Semua Bab Burning Embers: Scorching Tales of Desire : Bab 81 - Bab 90

The clean-up lasted days. The stench of rot and burnt flesh clung to the air no matter how many pyres we lit. I was passed from tent to tent, soldier to soldier, until my body ached from the strain of keeping them alive. When they couldn’t stand, I gave them enough strength to. When their magic ran dry, I made sure it burned again.Khaled kept me in his shadow the entire time, as if letting me out of his sight would undo the victory we’d won.When the last field was cleared and the last soldier buried, Khaled didn’t waste a moment. He took me straight to the capital.The palace rose ahead of us, white marble and gold in the noon sun, a fortress dressed as a jewel. The guards straightened the second they saw Khaled approach, their eyes flicking to me before snapping forward again.Inside, he didn’t pause, didn’t breathe, just dragged me into the throne room like he was delivering the spoils of war.“Your Majesty,” Khaled said, his voice ec

Khaled’s mood hadn’t softened since the last time my hands were on another man.He hadn’t spoken of it directly, but the silence between us had weight, the kind that settled in your chest and made every breath feel heavier.When the summons came from the border, he didn’t even ask if I was coming.It was part of our agreement.If Khaled went to war, I went with him.Dawn broke cold, the kind of chill that bites through armor. We rode out from the palace gates at the head of a column of soldiers, the banners of the Crown Prince snapping in the wind.Khaled didn’t look at me as we passed through the city streets, but I could feel his awareness, sharp as a blade, always cutting in my direction.The ride was long, and the silence longer.Once, when my horse shifted too close to another soldier’s, I caught the flicker of Khaled’s glare from beneath his helm. It was gone as quickly as it came, replaced with the same stoic

In the enemy kingdom, far from the battlefields and the palaces of Lanaria, the Church of the Goddess of Fertility and Birth stood atop a hill, its white spires cutting into the dawn sky. Within its sanctum, Priestess Helena knelt, head bowed, palms pressed together, the faint scent of incense curling around her. The silence of the sacred chamber was thick, almost suffocating, until a voice like wind through blossoms broke it.“Rise, my faithful,” the Goddess of Fertility and Birth intoned, her presence felt more than heard. The air shimmered, carrying a warmth that made Helena’s chest tighten.Helena’s knees clicked as she stood. “My Lady… I am here to serve.”The Goddess’ voice deepened, echoing in the quiet chamber. “Helena… you have long sought the path to amplify your healing, to touch life in ways beyond the ordinary. A choice approaches, one that will bind destinies and shift the balance of divine gifts.”Helena’s breath caught. “

The clash was immediate. Steel rang against steel, shouts filled the hall, and my heart hammered like a drum in my chest. Khaled’s men fought fiercely, but the numbers were overwhelming, holy knights, the priestess’s disciples, and the enemy soldiers poured in like a tide.I tried to focus, moving to help, but every soldier I reached was struck down before I could even get close. The metallic tang of blood filled my senses, mingling with fear and desperation. I could see Khaled at the forefront, blade in hand, shielding me with every ounce of his strength, his armor slick with blood and sweat.“Khaled! We can’t-” I shouted, but my words were lost in the chaos.“Stay close!” he bellowed, swinging his sword in a wide arc, felling two attackers at once. “I’ll protect you!”But I knew the truth. Even Khaled, unbreakable, could not hold this line. Their numbers were too great. Panic clawed at my chest as I watched men I’d come to know, my companions, f

Before I could even process what was happening, I was lifted effortlessly. The weight of the God of Lust’s presence pressed against me, both terrifying and oddly comforting.“Here,” his voice rolled through the hall, controlled and absolute, “he is yours.”Khaled caught me instantly, relief flooding his features as he pressed me against his chest. My arms clung to him, shaky, my fingers digging into the fabric of his tunic as though I could anchor myself in his steadiness.“I-I'm sorry,” I whispered, my voice trembling. “Helena… the union… it happened. She… she has me now. I didn’t want this… I never wanted it…” My words stumbled out in a rush, fear and guilt pressing heavy on my chest.Khaled’s jaw tightened, his hands still holding me, but I could feel the fury burning in him, not at me, not at all, but at the cruel, meddling prophecy that forced this impossible situation. His voice was low, dangerous, but threaded with something tender beneath