She's the Prince

Chapter 30

Callan's Confusion

"How's your leg, son? Are you feeling well?" Lord Zodor's voice droned in the background, a distant murmur compared to the storm brewing in Callan's mind. He tried to focus, pull himself back into the conversation at hand, but his gaze kept drifting—drawn against his will—to Ares. Or was it Aria? That smirk on their lips felt so familiar, too familiar. It wasn't the sharp, cold arrogance of the prince he had served for years; there was a warmth there, a teasing glint that reminded him of Aria.

"I'm fine, you've got nothing to worry about," Ares replied, though the words barely registered in Callan's ears. His eyes were fixed, searching for something in the prince's expression that might explain the growing discomfort gnawing at his chest.

Each time Callan saw Ares' face, his mind twisted painfully, struggling to reconcile the image of the ruthless prince with the gentle soul that now inhabited that body. He knew Aria was there, her essence living beneath the surface. And yet, seeing her—seeing him—made something in his heart falter. It was supposed to be Ares sitting across from him, cold and detached as ever. But it wasn't. Not really. Callan could see past the prince's sharp features now, the hard angles that had once filled him with apprehension. Beneath all that, there was something different, something softer. Aria's warmth. Her vulnerability.

His chest tightened, and strange emotions swirling within him. He wanted to look away, to focus on the conversation around him, but his eyes kept returning to Ares. No, not Ares. Aria.

"Forgive Lord Morgaine for his words," Lord Zodor continued, his voice carrying on, oblivious to the storm inside Callan. The tension in the room should have been his primary concern, but it was impossible to ignore the way Aria's spirit shone through the prince's body, making him question everything he had once known.

Ares responded with a short, clipped reply, his voice as commanding as ever. But Callan couldn't shake the feeling that something was different now. Something had changed, and it wasn't just Aria being in the prince's body. It was Callan himself. His feelings were no longer simple—no longer about duty or protection. They were messy, complicated, and terrifying.

He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, casting a glance around the room. Why does this feel so wrong? The thought nagged at him, whispering doubts he didn't want to acknowledge. Was it the way Ares—and Aria—held themselves? They gazed at him with eyes that had too much history and connection. Or was it the way his heart raced, traitorously, every time their gaze met his?

***

Later, as the conversation continued, Callan stood silently by the wall, arms crossed tightly over his chest. His eyes flicked toward Ares again. Callan couldn't shake his unease as Ninazu carefully treated the prince's wounds. He clenched his fists at his sides, trying to push away the thoughts that crowded his mind.

It was just a healer doing her job. Nothing more. But the closeness between them—between Ninazu and Ares—pricked at him, an unfamiliar sensation crawling under his skin. When Princess Gomeia entered, her hand lingering on Ares' cheek for a beat too long, something inside Callan snapped. It was subtle, but the tension in his jaw betrayed him. He had no right to feel this way, no reason at all. And yet, the sight of Gomeia's touch on Ares sent a wave of unease crashing over him.

Why do I care so much? He shook his head, trying to shove down the emotions threatening to bubble over. It wasn't rational. Despite being a knight sworn to serve the prince, he was preoccupied with Aria. Aria, Ares-bodied. Aria had been his obsession against his wishes.

His chest tightened painfully as Ares'—Aria's—voice rang out. "Callan and I will meet here," they said, but Callan barely caught the words. His mind was lost in a jumble of emotions.

"It's been less than four hours since you last met," Ninazu's voice cut through the haze in his mind, her irritation evident. "You two are practically inseparable."

Callan's stomach twisted at the words. He didn't know why they affected him so much, but they did.

Ares' reply came swiftly, though there was something different in the tone this time—something softer. "Callan is sweet. I feel safe with him."

The words hit Callan like a blow to the chest. His breath caught, heart, stuttering in his chest. Safe? Sweet? His mind reeled, grasping for meaning, but the sincerity in Ares'—Aria's—voice left him speechless.

Ninazu, ever sharp-tongued, was quick to respond. "You'll just hurt yourself, Aria. Callan can never love you. Not like this."

***

The silence between them stretched long after Callan joined Ares in the Zodiac Pavilion later that evening. The room was quiet, the only sound the soft rustle of parchment as Ares traced the edges of a map, their fingers dancing across the paper in thought. But Callan could feel their gaze shifting to him every few moments, a weight pressing down on his chest with each glance.

He shifted uncomfortably, his mind racing. Why do I see Aria's real face now? The thought was a whisper in the back of his mind, but it lingered, growing louder the longer he stood there.

"Is something wrong?" Callan's voice came out softer than he intended, almost as if the question wasn't meant for Ares but for himself.

Ares didn't respond immediately. Instead, they stared at the map before them, as if lost in a world Callan couldn't touch. The silence between them felt heavy, charged with unspoken words.

"Are you annoyed?" Callan's pulse sped up as Ares suddenly asked in a kind voice. Those gentle sounds he had heard earlier didn't belong to the prince. The one that belonged to Aria.

Callan's pulse quickened. The prince's familiar lines and angles caught his attention, but he always saw Aria. Aria's chuckle had lightened his darkest days, Aria, whose wickedness illuminated duty and honor.

His hand moved before he could stop it, reaching out to brush against Ares' chin. For a split second, it wasn't the prince sitting across from him—it was her. Her eyes, wide with surprise, locked onto his, and Callan's chest tightened painfully at the sight. The air between them felt thick, charged with something he couldn't name.

'Could I fall for Aria despite her being in the prince's body?'

The question hovered in his mind, unanswered, as he pulled his hand back, a nervous tension settling over him. He didn't understand what was happening. He didn't want to understand it. But something had changed between them—something he couldn't ignore anymore.

With his heart pounding in his chest, Callan turned away, leaving the question to burn in the quiet. No going back now; whatever it was, it was growing stronger.