(🔞Warning: This part contains explicit sexual content🔞) not advisable for someone under 🔞
The following morning dawned hazy and gray, a thin veil of fog blanketing the garden behind the palace. Nova stirred in the guest suite she'd been assigned for the night. The luxury around her contrasted sharply with the thoughts racing through her mind. Everything from the whispers she'd overheard the night before, to the mysterious stone, to the mention of Jericho's fiancee, it all formed a tangled web she couldn't begin to unravel.
And worst of all, she was starting to feel things. Real things. For someone she shouldn't even be involved with.
She pulled the velvet curtains apart and looked down at the silver garden below, watching droplets of dew sparkle across the roses. This place felt more magical than any realm she'd read about in books.
There was a knock at her door.
Come in, she called, wrapping a silk robe around her.
It was a maid, young, maybe seventeen, with soft brown eyes and long, wavy hair tucked beneath her headscarf. She looked...familiar, somehow.
Good morning, Miss Nova. His Highness has requested to see you in the east wing after breakfast.
His Highness, Nova repeated dryly. You mean Jericho.
The girl smiled shyly. Yes. Prince Jericho.
Prince.
The word hit Nova harder than she'd expected. She blinked. Of course he was a prince. Everything about him had screamed authority and royalty, but now she had confirmation.
She nodded. Thank you.
The girl lingered at the door.
Do I know you from somewhere? Nova asked, unable to shake the odd familiarity.
The maid's smile wavered. No, miss. I don't believe so
And then she left.
An hour later, Nova found herself standing in the east wing, a massive corridor adorned with portraits of men who looked like Jericho in varying degrees. Ancestors, perhaps. All with piercing eyes.
A tall man greeted her at the door. Not Jericho but someone older, more severe. He had a long scar across one cheek and carried himself like a war general.
Prince Jericho is waiting inside, the man said before swinging the door open.
Nova entered.
The room was vast and circular, with bookshelves lining every wall and a massive sunroof bathing the center in light. Jericho stood at the far end, dressed in a black high-collared suit, his hands clasped behind his back.
He turned when she stepped in.
You slept well? he asked.
Define well, she replied. I had a thousand questions buzzing through my brain."
He gave a small smile. Understandable.
She stepped further into the room, taking in the beauty and mystery of the space.
Tell me the truth, Jericho. Why did you bring me here? And don't say it was just for lunch.
Jericho walked to a nearby table and picked up something small wrapped in silk. He held it out to her.
She hesitated, then unwrapped it.
Her breath caught.
It was a stone glowing faintly blue. Cold to the touch, yet somehow alive.
What is this? she asked, voice hushed.
It's called the Heart of Auroria. It was stolen from our world by a Seer who fled to Earth years ago. We were sent to retrieve it.
She looked at him, wide-eyed. Auroria... your world
He nodded. I wasn't lying when I said I wasn't from around here.
Nova swallowed. She'd expected some kind of explanation, but not this.
So you're telling me... you're not just a prince, but a prince from another world? And you came to Earth on some kind of secret mission to get this back?
Yes.
And I just happened to... what? Fall into your path by accident?
Jericho met her eyes.
Maybe. Maybe not.
Before Nova could ask more, the door swung open again,
Ethan entered, his expression tight.
We have a problem, he said. One of the kitchen boys came in wearing something strange.
Jericho frowned. What do you mean?
A necklace. The one you gave to that girl on Earth.
Nova stiffened. The sun had barely risen in Auroria, casting a golden hue over the castle's pristine towers. But Nova didn't feel any warmth. Not after what she had witnessed the night before.
She hadn't slept. Not a wink. Her mind kept replaying the secret conversation she'd overheard Jericho's name, the necklace, and the stone. Everything tangled together into a web of lies and mystery. She needed answers. The strange part was… she didn't feel afraid. Not in the way she should be. She felt something else.
Determination.
Meanwhile, inside the royal library of the palace, Jericho was buried in ancient scrolls and celestial charts. His brows furrowed as his fingers traced a passage in an old Aurorian text. The mirror only reflects what the heart conceals…
He grunted, slamming the book shut.
