“Your bath is ready, my Lord,” one of the servants says as he places fresh towels and a robe near the clawfoot tub, already filled with steaming water.
“Thank you,” I reply.
I step toward the balcony, and my entire focus sharpens. In the courtyard garden below, a figure in emerald silk walks alone among the hedges.
My heart leaps in my chest. It’s Vivienne.
I want to speak with her. Now.
The servant bows and excuses himself. The moment the door clicks shut, I strip and bathe quickly, scrubbing the dirt and grime from my skin. When I’m finished, I dress in simple, dark clothing—a tunic and trousers, something a soldier might wear in the evening. I don’t want her to know who I am yet.
Not until tomorrow.
I slip out of my chambers and make my way down to the garden. When I reach it, I find her sitting on a stone bench near a reflecting pool, the moonlight lending a soft glow to her skin. Her expression is unreadable, as she stares at the water, as if searching for something beneath its still surface.
Cautiously, I approach. “Pardon me, but is this seat taken?”
She huffs, no doubt ready to give me a thorough tongue lashing, but before she can, I lower myself onto the bench beside her.
The moment our eyes meet, something inside me snaps into place, complete and irrevocable, as if the world has just narrowed to one singular truth.
Vivienne is my fated one.The sacred words echo in my mind, as deep as the ocean and vast as the stars. She is the other half of my soul.She is mine and I am hers.
I don’t know why this didn’t reveal itself in the ballroom. I already knew I wanted Vivienne, but now… I would burn entire kingdoms to ash if she asked me to.
Her green eyes flash with indignation. “Excuse me, but I don’t recall inviting you to sit.”
She’s human, so I’m not surprised she doesn’t feel the connection. Her people don’t have fated bonds like mine do.
“No, you did not.” A smile tugs at my lips. “But you looked lonely.”
I’m aware of every inch of space between us… and how much I long to close it.
She lets out a slow breath, as if summoning patience. “Oh,” she says flatly. “It’syou.”
I smirk. “You sound thrilled.”
“At least you’re bathed now.” She sighs heavily. “Though clearly, soldiers still lack manners.”
I stifle a chuckle.Gods, I enjoy her.
She narrows her eyes. “You’re here with the Dark Elf King. Doesn’t he have need of you?”
I smile, encouraged that she remembers my face even as she tries to dismiss me. “He has a name, you know,” I tease lightly, wanting to hear my name on her lips.
“Well,” she says, tipping up her chin. “He wasn’t presented to me, so you’ll have to forgive me if I don’t know it.”
At first, I’m disappointed, but then I realize the opportunity this presents. If she doesn’t know the Dark Elf King’s name…
“Aren’t you supposed to be guarding him?” she asks. “Youarehis soldier, are you not?”
“My king knows where I am. And at the moment, he has no need of me.” I lean back. “So I thought I’d enjoy the evening outside.”
It seems she’s not used to someone ignoring her dismissal. A hint of irritation shifts into her gaze as she scoots away from me on the bench.
Every instinct I possess urges me to reach for her, but I force myself to remain still.
“And just why do you care about the outside?” She crosses her arms. “Don’t Dark Elves live in underground caves?”
