KIERAN'S POV:
I wake up feeling almost a human for the first time in days.
The fever is gone. The body aches are manageable. My head is clear.
And Ravion is staring at me.
"JESUS!" I jolt backward. "How long have you been watching me sleep?!"
"Not long." He's sitting in the chair beside the bed, looking like he hasn't moved since last night. "How do you feel?"
"Better. Much better." I sit up carefully. Everything feels... stable. "The bond?"
"Healing." He reaches over, takes my hand. "Can you feel it?"
I focus on that thread in my chest.
Yesterday it felt raw, Today it just feels... Okay..
"Yeah," I say. "It's better."
Relief floods his face. "Good. That's—that's good."
We sit there holding hands like awkward teenagers.
"So," I finally say. "What now?"
"Now you rest. Recover. Take it easy for a few days."
"I've been in bed for a day and a half. I'm going insane."
"You almost died, Kieran."
"But I didn't. So can I please get up and do something? Anything? I'll go crazy if I stay in this room."
He considers this. "Fine. But nothing strenuous. And I'm staying with you."
"You don't have to—"
"Non-negotiable."
"You're very bossy when you're worried."
"I'm always bossy. You just notice more when you're feeling better." He stands, offering his hand. "Come on. Let's get you fed."
Breakfast is in our chambers because Ravion refuses to let me go to the dining hall.
"Too many stairs," he says.
"It's like twenty stairs!"
"You're recovering."
"From a fever, not a war wound!"
"Kieran."
I give up. Choose my battles and all that.
Elara brings the food herself—mountains of it, because apparently I'm "too thin" and need to "keep my strength up" (with another meaningful wink that makes me want to die).
"Eat, eat!" She piles food on my plate. "You need energy!"
"I'm fine, Grandmother—"
"Nonsense! Look at you, all pale and weak!" More food. "Ravion, make sure he eats everything."
"I will."
"GOOD." She finally leaves, but not before shooting me another wink.
I bury my face in my hands. "She thinks we're—that we're—"
"Having sex?" Ravion says casually, buttering toast.
"DON'T SAY IT SO CASUALLY!"
"Why not? It's a normal part of—"
"STOP TALKING."
He's trying not to laugh. Failing
"I hate you," I mutter.
"You keep saying that." He offers me the toast. "But you keep blushing when you do."
"That's embarrassment, not—not feelings!"
"If you say so."
We eat in semi-comfortable silence. Or I eat. Ravion mostly watches me eat, which is weird but also kind of... sweet?
No. Not sweet. Just weird.
"You're staring again," I point out.
"You're eating. It's a nice change from you being unconscious."
"Wow. The bar is really low, huh?"
"After yesterday? Yes. Extremely low." He reaches across the table, wipes a crumb from my lip with his thumb.
The gesture is so casual.
Our eyes meet.
His thumb lingers on my lip.
The air between us shifts.
"Kieran," he says quietly.
"Yeah?"
"Can I—"
BANG!
The door slams open.
Elara bustles in with more food. "I forgot the jam! Can't have toast without—oh." She stops. Looks at us. At Ravion's hand still on my face. "Oh my. Should I—"
"GRANDMOTHER." Ravion's voice is strained. "We're busy."
"I can see that!" She's beaming. "Don't mind me! Just leaving the jam! You two continue your—"
"OUT."
"Going! Going!" She practically skips out, giggling.
The door closes.
A Silence.
Ravion's hand drops from my face. "I'm going to have a conversation with her about boundaries."
"Please don't. She means well."
"She has terrible timing."
"Yeah," I agree. "She really does."
After breakfast, Ravion insists on giving me a "gentle" tour of the castle's library.
"Because you like books," he says.
"How do you know I like books?"
"You mentioned it. When you were explaining your world. You said you studied literature."
He remembered that?
"Oh. Yeah. I do."
The library is massive. Floor-to-ceiling shelves packed with books that smell like leather and old paper and history.
Comfortable chairs scattered around.
Fireplaces crackling. Windows letting in grey afternoon light.
"This is amazing," I breathe, running my fingers along book spines.
"You can come here whenever you want." Ravion watches me with that soft expression that makes my heart do stupid things. "Consider it yours."
"Mine?"
"You're the consort. What's mine is yours."
"That's..." I don't know what that is. Sweet? Overwhelming? "Thank you."
We wander through the shelves. I pull books randomly, reading titles. Ravion stays close, pointing out rare editions, explaining the history of certain texts.
It's nice.
I'm reaching for a book on a high shelf—too high—stretching on my toes—
"Let me," Ravion says, reaching over me.
His chest presses against my back. His arm extends above my head. His other hand settles on my waist to steady me.
We're very close.
I can feel his breath on my neck.
"This one?" His voice is low.
I've forgotten what book I was reaching for. "Um. Yeah. That one."
He pulls it down. But doesn't move away.
We're still pressed together. His hand still on my waist.
I turn my head slightly. He's right there.
"Kieran," he murmurs.
"Yeah?"
"I'm going to kiss you now."