The knock came seconds later.
Come in, he said sharply. Carter stepped in, hands clasped.
My Lord, she's awake. And asking to speak with you.
Jericho stood. Send her to the rose garden.
Nova followed Carter's silent lead through the palace corridors. Her heart pounded not with fear, but with anticipation. The palace was full of whispers, secrets cloaked in silk. And she was done pretending.
When they reached the garden, she stepped in alone. It was quiet, the air fragrant with silver roses that shimmered under the dawn light.
And there he was. Jericho.
Dressed in a deep navy cloak, leaning on the marble railing, eyes watching the skies.
You asked for me? Nova said, voice sharper than she intended.
He turned slowly. You're troubled.
I'm not here to talk about feelings, she snapped.
His gaze didn't shift. Then what are you here for?
The necklace, she blurted. The one you gave me back on Earth. What does it mean?
Jericho's eyes narrowed, just slightly.
I found it in the hands of your staff. They said things. Dangerous things. About a stone. About your mission. About lying to your fiancee.
Silence.
Nova stepped closer, daring him.
I trusted you. And now I find out I was just… part of a mission?
No, Jericho said. You were never part of the mission.
Then what was I? A distraction? An accident?
His jaw tightened.
You were the only thing I didn't see coming.
Nova's breath hitched. The admission was raw, quiet, but powerful. Still, it wasn't enough.
And your fiancee? she challenged.
Jericho looked away.
She's royalty. An arrangement made long before I understood what choice felt like.
Nova shook her head. You lied. You told her the necklace was lost.
Because she'd kill you if she knew I gave it to someone else, he answered coldly.
Nova froze. That wasn't a warning.
It was a fact.
Jericho stepped forward slowly.
You want the truth? he whispered. Fine. The stone we came for... it's a relic. A source of power. It was stolen by a seer who ran to Earth. And now, it's back where it belongs.
And me? Nova asked.
You… Jericho stared into her eyes. You're the reason I question everything I've ever known.
Before Nova could reply, the sound of footsteps interrupted them. A woman emerged from the opposite side of the garden tall, graceful, with silver-streaked hair and a venomous smile.
It was Lysandra.
Jericho's fiancée. The chandelier lights flickered softly overhead as Jericho stepped into the study, his presence weighing heavily against the silence. Nova stood still, fists clenched at her side, a thousand thoughts crowding her head like bees swarming a hive. He took a slow breath. You heard them, didn't you?
Nova's jaw twitched. You didn't even try to lie about it. I don't see the point, he replied calmly, voice low. You've always seen through me anyway.
Who are you, Jericho? she asked, voice cracking, finally letting the words out. What are you and your brothers doing here? Why do you even care about me?
His lips parted, but no words came.
Why give me that necklace if it belonged to your fiancée? she pressed, stepping toward him. Was I just part of your mission?
No.
The word echoed sharply between them.
No, he said again, more firmly. Nova, you were never part of the plan. That night at the bar… I didn't expect you. I didn't expect you to haunt me.
You lied to me.
I lied to her, he said sharply. Not you. I never wanted to involve you in this mess.
She scoffed. Too late for that.
They stared at each other in a thick, painful silence. And then...
The door burst open.
A woman entered, regal, poised, and breathtakingly lethal. She wore an emerald gown, her black hair coiled in an elaborate braid that gleamed under the lights. Her heels clicked softly against the marble as she walked in.
Jericho stiffened. Lysandra.
Nova's head turned sharply. That's her?
Lysandra stopped a few feet away, icy eyes flicking over Nova with subtle disgust before resting on Jericho. I see you've made yourself at home, she said, tone sharp as glass.
This is not your business, Lysandra, Jericho muttered.
Everything about you is my business, she replied tightly. You carry my mark, remember? Or did you forget what I gave you before you left Auroria?
Nova felt something twist in her stomach.
Jericho's hands clenched. That mark doesn't give you the right to interrogate me.
