“I’m not crossing the line,” I say against her skin. “Just…appreciating you.”
Her laugh is breathy, and her hand comes up to tangle in my hair. I kiss across her shoulders, the slope of her neck, the hollow of her throat. Worshipping her with my mouth, showing herwithout words what I can’t quite bring myself to say: that I need her. That the thought of losing her makes me violent with fear.
I map her skin with my lips, committing every inch to memory. She sighs, melting further into the water. When I finally stop, her eyes are dark with desire, but they’re also warm with a softer emotion.
“You’re impossible,” she says sweetly.
“You love it.”
She looks at me for a long moment, and there’s a warm and honest change in her expression that makes my breath catch. She doesn’t say those three words again, just reaches up to cup my face, her thumb brushing my cheekbone.
The gesture is enough. For now, it’s enough.
I capture her lips with mine, kissing her deeply. Trying to show her that she’s mine, that I’m hers, that this thing between us is real and raw and entirely our own.
“I’m going to make you happy,” I tell her, my voice fierce with promise. “I’m going to show you that choosing me—trusting me—wasn’t a mistake.”
“You already do,” she says, and the simple certainty in her voice undoes me.
I kiss her again, unable to resist. The familiar heat builds between us. The passion in me stirs, wanting to pull her from the tub and take her again.
But I force myself to resist. She needs to rest, to recover. Besides, I meant what I said—I want to take her out and show her something of the world beyond these walls.
“Come on,” I say, helping her from the tub. “Let’s get you dressed. I have plans for us.”
She looks up at me, water streaming down her body, and grins. “What kind of plans?”
“The kind where I get to see you having fun.” I wrap a towel around her, pulling her close, breathing in her scent. “Where Iget to pretend, just for a few hours, that we’re normal. That the world isn’t trying to tear us apart.”
Smiling softly, she reaches up to touch my face. “I’d like that.”
“Then let me give it to you.” I press my forehead to hers. “Let me give you everything.”
And I will. Whatever it takes, whatever the cost. She’s mine—not because of the past, but because of who we are now, in this moment. Because of this passionate, consuming love that belongs to Kieran and Daciana alone.
I’ll burn the world down before I let anyone take her from me.
I pressmy palm against the cool, stone wall of my chambers, calling forth the magic that lives beneath my skin. It responds immediately, a familiar whisper of power that flows through my veins like ice water.
“What are you doing?” Daciana asks from where she’s perched on the edge of the bed, watching me with curious eyes.
“Making us invisible,” I say, feeling the spell take shape around me. It’s subtle, this magic—not a complete concealment, but something far more elegant. The air shimmers slightly, then settles. “Well, not quite invisible. More like…forgettable.”
She tilts her head. “Forgettable?”
“You’ll see.” I hold out my hand to her. “Come on. We need to leave now while the spell is fresh.”
She takes my hand, and I pull her close, wrapping an arm around her waist. The magic extends to encompass her, weaving around the two of us like a second skin.
We step into the corridor, and almost immediately, a servant walks past. His eyes slide over us without recognition, his pace never slowing.
“Did he just—” Daciana starts.
“Shh,” I murmur against her ear. “You’ll see.”
We continue down the hall, passing guards stationed at intervals. Each one looks in our direction, their gazes tracking movement, but there’s no recognition. No challenge. They sense something, someone, but their minds refuse to focus. We’re background noise. Wallpaper. Utterly unremarkable.
At the main entrance, two guards stand at attention. We walk right between them. One shifts slightly, a frown crossing his face, but he doesn’t stop us. Doesn’t even really see us.
