The grand plaza outside the Northern Palace had never been so crowded. Nobles, guards, and council members assembled to witness what Morvain called a demonstration of authority—but Kael knew better.
Elara stood beside him, her silver hair glinting in the sunlight, palms itching with the pulse of the bond. Every glance, every breath, reminded her that the bond was alive—growing stronger, demanding, insistent.
Kael's hand brushed hers briefly, grounding her. "Stay close," he murmured. "The council wants to humiliate you… or kill you."
She nodded, taking a deep breath. "Then let's show them what happens when they underestimate us."
A horn blared. The council's champions emerged—six of the most skilled warriors in the realm, each armed and deadly. Their eyes were trained on Elara, clearly expecting an easy victory.
The bond flared violently as Kael stepped protectively in front of her. Silver arcs of energy pulsed faintly around her hands. She could feel his heartbeat through the bond, steady and strong, pulling her in rhythm with him.
"Together," he said, voice low, eyes locking onto hers.
Elara nodded. The moment she did, the bond pulsed again—stronger, sharper, almost a living force guiding their movements.
The first attacker lunged. Kael intercepted instantly, parrying with lethal precision. Elara reacted simultaneously, weaving sigils of silver light that arced toward the attackers. The bond guided her hands, predicting movements before they fully formed.
Every strike, every block, every spell was in perfect sync—Kael and Elara moving as one, the bond pulsing violently with each near miss and strike.
The crowd gasped as attackers were thrown back, pinned midair by silver sigils, or sent sprawling with Kael's blade. The council's smug expressions faltered into shock.
One attacker managed to grab a dagger and lunge at Elara from the side. Kael reacted instantly, grabbing her waist and pulling her behind him. The bond surged violently, almost painfully, as if demanding more than just survival—it demanded proximity, connection, surrender.
"Elara… trust me," Kael murmured, his breath brushing her ear.
She nodded, almost without thinking, letting the bond guide her hands. Silver energy erupted from her palms, striking the attacker and sending him crashing to the ground.
The bond throbbed fiercely, almost unbearable, as if alive. Every movement, every heartbeat, every glance drew them closer. Her chest burned with heat—part from exertion, part from desire—and she could feel Kael's awareness pressing against her own in ways words could never capture.
They dispatched the last two attackers together, movements synchronized perfectly. The plaza fell silent, except for the crackle of fading silver energy.
Kael's hand brushed hers again, lingering just enough for her to feel the electricity of the bond. He leaned slightly closer, voice low and intimate. "Do you feel it?"
"Yes," she breathed. "Stronger than ever."
His eyes softened, and for a heartbeat, they forgot the crowd, the council, the danger. The bond pulsed, insistent and alive, urging them together, a magnetic force neither could resist.
Kael's thumb brushed her cheek. "This… bond… it's not just power. It's us."
Elara's lips parted, her pulse racing. She wanted to reach for him—to let the bond guide them completely—but the world intruded again. The council erupted in furious shouts, Morvain's face pale with rage.
"You dare show your power! In front of all of us!"
Elara inhaled sharply, the bond still thrumming violently, and whispered, "They don't understand…"
Kael's hand went to hers, fingers intertwining. "No. But we understand. We are stronger together. Always."
The bond pulsed violently one last time, almost like a heartbeat echoing through them both, a promise and a warning. Even as the council fumed and guards approached to 'restore order,' Kael and Elara stood together—unbroken, unshakable, and drawn irresistibly to each other.
The crowd witnessed not just power—but connection, intimacy, and undeniable unity. The palace duel had become more than a demonstration. It had revealed a bond the council could neither break nor ignore.
And in the quiet moments afterward, as the plaza emptied and the attackers were restrained, Elara realized a truth she could no longer deny: the bond was alive, unyielding, and it was pulling her toward Kael in ways she would never resist.
Kael's silver eyes found hers, intense, protective, and hungry. "Soon," he murmured, the word heavy with promise.
Elara's lips curved in agreement, her chest still pounding. "Soon," she echoed softly, the bond pulsing between them like a living thing, promising that the moment was inevitable—and unstoppable.
The council may plot. The palace may challenge. But the bond would not be denied. And neither would they.