Meisha cleared her throat, the sound thin and rough. "Well…"
Kaydence shifted closer on the side of the bed, giving her his full, unwavering attention. His posture was straight, alert — the stance of a commander receiving a report, but softened by the worry still lingering in his eyes.
"When I left for my servant duties this morning," she began, "I was assigned the task of looking after Lord Varrick by the head butler."
Kaydence's brows drew together. "Why?"
"It was informed that Duke Hennis and his brother were to arrive today… sometime around mid‑afternoon." She released a long, weary exhale, the memories replaying behind her eyes like a weight pressing on her chest. "Whenever they're due to arrive, Varrick is always on edge. He finds any reason to cuss and throw a fit and today would've been no different."
Kaydence's expression tightened — not at her, but at the situation. He knew enough about Varrick to understand exactly what she meant.
He hesitated before speaking, the words clearly weighing on him. "Meisha… earlier, when you said you were assigned to look after Lord Varrick… I may have misunderstood what that meant." His voice was careful, almost formal, as if he feared insulting her. "I just wanted to ask—respectfully—what exactly that entailed."
Meisha blinked, then let out a soft breath that was almost a laugh. "Oh. That." She shook her head gently. "Kaydence, it's nothing like what you're thinking. My job was to keep him calm. Herbal teas, meals, making sure he didn't spiral into one of his moods. That's all."
Relief washed over Kaydence so visibly that Meisha couldn't help but smile. "I'm sorry," he said quickly. "I shouldn't have assumed anything. I just—well, I've seen how nobles treat their attendants. I didn't want to imagine you being forced into something like that."
"It's alright," she assured him, her tone warm rather than offended. "People assume that sort of thing all the time. I've gotten used to it."
Meisha continued, her voice steadying as she spoke — until the town bell rang again.
A sharp, echoing clang rolled through the estate.
Both she and Kaydence froze.
"That's twice that bell has gone off," Kaydence said aloud, tension sharpening his posture.
"It just means the Grand Moose has been slain," Meisha assured him, though her voice was still hoarse.
"Grand Moose!" Kaydence repeated — quiet and loud at the same time, disbelief and concern mixing as he instinctively moved to stand. "They shouldn't have—"
Meisha's hand shot out, weak but firm enough to catch his wrist.
He stopped mid‑rise.
She shook her head faintly. "Kaydence. I need you to focus on the information I have for you. It's time‑sensitive."
He swallowed hard, forcing his nerves back down. Then he sat beside her again, closer this time.
"My apologies," he murmured. "Please continue."
Meisha let out a deep exhale, the weight of the day pressing down on her shoulders. She gathered herself, then resumed.
"As I was saying… I made him some tea with calming herbs and took it to his office. While I was walking, our conversation about the bracelet resurfaced, and I used that moment to test the advice you gave me."
"To feel for a stir that activates the bracelet," Kaydence said, finishing the thought.
"Yes." She nodded. "So, when I entered… I normally do whatever I can to leave his study immediately, but this time… there was a reason to stay."
Kaydence's curiosity sharpened. "So, what happened?"
"When I entered, he was on edge — just like the butler warned. But I guess the sight of me bringing him tea… uplifted his mood a bit."
A shiver ran through her at the memory.
Kaydence noticed instantly. "Meisha, are you cold?"
"No," she said quickly. "My body just reacts that way whenever I think about Varrick being kind."
"Your body's way of telling you to stay on guard."
"It definitely is."
Kaydence nodded once, then steered them back. "So… it made him happy when you brought him tea."
"Yes." She blinked, pulling herself back to the moment. "I kept the conversation vague and light. I didn't want to seem too pressing and raise suspicion. So, while he complained about you, the warring territories, the arrival of his father and brother… I slowly walked around his study as he talked."
She paused.
Her eyes closed.
She remembered the moment — the shift inside her chest, the sudden sting.
"Until…?" Kaydence prompted gently.
"Until I felt a small stir in my chest," she whispered, "and then a sting from the bracelet."
Kaydence leaned in slightly, his expression sharpening with focus.
"It sounds like whatever stirred your power was close by."
Meisha nodded, her fingers curling weakly into the blanket as she recalled the moment.
"It was," she said softly. "I could feel exactly where it came from."
