chapter 6- A Dangerous Encounter

The tension in the palace was almost tangible in the days that followed. Preparations for the proposed wedding were quietly underway, despite Amelia's unspoken protests. The royal tailor had begun crafting designs, advisors whispered of alliances and dowries, and her mother had taken it upon herself to lecture Amelia on the importance of her role as a queen.

Amelia felt the walls closing in. Every step she took within the palace seemed suffocating, every glance from a servant or noble a reminder of the life that wasn't hers to control. It was why, once again, she found herself slipping through the palace gates as the moon hung high in the sky.

She knew it was reckless. Foolish. But the forge was the only place where she could breathe.

When Amelia arrived, Kael was waiting, as though he had expected her. He leaned casually against the doorway, his face illuminated by the warm glow of the forge's fire.

"Amara," he greeted, his voice soft yet steady. "I thought you might come back."

She didn't respond immediately, instead stepping inside and letting the warmth wash over her. For a moment, she simply stood there, closing her eyes and inhaling the faint scent of metal and ash.

"You look like you've had a rough few days," Kael said, watching her carefully.

Amelia let out a hollow laugh. "You could say that."

She moved toward the workbench, running her fingers over the tools and half-finished pieces. She envied the simplicity of Kael's life—the freedom he had to create and exist without the weight of a kingdom pressing down on him.

"Tell me," Kael said, his voice cutting through her thoughts. "What's really going on?"

Amelia hesitated, her fingers pausing on a beautifully crafted dagger. She hadn't meant to tell him about the engagement, about the suffocating expectations that loomed over her, but the words spilled out before she could stop them.

"They've set the date for my wedding," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Three months from now."

Kael's jaw tightened, his green eyes darkening. "To the prince?"

Amelia nodded, her gaze fixed on the dagger. "It's not my choice. It never was."

Kael stepped closer, his presence grounding. "And what do you want, Amara? What would you choose if you could?"

She turned to face him, her eyes meeting his. The answer was on the tip of her tongue, but she couldn't say it—not when the truth was too dangerous to admit, even to herself.

"I don't know," she said instead, her voice trembling.

Kael reached for her hand, his touch warm and steady. "You're allowed to want more than what they've given you. You're allowed to fight for it."

Amelia swallowed hard, her chest tightening. She wanted to believe him, to believe that she had the power to change her fate. But the stakes were too high, and the risks too great.

Before she could respond, the sound of voices carried through the night air, sharp and urgent. Amelia froze, her heart pounding.

"Guards," she whispered, panic rising in her chest.

Kael's expression hardened. He grabbed her hand, pulling her toward the back of the forge. "This way."

They slipped out through a hidden exit, the narrow alleyway behind the forge shrouded in darkness. Amelia's breath came in short gasps as they moved quickly, Kael leading the way through a maze of streets and alleyways.

When they finally stopped, the voices of the guards were distant, but Amelia's fear lingered. She leaned against the wall, her chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath.

"They were looking for me," she said, her voice shaky.

Kael placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "You're safe now."

But Amelia knew better. She wasn't safe—not here, not anywhere. And if the guards had seen her at the forge, Kael wouldn't be safe either.

"I shouldn't have come," she said, guilt weighing heavily on her. "I've put you in danger."

Kael shook his head, his expression resolute. "You're worth the risk."

His words hit her like a blow, the sincerity in his voice both comforting and terrifying. She wanted to believe him, to hold on to the hope he offered. But the reality of her situation loomed over her like a storm cloud.

"We can't keep doing this," she said, her voice breaking. "It's too dangerous."

Kael's jaw tightened, but he didn't argue. He simply stepped closer, his green eyes searching hers. "Then tell me to stop. Tell me you don't want this, and I'll let you go."

Amelia opened her mouth to speak, but the words wouldn't come. Because deep down, she didn't want him to stop. She didn't want to let him go.

Instead, she stepped closer, her hand brushing against his. "I don't know how to stop," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

Kael's gaze softened, and for a moment, the rest of the world faded away. It was just the two of them, standing in the shadows, holding on to something fragile and forbidden.

But reality was never far behind.

"We'll figure it out," Kael said, his voice steady. "Together."

As they made their way back to the palace, Amelia couldn't shake the feeling that their time was running out. The world they had built in the shadows was beautiful, but it couldn't last forever.

And when the truth finally came to light, it would change everything.