Marcus stood in front of the flower vendor, questioning every life choice that led to this moment.
"Wildflowers," he told the elderly woman running the stall. "Something simple. Not romantic. Definitely not romantic."
She gave him a knowing look. "For a lady friend?"
"For my brother to give to his teacher. Completely platonic. For educational purposes."
The vendor's eyebrows climbed toward her hairline. "Educational flowers?"
"It's complicated."
"Love always is, dear."
"It's not love! It's strategic relationship building for global salvation!"
The vendor slowly backed away. "I'll just wrap these up for you."
Marcus stared at the bouquet of wildflowers. Purple, white, and yellow. Simple. Innocent. Not romantic at all.
This is insane. I'm buying flowers to give to my brother's teacher while pretending they're from him.
But it had been three days since the flower conversation.
Theodore had done exactly nothing.
When Marcus asked, Theodore said he'd forgotten because there was a really interesting sword in the academy armory.
The fate of the world rested on a seventeen-year-old who found swords more interesting than women.
"Twenty copper," the vendor said, still eyeing him suspiciously.
Marcus paid and took the flowers.
They felt heavier than they should.
Like they were weighted with lies and desperation.
It's fine. This is fine. I'll give them to her, say they're from Theodore, and jumpstart their romance.
He walked toward the academy, rehearsing his speech.
"Professor Ashwood, Theodore wanted me to give you these." Too direct.
"My brother is shy but he picked these for you." Theodore had never been shy in his life.
"Surprise! Flowers! From Theodore! Who definitely knows what flowers are!" Too suspicious.
By the time he reached the academy, Marcus had rehearsed seventeen different approaches.
All of them were terrible.
✧✧✧
Marcus found Seraphina outside her classroom, organizing papers for her next lesson.
She looked up when he approached. Her expression shifted from professional to something softer.
"Lord Marcus. This is unexpected."
"Professor Ashwood. I have something for you."
He thrust the flowers at her like they were on fire.
Seraphina stared at the bouquet. Then at Marcus. Then back at the flowers.
"These are... for me?"
"From Theodore!" Marcus said too quickly.
"He wanted to give them to you but he's busy.
Training. With swords. You know how he is."
Seraphina took the flowers slowly. Her ice-blue eyes never left Marcus's face.
"Theodore asked you to bring me flowers?"
"Yes! Exactly! He's very thoughtful like that."
"Theodore. Who once asked if flowers were edible during a botany lesson."
"He's learned to appreciate their aesthetic value?"
"And he chose wildflowers. These specific wildflowers."
"He has surprisingly good taste?"
Seraphina's lips twitched. "Lord Marcus, does your brother even know you're here?"
Marcus's mouth opened. Closed. Opened again.
"Would you believe me if I said yes?"
"Not for a second."
They stood there, Marcus holding his breath, Seraphina holding flowers that both knew weren't from Theodore.
Then Seraphina smiled.
Not her professional smile. Not her ice queen smile.
A real, warm, gentle smile that transformed her entire face.
"Please thank your brother for his... thoughtful gesture," she said.
But she was looking at Marcus when she said it.
Her eyes were soft, amused, and something else.
Something that made Marcus's chest feel too tight.
"You'll accept them?" Marcus asked.
"They're beautiful. It would be rude to refuse such a kind gift."
She brought the flowers to her nose, inhaling their scent.
The morning light caught her hair, turning platinum to silver.
"Someone put thought into these," she said quietly. "Wildflowers mean 'thinking of you' in the old flower language."
"They do?"
"You didn't know?"
"I mean, Theodore didn't know. Probably. Unless... he did?"
Seraphina laughed. It was small but genuine. "You're a terrible liar, Lord Marcus."
"I'm not lying!"
"No? Then why are there still flower petals on your sleeve?"
Marcus looked down. Purple petals clung to his jacket. Evidence of his crime.
"Those could be from anywhere."
"The vendor's stamp is on the paper. Mrs. Chen from the morning market."
"Theodore could have gone there."
"Theodore is in the training grounds. I saw him an hour ago."
Marcus deflated. "How long have you known?"
"Since you walked up looking like you were heading to your execution."
"Then why..."
"Why did I take them?" Seraphina looked at the flowers again.
"Because someone went out of their way to bring me flowers.
Someone who gains nothing from it. Someone who just wanted to do something kind."
She met his eyes. "That someone wasn't Theodore."
Marcus felt heat rise to his face. "I was trying to help him. He's hopeless with romance."
"Yes, he is. But you're not."
"What?"
"Nothing." Seraphina tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I should prepare for class."
"Right. Of course. I'll just..."
"Lord Marcus?"
"Yes?"
"The coat. It was yours, wasn't it? The one you left that night."
Marcus's brain short-circuited. "I don't know what you mean."
"Navy blue wool. Silver buttons. Smells like cedar."
"That could be anyone's coat."
"With the Aldridge family crest embroidered on the inner pocket?"
Caught. Completely caught.
"You weren't supposed to know about that."
"I know." Seraphina's smile turned sad.
"You weren't supposed to see me that vulnerable either.
But you did. And you helped anyway."
"Anyone would have."
"No. They wouldn't have. They haven't." She clutched the flowers tighter.
"In three years, no one has told me it's okay to be tired. Until you."
The air between them felt charged.
Marcus knew he should leave. Make an excuse. Run away.
But Seraphina was looking at him like he mattered. Like he'd done something important.
"You're welcome," he said softly.
"I look forward to your visits," she said. "More than... well. More than I expected."
"To talk about Theodore?"
"Sure. Let's say that."
She turned toward her classroom, then paused.
"Lord Marcus? Next time you bring flowers, you don't have to pretend they're from someone else."
Before he could respond, she was gone. The door closed softly behind her.
Marcus stood in the empty hallway, his brain trying to process what just happened.
She knows. She knows everything. And she's... interested?
No. That was impossible.
She was supposed to fall for Theodore.
That was the plan. The plot. The whole point.
But the way she'd smiled.
The way she'd said she looked forward to his visits.
"Oh no," Marcus whispered to the empty hallway. "Oh no, no, no."
He'd done it again. He'd tried to help Theodore and ended up making a connection himself.
The flowers were supposed to be from Theodore.
The coat was supposed to be anonymous.
The conversations were supposed to be about his brother.
Instead, Seraphina saw through it all.
She saw him. Marcus. The real person trying desperately to help everyone else.
And apparently, she liked what she saw.
Marcus stumbled out of the academy in a daze. He'd officially made everything worse.
The first heroine was supposed to fall for Theodore. Instead, she was falling for Marcus.
The world was definitely, absolutely, completely doomed.
And it was all his fault.