The evening came slowly, dragging shadows across the walls of Cliffland as if the day itself was reluctant to end.
Maria stood at the edge of her chamber for a long time before she moved.
The room felt smaller than usual. The air heavier. Every corner seemed to whisper the same thing back at her, over and over again.
Tell him. Her fingers curled slightly at her sides. She had said she would leave. She had said she would not tell him. She had convinced herself it was the right thing.
But the thought would not leave her. The child. His child.
Her chest tightened. "No," she whispered under her breath, shaking her head once as if trying to push the thought away. "He does not deserve to know."
But even as she said it, something inside her resisted. Not logic. Not pride, but something deeper. Something that refused to stay silent.
She exhaled sharply, then turned..Her steps were firm now. Decided. Even if the decision felt like it was tearing through her from the inside.
"If this is the last time I speak to him," she murmured quietly to herself, "then it will be the last time."
The corridor outside welcomed her with silence. Servants stepped aside as she passed. Guards straightened. Heads bowed.
"Commander."
"General."
She did not respond. Her eyes remained forward. The castle rose around her, familiar, yet distant now. Like a place she had already begun to leave behind.
When she reached the main hall, she did not slow. "Inform the king that I wish to speak with him," she said. Her voice was steady.
The guard bowed immediately. "Yes, my lady." He hurried off. Maria remained where she stood.
Waiting.
Her fingers tightened slightly..The seconds stretched. Then, footsteps. Not the guard. She knew the rhythm before she even turned.
Havana.
Maria's expression did not change, but something in her posture stiffened slightly.
Havana approached slowly, her eyes scanning Maria from head to toe, not missing a single detail.
"General Maria," she said, her tone light, almost amused. "It does not seem like you came for official duty."
Maria bowed her head slightly. "Forgive me, my lady. I have some urgent discussion to have with the king."
Havana smiled. Not warm. Not kind. She stepped closer. Closer than necessary. Then leaned slightly toward Maria's ear.
"You suddenly became desperate because he no longer shows up in the forest?" she whispered.
The words slid in quietly. Sharp, and precise.
Maria's jaw tightened instantly. Her fingers curled into fists. But she said nothing. Not a word.
Havana leaned back, studying her face, searching for cracks.
She found them. Small, but there. Before she could press further, the guard returned. "The king requests you to join him in his private chambers."
Maria bowed once, then turned. She did not look at Havana again. She followed the guard without hesitation. Behind her, Havana's expression shifted. The faint amusement disappeared. Replaced by something colder. Her brows drew together slightly. "They now commit their sin within the castle," she muttered under her breath.
Inside Drexo's chamber, he stood still. His hands were clenched at his sides, his jaw tight, his breathing controlled but uneven beneath the surface.
He had been standing there for a while. Waiting, preparing. His thoughts would not stay in line.
Her image was constantly coming. Her face, her voice, the forest, the nights. They all pressed against him at once.
"I must not look at her," he whispered to himself. His voice was low. Barely there. "I must end this without staring at her eyes."
His chest rose. "And she must leave." The words sounded firm. But his hands trembled slightly.
Then, a knock. It cut through everything. He froze for a second, then straightened. "Come in," he said.
The door opened. Maria stepped in. The air shifted immediately. She shut the door behind her firmly. "Drexo, we have to talk." Her voice hit him harder than he expected.
His body reacted before his mind could catch up. A slight tremor. A flicker in his expression. The way she said his name, It pulled at something deep inside him.
He clenched his fists harder. Do not turn. Do not look. He kept his back to her. "I am your king," he said, his voice colder than he intended. "And you will address me as one."
The words landed. Heavy, Maria stiffened. Her lips parted slightly. Her brows pulled together. This was not the tone she knew. This was not the man who whispered her name in the dark.
She swallowed. Tried to speak, but Drexo spoke first. "What we had was a mistake." The words came out quickly. As if he was afraid he would lose his courage if he slowed down.
"It was stupid of me to break my oath to Friya." Each word felt heavier than the last. "I do not want to continue it anymore."
Silence stretched. It fell hard. Maria did not move. She did not breathe. For a moment, it felt like the room had frozen around her.
Then, she forced the words out. "Did you ever love me?" Her voice was softer now. But it carried something sharper beneath it. "or were you just using me like you have used the others?"
The question hung between them. Drexo closed his eyes briefly. The truth burned at the back of his throat. He knew it. He felt it. But he also knew, if he say it, she would not leave.
And if she did not leave, she would die. His jaw tightened. He forced the words out. "What makes you think you are better than the rest?"
Each word was cut. "Because you are a warrior?"
Maria staggered. It was small, barely noticeable, but it was there.
The impact.
Like something inside her cracked. Her eyes widened slightly. "You won't even pretend?" she asked. There was no anger in her voice. Not yet, just disbelief.
Drexo turned, finally. His face was hard, cold, and unfamiliar. "No," he said. "It is time to be a king."
He took a step forward. "And a husband." Another step. "My time as a playboy has ended."
The words landed like blows. One after another.
Maria's fists clenched tightly. Her nails dug into her palms. Her breathing changed.
Faster, and sharper. Her jaw tightened. "You monster," she spat.
She stepped closer. Close enough now to see every detail on his face. Close enough to feel the distance between them.
Drexo did not move. "If you are done talking, leave," he said, pointing toward the door.
Maria's eyes burned. Not with tears. But with something hotter. Something more dangerous. "Not before I kill you."
She moved fast. Her body reacted before her mind could stop it. She lunged. "Guards!" Drexo shouted.
The door burst open immediately. Footsteps rushed in. Steel shifted. Maria froze mid-step. Her chest rose and fell sharply. Her eyes flickered between the guards. Then back to Drexo.
For a moment, just a moment, something passed between them.
Pain, and regret.
Something unspoken, then it was gone.
Maria turned slowly. Her movements were controlled now. She walked toward the door. Past the guards. Past everything. She did not look back. The door closed behind her, and silence returned.
Drexo stood there, unmoving. The strength left his body slowly. His shoulders dropped. His hands loosened. He stared at the door. As if expecting it to open again. As if hoping it would. It did not.
He sank onto the bed. His body felt heavier than it had ever been. His chest tightened. His breathing faltered. "I am sorry," he whispered.
The words broke this time. No control. No strength. "I love you." His voice dropped further. Barely there. "But I have to let you go."
His eyes closed. "so you can live." And for the first time, the silence in the room felt unbearable.