LOGINOne Hour earlier Ramsey's POV“You seem awfully quiet for someone plotting world domination.”Ephraim’s voice dragged me out of my thoughts like a hook to the ribs. I didn’t flinch. I had felt his presence the moment he crossed the threshold, the scent of ozone and ancient, rotting silk following him like a shroud.I blinked once, twice—and when my vision cleared, he was standing directly in front of me.Grey eyes. Gunmetal sharp. A faint ring of gold circling the pupils like a warning light from a predator. That familiar devil’s smile curled at his mouth, lazy and cruel, as if he had already read the final page of my biography and found the ending hilarious.I leaned back in my chair, fingers resting loosely against the armrest. Beneath the pads of my fingers, I felt the cold, honest grain of the wood. I was already calculating: four meters to the spear leaning against the wall, two seconds to bridge the gap between us, and a thousand ways this man could kill me before I drew my nex
Kahlan's POV I woke up on Soren’s chest, the sound of his heart a steady thump in my ear. “You’re awake… and it’s not even past ten o clock—” His groggy voice met me, and I couldn’t help but chuckle softly before nodding, not changing my position. He exhaled a deep breath that made the air shift around us. Shit. “We need to talk.” Bigger shit. He wrapped an arm around me and pushed up so his back was against the headboard. I was strangling him with my limbs, and instinctively I let go of the sheet so he had a clear view of… well, me. Even though my body aches in the most beautiful way....I would much rather we have sex this morning than to have this conversation but Soren despite the fact I could see he was struggling to resist kept his eyes planted on my face . I leaned in so I could rub my breasts against his chest but he stopped me and without hesitation, he reached down, lifted his shirt, and draped it over me and he put one on too.... taking away my perfect morning view
Soren's Pov She watched me with wide, trusting eyes as I stripped off the rest of her clothes—jeans, underwear—until she was bare beneath me.I took a second to drink her in: the curve of her waist, the flare of her hips, and the way her thighs parted just slightly.It felt like an invitation to the only home I’d ever known.My mouth went dry at the sheer perfection of her.I shed my own clothes quickly, my cock already aching and heavy against my stomach with a demanding thrum.When I climbed onto the bed and settled between her legs, she welcomed me with open arms and a soft cry.I braced myself above her on my elbows, careful not to crush her under the weight of my hunger.I kissed her again—a slow, deep, and endless exploration of our shared history.My hand slid down her body, cupping her breast, my thumb circling her nipple until she arched into me.I moved lower still, over her ribs and her belly, until my fingers found the slick heat between her thighs.She was wet already, s
SorenI couldn’t let go of her.Not when I practically pulled her out of the war room, not in the hallway, not even when the heavy door to my bedroom finally clicked shut behind us.The moment the lock engaged, the noise of the world outside fell away, and it was just us—finally, fucking finally.Kahlan stood in the middle of the room, moonlight spilling through the tall windows and painting silver across her skin like a celestial blessing.She looked small in my space, fragile in a way that made my chest ache with a sudden, sharp protective instinct, but her eyes were steady on mine.She was waiting for me to speak, to explode, or to demand answers about Ramsey and the dangerous deal she’d made in the dark.I could see the questions in her gaze, the worry that I was going to lose my mind over what she’d told the others downstairs.But I didn’t care about any of that right now.Eight hours.She’d been gone eight hours, and the absence had shredded me, leaving my nerves raw and my mind
Ramsey's PovMy daughter.Even thinking about her makes my heart swell until it hurts.The sound of her laughter and the way her eyes light up when she’s genuinely happy are the only things that matter to me now.Power, alliances, and war mean nothing in comparison.I would burn the world to ash if it meant she would keep smiling.That truth settles heavy in my chest as I stare ahead, my lips curving without my permission.“You have a great smile on your face.”The voice comes from behind me, calm and knowing.I release a slow breath, the kind that carries a bone-deep exhaustion from too many sleepless nights and too many ugly decisions.I turn.Ephraim stands there, tall and broad-shouldered, his powerful build filling the doorway like a warning.His hair is styled neatly, streaked with grey that only sharpens his presence rather than dulling it.He looks every bit like Soren—the same sharp jaw and the same piercing eyes.And that is exactly why he hates his son.“I’m assuming that s
KahlanIt took a minute for my vision to clear. Everything felt distant, muffled, like I was underwater. My eyelids felt heavy, glued shut by a exhaustion I couldn’t quite name.“Mom—stop. She’s awake. They let her go.”The voice reached me first, but it didn’t fully register. It sounded like it was coming from the end of a long tunnel. My head throbbed with a dull, rhythmic ache, and the world tilted precariously when I tried to focus on the flickering shadows above me.“Kay,” someone said, their voice cracking with an urgency that pulled me further toward the surface. “It’s me. Are you alright?”Hands touched my shoulders, firm but trembling, trying to help me sit up.“I’m supposed to be asking you that question,” I murmured hoarsely, my throat feeling like it had been scraped with glass. I blinked, forcing my eyes to stay open. “You look awful.”Freya froze for a second, a flicker of her usual spirit returning before she laughed weakly. Her face was deathly pale, the skin pulled