Kaydence waited, silent but intent.
"Lord Varrick's sleeping quarters is next door to his study," she explained. "He has one on the second floor as well, but he sparingly uses it."
Kaydence's eyes narrowed, the pieces beginning to align in his mind.
"So, the stir came from behind the wall," he said, more statement than question.
"Yes." Meisha swallowed, her throat still raw. "It wasn't from the study itself. It was… beyond the bookshelf. Like something was calling to me from the other side."
Her hand drifted unconsciously toward her chest, remembering the sensation — the pull, the pressure, the sudden sting of the bracelet.
"It wasn't loud," she continued. "It wasn't even painful at first. Just… a tug. Like a thread being pulled tight."
Kaydence listened intently.
"I didn't know what it was," she whispered. "But I knew it wasn't normal. And I knew it wasn't meant for him."
Kaydence exhaled through his nose, steady but tense.
Meisha's breath hitched as she recalled the next part — the part that had nearly brought her to her knees.
"When I left his office," she said quietly, "I didn't feel anything at first. I just wanted to get out before he found another reason to keep me there."
Kaydence nodded, encouraging her to continue.
"I stepped into the corridor… and closed the door behind me."
The memory washed over her, sharp and visceral.
"The moment the latch clicked," she whispered, "the stir hit me again. But this time it wasn't small. It wasn't subtle."
Her hand drifted instinctively toward her abdomen, fingers curling slightly.
"It was stronger. Much stronger. Like something inside me was being yanked forward. I couldn't breathe for a second — it felt like my whole chest tightened."
Kaydence's jaw tensed, but he stayed silent, letting her speak.
"And then the bracelet reacted," she continued. "Harder than before. It didn't just sting — it burned. Like it was trying to force my power back down."
Her voice trembled at the memory.
"I didn't know whether to cradle my stomach or my arm. The pain hit both at once. I tried to keep walking, but my legs almost gave out."
Kaydence's eyes darkened with concern, but he didn't interrupt.
"I didn't want to drop the tray, fearing that I would alert Varrick," she said, her voice small. "So, I set it down on the floor. And I remembered what you told me."
Kaydence leaned in slightly. "To observe it."
Meisha nodded.
"So, I did. I pushed through the pain and focused. And that's when I felt it — the direction of the pull. It wasn't random. It wasn't coming from the study."
She swallowed.
"It was coming from the door right next to it."
Kaydence's expression sharpened.
"Varrick's sleeping quarters."
"Yes," she whispered. "The second surge… was coming from inside his room."
Meisha swallowed, bracing herself as she moved into the next part of the story.
"So… after that second surge hit me in the corridor," she said, voice low, "I knew I had to follow it. Even though the pain was already getting bad."
Kaydence's posture stiffened, but he stayed silent, letting her speak.
"I opened the door to Varrick's sleeping quarters as quietly as I could. I didn't want him hearing anything. If he'd stepped out and seen me there…" She shook her head. "It would've been over."
Kaydence's jaw tightened, but he didn't interrupt.
"The moment I stepped inside," she continued, "the stir inside me increased. And the bracelet reacted immediately. The suppression hit harder. It felt like someone was tightening a band around my entire arm."
Her fingers brushed the bracelet unconsciously, remembering the burn.
"I could barely breathe. But the pull… it kept dragging me forward. Like something in that room was calling to me."
Kaydence leaned in slightly. "Where did it lead you?"
"To the fireplace," she whispered. "There's a chest sitting on top of the mantel. Small, dark wood, metal trim. It looks ordinary, but the moment I got close to it…"
She winced at the memory.
"…the stir inside me spiked. Hard. And the bracelet—" she touched her forearm again "—it clamped down so violently I thought it was going to crush the bone."
Kaydence's eyes darkened with concern.
"I waved my left arm over the chest," she said. "Just to test it. And whatever is inside that chest… it amplified the stir. It made the bracelet suppress my power even harder."
"How hard?" Kaydence asked quietly.
Meisha's voice trembled. "It felt like my entire body was on fire."
Kaydence inhaled sharply through his nose, fury and fear flickering behind his eyes.
"I waved my arm over it a second time," she admitted, "just to be sure. And the reaction was the same. Stronger, even."
She let out a shaky breath.
