The vaulted chamber smelled faintly of polished steel and parchment, red and gold banners hanging heavy in the still air. The sound of boots against the marble floor echoed as Alaric approached the long table where King Theron sat at its head, his fingers steepled, eyes sharp as if weighing every breath that entered the room.Silas lounged in his chair to the kingโs right, sprawled like a bored cat, swirling the wine in his goblet even though it was barely past sunrise. He had been there for an hour and had yet to contribute more than a sigh.King Theron didnโt bother hiding his impatience.โEldoria expects our answer,โ he began, his deep voice filling the court. โThey have sent for our aid against the Selvane threat. The alliance with Eldoria has strengthened our borders over the past few years, but now it has also placed us directly in Selvaneโs path.โAlaricโs jaw tightened. โSelvane doesnโt negotiate.โโThey never have,โ Theron said. โThey speak their own tongue and trust no one o
The royal courtyard was hushed in the pale morning light, save for the occasional rustle of wings from the perched ravens and the distant clink of soldiers preparing for departure. A cold breeze, almost like it's about to rain, cut through the air as Alaric approached Aaron, who stood by a covered carriage surrounded by guards bearing Eldoriaโs golden crest.โAaron,โ Alaric called, his tone sharper than intended.The Eldorian prince turned, already halfway into his cloak. โYou look troubled.โโI am,โ Alaric said bluntly. โ After that letter.โAaronโs brow furrowed. โWhat letter?โAlaric reached into his inner coat and handed over the folded parchment. The royal seal had been cracked, the ink smudged from where Alaric had clutched it too tightly. Aaron scanned it, lips tightening.โSo, someone knows,โ he muttered, folding the letter again. โIt was only a matter of time.โโThatโs not all,โ Alaric said. โKael is not taking any of this well, he's freaking out. He wants to leave Veridia, e
(Kaelโs POV)The quiet lingered even after Aaron was gone.I stood there, my hand still in Alaricโs, trying not to cry again. My heart ached, not just because Aaron was leaving, but because goodbyes, even the softest ones, had a way of scraping old wounds raw. I don't know why I'm thinking too much about it but disputes between kingdoms aren't known to end well. I don't want him in any sort of danger. He's too much of an angel for that.He was my safety net. My anchor through the worst of it. And now he was returning to a kingdom that needed him โ as he should. But it still hurts. I sometimes forget that he's not Veridian.Alaric didnโt say anything. He didnโt rush me or tell me to sit or speak. He just held my hand.When I finally turned to look at him, his eyes were already on me.โHeโs always been there,โ I said softly.Alaric nodded. โHe loves you. You know that, right?โI nodded too, I know Aaron loves me, and sometimes it makes me wonder what I've done in a past life to deserve
(Kael's POV)I woke to the brush of soft lips against my cheek.Then my jaw. My nose. My eyelids.I smiled without opening my eyes, already knowing who it was.โAlaricโฆโ I mumbled sleepily.โI didnโt want to wake you,โ he whispered between kisses, his voice low and reverent, like I was his precious pretty mate and I am. โBut I missed kissing your face.โHis nose nudged mine gently, and I cracked my eyes open.He was leaning over me, shirtless, his dark hair tousled and eyes warmer than morning sunlight. He looked beautiful. A little tired maybe, but the kind of tired that only came from loving someone too hard in the quiet dark.โYou were watching me sleep?โ I teased.โGuilty.โ He smiled, no shame in it.โHow long?โHe kissed my forehead. โLong enough to memorize how peaceful you look.โMy chest squeezed. โYouโre such a sap.โโI am. And I donโt care.โI giggled and reached up to tuck a piece of his hair behind his ear. He caught my wrist and kissed the inside of it, his lips lingering
(Kael's POV)๐ฌ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐, ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐โ๐ฐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐. ๐ฐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐. ๐จ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐โฆ ๐ ๐๐๐๐โ๐ ๐๐?---He kissed me again.Softer this time, slower, like we were relearning the shape of each otherโs mouths. There was nothing rushed. Nothing demanding.Only a quiet ache.When his hand slid from my cheek to the back of my neck, I didnโt stop him. I didnโt want to. His palm was warm against my skin, grounding, steady, so unlike the storm inside me.I wrapped my arms around his waist and held on. Maybe too tightly. Maybe like I thought heโd vanish if I let go.โI canโt lose you,โ I whispered into the crook of his neck.โYou wonโt.โโYou donโt know that.โHis arms tightened around me. โIโm still here.โI pulled back just enough to look at him. โBut what if they t
(Kael's POV)The night crept in like a shadow with no end.I didnโt remember falling asleep. One minute I was crying against the door, begging the world in silence to just let me disappear, and the nextโฆ my stomach growled loud enough to startle me awake.I blinked in the dark, heart hammering, trying to get my bearings. My back ached from the hard marble floor. I must have passed out right here, right by the door. I hadnโt even made it to the bed.Everything was quiet.I glanced out the window to a black sky, not a single torch still burning in the garden paths. The palace was asleep, but my hunger was insistent now, curling in my gut like a tight fist. I haven't eaten sinceโฆ gods, I didnโt even know when.But there was no food in my chamber. Not even fruit.I sat up, clutching my knees. I didnโt want to face anyone. I didnโt want to walk the halls and see more looks of pity or disgust. Not after what they all knew. Not after the whispers and the pointing.Not after the truth.I thou