“It’s fine. I asked you not to.” Ehlian reassured him. “I was mostly aware of what was real and what wasn’t. It’s not like I fell in—”
Love? No. That was a step too far. Ehlian didn’t love Hayce. That would’ve been idiotic. Pathetic. He was just confused. Just a little emotionally attached. But there was nothing more to it. Nothing.
Blissfully, Willian ignored Ehlian’s half-finished sentence and pushed himself away from the railing. “What do you say to a walk? It’s nearly sunrise. I bet the view is spectacular from the beach.”
Ehlian nodded, his voice a little weak. “Okay.”
Later on the beach, he tried not to look up at the sky, focusing only on the horizon.
Chapter 17
Ehlian immersed himself in work, and when he wasn’t busy at the shop or spending time with Willian, he took long walks alone. These moments of loneliness helped him rebuild his confidence.
One day he wandered farther than usual, all the way to the outskirts of Alkrion. He stopped when he reached the towering walls of the palace where the Darvaud dynasty resided. The imposing structure was surrounded by a tall, fortified wall, its boundaries patrolled by vigilant royal guards. Ehlian knew there was no chance of catching even a fleeting glimpse of King Cair or the Crown Prince, Prince Klain.
Despite the walks and the long hours of work, Ehlian’s nights remained unchanged. Exhausting himself earned him a few precious hours of sleep, but he always woke up in the middle of the night, memories disturbing his peace.
Tonight they were stronger than ever. He realised that the more he tried to suppress them, the more forcefully they broke through, dragging him back into the vivid past as if it were happening all over again.
His fingernails dug into the sheets as he desperately tried to fend off a particular memory, focusing all his strength on forcing it back. But it was futile. The battle was already lost and he fell, consumed by the memory as though it were his present…
…a loud clank thundered through the prison. The shouts and screams beyond the closed cell door were muffled but grated on Ehlian’s nerves. Could these sodding bastards go even a few weeks without trying to kill each other? Not that he gave a shit anymore. Let them kill each other for all he cared.
His heat had been over a week ago, but he still felt its lingering after-effects. The sudden plunge in his hormone levels left him more sensitive, moodier. Maybe the only thing anchoring him was the strong arms wrapped around him, the steady rise and fall of Hayce’s chest against his back.
“Do you want me to…?” Hayce murmured against his neck, and at the same time Ehlian felt a wave of calm radiating through the pack bond.
“No,” he said, and the calmness ceased abruptly. Ehlian found Hayce’s hand beneath the blanket, entwining their fingers tightly and pressing them against his chest. “This is enough.”
“Sure?”
“Yes.”
“Okay.” Hayce placed a gentle kiss on Ehlian’s bond point, and a rush of warmth spiralled through him, sinking deep in his core. Ehlian barely admitted to himself how much he loved the sensation. The connection.
The worst part was how spending his heat together had deepened whatever this… thing was between them. It was a kind of intimacy you didn’t casually share with just anyone. He should’ve been more cautious and put on a damnBlock Seal.
Sensing Ehlian’s inner turmoil, Hayce kissed his bond point again softly.
“You should stop doing that,” Ehlian warned him softly.
This time, Hayce’s lips peppered light kisses around his bond point, carefully avoiding the centre. “Better?”
“That’s just marking your territory.”
“Is it now?” Hayce’s lips wandered further across Ehlian’s neck, slowly moving to his face and scattering kisses all over.
A laugh slipped out before Ehlian could stop it. “You can’t actually own my face.”
“I like that sound,” Hayce murmured as his lips began a leisure journey downward.
“Stop it,” Ehlian swatted his shoulder playfully, rolling onto his back, but despite himself, he was smiling.
A louder laugh burst from him when Hayce’s mouth brushed a ticklish spot on his belly—one he had discovered during Ehlian’s heat and now wouldn’t leave alone.
“You’re not playing fair,” Ehlian said, biting his bottom lip as Hayce continued to tease.
“I don’t know that word,” Hayce replied with a low rumble. He hooked his thumbs into Ehlian’s pants and began pulling them down.