"That's what happened before I came back to the room. Before I set out into the Nykon forest."
Kaydence sat very still, absorbing every word.
The room felt heavier now — not just from the danger she'd been in, but from the implications of what she'd found.
Kaydence watched her closely — the way her breath hitched, the way her eyes unfocused as if something long buried had surfaced. A subtle shift in her expression told him more than her words had so far.
"Meisha…" he said quietly, leaning in. "You've remembered something. What is it?"
His hand rose, slow and gentle, brushing against her cheek to guide her gaze back to him. The touch wasn't forceful — just enough to anchor her.
Tears welled instantly in Meisha's eyes.
She hadn't cried in years. Not like this. Not from something that reached so deep it cracked the armor she'd built over fifteen long years.
She leaned into his touch without thinking, her cheek warming beneath his palm. The gesture felt foreign and familiar all at once — the kind of comfort she hadn't allowed herself since the day she lost her mother.
Her voice trembled.
"It's my mother's necklace."
The words broke out of her like a confession she'd been holding her entire life.
Kaydence didn't hesitate.
The moment the words "It's my mother's necklace" left her lips, he pulled her into him — not forcefully, not urgently, but with a steady, grounding embrace that told her she didn't have to hold herself together anymore.
Meisha broke.
Tears spilled instantly, hot and uncontrolled, soaking into the fabric of his shirt. The grief she'd kept locked behind her ribs for fifteen years surged up all at once — the loss, the confusion, the violation of knowing Varrick had taken something so sacred.
"I hate him, Kaydence," she choked out, her voice cracking under the weight of it. "He's taken fifteen years of my life."
Kaydence's arms tightened around her, one hand bracing the back of her head, the other steady at her spine.
"I know, Meisha," he murmured, voice low and fierce with sincerity. "I'm sorry this happened to you. I'm going to do everything in my power to free you from here."
She felt the truth in his words — not a promise made lightly, but a vow forged from the same place his fear for her had come from.
After a long moment, he eased back, his hands sliding to her shoulders. He held her there, steadying her, making sure she could meet his gaze.
His eyes searched hers — not demanding but needing clarity.
"But what else happened when you went out into the Nykon Forest?" he asked gently. "Why was there a Grand Moose… and did you make contact with anyone there?"
Meisha sniffled as she wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand, but the tears kept slipping through her fingers. Kaydence rose without a word, crossing the room with quiet purpose. She heard the soft splash of water, the wringing of cloth, and then he returned to her side.
He sat beside her again, close enough for his presence to steady her, and held out the damp washcloth.
"Here," he said gently.
Meisha accepted it with both hands, pressing the cool fabric to her face. The relief was immediate — not just from the temperature, but from the simple act of being cared for. She wiped away the tears, the lingering sniffles, and the rawness that came with the truth she had finally spoken aloud.
Her breathing steadied. Her shoulders loosened. The storm inside her quieted just enough for her to speak again.
Kaydence waited, patient and attentive, giving her the space to gather herself before returning to the matter at hand.
Meisha took a deep breath in, then slowly let it out. When she lifted her gaze to Kaydence, her eyes were steady again, even if her body was exhausted.
"I made contact with Nichelle," she said softly. "And I gave her the medallion and the written message you left with it."
Kaydence's reaction was immediate — a spark of relief, pride, and something like hope lighting in his eyes. "You did?" His voice warmed. "What happened? How did you meet with her?"
Meisha's body sagged back against the pillows, the weight of the day settling over her like a heavy cloak. Kaydence noticed instantly — the way her shoulders dipped, the way her breath thinned — and instinctively leaned forward as if to steady her.
He wanted to tell her to rest. He wanted to insist on it. But she had already told him the information was time‑sensitive, and he respected her enough to let her continue on her terms.
Meisha caught the worry etched across his face and offered him a small, reassuring smile.
"I'm okay, Kaydence," she murmured.
He didn't answer. He simply watched her — carefully, attentively — as she shifted and made herself more comfortable, waiting until she was ready to speak again.
Only when she settled back into the pillows did she continue.
"When I found you and brought you back here, I went back into the Nykon Forest," Meisha continued, her voice steadying as she slipped back into the memory, giving the story in detail. "I removed whatever visible traces of you I could find in the area. After that, I left markings on five random trees near where I found you."
