He met my gaze with those pretty eyes, and the trust I saw there nearly brought me to my knees. "With you? I'm ready for anything."
I kissed him then, soft and claiming, tasting the promise of all our shared tomorrows on his lips. When we broke apart, both breathing harder, I gathered him close once more.
"Then welcome to our temporary home," I said, pushing open the carved wooden door. "Let me show you exactly how well I intend to care for you over the next four weeks."
The smile he gave me was radiant as sunrise, fullof anticipation and desire and the kind of joy that made the bond between us sing with perfect harmony.
We crossed the threshold together, into our new reality, our shared exploration.
Into twenty-eight days of discovering exactly what we could become together.
The chambers beyond the threshold were a revelation in contrasts, designed with the meticulous attention to detail that marked all sacred spaces but tailored specifically for our unique pairing. Moonlight streamed through tall windows, illuminating a space that had been divided into distinct yet harmonious sections—a living testament to the union of sword and scroll.
To the left, a scholar's sanctuary: shelves lined with leather-bound volumes and carefully rolled scrolls, their spines gleaming with gilt lettering in the silver light. A writing desk of polished oak dominated one corner, its surface arranged with pristine parchment, quills trimmed to perfect points, and bottles of ink in various shades. A reading nook beckoned from beside the largest window, cushioned in deep blue velvet and positioned to catch the best natural light.
But it was the right side of the chamber that made Rion's breath catch audibly.
A militant's domain spread before us: detailed maps pinned to the walls showing troop movements and strategic positions, leather-bound reports stacked with military precision on a campaign table, weapons displays featuring ceremonial blades that gleamed like captured starlight. Charts tracking battalionformations hung beside tactical scrolls, and a armor stand held pieces that spoke of rank and achievement.
I watched Rion's face as he took it all in, cataloging every detail with the intensity of someone viewing their future laid out in tangible form. His big eyes brightened with unmistakable hunger as they lingered on the promotion schedules pinned to a notice board, the commendation scrolls arranged in order of precedence, the tactical manuals that would guide his rise through the militant ranks.
Something cold and sharp twisted in my chest.
Of course. The successful completion of a cross-Order bond would advance his military career significantly—exactly what an ambitious young soldier would need to achieve his goals. Twenty-eight days of playing the submissive partner, of allowing me to dominate and guide him, and then he would return to his own life with enhanced status and expanded opportunities.
The realization hit me like ice water despite the warmth still radiating from our joining. I had been so caught up in the rightness of our dynamic, so intoxicated by his surrender, that I'd allowed myself to forget this was temporary. A means to an end. A stepping stone in his carefully planned ascent through the militant hierarchy.
"This is incredible," Rion said softly, moving toward the military displays with reverence that made my throat tighten. "I've never seen tactical charts this detailed, or promotion guidelines laid out so clearly."
He reached out to trace one of the maps with afingertip, his touch gentle despite the obvious excitement in his posture. "Captain Thane mentioned that successful cross-Order bonds often lead to advancement opportunities, but seeing it like this..."
The words trailed off, but I could hear the unspoken completion:seeing it like this makes it real. Makes the goal tangible. Makes the twenty-eight days of submission worth enduring for the career benefits that would follow.
I forced my expression to remain neutral, even encouraging, though something vital seemed to be withering inside my chest. Of course he was focused on advancement. Why wouldn't he be? He was young, ambitious, talented—exactly the kind of soldier the militant Order prized. Our bond was simply another campaign to be won, another objective to be achieved through strategic planning and careful execution.
The fact that it felt like something sacred to me was irrelevant.
"Come," I said, my voice steady despite the turmoil beneath. "Let's not dwell on the future tonight. We have wine, and cushions, and twenty-eight days to explore what we've begun."
I guided him away from the militant displays toward the center of the chamber, where neutral territory had been created for shared moments. Soft cushions in rich jewel tones surrounded a low table laden with refreshments—watered wine in a crystal pitcher, golden chalices that caught the moonlight, platters of fruit and cheese and delicate pastries that spoke of celebration rather than mere sustenance.
This was where we would build whatever connection was possible within the constraints of our temporary arrangement. Where I would learn to be content with borrowed time and stolen moments, however precious they might be.
Rion settled onto the cushions with fluid grace, the movement reminding me of how beautifully he'd surrendered on the altar, how perfectly he'd fit beneath me. The memory sent heat spiraling through my belly despite the chill that had settled around my heart.
"This feels like a dream," he said, accepting the chalice I offered with hands that trembled slightly. "A few hours ago, I was terrified of disappointing you, of failing at something I'd never attempted. Now..."
"Now?" I prompted, settling beside him close enough to feel his warmth but careful not to crowd.
"Now I feel like I've found something I didn't know I was searching for." He took a sip of wine, then looked at me with those big eyes that seemed to see straight through every defense I'd ever constructed. "You make me feel powerful in my surrender, Kaelen. Like yielding to you doesn't diminish me."
The words hit me with devastating accuracy, describing exactly what I'd felt watching him kneel, watching him submit, watching him open himself to my dominance with such beautiful trust. But they also served as a reminder of what this was—a temporary transformation, a borrowed identity that would be shed like ceremonial robes at the end of our allotted time.
"You were magnificent," I said, which was nothing but truth. "The way you trusted me, the way you responded... I've never experienced anything like it."
"Neither have I." He shifted closer, close enough that our knees touched, and the contact sent familiar heat racing through my veins. "I keep thinking about tomorrow, about waking up beside you, about what other things you might teach me."
The casual assumption that we would continue exploring, that tomorrow would bring new discoveries and deeper connection, made my chest ache with longing and loss combined. How many mornings would we have? How many nights before duty called him back to his true purpose?
