Damien's POV
Steam curled around me like pale ghosts as I lingered longer than usual in the bath. The water was no longer warm, cool now but I couldn't bring myself to move. My body still ached from battle, my mind even more so.
The scent of Jasmine oil, sandalwood and crushed pine hung thick in the air, a fragrance my servants always prepared for me after war. It was supposed to calm the nerves. It didn't.
I leaned my head back against the marble edge of the Serevian Chamber, my private bathing hall built centuries ago by my great-grandfather. The walls glowed faintly from embedded crystals, casting soft light over the rippling surface of the pool. The silence was heavy, broken only by the gentle drip of water from the bronze pipes above.
When I finally rose, the water cascading down my skin, I felt the pull of exhaustion deep in my bones. My thoughts wandered back to Adrian, to his tears, his trembling voice, that unbearable moment when he'd said, I love you, Damien.
I had felt something crack inside me then. A part of me wished I could erase those words. Another part wanted to hear them again.
I grabbed the robe laid neatly on a nearby table, a royal garment of black silk lined with crimson edges and a silver crest embroidered at the chest. It clung lightly to my damp skin as I tied it around my waist.
The fabric smelled faintly of cedar and rain. I hated how vulnerable I felt in that moment, barefoot, robe half open, heart unguarded.
I called softly, "Mira."
One of my servants entered immediately, her eyes downcast. "Your Majesty."
"Call Kael in," I said, my voice even but weary.
She bowed deeply and left.
I ran a hand through my wet hair, sighing. Kael… What could be so important that he would disturb my peace after battle?
Moments later, I heard the door creak open. Kael stepped in, tall and rigid in his dark uniform, his sword still strapped to his side. His expression was unreadable.
"Your Majesty," he greeted, bowing low.
I lifted my hand, signaling the servants to leave us. They scurried out, closing the door behind them, leaving only silence and the faint hiss of the dying torches.
"Sit," I said, pointing to the chair opposite my bed, a carved mahogany piece upholstered with deep blue velvet, set beside the silver table where my crown rested. Kael hesitated briefly before sitting.
I lowered myself onto the edge of the bed, facing him. The mattress dipped slightly beneath my weight. Droplets still clung to my collarbone, glimmering in the dim light.
"So," I said, raising an eyebrow, "what's so urgent that you decided to disturb my bath time?"
Kael frowned, clasping his hands together. "Before I begin, Your Majesty… may I speak to you as a friend, not your guard?"
That caught me off guard. My brow furrowed. "As a friend?"
He nodded solemnly. "Yes. Just as Kael… not as your soldier."
I stared at him for a long moment, the flicker of torchlight dancing across his face. "Kael, we've known each other since we were children," I said finally. "You've been by my side through war, loss, and blood. You know everything about me, my strength, my weakness. Of course we're friends."
Kael lowered his gaze, his jaw tightening as though gathering courage. "Then I'll speak plainly."
He looked up, meeting my eyes.
"Damien… what are you planning to do with Adrian?"
The words hit me like a blow to the chest. For a second, I forgot how to breathe.
"What do you mean by that?" I asked slowly, though my voice trembled faintly.
"I mean exactly that," Kael said. "What are you planning to do with him?"
My pulse quickened. My mind flashed back to Adrian's tear-stained face, his trembling confession, his warm hand in mine as I led him away from the battlefield.
My heart sank. He knows?
Kael's gaze didn't waver. "I heard what he said, Damien," he continued quietly. "I heard him tell you that he loved you."
The room went utterly silent. Even the torches seemed to dim.
Inside me, panic surged. If Kael heard… who else did?
I tried to keep my tone calm. "I don't know what you're saying," I muttered, forcing a half-smile. "You must have misheard."
Kael sighed deeply, shaking his head. "Don't lie to me, Damien. When you vanished from the field, I went looking for you. I thought you were in trouble. I ran into the palace and saw you both."
I froze.
"I heard everything Adrian said," he continued softly. "And I saw how you looked at him. How you held his hand as you led him upstairs. Don't deny it."
