Chapter 12

Kael hadn't said anything after I finished the water, but he didn't leave either. He lingered at the edge of the bed, bare-chested, the soft light of morning spilling across the sharp lines of his shoulders. His gaze drifted over me. His eyes found mine. "You're still naked," he said softly, almost like a confession. I tugged the sheet a little higher. "You say that like it's a problem."

"It's not," he said after a beat, voice rough. "It's hard to think straight when you look like that." He said it like he hadn't meant to—like the truth slipped out before he could stop it. I shifted beneath the sheets and looked at him. "Last night... You said something that's been on my mind." Kael turned toward me, eyes narrowing slightly. "What do you mean?"

"You mentioned asking for tips," I said. "And I was just wondering what that meant." I glanced down, suddenly nervous, unable to meet his gaze. His voice was low, calm. "I've never been with anyone before." My head lifted, surprised. "You haven't?" Kael sat forward slightly, one hand braced on the bed beside my hip. "I never wanted anyone before you," he said. "So I just wanted to get it right." My chest tightened. The words shouldn't have hit that hard, but they did. "You did," I said quietly. "Get it right." I reached for him slowly, letting the sheet slip as I did. My fingers brushed the side of his face, and he turned into the touch like it anchored him. His hand slid around my waist beneath the covers, careful but not hesitant. When he kissed me, it wasn't rushed. There was no urgency, no leftover fire from the night before. It was slow. Deep. Certain.

His lips moved over mine like he was learning me all over again. My hand tangled in the back of his hair as I pulled him closer, my body reacting to his warmth, the familiar palm sliding against my back. I let the sheet fall completely this time, chest to chest, heat rising between us differently. His breath hitched against my mouth when I shifted beneath him, and for a second, it felt like the whole world had narrowed to this. To us. The weight of his body above mine, his hand on my thigh, the slow drag of his mouth down my neck. His lips lingered there, just above my collarbone. "Tell me if you want me to stop," he whispered, voice roughened with restraint. "I don't," I breathed. Kael's hand slid lower, trailing the curve of my hip beneath the sheets. He kissed my shoulder, then lowered the slope of my chest.

His fingers tightened on my waist, holding me steady like he didn't quite trust himself not to lose control. My back arched beneath him when his mouth reached my breast, the brush of his lips soft and reverent. When he took me into his mouth, my breath caught—sharp and unexpected, the sensation too much and not enough all at once. His hand slid up my thigh, then higher, until I gasped, hips shifting into the warmth of his palm. "Kael..." I whispered, but didn't know if it was a question or a plea. He kissed his way back up to my mouth. "You're trembling."

"So are you." He pressed his forehead to mine, breathing hard. "I don't want to rush you."

"You're not," I whispered. "You're not rushing anything." He looked at me like I was the only thing left in the world that made sense. And then he kissed me again—deep and consuming—while his fingers stroked a path higher between my legs, slow and featherlight. I gasped into his mouth, legs parting instinctively, the sheets slipping further down my thighs. His hand stilled at the edge of me, trembling just slightly. I felt the heat building in my core, my breath shallower with each second he lingered there, not quite touching. It was just the promise of it. "Kael," I breathed, hips arching, chasing more. He groaned softly, mouth dragging down my throat again.

"You don't know what you do to me," he whispered against my skin. And then—The doors slammed open. Before I could react, Kael shifted into a low defensive position, kneeling between my legs and turning toward the door, his body blocking mine completely. One hand reached behind him, grabbing the edge of the sheet and pulling it back up over my chest, shielding me without ever looking. Even in defense, his first instinct had been to protect my dignity, not his own. I stayed frozen, my breath caught in my throat. His heat still lingered against my skin, but now it burned with something sharper—exposure. Now that I could see his back, I noticed the scratches—thin, red, and still fresh—carved across his skin from the night before. I hadn't realized I'd marked him. I hadn't realized how many. From behind Kael's shoulder, I saw King Malrik enter, flanked by two guards. His eyes swept the scene—the flush in my cheeks, the sheet barely held in place, and Kael himself: half-dressed, braced, and furious. Kael's voice cut through the room, low and sharp. "Get out." The king's smirk was instant. Slow. Deliberate.

"I was hoping I'd be hearing news of an heir soon," Malrik said dryly, eyes gleaming with thin amusement. "Though I suppose this confirms progress." My stomach twisted, and a fresh wave of heat crawled up my neck. Kael didn't move or blink. "I said get out," he said. His voice was low. Malrik's tone shifted, all sharpness now. "Ashkar's crossed the eastern pass. Two outposts are gone." Kael's body remained still as stone. "I'll meet you in the battle room." A pause. Then Malrik gave a low, mocking him, and turned. The guards followed without a word. The door closed behind them with a quiet click that sounded far too final.

Only then did Kael move. He exhaled—slow and steady—and shifted back, turning to face me. His hand adjusted the sheet more carefully over my chest before sliding away. His eyes met mine. Still kneeling, still close, he asked, "Are you alright?" I nodded, breathless, unable to speak just yet. I hadn't realized how fast my heart beat until the room was quiet again. Kael brushed a hand down his face and finally stood, muscles tense as he crossed to the wardrobe. He dressed quickly and efficiently: tunic, armor, boots, and sword. When he turned back to me, his expression had changed. He wasn't just Kael anymore—he was the soldier, the heir, the weapon this kingdom would unleash. "Stay here. No matter what you hear, don't leave the palace." I nodded again, tighter this time. "You'll come back?" His jaw flexed once. "I will."

He crossed the room, and for a moment, I thought he might kiss me again. Instead, he paused at the door and looked at me over his shoulder. A softness was buried deep beneath the steel, but it was real. Then he left. The silence that followed was somehow louder than the interruption that shattered us. I pulled the sheet tighter around myself, but it did nothing to ease the ache his absence left behind. The sheet still held Kael's warmth, but it was already fading. I let my hand rest where he had been for a moment longer. I'd made this choice. I didn't regret it. But the path ahead suddenly felt colder than I expected without him by my side. And in that quiet, I couldn't shake the feeling that someone was already waiting to take advantage of his absence.