My Reincarnation

Chapter Five

The warmth of the midday sun caressed my skin, a soft contrast to the cool metal of the sword in my hand. Prince Ethan stood opposite me, his jet-black hair tousled by the light breeze, the intensity of his blue eyes fixed upon mine as we circled each other in the training yard.

"Remember, Lizzy," he said with that charming smile that always reached his eyes, "it's not just about strength, but agility and foresight."

I nodded, focusing on the weight of the blade and the way my muscles tensed with each movement. "Like chess," I replied, lunging forward. Our swords clanged, a melody of steel that echoed off the stone walls surrounding us.

"Exactly," he praised, effortlessly parrying before stepping back to appraise me. "You're improving remarkably fast."

A flush of pride warmed my cheeks, mixed with the strange sensation of being seen—not as Lizzy Fallon, the corrections officer from Texas, but as the reincarnated Princess Annalise, warrior in training. This man, this prince, saw both sides of me and somehow bridged the gap between them.

"Thank you," I breathed out, lowering my sword. "You're a good teacher."

"Only because I have an exceptional student." His words were casual, but the subtext hummed between us like a charged spell.

We continued for another hour until the sun climbed higher and our shadows shortened beneath us. As we wrapped up, Ethan reached over to help me unbuckle my gauntlets. His fingers brushed my wrist, sending a shiver up my arm. "Lizzy," he began, his voice lower now, "there's more to our alliance than just training and battles."

I looked up, meeting his gaze, feeling the unspoken words hanging heavy in the air.

"Prince Ethan, I—" But I couldn't finish. The complexity of emotions swirling inside me was too convoluted to articulate.

"Perhaps this evening, we could discuss matters further? Over dinner?" he suggested, still holding onto my wrist.

"Perhaps," I murmured, the word tasting like both an invitation and a betrayal on my tongue. Withdrawing my hand, I excused myself, claiming exhaustion, though it was confusion that drove me to seek refuge.

I found Lady Cassandra in her chambers, surrounded by scrolls and books. Her auburn hair was pinned neatly atop her head, and she looked at every part of the poised advisor.

"Lady Cassandra," I began without preamble, pacing before her, "I am in turmoil."

"Speak your heart, child," she encouraged softly, setting aside her quill.

"Prince Ethan... He's kind and wise, and there's something between us. Yet, there's Galahad—stoic, steadfast Galahad—who stirs something fierce within me. I fear I'm betraying one with every thought of the other."

"Ah, the heart is a complicated creature," she mused, rising to place a comforting hand on my shoulder. "It's not uncommon to find oneself drawn to more than one soul, especially under such extraordinary circumstances."

"But what am I to do?" My voice cracked with the strain of my internal conflict. "How do I choose between the duty of my past life and the desires of my current one?"

"Listen not only to your heart but to the whispers of your very essence," Cassandra advised, her gaze penetrating. "Your path will reveal itself in time, and when it does, you must tread with courage."

"Time feels like a luxury I can't afford," I confessed, feeling the weight of two worlds on my shoulders.

"Sometimes, dear Lizzy, it is the only currency worth spending," she replied, her eyes filled with a wisdom I yearned to understand.