*Caius' POV**
I left the room, but my mind stayed behind—with her.
Something was off.
Eloise wasn't telling me everything.
I could see it in her eyes, the way she hesitated, the way she clenched her fists like she was holding something back.
And I was a coward for not pressing her.
Because deep down, I already knew what it was.
I could feel it in the way she looked at me, in the way she lingered when I was near.
And it scared me.
Not because I didn't want it.
But because I did.
Too much.
I walked down the dimly lit corridor, hands curled into fists. The king had given us his word, but his greed was far from satisfied. Eloise was still a target—his target.
And I was supposed to protect her.
How could I protect her if I couldn't even protect myself from her?
With a frustrated sigh, I pushed open the doors leading outside. The night air was cold, but it did nothing to cool the fire raging inside me.
I leaned against the stone railing, staring up at the moonlit sky.
Fate had always been cruel to me.
And yet, here I was, daring to want something beyond my reach.
Footsteps echoed behind me. I didn't turn—I already knew who it was.
Eloise.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then, finally, she broke the silence.
"You left so suddenly," she said softly. "Did I say something wrong?"
I closed my eyes. "No."
"Then why do you always pull away?"
I let out a slow breath. "Because if I don't, I might not be able to stop."
She took a step closer. "Stop what?"
I turned to face her then, my gaze locking onto hers.
"Wanting you."
Her breath hitched, and in that moment, I saw everything—the fear, the hope, the confusion.
I had spent so long running from this. From her.
But I couldn't do it anymore.
Not when she was standing in front of me, looking at me like I was something worth fighting for.
"Eloise," I said, my voice low, almost desperate. "Tell me the truth."
She hesitated, then whispered, "About what?"
"About what you feel."
The silence stretched between us, heavy with unspoken words.
Then, finally, she took a shaky breath and whispered, "I don't know how to stop thinking about you."
It was enough.
I closed the distance between us, my hands finding her face as I tilted her chin up.
For once, I wasn't going to run.
And neither was she.
———-
**Eloise's POV**
The world blurred the moment Caius touched me.
His hands were warm, steady, yet there was something else—something raw in the way his fingers traced my skin, like he was afraid I might disappear.
I wasn't sure who moved first. Maybe it was both of us.
But suddenly, I was in his arms, and nothing else mattered.
He held me like I was the only thing keeping him tethered to this world, like letting go would shatter him. And maybe, in some ways, it would.
Because it would shatter me too.
I closed my eyes, resting my forehead against his chest. His heartbeat was fast, matching my own.
"I shouldn't feel this way," he murmured, his voice rough, almost conflicted.
I swallowed, gripping the fabric of his shirt. "But you do."
A small, humorless laugh escaped him. "But I do."
His hands slid up my arms, tracing slow, lingering paths that left my skin tingling.
"Eloise," he said my name like it was sacred, like it belonged to him.
I looked up, meeting his gaze.
Caius was always strong, always the fearless knight who carried the weight of the world on his shoulders.
But now—right now—he looked vulnerable.
And he was letting me see it.
My heart clenched. "You're afraid," I whispered.
His thumb brushed against my cheek. "I'm terrified."
"Of what?"
His lips parted, but no words came out. Instead, he cupped my face, his eyes searching mine, desperate, conflicted.
Then, he kissed me.
Soft at first, like he was unsure.
Like he was giving me a chance to pull away.
But I didn't.
I couldn't.
Instead, I melted into him, my hands gripping his shoulders as I kissed him back.
And just like that, the hesitation was gone.
His arms wrapped around me, pulling me closer, deepening the kiss like he had been starving for this—for me. His lips moved against mine with a kind of urgency, a silent promise that he wasn't going to run anymore.
I clung to him, feeling everything—his warmth, his desperation, his love.
Love.
Was that what this was?
Because if it was, then I wanted it.
I wanted all of it.
When we finally pulled apart, we were both breathless.
Caius pressed his forehead against mine, his hands still cradling my face. "Tell me I'm not dreaming."
I let out a small, shaky laugh. "You're not dreaming."
His eyes darkened. "Then tell me you won't leave."
My chest tightened. I knew what he meant.
He wasn't just talking about this moment.
He was talking about every moment after.
And despite everything—the dangers, the uncertainties, the sacrifices—I knew my answer.
"I won't leave," I whispered. "Not now. Not ever."
Caius exhaled, his entire body relaxing as if those words alone had lifted a weight he had been carrying for too long.
Then, without hesitation, he kissed me again.
And this time, it wasn't a question.
It was an answer.