Lucien stood at the edge of the castle's courtyard, the night air thick with the weight of his thoughts. He had promised Aurelia he would return to her, but each passing moment felt like another step further from the woman he loved. His mission had always been clear: retrieve the necklace, return to his kingdom, and restore peace. Yet now, with her image etched in his mind, nothing about his mission seemed certain.
He clenched his fists, the cold stone of the castle wall biting into his palms. How could he betray her when everything in him longed to stay? The thought of leaving her alone, vulnerable, in a kingdom that despised her… it made his heart ache in ways he couldn't explain.
Aurelia, the woman who had unknowingly stolen his heart, was no longer just a mission—she was everything. And yet, his duty bound him, tangled him in obligations he couldn't escape.
He turned away from the wall, his gaze sweeping over the castle grounds. Soon, the king would summon him, and he would be forced to make a choice: to fulfill his duty, or to walk away from it all for her. He couldn't stay torn forever, but the thought of choosing was unbearable.
Inside the castle, Aurelia paced her chambers, her heart thundering in her chest. The journal, hidden beneath the folds of her blankets, was burning a hole in her mind. Every word her father had spoken echoed in her thoughts, his dismissive attitude only strengthening her resolve. She had pleaded with him, begged him to reconsider her marriage, but all he had done was dismiss her as though her feelings meant nothing.
Her fingers gripped the edge of her bedpost, her knuckles white with the pressure. She could feel the weight of her father's decision bearing down on her, suffocating her with every breath she took. The marriage was inevitable; the king had spoken, and his word was law.
But she couldn't accept it. Not when her heart was already claimed by someone else.
Lucien's face swam in her mind. His dark eyes, full of secrets she had yet to uncover, seemed to haunt her every moment. He was the knight her father had entrusted with her protection, but there was more to him than met the eye. She knew it. She felt it.
The way he had watched her with such intensity when no one else did… the way his presence made her feel seen, like she was the only person in the world. It was dangerous, but it was also the most alive she had ever felt.
And now, with the discovery of her mother's music box and journal, things were beginning to make sense. She could no longer deny that there was something greater at play here. The necklace, the flower that held such power—it was no coincidence that it had been passed to her. She had to learn more, had to understand its significance before it was too late.
Aurelia wiped the tear from her cheek, a tear she hadn't realized had fallen. Her emotions had been swirling in a storm of confusion and hurt, and there was no one she could turn to. Not her father. Not her brothers. And certainly not her father's wives, who would rather see her silenced than allowed to speak her truth.
She moved to the window, pulling aside the heavy curtains. The moonlight bathed the courtyard below in a silvery glow, but her gaze was drawn to the castle gates. Somewhere out there was Lucien—her knight, her protector, her only ally in this war of wills. He hadn't said much to her about his past, but she had seen the hints in his eyes. The way he moved with purpose, like someone who had seen too much of the world and been burned by it.
He was hiding something… and it wasn't just his identity as a vampire prince.
Aurelia bit her lip, her heart racing. She knew she couldn't wait any longer. If she was to ever escape the life that was being forced upon her, she would have to trust Lucien—and do so quickly. The path before her was fraught with danger, but it was the only path that felt like freedom.
Lucien returned to the castle just as the moon climbed higher into the sky, its pale light casting long shadows on the walls. He had given Aurelia his word that he would return to her, but every step felt heavier than the last. As he walked through the halls, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched. He wasn't sure if it was his heightened senses or if his guilt was clouding his mind, but something felt wrong.
He reached the princess's door and paused, his hand hovering over the doorknob. There was a soft sound from inside—an unsettling silence that tugged at his instincts. He pushed the door open just a fraction, peering inside.
Aurelia was at the window, her back to him, her slender frame silhouetted against the moonlit sky. Her breathing was shallow, as though she was holding her emotions in check. Lucien hesitated for a moment longer, unsure whether to enter or to leave her to her thoughts.
But something inside him—something deeper than duty—urged him forward.
He pushed the door open fully and stepped inside, his boots making no sound on the cold stone floor. "Princess," he said softly, his voice barely above a whisper.
Aurelia stiffened, her shoulders tightening at the sound of his voice. She turned slowly, her face unreadable, but her eyes… her eyes betrayed her. They were filled with a mix of emotions—sadness, confusion, and something else… something Lucien couldn't quite place.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly, though she masked it well.
Lucien took a step closer, his gaze never leaving hers. "I couldn't stay away," he confessed, his voice raw with the truth of it. "I promised I would be here, and I always keep my promises."
Aurelia's lips parted as if she were about to speak, but she paused, her gaze flicking to the journal hidden on the bed. Lucien followed her eyes and saw the faint glimmer of recognition in her expression.
"You found it," he said, his voice low, the weight of the words sinking in. "The journal… and the music box."
Aurelia nodded, her throat tight. "What does it all mean, Lucien? My mother… the necklace… the flower. I need to know the truth."
Lucien's heart clenched. He had hoped she wouldn't find out this soon. He had wanted to protect her from the full weight of her destiny, but it seemed the truth was a force that couldn't be avoided.
He walked toward her, stopping just in front of the window. "Aurelia, there is much you don't understand. The necklace… it's the key to the survival of my kingdom, and the reason for everything that's happened."
Her eyes widened. "Your kingdom?"
Lucien nodded, taking a deep breath. "I'm not just your knight, Aurelia. I'm a prince—sent here to retrieve that flower. It's what sustains my people, and without it, my kingdom will fall."
The silence that followed was suffocating. Aurelia's heart hammered in her chest as the weight of his words crashed over her. "So all of this… was just a mission to you?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Lucien closed his eyes, the pain of that question cutting deeper than he expected. "At first, yes," he admitted. "But that was before I… before I saw you."
Aurelia's breath caught in her throat. His words hung in the air, heavy with unspoken truths. She felt as though the ground beneath her feet had shifted, leaving her suspended in a storm of emotions she couldn't name.
"So, what now?" she asked, her voice trembling. "Do you take the flower and leave me behind? Or do you stay… and risk everything?"
Lucien met her gaze, his heart pounding in his chest. "I would stay… if I could. But I have a duty, Aurelia. And it's one I can't walk away from."