Thalen was here to confirm one truth—that I was alive and unharmed. Kael stood beside me, rigid as iron, tension emanating from him in waves. He moved subtly closer, in a protective stance. I knew without looking that his eyes were fixed sharply on Thalen, assessing every breath and every slight movement. At the corner of the room stood King Malrik and Queen Alina in silence as a vivid reminder of the high stakes. Thalen approached with manners; he first greeted the king and Queen with a courteous bow before acknowledging Kael with a nod of respect. "Your Majesties, Crown Prince Kael," he began smoothly, "I bear greetings from King Aldric Varyndor and a proposal to solidify peace between our kingdoms further. With Velthorne now joined to Drevak, Varyndor seeks a formal alliance to secure lasting stability among our realms."Kael's response was ice-cold. "You could have sent a messenger, Prince Thalen. Why deliver this yourself?" Thalen briefly glanced at me with a hint of emotion hidden beneath his composed demeanor at gatherings." I just wanted to make sure Crown Princess Vireya was safe," he stated calmly with a depth that only Kael and I could grasp fully. Queen Alina leaned in slightly with a raise of her elegant eyebrows."Do you question our commitment to the safety of Crown Princess Vireya?" she asked Prince Thalen in a tone that hinted at more."Never," Thalen replied without hesitation. "But personal bonds forged over the years make certain duties more pressing." Kael tensed at my side, the line of his jaw tightening visibly. "State your message plainly, then." "King Aldric proposes mutual recognition of borders, trade agreements, and joint military support against external threats," Thalen said calmly. "With this marriage between your kingdoms, we must maintain balance and transparency.""And is King Aldric concerned by the strength of our union?" Kael challenged sharply. "Not the strength," Thalen replied with unwavering calm. "The stability it promises. King Aldric wishes only to ensure that stability extends to all our kingdoms." Queen Alina regarded Thalen thoughtfully. "We shall consider your proposal. You will have our answer shortly." With a final respectful nod, Thalen turned to me once more. "Crown Princess Vireya, you look well."I met his gaze evenly, offering only the slightest tilt of my chin—a silent signal between us, affirming my resolve. "Your concern is appreciated, Crown Prince Thalen." Kael's reaction was subtle yet potent—slightly flexing his fingers, his posture shifting imperceptibly closer. As Thalen withdrew, Kael said nothing, but the air around him was charged with suppressed tension. The courtroom gradually emptied out until it was the two of us enveloped in the stillness of the vast space around us. Kael eventually broke the silence with a voice, remarking, "Your family has some strong ties." "I've always considered Varyndor, a trusted companion," I said cautiously."And Thalen has been a friend for as long as I can remember." "He regarded you as something beyond a friend," Kael remarked with a hint of suspicion."He cares deeply—for all my family," I clarified, directly meeting Kael's piercing gaze. "But his heart belongs to Nyra." Kael moved closer, eyes locked on mine. "Yet he came personally—to see you. Why?""Because he understands sacrifice," I said softly, holding his gaze. "He understands the consequences. " Kael softly touched my cheek as his voice took on a tone."You are taking more risk than you think by trusting him." "I have faith in him because he understands the risks," I answered calmly in response to the tone of warning in Kael's voice." Just like you do." Kaels hand retreated slowly. His gaze remained steady." Do not doubt it, Vireya—you are meant to be with me." No outside bonds can change that now.""I chose to be here," I reminded him, quiet yet firm. "I'm not yours because of bonds or duty—but because I decided it." He regarded me carefully, tension easing slightly. "Then let your decisions continue to reflect that.""They always have," I assured him calmly. "And always will." He turned toward the chamber doors. "Come. We should speak privately." I followed silently, aware of the eyes watching our exit, the whispers rising softly in our wake. Kael led me swiftly through winding corridors, each step purposeful, until we reached the familiar heavy doors of his private chambers. Guards stepped aside, eyes respectfully lowered. When we reached the heavy doors of Kael's private chambers, guards stepped aside, eyes averted. Kael gave a sharp nod, and they vanished, leaving us alone. The heavy chamber doors closed behind us with a resonant echo, sealing away the whispers and probing eyes of the court. Instantly, silence blanketed us—thick, charged, expectant.Kael strode into the dimly lit room, tension radiating from every rigid line of his body. Approaching the large stone fireplace, he sharply struck a match from the mantle against the stone. Flames swiftly ignited, dancing eagerly along the logs and casting flickering amber light across the austere chamber.The firelight illuminated the room, revealing Kael's private sanctuary: dark stone walls veined faintly with silver, tall windows draped in heavy black velvet, and banners displaying Drevak's crest—a raven clutching a bloodied dagger. The grand four-poster bed featured carvings of ravens and wolves amid a hunt and was adorned with rich scarlet and black silks draping elegantly over it. The room's focal point was an oak table embellished with maps and elaborate schematics alongside gleaming silver daggers neatly organized on its top surface. An ambiance of authority and attention to detail that mirrored the formidable aura of the figure standing in front of me. "You