Calithar returned to his chambers that night with a heavy heart. He had wanted her so badly it nearly drove him mad when she pushed him away. Sitting on the window ledge, the moonlight spilled across his bare chest and abs beneath his loose robe as he gripped the edges of the frame until his knuckles whitened. A pained groan tore from his throat and he tipped his head back as if the weight of desire itself was crushing him. When his gaze finally lifted again, his eyes glowed pure white, haunted by the memory of the very first moment he had laid eyes on her. That same aching pull now burned fiercer than ever. She was here within his reach at last after years of being apart, he swore to himself that this time, he would never let her go.
The next morning, the throne room was heavy with tension that morning. Ministers and advisors stood in straight lines, facing each other as they presented a case to the king.