Lysandra smirked and turned fully to Nova. Do you even know who he is, sweetheart? Or do you just fall for the pretty eyes?
Leave her out of this, Jericho snapped.
Nova took a slow step back, her breath catching.
What are you hiding, Jericho? she asked, heart hammering. Tell me now.
But Lysandra answered instead.
He's not who you think he is. He's not even from here. And if you knew what that necklace truly meant, you'd run from him.
Nova looked to Jericho, horror rising in her chest.
Is it true? she whispered.
He closed his eyes. Yes.
A heartbeat passed.
Then Nova turned and ran.
Nova! he called, but she was already gone.
Jericho turned to Lysandra, fury in his eyes. You had no right.
She was becoming a problem, she said simply, brushing imaginary dust from her sleeve. And I solve problems.
He stared after the door Nova had disappeared through, pain blooming in his chest.
I'll find her, he murmured.
I wouldn't, Lysandra warned. She's already broken. She won't survive the truth.
But Jericho was already walking out.
And far across the city, Nova ran blindly through the rain, unaware she had just triggered something much deeper than love and far more dangerous.
The door to Jericho's suite shut behind them with a quiet click.
Nova didn't move at first. Her heart pounded like a warning drum, but her body was already betraying her, heat coiling low in her belly, breaths shallow and rapid.
Jericho dropped his jacket onto the armchair, his eyes locked on hers with a steady, unreadable gaze. He didn't rush her, didn't demand or speak. Just watched.
Are you going to say something? she asked, her voice softer than she intended.
I said enough downstairs, he murmured, stepping closer. "Now, I'm asking if you want this.
Nova licked her lips, her throat dry. "
You're dangerous.
I am.
And this… this might ruin everything.
It might.
His hand reached out, brushing a strand of her hair behind her ear. She didn't flinch.
"But if you take one step closer," she whispered, "I'm not responsible for what happens next."
Jericho's lips curled slightly. "Neither am I.
And that was all it took.
Their bodies collided like fire to gasoline.
His lips captured hers, hard and hungry, years of silence erupting into a kiss that stole the air from her lungs. She responded with equal urgency, fingers clawing at the buttons of his shirt. He groaned against her mouth, his hands sliding under her blouse, calloused palms meeting bare skin.
Clothes fell like rain to the marble floor. Her blouse, his shirt, her jeans all gone in a blur of heated desire.
Jericho lifted her effortlessly, carrying her across the room to the massive bed. The world blurred for Nova her mind spinning, her body aching in ways it never had before.
He laid her down with reverence, as if she was made of glass, then hovered over her with dark eyes burning into hers.
Tell me to stop, he whispered, his voice hoarse.
Don't you dare, she breathed.
Their lips crashed again, and this time, it was need, pure and unnamed.
He kissed down her neck, leaving trails of fire, then dipped to her breasts, taking one nipple into his mouth while kneading the other with firm hands. Nova gasped, her back arching as pleasure surged through her.
Jericho's mouth continued downward, licking, kissing, biting softly at her inner thighs until she was trembling beneath him.
When he finally pushed inside her, it was slow, painfully slow, filling her inch by inch.
Nova cried out, her fingers digging into his shoulders.
"God, Jericho…"
He kissed her again, muffling her moans as he moved hard and deep.
Each thrust built her higher. Each sound he made pushed her closer to the edge.
"Look at me," he said between gritted teeth, holding her chin. "Don't look away."
And she did.
She watched the man who stole her first kiss, the man who turned her world upside down, take every piece of her and make it his.
She shattered in his arms moaning his name, clinging to his body like it was the only thing holding her together.
And when he followed, his release crashing through him with a ragged groan, he buried his face in her neck and whispered her name like a prayer.
"Nova…"
They lay in silence afterward, limbs tangled in sweat-damp sheets, hearts still racing.
Nova's eyes fluttered open, her body sore and satisfied.
But somewhere beneath the afterglow, a quiet voice whispered:
This will change everything.