The next morning came too early.
Aurelia's eyes opened to soft sheets and filtered sunlight creeping through velvet curtains. For a moment, she thought it had all been a dream. The warmth. The food. The two strange boys calling themselves her brothers.
Then the pain in her ribs reminded her — she was still very much alive.
She sat up slowly. The tray from last night was gone. Someone had been in while she slept. That thought made her stomach knot, but everything was untouched. Nothing stolen. No cruel words whispered into her ear.
She still wasn't used to that.
A knock came.
Her whole body tensed.
But it wasn't a maid or the Duke.
It was Ren.
He peeked in with a wide grin, holding a small box.
"I brought you something," he said, stepping in with careful feet. "It's chocolate. Aero says you'll probably bite me for it, but I don't think you will."
She blinked.
Chocolate?
Her mouth watered against her will.
Ren set the box beside her on the bed and sat at a distance, playing with a piece of string like a nervous cat. "Father told us you'll be staying. He said we should treat you like family."
Family.
That word again.
She looked at him — the soft brown curls, the warmth in his eyes, the kindness that didn't feel like pity.
"Why?" she whispered before she could stop herself. "Why would you want me here?"
Ren tilted his head. "Why wouldn't we?"
Because I'm broken, she thought. Because I'm not normal. Because I don't belong in this castle with boys who smile like sunshine and drink tea like it's the most natural thing in the world.
Before she could answer, Aero barged in without knocking.
"Told you she'd talk eventually," he said smugly, eyes flashing silver as he leaned against the door.
Ren sighed. "You're not supposed to just walk in."
"I'm not supposed to do a lot of things." Aero smirked at Aurelia. "So. You got a name, stray?"
She scowled.
"My name is Aurelia," she said with as much pride as she could gather.
Aero raised a brow, clearly impressed she had some fire.
"Hmm. Fancy. Sounds like a princess."
"She is a princess now," Ren added.
Aurelia felt like the air had been knocked out of her. Princess?
No. She was a beggar girl. A stray. Someone the world forgot.
But Ren handed her the box of chocolates anyway and smiled. "You'll get used to it. Being cared for, I mean."
She stared at the sweets. Her fingers trembled as she picked one up.
Sweetness melted on her tongue — and for a second, just a second, she thought of that night on the bridge. The cold. The pain. The water swallowing her whole.
And now here she was. Being fed chocolate by a boy who called her sister.
She didn't know if the ache in her chest was joy or fear. Maybe both.
But when Ren leaned in and whispered, "We're really glad you're here," she believed him.
Not completely.
Not yet.
But enough.
End of Chapter 4