Kaydence nodded, approval flickering across his face. "Once I get you out of here, I could definitely use your talents as my war advisor."
Meisha let out a small, tired chuckle. "I'll think about it."
She cleared her throat, and Kaydence rose again, moving with quiet purpose. He prepared her a cup of water and warmed the leftover chicken stew. By the time he returned, she was ready to continue.
"When I went back out into the forest," she said, accepting the cup he handed her, "I started with the trees furthest from the estate."
Kaydence set the bowl of stew on the nightstand and sat beside her again, listening intently.
"I felt like someone was watching me," Meisha admitted. "So, I pretended not to notice. I foraged for herbs as I normally do. It wasn't until I reached the second tree that I saw the reply carved into the bark. It told me to go to the third tree."
"Why not reveal herself at the second?" Kaydence asked.
"The third tree is hollow inside," Meisha explained. "It also has a small enough opening to crawl through."
Understanding dawned on him. "With your size and Nichelle's, the two of you could slip inside and speak openly while staying hidden from patrolling soldiers. Very intelligent, Meisha."
His compliment tugged a small smile from her.
"I entered the third tree," she continued, "and a few seconds later she came in after me — but she was invisible to the eye."
"She must've worn her chameleon cloak."
"Yes," Meisha confirmed. "Once she was inside, she removed it and activated a light spell so we could see. And when I saw her clearly… the descriptions you gave me matched perfectly. I knew immediately it was her."
Kaydence waited until Meisha had settled again, then gently pressed, "What did the two of you discuss inside the tree?"
Meisha nodded, gathering the thread of the memory. "Nichelle… she expressed her gratitude first. She said it meant everything to know you were alive."
A faint warmth flickered across Kaydence's face, but he stayed quiet, letting her continue.
"She also told me they captured the assailant who attacked you," Meisha said. "The one who managed to injure you. They have him in custody, but he still hasn't revealed who sent him or his unit."
Kaydence's expression hardened, a shadow crossing his features. "Coward," he muttered under his breath. "He'll break eventually."
Meisha nodded once, then continued, "You're lieutenant also told me something else… something about the blade he used."
Kaydence looked up sharply.
"The blade was infused with poison," Meisha said. "A concoction specifically meant to stop your regenerative healing."
Kaydence froze.
For a moment, he didn't breathe. Then he leaned back slightly, eyes narrowing as he replayed the memory of the attack in his mind.
"That explains it," he murmured, more to himself than to her. "Every time I tried to heal… it felt like something was blocking me. Like my own ability was being smothered."
Meisha watched him carefully. "She said even a demon of your rank would've succumbed to it."
Kaydence exhaled slowly, the truth settling into him like a weight he hadn't realized he'd been carrying.
"So that's why I couldn't recover," he said quietly. "Why I was fading so fast. The poison wasn't just meant to wound me… it was meant to finish me."
His gaze lifted to Meisha, something raw flickering behind his eyes.
"And if you hadn't found me when you did…"
He didn't finish the sentence.
He didn't need to.
Meisha's hand tightened around the cup in her lap, her voice soft but steady. "I wasn't going to let you die out there."
Kaydence held her gaze for a long, silent moment — gratitude, fear, and something deeper all tangled together.
Meisha took a slow breath, steadying herself before continuing.
"After Nichelle and I settled inside the hollow tree, she asked me my name," Meisha said. "I told her… and she just stared at me. Not in suspicion — more like shock."
Kaydence's brows lifted slightly. "What did she say?"
"She said my mother's name," Meisha whispered. "Alyra. She asked if I was her daughter."
Kaydence exhaled softly, not surprised. "Your mother's name is known throughout the demon kingdom," he reminded her gently. "But no one knew she married your father or knew she conceived a child."
Meisha looked down at her hands, her voice small. "It's still hard to believe. Hearing about her past… hearing her name spoken like that… it feels like she's a stranger and a memory at the same time."
Kaydence didn't interrupt. He let her have the space to say it.
Meisha continued, "After that, I remembered the medallion. I reached into my satchel to retrieve it, and I felt the parchment paper next to it. When I pulled them out, I saw your message — the one you wrote for her."
She mimed the motion unconsciously, as if still feeling the texture of the folded note.
"I passed both to her. The medallion first… then the message."
