Feelings

Ariana's POV

The silver light disappeared as suddenly as it had come.

I blinked.

For a second, I wondered if I had imagined it.

My hand flew to my collarbone.

The skin felt warm.

I rubbed it gently, expecting to find something there.

Nothing.

"What was that?" I asked, looking from one face to another.

Nobody answered.

Selene stood frozen near the door.

She had been glaring at me only moments ago. Now she looked as if she had seen a ghost.

Her lips parted, but no words came out.

I frowned.

"Selene?"

She didn't even look at me.

Her eyes stayed on the place where the light had appeared.

"No..." she whispered. "It shouldn't be possible."

A knot formed in my chest.

"What shouldn't be possible?"

Before she could answer, Kael stepped in front of me.

His body blocked me from everyone's view.

The change in him caught me off guard.

He wasn't angry.

He wasn't cold.

He looked... concerned.

His eyes searched my face as if he was making sure I was still standing.

"Does it hurt?" he asked quietly.

I shook my head.

"No."

He stayed where he was.

"You don't feel dizzy?"

"No."

"Any pain?"

I let out a small breath.

"Kael, you're frightening me."

For a moment, he said nothing.

Then he raised his hand.

"I'm going to check."

His fingers paused in the air, waiting.

Waiting for my permission.

I don't know why, but I nodded.

His hand rested lightly against my collarbone.

His touch was careful, almost hesitant.

It lasted only a few seconds.

Then he drew his hand away.

His face gave nothing away.

"What is it?" I asked.

He didn't answer.

"Kael."

Still nothing.

The silence between us became harder to ignore.

Selene finally found her voice.

"My King..."

He looked at her.

"You saw the mark."

"There was no mark."

"There was."

She sounded certain.

"I've read about it."

Kael's expression changed.

It wasn't fear.

It wasn't surprise.

It was the look of someone who had hoped a day like this would never come.

I stared at both of them.

"What mark?"

Neither of them answered.

I laughed once.

Not because anything was funny.

Because I was tired of being the only person who knew nothing.

"Is someone going to explain what's happening?"

Selene looked ready to speak.

Kael stopped her with a single look.

"Not here."

She looked at him in disbelief.

"She has a right to know."

"I'll decide when."

His voice wasn't loud.

But nobody argued with him.

I folded my arms.

"I hate it when people talk about me as if I'm not standing here."

Kael turned back to me.

"I know."

"Then stop keeping secrets."

His eyes stayed on mine.

"If I tell you everything today, your life will never be the same."

I gave a bitter smile.

"My life stopped being normal the day you took me from Ashthorn."

For the first time since we met, Kael had no answer.

The fire crackled quietly beside us.

Outside, the wind pushed against the windows.

The silence felt heavier than before.

Then three knocks echoed through the room.

Slow.

Firm.

Kael looked toward the door.

"Come in."

The door opened.

A man walked in without rushing.

He looked around the room once before taking another step.

His clothes were damp from the rain.

A sword rested against his side.

His eyes stopped on Selene.

Then they moved to me.

Finally, they settled on Kael.

A smile spread across his face.

"I've interrupted something."

"No," Kael replied.

"You have."

The man laughed softly.

"I've known you for years, Kael."

He looked between us again.

"I've never seen you stand in front of anyone like that."

I looked at Kael.

Only then did I realise what he had done.

From the moment the light appeared...

He had placed himself between me and everyone else.

As if he thought someone might try to hurt me.

The stranger noticed the same thing.

"So the rumours were true."

Kael's face remained calm.

"What rumours?"

"That the King of Shadowcrest brought a young woman into his private chambers... and refuses to let anyone near her."

Selene looked away.

She clearly didn't enjoy hearing those words.

The man smiled at me.

"You must be Ariana."

I nodded.

"I'm Rowan."

His smile was warm.

It was strange.

Almost everyone I had met in this castle either feared Kael... or feared me.

Rowan did neither.

"It's nice to finally meet the woman who has turned this castle upside down."

"I didn't mean to."

"I believe you."

Before I could reply, his smile disappeared.

He looked at Kael.

"I didn't come here to joke."

Something in his voice made the room feel different.

"The eastern guards sent a message."

Kael's attention sharpened immediately.

"What happened?"

"They found tracks."

"Whose?"

Rowan looked at me before answering.

"The hunters'."

A cold feeling settled inside me.

"They've crossed into Shadowcrest."

Nobody spoke.

Rowan took one more step.

"And they aren't searching for just anyone."

He looked straight at me.

"They're asking for the Moonborn girl."

There was that name again.

I slowly turned to Kael.

This time...

He couldn't hide the truth forever.