Tethered Flame

Jade's feet refused to move.

The moment stretched impossibly long as Pharaoh Rameses crossed the space between them—silent, powerful, each step echoing in her ears louder than the crowd around them. 

People had stopped what they were doing. 

The market had fallen into a hush, as if even the city itself dared not interrupt this reunion.

Hassan's voice came low and sharp beside her.

"Jade. Move."

She couldn't.

She knew she should run.

Disappear. Slip back into the alleyways and shadows and pretend this never happened. 

But she was locked in place, caught between fight, flight, and the undeniable gravity that pulled her to him.

Rameses stopped just a few paces from her.

He looked down at her—soaked in sweat and sunlight, wrapped in linen stolen from a stranger's clothesline, standing in the middle of a market as if she belonged there.

And still, somehow, she was the most radiant thing he'd ever seen.

"I've been looking for you," he said, his voice low.

Dangerous.

Jade's throat tightened. "You found me."

But before she could move, Rameses reached out.

His hand wrapped gently—but firmly—around her wrist.

"No more playing hero," he said, golden eyes flashing with something between anger and fear.

And the world burned around them.

"Stop!"

"I said stop, damn it!" Jade yelled at the infuriating man who was now dragging her away from the stunned market.

She dug her heels into the ground, trying to halt his maddening determination.

Rameses narrowed his eyes, his full lips pressed into a hard frown.

Without a word, he spun around and, in one swift motion, grabbed her.

Jade screamed, but the air was knocked from her lungs a second later as he hoisted her over his shoulder.

"What are you doing?!" she cried, pounding her fists against his back—and, unfortunately, his perfectly sculpted backside.

For one traitorous second, she was tempted to squeeze it. The thought alone sent a blush crawling all the way up to her ears.

Suddenly, a palm smacked her bottom in response, making her yelp.

"Stop struggling or I might just devour you right now," he said shamelessly.

"W-who do you think you are?!" she hissed, equal parts outraged and mortified.

"Your Pharaoh, lover, husband-to-be, and the father of our children," he declared without missing a step.

Jade was stunned silent.

A few paces behind them, Hassan stood completely frozen in place, mouth slightly ajar.

He blinked slowly as if trying to process the absurdity unfolding before his eyes.

One second, he was Jade's bodyguard and reluctant accomplice—and the next, she was being hauled off like a sack of dates by Egypt's most dangerous man.

"…What just happened?" he muttered, looking around. A market goat bleated in response.

Shaking his head, Hassan turned and muttered under his breath, "I risked everything for that woman and she just got kidnapped… by her future husband. I need a raise."

By the time they the reach her bedchamber, Jade's mind was still reeling.

He shut the doors behind them and gently dropped her onto the bed.

She looked up, heart pounding, just in time to see him staring at her with that dangerous expression again—as if he were ready to consume her whole.

She gulped. "U-uhm..."

And then she saw a speck of blood on his cheek. Jade grew concerned and reached out to touch, but his hand stopped her.

"What happened?" she asked carefully.

"What do you think you were doing escaping from your chamber?" he asked, arms crossed over his chest, as he evaded the question.

Jade frowned at the evasiveness but said nothing else as it's not really her business if he's hurt or not.

"Is that a rhetorical question?" she shot back, irritation bubbling now.

Why did this man get under her skin so easily?

His face darkened. "Stop playing games with me. You could have died taking that shortcut from the veranda!" 

He pointed sharply toward the high arch overlooking the distant Nile—beautiful, but deceptively dangerous.

There was a side path tucked between two walls, partially concealed by overgrowth, that led out of the palace grounds.

It was steep, narrow, and slick from the mist of the river below.

If she'd lost her footing, she could've tumbled down the incline and straight into jagged rocks near the water's edge. 

"That route was never meant for anyone to use—especially not alone."

Jade scoffed. "You underestimate me, My King."

She sat up, brushing off her clothes. 

"Look. You can't just treat me like a child. It's called basic respect—and you need to learn it. I'm not one of your subordinates. I'm an adult woman and I can take care of myself. Also, I'm only here temporarily."

Rameses stepped forward and knelt down so their eyes met, his expression unreadable.

He cupped her cheeks gently.

 "Whatever your reason for leaving, I don't care. I care about your safety. And then to find out you were hailed as a goddess today... only you could do something like that. There are things you don't know, Jade. Things I'll have to explain. But for now—I need you by my side. 

Please."

He pressed his forehead to hers, eyes closed, as if grounding himself in her presence.

Jade was shocked by his gentleness.

The Pharaoh she knew never apologized.

Yet here he was.

His words—things you don't know—lingered in her mind.

She just told herself that she'd stopped thinking about this man, so she can leave this era with peace. 

So why did it suddenly feel so much more complicated?

"I feel like we never actually talked about our past," he said softly.

"Tell me yours. How did you bring that child back from Osiris' door?"

Jade blinked. "Who's Osiris?"

Rameses looked at her, surprised. "The god of death. He rules the underworld—the one who judges all souls."

He sat beside her now, still unbothered by her peasant clothes, just wanting to be near her.

"Uhm. To start with, I was born in China. My parents are of different races, which is why I look different. I have two older brothers—we all look alike. My mom used to joke that we were triplets. And… the way I saved the child, it's something I learned."

Rameses tilted his head. "Triplets?"

"You don't know what triplets are?!"

He shook his head. "No."

"Do you know what twins are?"

"Yes. A long time ago, our ancestors had them. But it's very rare now—especially in the royal line."

"Well, triplets are three babies born at once."

He blinked, visibly stunned.

In ancient Egypt, twins were once a divine sign.

Triplets?

Unheard of.

Especially in the royal line where births had been dwindling for generations.

"Do you think we'll have more than one child?" he asked breathlessly.

"What?! Where did that even come from?! No—we're not having twins or babies!"

She shuddered as goosebumps rose along her arms.

Please don't jinx me, she silently begged.

While Jade tried to mentally undo her words, Rameses had other plans. With the stealth of a predator, he moved.

In a blink, he was on top of her.

Jade shrieked. "Y-you! What do you think you're doing?!"

He smirked, amber eyes glowing. "What else? We're making our babies now."

And his lips crashed into hers.