Elysia had always known that love could be many things—messy, painful, fierce. But this?
This was the kind of love she never expected. The kind that bloomed in silence, in stolen glances, in fingers tangled beneath thick blankets and kisses that tasted like strawberries and breathless laughter.
Malvoria wasn't always gentle.
She was the Demon Queen, after all. She burned like fire and bled like stone. But when they were alone—truly alone—she was something else entirely.
Her voice grew softer, like velvet drawn over iron. Her touch slowed. Her hands, which could summon swords from flame, now traced delicate patterns across Elysia's skin as if memorizing every inch.
Right now, Elysia lay nestled between Malvoria's arms, one hand resting lightly over her own growing belly.
The light from the enchanted chandelier above flickered with a soft golden hue, casting long shadows across the carved stone walls.