Three years after escaping the curse, Rhys and Liam's life had settled into comfortable domesticity.
Their apartment was filled with Rhys's artwork and Liam's law books. Sunday mornings meant coffee in bed and reading the paper together. Evenings were cooking dinner side by side, discussing their days, existing in easy partnership.
"I have a case in Boston next week," Liam mentioned over dinner. "Three days. Will you be okay alone?"
"I'm not fragile anymore," Rhys said, but smiled to soften it. "I'll be fine. Might use the time to work on the new series."
"The one about transformation?"
"Metamorphosis, specifically. Butterflies emerging from cocoons. Very obvious metaphor, I know."
"Obvious doesn't mean bad." Liam reached across the table, took his hand. "You've transformed. From victim to survivor to someone thriving. That's worth celebrating."
Rhys squeezed back. "We both have. You've helped me more than you know."
"That's what partners do."
The word still sent warmth through Rhys's chest. Partners. Not possessor and possessed. Not captor and captive. Equal partners building a life together.
That night, they made love slowly, tenderly—so different from the cold possession Pryce had inflicted.
Liam was warm, patient, checking in constantly. "Is this okay? Do you want me to stop? What feels good?"
Rhys answered with kisses and gasps, losing himself in sensation that was about mutual pleasure, not control.
Afterward, wrapped in Liam's arms, Rhys said quietly: "Sometimes I still have nightmares about the palace. About him."
"I know. You talk in your sleep sometimes."
"Does it bother you? That I'm still affected?"
"No." Liam kissed his temple. "Trauma doesn't have an expiration date. You're allowed to still be processing what happened."
"Do you think about Cassian? About that life?"
"Sometimes. But mostly I'm just grateful that life led us here." Liam pulled him closer. "Every lifetime, every failure, it all led to this moment. To us, choosing each other freely."
Rhys smiled against his chest. "Very romantic for a lawyer."
"I have hidden depths."
They fell asleep tangled together, safe and warm and choosing each other with every breath.