I turned my face away, heart pounding in my chest. Fool. You should've been more careful.
"Look, Kael," I began, "it's a misunderstanding..."
He cut me off. "No, Damien. It's not. You don't have to lie to me. I know."
His tone was gentle, not accusing, just… sad.
"I've known for a long time," he said. "I've observed since we were kids, i've seen it. The way you react whenever his name is mentioned, the way your eyes soften when you speak of him. I've known since the day you let him go when you could've struck him down."
I stared at him, stunned. He continued.
"You've changed, Damien. You disappear during our campaigns. You hesitate when facing the vampire troops. I've seen it. You look at Adrian the way no warrior should look at his enemy."
A silence stretched between us, thick and suffocating.
I rubbed my temple, exhaling. "You've always been too perceptive for your own good," I said, my voice quieter now. "You're right. I should have stopped it before it began. What Adrian and I had… shouldn't have happened."
Kael's expression softened, concern replacing sternness.
"Then why didn't you stop?" he asked.
I laughed weakly, bitterly. "Because I couldn't. Because for the first time in my cursed life, I felt alive when I was with him.
When I looked at him, the world didn't seem like a battlefield anymore. It felt… peaceful."
I met Kael's eyes. "And that terrified me."
He sighed, leaning forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "You know what will happen if anyone finds out. This...this love is forbidden, Damien. It's treason in the eyes of both clans. If the council learns of it, they won't just dethrone you. They'll kill you. They'll burn your name from the royal scrolls."
"I know," I said quietly. "I was ready to end it. I thought he'd betrayed me. And now…" My throat tightened. "Now he tells me he loves me, and I don't know what to do with that."
Kael's eyes softened. "You're my king, but you're also my friend. And as your friend, I'm begging you, be careful. End it. Whatever this is, it will destroy you both."
I nodded slowly, staring down at my hands. "You're right. I know you are. But…"
My voice dropped to a whisper. "Why does it hurt to even think about ending it?"
Kael didn't answer right away. He just looked at me, sad, understanding. Finally, he said, "Does anyone else know?"
I hesitated, then replied, "Duchess Elara. She found one of Adrian's letters while I was unconscious."
Kael's head snapped up. "A letter?!"
"Yes," I said. "She confronted me. She knows everything written in it."
He groaned, rubbing his forehead. "Damien, that's dangerous. Letters can be traced, stolen, read by others. You need to get rid of it. Burn it."
"I will," I said. "No one else knows. I made sure of that."
"Good," Kael murmured. "Let's keep it that way." He looked me dead in the eye. "I wouldn't want anything to happen to you, my king. Neither will Selene. She's already lost enough."
His words sank deep into me, heavier than any blade. I managed a faint nod.
"Thank you, Kael," I said softly.
He stood, bowing deeply. "I'll take my leave now."
I nodded. "Go. Rest."
As the door closed behind him, silence filled the chamber again. I stayed where I was, staring into nothing. The water that clung to my skin had dried completely, leaving my robe clinging to me like a second skin. The air felt suffocating.
Is it that obvious? I thought. Does everyone see it? Did anyone else hear Adrian's confession?
My mind raced. The weight of the secret pressed down on me like a thousand stones. I stood abruptly, moving toward the tall glass window that overlooked the moonlit courtyard. The night air was cool as it touched my face, but it did nothing to calm me.
"Why did you say that, Adrian?" I whispered. "Why did you confess when you knew what it would do?"
I clenched my fists against the cold marble. "You've trapped me between duty and love… and I don't know which will destroy me first."
I turned, pacing the room. I love him. Gods help me, I love him. But I couldn't. Not without tearing the world apart. Not without betraying everything my ancestors built.
Finally, I collapsed onto my bed, staring up at the dark ceiling. My heart pounded in my chest like a drum of war. "I just hope no one else heard," I muttered under my breath. "For all our sakes."
Outside, thunder rumbled faintly in the distance. The night wind howled through the cracks of the palace walls, whispering like an omen.
Unknowing to me…
that was only the beginning.
The real war had yet to come.