The first rays of dawn bled over Solaris, golden light streaming through the stained glass of the royal chambers. But inside the palace, there was no warmth. No salvation.
Only silence.
Only guilt.
Elyndra Valcrest sat at her vanity, eyes fixed on her reflection—but she barely recognized the woman staring back. Her golden hair fell in perfect waves, her royal gown immaculate, yet the illusion crumbled at the edges.
Last night lived beneath her skin.
Her fingertips hovered at her lips—still remembering the heat of Kael's kiss. It hadn't been a violent storm. It had been soft. Deliberate. Dangerous. A temptation she hadn't just allowed…
She had wanted it.
A whisper echoed in her mind, still laced with his voice:
"One taste of sin, and you'll never crave virtue again."
She'd dismissed it as arrogance then.
Now, she wasn't so sure.
A knock at her door cut through her spiraling thoughts like a blade.
"Come in," she said, steadying her voice. The royal mask slid back into place.
The door opened—and there he stood.
Auron Starfire.
Her hero. Her fiancé.
The man she was supposed to love.
His golden armor gleamed in the morning light, a vision of everything noble. But Elyndra felt only dread. Shame crawled up her spine as he stepped forward, gaze searching her face.
"You didn't return last night," he said quietly.
Her breath faltered. "I needed time. I… couldn't sleep."
Auron studied her. "You've been distant. Is something wrong?"
Everything is wrong.
"I'm just overwhelmed," she said, her tone light but distant. "There's so much—pressure, expectations, war…"
His hand reached for hers.
It used to feel comforting.
Now it felt foreign.
Her fingers pulled away before she could stop them. Auron's expression hardened.
"It's Kael, isn't it?"
Her heart skipped. Her gaze snapped to him.
Auron's voice lowered. "He's dangerous. I've seen the way he looks at you."
You haven't seen the way I look back.
She turned to the window, unable to meet his gaze. "He's a manipulator, yes. But I know my duty."
Auron stepped behind her, voice softer now. "I know you won't fail me."
But I already have.
She closed her eyes. If he knew… if he saw what lived behind her silence… would he still look at her the same way?
Would she?
Elsewhere – Kael's Chambers
Kael Ardyn swirled the wine in his goblet, watching the crimson liquid catch the light like blood. The taste of victory lingered on his tongue, sweeter than any vintage.
She had kissed him.
Hesitant, trembling—but she had kissed him.
And guilt was already eating her alive.
Perfect.
Guilt was a slow poison. It corroded certainty, melted loyalty. It turned saints into sinners long before they realized they'd fallen.
He didn't need to seduce her again tonight.
He just needed to wait.
Let her sink into the hollowness of her purity.
Let her compare the Hero's sacred love with the hunger she felt in Kael's touch.
A knock broke his reverie.
"My lord," a servant said, bowing, "The war council requests your presence."
Ah, yes. The war.
Kael set the goblet aside and rose.
Let them play at strategy. Let the generals argue.
His real battlefield was the heart of a woman.
And she was already bleeding.
To be continued…