really took a risk today, " Kael commented with a hint of surprise. "I was only speaking what I felt," I replied assuredly, holding his eyes. "They needed to hear me, not their own assumptions." His face tightened as he admonished me, "Your honesty can be slicing, like a sword, Vireya—use it wisely." "I believe in my ability to deal with it delicately," I calmly expressed amidst the situation as Kael moved closer to the flickering firelight that highlighted the intricate silver embellishments on his coat and emphasized his tense stance. He moved towards me, his fingers lingering near my cheek but not touching it, conflicting feelings of hesitation and longing battling within him. "I don't like to share what belongs to me," he declared with hints of possessiveness.Instead of pulling away, I caught his wrist, fingers curling gently around the taut muscle. Beneath my touch, his pulse thrummed—steady, yet rapid with restraint. "Then stop trying to control me," I breathed, stepping closer, "and start trying to understand me."We stood frozen; the only sounds were the crackling fire and my heart racing. His hand remained near my face, captured by my fingers, the air thickening between us charged not with fear—but anticipation. Kael's eyes searched mine, dark and burning, with unspoken questions. His breathing deepened, chest rising and falling beneath his tailored coat, control fraying at the edges like worn cloth. Slowly, deliberately, his thumb traced the curve of my jaw, lingering just beneath my chin. Heat rushed through me, flushing my cheeks—not from shame, but from something infinitely more dangerous." I want to," he whispered, the confession quiet, rough, honest. I couldn't tell if he meant he wanted to understand me—or have me. Maybe both. My response was barely more than a breath. "Then do it." His eyes locked onto mine, holding my gaze captive. For one heartbeat, hesitation hovered—the final fragile thread of restraint. Then it shattered. Kael stepped forward, closing the last breath of space between us, and this time—he didn't stop. Kael's mouth claimed mine with heat and precision, a clash of tension that needed to be sharpened by everything left unsaid. His kiss wasn't rushed—but it wasn't gentle either. It was deliberate. Demanding. Consuming.He kissed like a man unaccustomed to want—and furious at himself for feeling it.My hands rose to his chest, palms flat against the solid muscle line beneath his coat. I could feel his tension, wound tight like a drawn bowstring. I pushed lightly, not to resist—but to challenge. His lips broke from mine for a breath, his eyes searching my face, wild with heat. "Tell me to stop," he rasped, voice rough with the effort of restraint. "I won't," I whispered, fingers gripping the edge of his coat. "Unless you need me to." Something cracked behind his eyes—not fear. No doubt. Surrender.In one motion, Kael's hands gripped my hips, lifting me—roughly, effortlessly—and my breath caught in a gasp. His strength surrounded me, brimming with urgency, frustration, and the need to feel, possess, and claim. He crossed the room in three long strides and threw me onto the bed—not with cruelty, but with raw need, as if he couldn't bear another second without me. I landed amidst the silks, breathless, heart-pounding, hair tumbling around my shoulders, the firelight flickering over my skin.I barely had time to speak before he was on me again, eyes burning, hands already at the seams of my gown. "I've waited long enough," he growled, voice rough, dangerous.Then the silk tore—harsh and sudden—the sound of restraint breaking. Kael's hands ripped the gown apart, fabric giving way beneath his grip, seams splitting as if daring to keep him from me. The ruined cloth fell away in tattered shreds, and I gasped softly, the cool air against my bare skin making me shiver. He came over me then, skin against skin, heat meeting heat. There was no patience in his hands—only familiarity and urgency. He already knew my body, and now he sought to reclaim it.His mouth found mine again, deeper this time, desperate. His hands explored every inch of me—possessive, reverent—leaving me gasping, aching beneath him. My fingers tangled in his hair. My hands pulled him closer, and my body arched into his. "Kael," I whispered, breathless. He groaned low in his throat, his voice rough against my skin. "You're mine, Vireya. No more hiding. No more walls." I wrapped my legs around him, drawing him closer, every nerve alight. "Then take me. Again." There was nothing slow, nothing soft—just fire.He entered me in one fluid motion, a gasp leaving my lips as we fell together into heat, friction, and madness. Every thrust was a claim, every breath a vow. He moved like he was losing himself—in me, with me. I met him beat for beat, hands roaming his back, nails digging into his shoulders as I shattered around him, my body breaking in waves of pleasure and fire. He followed me over the edge, his voice breaking on my name, and I held him tightly, hearts pounding, bodies slick and tangled in the ruins of silk and control. Outside the chamber walls, our worlds still waited, filled with threats, challenges, and secrets that could destroy us both. But here, tonight, in the flickering glow of the fire Kael had ignited, nothing else mattered. Together, we surrendered—to passion, truth, and each other.The fire had dimmed to embers, casting soft shadows that flickered gently across the walls of Kael's chambers. Snuggled up in the embrace of the silky sheets and with Kael beside me for comfort and warmth, I drifted off to sleep peacefully. The peacefulness of that instant was short-lived as a wave of darkness engulfed me unexpectedly and unannouncedly, guiding me into an otherworldly vision