because they were born with crowns on their heads?"
Elara raised an eyebrow. "Prince Noah seemed... decent."
I rolled my eyes. "He seemed decent because that's what they do. Smile, say all the right things, and act like they're interested in us common folk. But trust me, it's all an act."
Elara leaned back, staring at the ceiling. "Maybe. Or you're afraid that you might actually might start to fit in."
I laughed, shaking my head. "I have no interest in fitting in with them. I came here to learn, and that's it. The sooner we get through this, the better."
Elara didn't say anything for a moment, but I could feel her watching me, her usual cheeriness dimming just a little. 
I let her words hang in the air, not wanting to admit that she might be right. Maybe the royal kids weren't all bad. But I wasn't going to get my hopes up.
Elara shifted on her bed, propping herself up on one elbow as she looked at me with a knowing smile. "So... what do you really think about Prince Noah?"
I raised an eyebrow, pretending not to care. "What do you mean? He's just another royal."
She rolled her eyes, clearly not buying my indifference. "Come on, Daniella, you saw him. He's handsome. Like... really handsome."
I snorted, trying to suppress a laugh, but the image of Noah's sharp jawline and piercing eyes flashed in my mind. Damn it. She wasn't wrong. But I wasn't going to let her know that.
"Handsome? Please." I waved my hand dismissively, but my smirk betrayed me.
Elara grinned, sitting up fully now, eyes sparkling with excitement. "You can't even say it with a straight face! Just admit it, he's good-looking. I mean, I've heard the rumors, but I didn't expect him to be—"
"Fine!" I cut her off, laughing despite myself. "Okay, okay, the rumors are true. He's... decent-looking."
Elara laughed and raised an eyebrow. "Decent-looking? Come on, Daniella, even you can't downplay that much."
I leaned back against the pillows, letting out a sigh. "Alright, alright. He's more than decent, I guess. But that doesn't change anything. He's still a prince, and I'm not about to get swept up in some silly admiration just because he looks nice in royal clothes."
Elara grinned, leaning in like she was sharing some grand secret. "Who knows, maybe Prince Charming will surprise us."
"Please," I scoffed. "The only thing that would surprise me is if he actually cared about any of us beyond what his tutors tell him to say."
Elara shrugged, still smiling but more thoughtful now. "Maybe. But I saw the way he looked at you in that homeroom."
I blinked, my stomach doing a little flip, but I quickly waved her off. "Yeah, right. He probably just noticed that I wasn't fawning over him like everyone else."
"You know, sometimes princes get tired of everyone worshipping them." Elara said slyly.
I laughed again, louder this time, though a part of me wondered if she could be right. "Well, he better not get too curious. I'm not one of those girls who's going to fall for a prince just because he throws a smile my way."
Elara just smiled knowingly. "Well, I am."
I threw a pillow at her, laughing. "You're hopeless."
She caught it midair and tossed it back, her smile fading slightly as she sat up. "But seriously... what do you think it's going to be like when we get back home?"
The sudden shift in her tone made me pause. I furrowed my brow, unsure where she was going with this. "I mean, it'll be the same as always, right? Nothing much changes back home."
Elara looked down, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her blanket. "Not exactly. The kingdom... it won't be the same once the rebellion comes."
My heart skipped a beat, and I sat up straighter, my mind racing. "Wait, how do you know about the rebellion?"
Elara glanced at me, surprised. "You didn't think I'd be here just for fun, did you? I've been keeping tabs on things. You know how it is back home... the unrest, the tension. The rebellion's been brewing for a while now, Daniella. You must've known."
I stared at her, stunned. I hadn't expected her to know about the rebellion, much less talk about it so openly. "I... I knew something was going on, but I didn't know you were in on it. You know—"
"The mission?" Elara finished, her voice quieter now. "Yeah. And I'm guessing... you are too?"
I blinked, the shock slowly fading as the truth settled between us. She knew. We had the same mission all along. "You're a spy too."
Elara nodded. "I didn't expect you to know. But I guess we both have our roles to play."
I shook my head, still trying to process it all. "So... we've both been told to infiltrate the royal circle and gather information? And help the rebellion"
Elara gave a small, almost sad smile. "Yeah. We're in deeper than we thought."