(Selene's POV)
The morning light filtered through the heavy curtains, gilding my chamber in a dull golden hue. My body still felt sore not from exhaustion but from last night. Kael had drilled so hard into me. My body had stretched in ways i never thought it could.
The sheets smelled faintly of Kael, steel, pine, and the faintest trace of warmth that lingered even after he'd risen from the bed.
"Kael…" I whispered, still breathless from what had happened. His warmth had branded itself into my skin, and though the air had cooled, my heart refused to calm.
Kael in shock quickly got up and stood at the edge of my bed, straightening his tunic, his back turned toward me as if distance could erase what had transpired. His movements were precise, controlled, the way a soldier's should be, but there was hesitation in them, too.
"You're really sweet," I said with a small, tired smile, trying to lighten the tension pressing between us.
He didn't turn immediately. His hand lingered at his belt before fastening it. "Anything for your pleasure, Princess," he murmured, his tone steady but his eyes avoiding mine.
I frowned. "Lay with me for a while."
He stilled. For a fleeting second, I thought he might. But then he shook his head. "I can't. People can't see us together like this."
My smile faltered. "Why not?"
His silence stretched too long. Then, with a sigh, he turned to me, his sharp jaw shadowed by the morning light, his gaze distant. "Because it would ruin you," he said softly. "Rumors spread faster than truth in this kingdom. You're a princess and I'm just a guard."
I sat up, clutching the sheets to my chest. "I don't care what people say."
He smiled, sad and brief. "You might not, but the court does. The nobles do. And your brother, the king… he can't afford another scandal. Not now."
I bit my lip. The words stung because I knew they were true. Still, I asked the question that had burned in me for months. "Do you love me, Kael?"
He froze. His eyes met mine, a storm of emotions clashing behind them. For a heartbeat, it seemed he might speak. But then he turned away. "My loyalty is to His Highness," he said quietly. "That is my duty."
"Your duty," I repeated, the words bitter on my tongue.
He moved toward the door, but then stopped, leaning down, his hand brushing my chin upward until my eyes met his. His gaze softened, breaking through the walls he'd built. "As much as I want to, Selene...i...your highness… I can't." His voice cracked, just slightly. "Besides, you're already promised to another."
I stiffened. "Don't remind me and i've told you not to address me by her highness when we are alone."
He exhaled, stepping back. "It's an alliance, Selene. The Beta Prince of the Obsidian Pack, you know what it means for the kingdom."
"I don't even know him," I said sharply. "I've never met him, never seen his face. How am I supposed to marry a stranger?"
He smiled faintly. "Maybe he'll be kind. Treat you better than I ever could. He'll dress you in gold, diamonds, jewels. I can't your highness."
That hurt worse than the truth.
He bent to press a kiss to my forehead, brief, chaste, final and straightened. "Have a nice day, Princess."
I didn't reply. Couldn't. He left, the door clicking softly behind him, leaving me in the echo of his absence.
For a while, I sat there, still wrapped in the sheets, feeling hollow. Then, with a sigh, I rose and walked to the bath. The water was cool when I slipped in, but it cleared the fog in my mind. When I stepped out, I dressed pulling on a deep blue gown embroidered with silver vines, a soft fur cloak over my shoulders, and my hair pinned loosely with sapphire clips. The attire felt heavy, too regal for how small I felt inside.
When I left my chamber, the palace halls were already alive with movement. Servants rushed past, carrying boxes and fine silks toward the courtyard. My brows furrowed.
Then I saw her, Duchess Elara, elegant as ever, her silver hair pinned high, her violet eyes calm yet sharp. Beside her stood Damien.
My heart lifted. My brother looked pale but alive, his dark hair brushed back, his royal cloak resting on his shoulders, though there was a faint weariness about him that made my chest tighten.
I walked toward them. "What's going on?"
Duchess Elara turned, her lips curling into a gentle smile. "Ah, Selene. I was just about to have a servant fetch you."
"Fetch me? Why?"
"I'm leaving," she said, gesturing toward the loaded carriage behind her.
The words hit me like a blow. "Leaving? So soon? You weren't even going to tell me before time?"