where the lines between reality became hazy and everything appeared twisted and unsure in my perception. The calmness dissipated as the battleground descended into mayhem around me. The earth transformed into a landscape with bloodstains and remnants of unending strife. The tranquility faded away as the battlefield erupted into chaos around me. The ground turned into a mess stained with blood and scars of relentless conflict. Smoke rose into the sky, obscuring the sun and casting a twilight gloom over the world illuminated by distant flickering flames. Lifeless bodies scattered on the ground with stares as their armor dulled beneath layers of dirt and blood. Banners from all the kingdoms—Velthorne, Drevak, Varyndor, Eldara, Varenthia, and Ashkar—fluttered weakly in the smothering smoke, symbolizing the devastating scope of the conflict. Dread pooled in my chest, thick and suffocating. The movement drew my eyes forward. At the heart of the carnage stood Kael, fierce and determined, his sword slick with blood, his eyes blazing with a warrior's resolve. My pulse raced, panic clawing at my throat. The dream came like all the others—unbidden, unstoppable. I had no say in when they came or what they revealed. My magic was not one I could summon or silence. It came in sleep, in flashes of fate I had no choice but to witness. "Kael!" I tried to scream, but silence imprisoned my voice. Desperation pushed me forward, my steps heavy like a mire. Shadows around Kael deepened, ominous and alive. A figure emerged—tall, clad in the black and crimson armor of Ashkar, bearing a sigil of blood-red flames, an omen of death. Kael turned, but too slowly. The enemy's blade flashed downward, precise and merciless."No!" My scream finally tore through the vision, echoing uselessly. Kael stumbled, his gaze meeting mine briefly—shock and sorrow flashing in his eyes—before the blade struck true. He collapsed, crimson spreading swiftly beneath him. I reached him too late, falling to my knees by his side. My fingers pressed desperately against his chest, searching for a heartbeat, pleading with fate. "Kael, wake up! Please!" The sob ripped through me, harsh and raw. Yet, the vision held no mercy, only bitter truth.My visions had never been wrong. Not once. Not unless I intervened. They always came to pass if I did nothing—merciless, unchanging. And this one... this one was the worst of them all. "Too late," whispered a cold voice, detached and cruel. "You cannot save him. Without Kael, the war is lost." I spun, seeking the source, finding only encroaching darkness that consumed all in its path. Reality shattered the vision abruptly, wrenching me awake with a ragged gasp. I bolted upright, my heart hammering painfully, sweat slicking my skin. Kael sat beside me, troubled, reaching out gently. "Vireya? What's the matter?" I turned towards him, slowly feeling a lump in my throat tightening as I struggled to explain the fear of what I had seen, the disaster that loomed over him, and all the kingdoms at stake. "It was a bad dream," I murmured softly, and my voice quivered slightly. But the truth was unshakeable—if I didn't act, Kael's fate was sealed, and with it, the future of every kingdom tied to this war. I vowed silently, fiercely, to change the future my visions foretold. The morning light spilled across the floor in clean, cold lines. The hearth had long gone out, and the room smelled faintly of smoke and steel—like him. Kael was already out of bed, bare-chested, as he fastened the leather straps of his trousers, his back to me. Calm. Efficient. Entirely composed.I sat against the pillows, the sheet tucked around me, watching him with quiet detachment. Not out of modesty or affection—but study. He moved like a man who feared nothing. Not death, not betrayal. Not even fate. And why would he? He'd never tasted defeat. Not on a battlefield. Not in the court. Not in the eyes of the world. There were no stories of Kael Drevak falling—because he never had. They called him the Iron Prince, the storm who did not bend. Untouched. Unmarked. Unbeaten.But I had seen him fall. I'd seen his blood soak the ground. I'd heard the silence that followed his last breath. And no one would believe me. Because the world didn't think gods could die. Kael reached for his tunic and slung it over his shoulder before glancing back at me. "I'll be at the training grounds until midday," he said. "You'll remain here." I raised a brow. "Chained to the palace already?"He gave a short breath—half a huff, half amusement. "You have a kingdom to learn. If you're to survive this court, you'd better understand it." "And whose version of Drevak will I be taught?" I asked lightly. "Yours?" Kael paused, then looked over his shoulder. "No. You'll learn it from those who try to use you." He didn't elaborate. He didn't have to. The court. The whisperers. The wolves in silks. "I'll manage," I said coolly. His gaze lingered on me for a beat longer. Assessing. Then he turned away, pulling his tunic over his head. "See that you do."He headed for the door, and for one fleeting moment, I considered stopping him. Telling him what I'd seen. Warning him. But he wouldn't believe me. Because Kael Drevak didn't believe in defeat, neither did his enemies. So, I stayed silent. Because I wasn't ready to play that card—not yet. Let them all believe he was untouchable. And let me be the only one who knew the truth. Because I'd already begun to plan. To watch. To trace the shadowed paths that could one day lead to his death. The blade in my vision wasn't random. It had intent. It had timing. I would find it. I would stop it. And if I couldn't? Then, I'd burn the path before it was ever walked. Kael Drevak would not die, not while I still drew breath.
