Selene's POV
I had refused to eat.
I had refused to sleep.
The chair beside my brother's bed had become my throne of waiting. The smell of herbs and strange oils clung to the air, seeping into my hair, my skin, my bones.
Damien lay there, still and pale, a thousand tubes and bindings from the physician's cruel contraptions piercing and wrapping him. His chest rose and fell, weak but steady, the only proof the gods had not yet stolen him.
Kael had begged me more times than I could count to eat. I had refused every time, until finally he stood before me, arms folded, his face stern in that infuriating way of his.
"Selene," he said, "if you fall ill, who will sit here when he wakes? Who will tell him his sister kept vigil?"
"I don't need food." My voice cracked. "I need him."
He crouched, forcing me to meet his eyes. "If Damien opens his eyes and sees you a shadow of yourself, do you think he will thank you? Or blame himself for breaking you too?"
I hated that he was right. I hated that his words cut through the wall of grief I had built.
Reluctantly, trembling, I accepted the bread he held, chewing through tears. He stayed until the plate was empty, watching like a hawk to make sure I didn't throw it away.
And still, I waited.
Every prayer I knew had already been whispered into the gods' ears. Every bargain I could imagine had already been offered. I told them they could take my pride, my youth, my future anything, just leave me my brother.
Days blurred. The night became morning, morning became night again. Sometimes I forgot which I was in.
Until that morning.
The sky outside the chamber was still painted with the faint blush of dawn. I had dozed off in the chair, my head resting awkwardly on my folded arms. My neck ached as I stirred awake. Rising, I stretched, joints popping in protest, and shuffled to the window. The fresh air was sharp and cool, filling my lungs with something that almost felt like hope.
And then I heard it.
"Selene."
I froze. The world stopped. The air refused to leave my chest. That voice, gods, that voice, I would know it even in death.
Slowly, as if afraid the vision would shatter, I turned.
Damien's lips had moved. His eyes heavy, fogged with pain were open, fixed on me. His voice, hoarse and broken, asked,
"What are all these things on me?"
A scream ripped from me. Not of fear. Not of despair. But of pure, unstoppable joy. It was loud enough to rattle the windowpanes, to wake the whole castle.
"DAMIIEEENNN!" I cried, rushing to his bed.
My body collapsed against his, my arms wrapping him so tight I feared I might suffocate him. The tears came hot and heavy, soaking his skin, his sheets, everything. "I thought I lost you, I thought, I can't, don't ever, don't you ever leave me like that again!"
He groaned under my grip. For a moment, he was stiff as stone. Then, with that infuriating humor only he could wield after crawling back from death, he croaked,
"You cry like a child, sister. Your face is uglier than a troll's right now."
I smacked his arm and laughed through the tears. "You bastard."
The door slammed open. Kael and three guards stormed in, blades ready. But when their eyes landed on Damien, alive and awake, the weapons slipped from their hands.
"Your Majesty…" Kael's voice broke. His face twisted as if he would cry, though he swallowed it down with soldier's pride. He rushed forward and threw his arms around Damien.
"Ahh, Kael, by the gods!" Damien groaned.
"You're hugging me like you mean to finish the job!"
We all laughed. Relief flooded the room like sunlight after endless storm.
I ordered two of the guards to fetch Duchess Elara and the physician at once.
Elara arrived almost immediately, dressed in silver and deep blue, her hair braided with tiny pearls, her presence radiant and noble.
But the moment her eyes fell on Damien, all her dignity shattered. Tears brimmed, spilling as she hurried to him, kneeling at his bedside. She kissed his forehead, whispering, "My boy… my son… the gods have given you back."
An hour later, the physician arrived with his robed assistants, his little cult, as I always called them in my head. They bowed, their faces bright with shock and reverence.
The physician prodded and muttered, his fingers running over Damien's body, checking every vein and scar. He made him drink a bitter medicine and nodded, saying Damien would regain his strength in time.
When they left, I embraced the physician tightly, whispering, "You saved him. You saved my brother. Whatever you desire, name it."
He only bowed and said, "It was the king's own will to survive."
At last, it was just me, Damien, Kael, and Elara.
I could not stop smiling. My heart felt lighter than it had in years. But Damien's eyes were sharp now, burning with fire.
"I want the council gathered," he said suddenly.
