The gifts had been appearing for weeks now—always left in places he frequented. A goblet of milk and pomegranate juice, the exact shade of pink he liked. A clay figurine so precise it captured his likeness down to the intensity of his gaze. Even those damned pink flowers—ones he’d never mentioned liking to anyone.
Who in the titans’ names is watching me?
Mydei had ignored it at first, dismissing each new token as a passing fancy from some noble with too much time on their hands. But then the letter had arrived—sealed with a dianthus stamp—and Aglea had gotten her hands on it before he did.
Her smirk had been unbearable. "Someone’s taken quite the liking to you."
"Shut up." He’d snatched the envelope and escaped before she could needle him further.
Enough was enough. Tonight, he would catch them.
---
The chamber was dark when he entered, the only light was coming from the low-burning hearth. For a moment, he thought he’d been wrong—that his admirer had grown cautious.
Then he saw them; a figure, hunched over his desk. He stood in the doorway, silent, watching as they set down a decanter of wine with care.
So, this is the culprit.
He recognized them, just barely. jij, if he recalled that name right. Someone he’d seen every now and then but never talked to. Before he could step forward, they turned—and vanished.
Mydei froze. Invisibility? A nymph, then. A slow smirk curled his lips. Being a Chrysos Heir had its perks. He couldn't see them but could still feel them, like the brush of warm air against his skin. They hadn’t left. No, they were waiting. Watching.
For me to drink the wine, perhaps?
Playing along, he strode to the table, his movements were unhurried on purpose as if trying to make the intruder nervous. He poured the wine and took a sip. Pomegranate. Sweet, tangy. It was brewed with care and at home, given the scent. Perfect.
How do they know all my favorites?
He sighed. The silence stretched on as he savored the wine. Then—there. The barest shift in the air, the whisper of movement toward the door.
"Leaving so soon?" Mydei's laughter was low and amused as he shook his head.
In one fluid motion, he reached out and grabbed a wrist that hadn’t been visible a second before. The invisibility cloak shattered like glass. jij stood before him, wide-eyed and caught mid-step.
"There you are." His grip didn’t loosen, but his thumb pressed in the lightest touch on their palm. "I see my secret admirer finally reveals themselves."
