Outside, Daed stands still, his hand pressed against the door, waiting for an answer. But I don’t give one. All I can do is sit in silence, trying to hold on to whatever part of myself hasn’t been taken by the moonlight.
I wake where I last remember—curled up on the cold stone floor of my chambers, the remnants of the berries’ intoxicating power still lingering in my veins. It’s the early hours of the morning, the Lover’s Eye still high in the sky, casting its full glow throughthe windows and across the room. The moon’s light feels too bright, too intimate, like it knows all my secrets, like it has been watching me all night.
I sit up, rubbing my eyes, feeling weary and weak. My body aches, but beneath the heaviness, there’s something else—a slow, simmering desire that refuses to fade. It stirs in the pit of my stomach, reminding me of the way Daed touched me, how his hands had explored my skin with such hunger, how I had wanted him in a way that scared me.
I crave him still, despite the clarity that has returned to me. I’m not sure if it's the berries, the moon, or simply him, but the need to be desired, to be wanted, pulls at me like a tide I can’t resist. My whole life has been spent putting others first, bending to duty and obligation at the expense of my own happiness. But Daed—Daed is the only one who makes me feel something just for myself. And as much as he terrifies me, as much as his power and cruelty frightens me, I cannot deny that I feel more alive when I am with him than I have ever felt before.
I rise to my feet, unsteady but determined. The castle is eerily quiet, only the sound of my bare feet padding softly against the stone as I leave my chambers. The moonlight follows me, pale and soft, casting long shadows across the halls as I move. I don’t know exactly where I’m going, but my feet seem to know the way.
I need to see him.
When I reach his door, I pause, gathering myself, trying to calm the whirlwind of emotions swirling inside me. I should turn back. I should leave him alone. But I can’t. Not now.
I push open the door quietly, stepping inside. The room is dim, shadows dancing in the corners, but the balcony doors are wide open, and standing there, shirtless and bathed in the moonlight, is Daed. His broad back is turned to me, his black runes catchingthe moon’s glow, making him look like a figure carved from shadow and stone.
My breath catches in my throat, and I stand frozen, watching him. His body is tense, as if even in the stillness of the night, he cannot rest. I see the muscles in his back shift as he moves slightly, his hands gripping the balcony railing as he stares out at the sea, lost in thought.
I take a step forward, my fingers brushing the doorframe for support. He hears me, his head turning just enough for me to catch the edge of his profile, his jaw clenched, his eyes still fixed on the horizon.
“Amara,” he says softly, his voice low and rough, like he’s been waiting for me.
I swallow, my throat dry, the sound of his voice sending shivers through me. I want to say something, anything, but the words won’t come. Instead, I take another step forward, the cool night air from the balcony brushing against my skin as I move closer to him. He steps away from the balcony, closing the distance between us. The sight of him, shirtless, his pants low on his hips, bathed in the light of the Lover’s Eye, is more intoxicating than any wine or berry.
“Why are you here?” he asks, his voice quiet but intense, his gray eyes searching mine.
“You know why,” I say, meeting his gaze, stopping short of telling him how desperate I am to feel his touch again.
“You shouldn’t be here,” he says coldly. “Go back to your room, wife.”
I can feel the heat rising in my chest, a swell of anger and frustration that I can’t keep in anymore. My hands ball into fists at my sides, the rejection tightening in my throat like a noose.
“Why do you keep doing this?” I shout, my voice echoing in the night. “You pull me in, make me feel like there’s something real between us, and then you just—reject me!Overandoveragain!”
Daed flinches, but remains silent, which makes my fury boil hotter.
“Was it the moon? Tell me, Daed,” I demand, my voice trembling with hurt and fury. “Do you even want me? Or is this all just some twisted game to you?”
His jaw clenches so tight I can see the muscle ticking beneath his skin. But his eyes—his eyes burn with something dangerous, something he’s trying desperately to hold back.
“Amara,” he starts, his voice low, gravelly, like he’s forcing the words out. “You don’t understand—”
“No!” I cut him off, stepping closer, daring him to look me in the eye. “I’m done with excuses! I need to know. Do you want me or not?”
He stares at me, his stormy eyes swirling with so many emotions it almost knocks the breath out of me. His chest heaves, and I can see him struggling, wrestling with whatever storm is brewing inside him. For a moment, I think he’s going to push me away again, that I’ll have to endure the sting of his rejection one more time.
But then, something snaps.
“I have never wanted anything more in my life,” he says, the words ripping out of him like a confession. His voice cracks, raw with emotion. “You consume my every thought, Amara. I can’t sleep, I can’t breathe without thinking of you. You—” His voice falters, and he takes a step toward me, the intensity of his gaze pinning me in place. “You are maddening. The very thought of you drives me to the edge, every damn moment.”
But in the same breath, I feel him pull back, and that’s when I decide I’m done with the games.
With a swift motion, I pull at the ties of my dress, and it falls to the floor, leaving me standing there bare beneath the Lover’s Eye.
“This is what I look like wearing nothing but moonlight,” I say, daring him to turn away now.
His eyes darken, his breath hitching as he takes me in, the struggle in him clear as day. But this time, it’s not enough. He can’t resist. Not anymore.
And neither can I.