Elara chuckled softly, reaching out to pat my head. "I'm sorry, my dear. I've overstayed my welcome. Now that Damien has recovered and the kingdom stands firm, it's time I return home."
"But..." I started, but Damien's hand rested gently on my shoulder.
"Let her go, Selene," he said quietly. "She's done enough for us."
I turned to him, frowning. "You look drained. Pale."
He offered a faint smile, though it didn't reach his eyes. "Nothing of concern. Just… political issues."
"Liar," I muttered.
Elara laughed softly. "Oh, Selene. You never change." Then she turned to Damien, her expression growing firm. "You must be careful, Your Majesty. The council grows restless. Some of the packs whisper behind closed doors. They question your decisions since the war. Don't let sentiment cloud your judgment."
Damien's jaw tightened. "I'll handle it."
"I know you will," she said, her tone gentler now. She stepped forward, kissing his forehead, then mine. "You're both strong. Don't forget, strength is not the absence of fear, but the will to act despite it."
I swallowed the lump in my throat as she turned and stepped into her carriage.
"Goodbye, Duchess," I whispered.
She leaned out the window, waving as the horses began to move. "Goodbye, my darlings. Be brave."
We waved until the carriage disappeared beyond the gates. Then Damien sighed and turned away.
"What's going through your mind?" I asked softly.
"Nothing important."
"You're lying again."
He paused mid-step, his shoulders tense. "Drop it, Selene."
"No. You look pale, Damien. Tired. Political issues don't make you look like that. I know you."
He didn't answer. I waited but he still said nothing, I turned and walked away, my frustration spilling into silence.
The dining hall felt colder without Duchess Elara's presence. I ate breakfast alone, a plate of fruit and bread that tasted of nothing. I missed her warmth, her calm voice that always soothed the tension that filled these halls.
When I finished, I wandered the corridors, restless. The palace had never felt so empty, even with guards and servants everywhere. I longed for something or someone to fill the void.
"Fetch me my bow and arrow," I told one of the servants.
She bowed quickly and hurried off. Moments later, I made my way to The Hollow Range, a wide courtyard framed by dark pillars where the royal archers once trained.
The wind carried the scent of autumn. I notched an arrow and fired. The twang echoed, and the arrow struck the target's center. Again. Again. The repetition should have eased my mind, but it didn't.
I missed Kael.
He always watched me train, pretending to correct my stance just so he could be near.
The servant approached again. "Princess, the King is in the lower courtyard with Sir Kael."
My heart stuttered. Without answering, I handed her the bow and strode toward the lower courtyard.
When I arrived, I slowed, keeping to the shadows of the archway.
Damien and Kael stood by the stone fountain. Their postures were rigid, their voices low, too low for me to make out clearly. Damien's tone was clipped, controlled, but there was tension in his stance. Kael's head was slightly bowed, as if weighing every word.
I edged closer.
"…It's not as simple as you think," Damien was saying. "You've seen how they look at me, like I'm still bleeding weakness from that wound. If they sense division, it's over."
Kael's voice came next, deep and steady. "Then let me handle it. You don't have to face this alone."
Damien turned sharply. "I can't have my guard acting beyond his station. The council already questions your influence over me."
My breath caught.
Kael's influence?
Kael's voice lowered. "I serve you, my king. Always."
"Then remember your place," Damien said but there was a tremor in his voice.
Kael didn't reply. He only bowed slightly, his jaw clenched.
I felt my heart twist. Something about their exchange felt heavy, secretive as though the air between them carried a history I didn't know.
What were they hiding?
A gust of wind swept through the courtyard, carrying away the rest of their words.
I took a step back, retreating into the shadows before either of them could notice me. My mind swirled with questions.
Kael had been my brother's most trusted man for years loyal to the bone. But lately, his loyalty seemed to weigh on him, as though he were trapped between duty and something darker.
And Damien, since his return from war, he'd been different. Quieter. His eyes lingered on unseen ghosts.
Something was wrong.
I looked toward them one last time, my brother, the king burdened by unseen wars, and Kael, the man I loved but could never have and I felt it deep in my gut.
The kingdom's peace was only an illusion.