Aurelia pulled the robe around her shoulders with trembling fingers, the fabric dragging across skin still burning from the force of everything that happened.
Her legs nearly buckled beneath her as she stepped out of his chamber; each movement sent a throb of pain through her hips, her thighs, her neck where his hand had held her down too tightly.
The hallway felt colder than before.
Too wide.
Her breath hitched as she lifted her hand to her throat—
his words echoing there like bruises:
"You're mine. Every inch of you.
And if I ever see you with him—my brother—
I'll cut your neck off myself."
The threat lingered like a blade still pressed to her skin.
She swallowed, but it hurt.
Her steps were uneven, shaky, almost dragging as she forced herself farther from his chamber. It felt as though her body had been hollowed out and filled again with something sharp.
Click.
She finally closed the heavy door behind her, the sound echoed down the halls like a warning bell.
Sorana shot up from where she had been waiting, her eyes widening instantly.
"My lady—"
Her voice cracked. "Are you alright?"
Aurelia tried to answer, but her throat tightened.
She took one step toward her—and nearly fell.
"You shouldn't even be standing," Sorana whispered, panic rising in her voice. "Come—lean on me. We must get you to your room before anyone sees you like this."
Aurelia nodded weakly, breath shallow, the pain pulsing through her with every step.
Aurelia didn't know what terrified her more—
the memory of his hands on her,
or the cold truth of his threat.
------------------------------
The next morning...
Aurelia woke with a sharp pull in her chest—
a reminder before her eyes were even open.
Her body ached. Every part of her felt used, stretched, trembling with the memory of last night. Her legs quivered, refusing to support her at first, and her throat burned painfully when she swallowed, raw from tension and the lingering pulse of desire.
Sunlight poured into the room, harsh and unrelenting, washing over her like an unforgiving witness. It felt too bright, too honest, as if it could see everything she had endured, everything she had allowed.
Slowly, she pushed herself upright.
A sting shot through her waist, and she sucked in a sharp breath, fingers digging into the sheets as though the fabric could anchor her to something solid. Her pulse hammered in her ears, fast, relentless, each beat a reminder of him—of last night, of her body remembering before her mind had fully caught up.
She glanced down, startled. Her clothing had changed.
Sorana slept on the couch in the corner, silent, her presence both comforting and a reminder of how exposed she truly was.
Aurelia lazily pushed herself up, ignoring the thought of bathing. Her body still ached, muscles stiff and tender from last night. She slipped into a black gown she had seen earlier, the fabric soft against her skin, a small comfort in the morning light.
Her eyes fell on the book resting on the desk, its pages empty and waiting. The ink called to her, a quiet insistence, and she felt the pull to write—to put thoughts, desires, and the chaos of her heart onto paper.
The sudden creak of the door made her tense. She wondered if it was another guard coming for her, as always.
A figure stepped inside, covered in steel armor, the clink of metal echoing softly in the chamber.
"If it's Teneb…" she started, the words dying on her lips as he lifted the covering from his face.
It was Kaelen—the same man she had danced with yesterday.
Aurelia was silent for a moment, her chest rising and falling with each sharp inhale. She could hear her own heartbeat, loud and insistent in the stillness of the room.
Tub-dub… tub-dub…
Kaelen's voice cut through the quiet, low but sharp. "You would have told me who you were?" he asked, the question hanging like a blade in the air.
"I…" Aurelia hesitated, words failing her as the weight of the previous day pressed down on her.
"You would have told me you were just one of Tenebrarum's hallots," he finished for her, eyes scanning her face with something unreadable—curiosity, disbelief, and a hint of something darker.
"Yeah," Aurelia forced out, though her voice barely cooperated. "I belong to Tenebrarum. And you should leave."
Kaelen didn't move.
He only took one step closer, steel armor whispering as it shifted. His eyes were sharp—too sharp—as if he could read every lie in her breath.
"No," he said quietly. "Not until you answer me."
Her throat tightened.
"The question is do...," Kaelen replied softly, taking a step closer, his gaze locking onto hers. "Do you want to belong to him?"
The question hit her harder than she expected.
Did she? Her mind swirled, uncertain, caught between fear, loyalty, and something she didn't dare name.
She looked up—into his eyes. Ocean-like, deep, impossible to read, yet they seemed to pull at her very soul.
For a moment, the room shrank around them. The sunlight catching the faint gold flecks in his irises made it almost unbearable to look away.
Her throat went dry, and all she could do was stand frozen, unable to answer, feeling the weight of the question settle like stones in her chest.
Sorana's eyes opened, and the moment she saw Prince Kaelen, she bowed low, then glanced toward Aurelia, inclining her head respectfully as well.
"My prince… my lady," she murmured, her voice soft, almost reverent.
Kaelen ignored Sorana entirely, his eyes locked on Aurelia as if the rest of the world didn't exist.
Every step he took radiated authority, power, and something far more personal—an insistence that left no room for argument.
"I want to take you somewhere," he said, his fingers brushing hers deliberately, slow and intentional. The touch was light, but it carried a weight that made her chest tighten.
"I… I can't," Aurelia murmured, bowing slightly, heart hammering.
"I'm not asking," he said, his tone low, sharp, like a blade cutting through hesitation.
Before she could respond, he reached for the black cloak folded neatly in his hand. In one swift motion, he pulled it over her head, the fabric falling over her shoulders, shrouding her in shadow.
The hood engulfed her, dimming the sunlight that had poured through her window, leaving her in semi-darkness.
Without another word, he guided her out of the room, his grip firm and unrelenting.
"Wow…" Sorana's voice whispered behind them, a mixture of awe and disbelief.
She remained rooted to the spot, unable to fathom seeing Aurelia being taken by Tenebrarum's brother—Prince Kaelen himself.
----------------------------
To be continued...