Elara's face paled. "Damien, no. You only just woke."
"I woke to fight," he replied, his tone cold. "They tried to kill me. They poisoned me like a rat. And for that, they will bleed."
Kael tried to reason, Elara begged, I pleaded, but he was immovable. His fury had set his jaw like stone.
And so the council gathered. Murmurs filled the chamber, rumors that the king had risen from the grave, that his ghost walked among them.
But when Damien strode in, tall though pale, silence crashed down.
"You all thought me dead," he said, voice like steel. "Yet here I stand. Death spat me out, and now I hunger for war."
Arguments rose, Elara spoke of caution, elders urged peace, but Damien silenced them with one word,
"Tomorrow night. We march."
His decree was final. No one dared oppose it again.
He dismissed the council, everyone returning back
And then, I clung to him, begging softly, "Please, brother… don't let me lose you again."
He only kissed my forehead and said, "Not until I have avenged us."
That night, I wept in my chamber not with despair, but with relief, with love, with fear. And then a knock came.
Kael. Always Kael. My anchor. My fire.
"Are you okay?" He asked with utmost concern as he closed the door behind him
"Mhm, i'm just happy," I replied with a smile trying to wipe my tears away
He hands me his napkin, "Here, dry your tears and your nose"
We spoke long into the night, his presence steadying me, reminding me of childhood days, of laughter amidst the blood. He teased me, coaxed smiles from me when I thought I had no smiles left to give.
"You know, we didn't finish what we had started" I said to him
He looked at me confused unable to point out what i meant
"What we were doing, the night when our kingdom was invaded" I smirked moving towards the bed
I was happy that Damien was finally awake and fine
But right now, I needed Kael, I needed him more than anything in-between my legs
I pulled of my clothes, soft, silky, while i stared him in the eyes
Deep down i knew that he wanted this too
I took off my bra and my panties, and laid on the bed, widening my legs desperately in need
I wanted him to see me.
I wanted him to see how needy he made me.
His eyes were fixed on me, he stared hungry-looking like an animal had been searching for food his whole life
I slipped one finger into me
"Kael..." I moaned
I stared into his eyes as i inserted a second finger
"Kael...," I moaned again
He made me needy.
I loved how i felt around him, physically and emotionally
Kael watched me with hunger in his eyes and before i knew it, his clothes were off, very quickly like an animal, revealing his sexy abs and hardened self, standing, eager to be inside me
He rushed unto the bed pulling my fingers out and burying his face between my thighs, licking, sucking and devouring me,
He ate like he was starving
"Kael..." I moaned grabbing his hair, pressing his face on me as i released
He sucked in and drank every liquid like i had just satisfied his thirst but it was just the beginning
He comes up on me, gripping my wrists and starts to kiss me aggressively
I kissed him desperately as he starts to slide into me, stretching my walls, sharp, smooth and overwhelming
He growls as he starts thrusting into me, speeding up the pace.
"god...you drive me mad" Kael whispers in my ear, pounding into me, claiming me like his property, his everything
"Kael" I moaned my fingers digging into the skin on his back
"Say that again, say my name...se..lene..!" He said quickening his movements
"Kael...oh kael" I moan almost reaching my climax
He strokes and we both reach our orgasm at the same time, so intense, so warm
"Kael" I cry out
"Selene" he groans collapsing on me.
We're both sweating, breathless and holding onto each other.
My legs shaking, while i saw stars.
We both stayed quiet trying to catch our breaths.
"That felt good." I finally said
"Definitely, it did" He smirks looking me in the eye.
I try not to blush but my face betrays me.
"I should go. Wouldn't want anyone finding me here, especially not like this" Kael says as he climbs off the bed to to wear his clothes
"Yeah... you're right" I said
I couldn't help but start to feel that empty void, the same one i felt when Damien was unconscious but i could point out why
"Okay! I should head out now" Kael said pressing a kiss on my forehead, pulling me out of my thoughts
"Good night princess, i mean your highness" he smiles and bows before leaving
"Good night" I whisper, I doubt he heard me.
Tomorrow was going to be a long day but i was already mentally prepared for it
I was going to be there, alongside Damien and Kael to fight my enemies and also protect Damien.
I didn't want to loose him again the second time.
I thought to myself before I finally drifted asleep.