Kaydence leaned forward slightly. "And her reaction?"
"She read it quickly," Meisha said. "Her whole posture changed. She went from calm to urgent in seconds. She said she needed to report back immediately."
Meisha paused, then added, "She told me your father is now the one in command at the campsite."
Kaydence's eyes sharpened with focus.
"But," Meisha continued, "I didn't let her leave until we came up with a plan to get you out of here. She agreed. She said she'd move fast, but she needed to know exactly what she was working with."
Kaydence nodded slowly. "That's why you said it was time‑sensitive."
"Yes." Meisha's voice tightened. "Because the Duke and his proxy arrived. Their presence puts you in a dire situation. They're both highly skilled combatants… and they can sense demons."
Kaydence's expression darkened.
Meisha continued, "If Nichelle could catch your scent on me, then the Duke and his proxy can absolutely sense you inside this estate. Especially with how weak you were when I found you."
Kaydence exhaled through his nose, the reality settling in.
"But" Meisha added quickly, "right now they can't. Not while you're in my sleeping quarters. The herbs I keep in here — the strong ones — they're masking your scent."
Kaydence's gaze softened with a mix of gratitude and concern.
"You've been protecting me without even realizing it," he murmured.
Meisha shook her head. "I knew. I just didn't know how much."
The room felt heavier now — not with fear, but with the weight of everything converging around them.
"So, what was the plan the two of you came up with?" Kaydence asked.
Meisha steadied her breath before answering his question.
"I told Nichelle I could hold you here for one more night," she said. "Just one. Any longer and someone would notice something was off."
Kaydence nodded slowly, absorbing every word.
"Nichelle weighed everything," Meisha continued. "The Duke's arrival. His proxy. The patrol patterns. Your condition. She said she'd report back to your father immediately… and then return tomorrow night to keep watch for us in the forest."
Kaydence's jaw tightened with a mix of relief and tension. His father being in command changed the landscape — but it didn't erase the danger.
Meisha finished her report with a quiet exhale. "That's everything. That's the plan."
Kaydence sat with it for a moment, letting the full picture settle into place. Then he murmured, "Okay."
He shifted — not away from her, but toward her.
He placed his right hand on the far side of her lap, bracing himself on the mattress. The movement boxed her in gently, his body angled over hers, his arm creating a warm barrier that trapped her legs between them. Meisha instinctively leaned back into the pillows, her breath catching as his eyes locked onto hers.
His voice dropped, low and steady.
"Now that that's out of the way…" He leaned in just a fraction closer. "…you can report to me why in the hell you came back at death's door."
Meisha's gaze fell to the cup in her hands. Her finger tapped the rim — a small, nervous rhythm.
"I wouldn't know where to begin to explain it," she whispered.
Kaydence didn't move away. He didn't push. He simply waited — close enough for her to feel the steadiness of his presence, but patient enough to let her find the words on her own.
Kaydence didn't let her retreat into silence.
His left hand lifted, slow and deliberate, fingers brushing beneath her chin. He guided her face upward until her eyes met his. The contact wasn't forceful — it was steady, anchoring, a silent insistence that she didn't have to hide from him.
Meisha's breath caught as she stared into his light golden eyes. They were unblinking, unwavering, waiting.
"Try me," he said quietly.
The words sank into her like a command wrapped in gentleness.
Meisha swallowed hard, then lifted the cup and finished the last of the tonic in one large gulp. She set it on the nightstand with a soft clink, buying herself a few seconds to gather her courage.
Kaydence eased back into his original sitting position, giving her space without withdrawing his attention. Meisha shifted, pulling her knees to her chest and resting her arms on top of them — a posture that made her feel smaller, but safer.
With the space she created at the end of the bed, Kaydence moved. He slid down to sit directly across from her, one leg folded on the mattress, the other hanging off the edge. Close enough to read every flicker of her expression, far enough not to crowd her.
Meisha lifted her gaze again, meeting his eyes. This time, she didn't look away.
"The moment before Nichelle announced it was a Grand Moose," she began, voice low, "she and I both heard a noise outside the tree. It sounded like someone stepping on a branch. Right outside."
Kaydence's attention sharpened. He didn't interrupt. He didn't even blink.
