The court had learned how to smile at me.
That, I quickly discovered, was far more dangerous than their silence.
As Kael and I entered the Hall of Judgment, the nobles rose in perfect unison, silk and steel whispering together.
Their faces were composed—pleasant, even—but their eyes were sharp. Measuring. Calculating.
I could feel it now. The constant awareness. The way every breath I took echoed through the bond, through him.
Kael's hand brushed the small of my back, subtle but firm, guiding me forward. A reminder.
A warning.
Do not falter.
The throne loomed ahead, carved from black stone veined with crimson crystal—curse magic, old and hungry.
Kael ascended the steps without hesitation, power rolling off him like a living thing. I followed, my spine straight, my chin lifted.
Queen.
Whether I wanted the title or not, the court had decided it suited me.
"Begin," Kael commanded.
At once, the hall erupted.
"Your Majesty—" "This cannot continue—" "The treasury bleeds—" "The eastern lords demand—"
Voices overlapped, sharp and insistent. I watched from my place beside Kael, hands clasped tightly to keep from trembling. Every issue seemed to circle back to one thing.
Me.
"The curse is unstable," Lord Veyran snapped, stepping forward. "Since her arrival, shadow incidents have tripled."
Murmurs followed.
"The people whisper," another added. "They say they fear the queen more than the enemies beyond our borders."
I stiffened.
Kael did not react. "They should fear weakness," he said calmly.
"That girl is mortal," Lady Kiara cut in, crimson lips curling. "She is untrained, untested, and yet she stands at the center of our kingdom's most ancient magic."
Her gaze pinned me like a blade. "What happens when she breaks?"
The bond flared.
Heat surged through my chest, sudden and sharp. I inhaled slowly, refusing to let it show.
Kael's fingers tightened against the armrest, though only I could see it I feared the other lord's would notice.
If they could notice Kael's anger they'd probably pro oke him even the more just for the fun of it though the aftermath would not be fun.
"She will not break," he said.
"And if she does?" Lord Veyran pressed.
Kael stood.
The hall fell silent instantly.
"If she does," he said quietly, "then this kingdom will just have to fall with her."
Gasps echoed.
I turned to stare at him.
He met my gaze—dark, unwavering.
Because she is not expendable, the bond whispered.
My heart slammed painfully against my ribs.
"This council is dismissed," Kael finished.
No one argued.
Not like they could even if they wanted to.
As the court emptied, whispers followed us like ghosts. Kael did not look at me as he descended the throne, his stride purposeful.
I struggled to keep up, my skirts tangling around my ankles.
We didn't stop until we reached a secluded corridor lined with towering windows. Storm clouds gathered outside, lightning threading the sky.
There I finally spoke.
"You didn't have to say that."
Kael turned slowly. "Yes. I did."
"You just told them the kingdom would fall because of me."
"No," he corrected. "I told them the truth."
"That I'm a liability?"
"That you are the heart of the curse," he said. "And the heart is always protected."
I laughed bitterly. "That's not protection. That's branding me a liability."
His jaw tightened.
"You don't understand this world," he said. "Or what they will do if they believe you are weak. Or unprotected."
"And what will you do?" I shot back. "Lock me away? Kill anyone who looks at me wrong?"
"If that's what it takes."
The words settled between us, heavy and dangerous.
I stepped closer, anger burning through my fear. "You don't get to decide that for me."
The bond surged.
Pain—no, not pain. Pressure. Emotion. His frustration bled into mine, dark and overwhelming.
"You think I want this?" he snapped. "You think I enjoy being tethered to a woman who looks at me like I'm the monster in her nightmares? Like I'm the one the world needs to be rid of?"
"I never said—"
"You don't have to," he cut in. "I see it every time you flinch."
Silence crashed down.
Rain began to fall outside, heavy against the glass.
Kael exhaled slowly, dragging a hand through his hair. "This court is circling you like carrion birds," he said more quietly.
"They are waiting for you to fail."
"I won't."
His gaze lifted to mine. Intense. Searching.
"Good," he said. "Because if you do… I will be forced to get rid of them before they get to you."
My breath caught.
We were too close now. I could feel his warmth, the pull of the bond tightening like invisible threads. His eyes flicked to my lips.
So did mine.
The air shifted.
I hated that I noticed the way his voice softened. Hated that my pulse raced when he stepped closer. Hated that the bond hummed with something dangerously close to longing and want.
"You should hate me, you know" he murmured.
"I do," I said automatically.
His mouth curved faintly. "Liar."
He lifted a hand slowly, giving me time to pull away.
I didn't.
His fingers brushed my cheek—barely a touch—but electricity shot through me, raw and overwhelming.
My breath stuttered.
"Kael," I whispered.
He froze.
The sound of my voice—soft, uncertain—seemed to shatter something in him.
For one heartbeat, he leaned in.
I tilted my head before I could stop myself.
Our lips hovered a breath apart.
The bond flared violently.
Power surged through the corridor, shadows writhing along the walls. Kael swore under his breath, pulling back sharply as though burned.
"No," he growled. "Not like this."
My chest ached. "Then how?"
"When the court isn't watching," he said darkly. "When the curse isn't feeding on your confusion. When the curse can no longer affect your actions."
I swallowed.
"Go," he ordered gently. "Before I forget why I shouldn't."
I turned away before my resolve shattered completely.
As I walked down the corridor, my heart pounding, one truth burned brighter than the rest—
The court feared me.
They feared what aould happen if I lost control.
But Kael?
He feared what would happen if he let himself want me.