"Okay—"
CRASH!
Somewhere in the library, a massive pile of books topples over.
We both jump.
A servant appears, looking mortified. "I'm so sorry, Your Majesty! I was just shelving and they all—I'll clean it up right—"
"It's fine," Ravion says through gritted teeth. "Just. Fine."
The servant scurries away.
I start laughing. Can't help it.
"This is a conspiracy," Ravion mutters.
"A conspiracy?"
"The universe is conspiring against me."
"Against you? Pretty sure it's against both of us."
"I've been trying to kiss you for hours!"
"HOURS?"
"Since breakfast!"
"That was like two hours ago!"
"EXACTLY!" He runs a hand through his hair, frustrated. "Every time I get close, something happens!"
"Maybe it's a sign."
"A sign of what?"
"That we... shouldn't?"
He looks at me. Really looks. "Do you not want me to?"
"I—" Do I? Don't I? I'm so confused. "I don't know."
"That's not a no."
"It's not a yes either!"
"It's not a no," he repeats, stepping closer. "Which means there's a chance. Which means I'm going to keep trying."
"You're ridiculous."
"I'm determined." He takes my hand. "Come on. Let's go somewhere with fewer... interruptions."
"Somewhere with fewer interruptions" apparently means the gardens.
Because Ravion is a romantic beneath all that Dark King brooding.
It's actually beautiful out here. The black roses are in bloom. Silver flowers glow faintly in the fading light. The fountain with crystal-clear water creates a peaceful sound.
We sit on a bench beside the fountain.
"This is nice," I admit.
"It was my mother's favorite place."
"She had good taste."
"She did." He's quiet for a moment. "She would have liked you."
"Even though I'm a fake prophecy child who crashed into your life by accident?"
"Especially because of that." He smiles. "She always said the best things in life are unexpected."
My chest does that squeezing thing again.
"Ravion—"
"I know we started badly," he interrupts. "I know I kidnapped you and forced you into marriage and everything that followed was not your choice. But Kieran—" He turns to face me fully. "I want this to be your choice. Going forward. I want—"
A bird shits on his head.
I'm not kidding.
A bird. From the tree above us. Shits. Directly. On his head.
We both freeze.
"Did a bird just—" I start.
"Yes." His voice is deadly calm. "Yes it did."
I try so hard not to laugh.
Fail.
I'm howling. Doubled over. Tears streaming down my face. "I'M SORRY! I'M SO—" More laughter. "IT'S NOT FUNNY but it's SO FUNNY!"
Ravion just sits there. Bird shit in his hair. Expression blank.
"I'm being punished," he says. "For some past transgression. This is divine retribution."
"It's a BIRD!" I'm still laughing. Can't breathe. "Not divine retribution!"
"A bird with perfect aim and terrible timing." He stands. "I'm going to clean this off. Stay here. Don't move. I'll be right back."
He stalks off toward the castle, muttering about "cursed birds" and "cosmic conspiracies."
I sit there alone, still giggling.
The universe really doesn't want them to kiss.
Twenty minutes later, Ravion returns. Clean. Slightly damp. Looking determined.
"Okay," he announces. "New plan."
"What plan?"
"We're going to my chambers. Where there are no servants, no grandmothers, no birds, and no interruptions." He offers his hand. "Coming?"
I should say no.
Should point out that going to his chambers with the explicit purpose of kissing is maybe moving too fast.
But I'm curious now.
And maybe—maybe—I kind of want to.
"Fine," I say, taking his hand. "But if something else interrupts—"
"Then the universe wins and I give up forever."
"Deal."
We make it to the chambers.
No interruptions.
Ravion locks the door. Actually locks it.
"Okay," he says, turning to face me. "No more interruptions."
"You locked the door."
"I'm taking precautions."
"That's very—"
He crosses the room. Cups my face. Leans down.
"No more talking," he murmurs. "Please."
"Okay—"
He kisses me.
Finally.
His lips are cool. Gentle. Patient.
I freeze for half a second—because this is happening, we're actually kissing—
Then I relax into it.
My hands come up to his chest. His arms wrap around my waist. The kiss deepens—still gentle but more sure.
The bond in my chest sings.
When we finally break apart, we're both breathing hard.
"Finally," Ravion breathes.
"Yeah," I whisper. "Finally."
"Was it—was that okay?"
"Are you seriously asking if you're a good kisser?"
"I'm asking if you're okay."
Oh.
Oh.
"Yeah," I say softly. "I'm okay. That was... good. Really good."
His smile could light up the entire kingdom.
"Can I do it again?"
"Please."
He kisses me again. Longer this time.
My fingers curl into his shirt. His hand slides into my hair.
Someone pounds on the door.
"YOUR MAJESTY!" A guard's voice. "URGENT NEWS FROM THE BORDER!"
Ravion pulls back, resting his forehead against mine.
"I'm going to murder everyone," he mutters.
"You can't murder your entire kingdom."
"Watch me."
But he's smiling.
And so am I.
Because we finally kissed.
And the universe can go fuck itself.