Meisha's eyes unfocused slightly as she slipped back into the memory. "And then… I felt a wave of scorching heat flow throughout my body."
Kaydence leaned forward just a fraction. "Different from the first time?"
"Definitely different," she said. "The force was much stronger."
Her fingers tightened around her shins as she remembered the sensation — the sudden, overwhelming surge that had nearly buckled her inside the hollow tree.
Kaydence absorbed every word, his mind already working, already connecting threads she hadn't yet spoken aloud.
"The wave felt wonderful," Meisha admitted quietly, "but only for a brief moment."
"The bracelet activated," Kaydence said immediately, finishing the thought for her.
"Yes." She nodded. "That surge — that scorching sensation — was suppressed almost instantly. Which is why I had come back in such a state."
Kaydence let out a soft, teasing breath. "That wasn't so hard, was it? And I think you explained it perfectly. I don't know why you were so hesitant to tell me."
Meisha's gaze dropped. "Because something still doesn't sit right with me."
Kaydence's tone shifted, the lightness fading. "What would that be?"
Meisha took a breath, steadying herself. "As I was fighting through the pain of the bracelet… I heard Nichelle say that the Grand Moose had just stepped through the Ashen Vale."
Kaydence's attention sharpened.
"I heard the noise right along with your lieutenant," Meisha continued. "A branch snapping. Heavy. Close. But the border of the Ashen Vale is at least half a day's ride from where we were. I shouldn't be able to hear it as if it was right outside the tree."
Kaydence didn't hesitate. "That's easy. Your senses have been heightened after being near your mother's amulet for that small amount of time. Which is why you were able to sense the Grand Moose from such a great distance."
Meisha blinked, absorbing that.
The explanation made sense — too much sense — but it didn't erase the unease curling in her stomach.
Because if her senses had been heightened that dramatically…
Then the amulet wasn't just reacting to her.
It was awakening something.
Meisha frowned slightly, still wrestling with the explanation he'd given her. "But your lieutenant is a highly skilled warrior and demon," she argued gently. "Her senses are far sharper than mine should ever be."
Kaydence shook his head immediately, almost in protest. "You're forgetting something important," he said, his tone firm but not unkind. "You are the daughter of Alyra Emberwynn."
The name landed between them like a quiet bell — resonant, undeniable.
Meisha's breath caught. She lifted her head, eyes widening as a memory surfaced.
"Oh—" she whispered. "Nichelle wanted me to tell you something. I almost forgot."
Kaydence straightened, every muscle going still.
"She said King Burruk has ordered your father to investigate my mother's death."
The air shifted.
Kaydence's expression darkened, not with anger, but with a deep, calculating seriousness — the kind that only appeared when something monumental had just been placed in his hands.
Meisha watched him, her heart thudding, knowing this revelation meant far more to him — and to the kingdom — than she yet understood.
Kaydence's gaze stayed fixed on her for a long moment, searching her expression for any hesitation.
"Meisha… are you certain?" he asked quietly, needing her assurance before he let his mind run ahead.
She nodded without wavering. "I'm sure, Kaydence."
That was all he needed.
Kaydence rose from the bed in one smooth motion, pacing a short line across the room. His hand came to his chin; thumb pressed against his jaw as he slipped into deep thought. The new information she'd given him wasn't just important — it was dangerous, and it connected to threads he'd been trying to unravel during his recovery.
Meisha watched him, her curiosity sparking despite her exhaustion. Something in his posture — the tension in his shoulders, the way his eyes narrowed — told her he was putting pieces together she didn't even know existed.
"Kaydence," she said slowly, "What is going on? You know something, and you're not telling me."
He stopped pacing.
Then he eased back onto the bed, sitting beside her again — but this time with a gravity that made her straighten instinctively.
"In your diary," he began, "you wrote that the Goblin King appeared in the Garrow Forest. Correct?"
"Yes," Meisha replied. "But I'm still not following."
Kaydence leaned in slightly. "Where is Garrow Forest?"
"It's to the west of Duskmere," she answered. "Why?"
Kaydence's expression hardened, the realization settling in fully.
"Because there is no logical explanation as to why the Goblin King should have been in that forest at all," he said. "All monsters and demons reside beyond the Ashen Vale. Which is to the east."
Meisha's breath stilled.
The implication hit her slowly — like a shadow stretching across the room.
Kaydence's jaw tightened, the shadows in his expression deepening as he finally spoke the truth he'd been circling.
"Meisha… If the demon king has ordered an investigation. Then that means your mother's death wasn't an accident," he said quietly. "Someone plotted it."
The words hit her like a physical blow.
Meisha's breath stilled. Her chest tightened. For a moment, she couldn't speak at all.
"Plotted…?" she whispered. "But why? Who would—" Her voice cracked. "She was loved. By everyone. Humans. Demons. You told me that yourself."
Kaydence's eyes softened, but he didn't look away. He didn't sugarcoat it. "She was loved. And that's exactly why someone wanted her gone."
Meisha's mind raced, searching for something—anything—that made sense. But only one name rose to the surface, unbidden and unwelcome.
Varrick.
His obsession with her mother. His fixation on her memory. The way he had taken the amulet that day—without hesitation, without explanation, as if it belonged to him.
Her stomach twisted.
"Do you think Lord Varrick has something to do with it?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Kaydence didn't hesitate.
"It's not if I think he has something to do with it," he said, his tone low and certain. "It's that I know he has something to do with it."
Meisha's heart dropped.
Kaydence leaned forward, his voice steady but edged with something dangerous—truth sharpened by years of suspicion.
Meisha's voice trembled with frustration and disbelief. "What proof do you have? If he was able to get away with it for this—"
Kaydence moved before she could finish.
A swift lean‑in. A single finger pressed gently against her lips. Not forceful — just enough to still her words.
"You're… the proof that I have, Meisha."
Her breath caught. The realization hit her like a cold wave.
Kaydence lowered his hand but didn't move away.
"He has the child of the great ember caster and healer Alyra Emberwynn locked away in a dungeon beneath his estate," he said, voice low and steady. "A child no one knew existed."
Meisha's heart pounded. She felt suddenly small, suddenly exposed — as if the truth had peeled back a layer of her she didn't know was there.
Kaydence continued, softer now. "I wanted to wait to tell you this… but you carry the bloodline of a very prestigious clan."
Meisha shook her head, overwhelmed. "I find that hard to believe."
Kaydence didn't argue. He didn't push. He simply held her gaze with a quiet certainty.
"When I free you from here," he said, "I'll tell you everything I know. I'll even escort you to my father — and to the demon king himself — to repay you for saving my life."
Meisha exhaled shakily. "This is so much truth to absorb."
"I know." Kaydence reached for her hand, his fingers wrapping around hers with a grounding warmth.
"I just need you to endure it a bit longer," he said, voice steady, eyes locked onto hers. "Do you think you can do that?"
The room felt still. The air thick with truth, fear, and something unspoken between them.
Meisha let out a breath that sounded more like surrender than confidence.
"I've endured him for this long," she murmured. "What's a few more?"
But the tone… it wasn't hopeful. It wasn't even resigned. It was the voice of someone who had learned to survive by expecting nothing.
Kaydence heard it. He felt it.
Her eyes told him she wanted to believe him — desperately — but the years had carved doubt into her bones.
He leaned in, voice low but unwavering. "I'm coming back for you, Meisha."
She shook her head slightly, not in disagreement, but in pain.
"Kaydence… as much as I want to have hope of being free from here…" Her voice cracked. "…the years of bondage keep me from doing so."
Kaydence's expression softened, the fierce determination in him tempered by something gentler.
"I understand," he said quietly.
And he meant it — not as a dismissal, not as a platitude, but as someone who saw the weight she carried and didn't demand she drop it.
For a moment, the room held only the sound of their breathing — hers unsteady, his steady enough for both of them.
He didn't push her to hope. He didn't tell her she was wrong. He simply stayed there, close enough for her to feel his presence, steady enough for her to lean on if she chose.
A quiet settled between them.
Not the heavy kind that comes from fear or uncertainty — though both were still there — but something gentler. Something that felt like the first exhale after holding your breath too long.
Kaydence didn't let go of her hand.
He didn't squeeze it or pull her closer. He just held it — steady, warm, grounding — as if offering her a place to rest without asking anything in return.
Meisha stared at their joined hands for a moment, surprised by how… safe it felt. Not freeing — not yet — but safe enough that the tightness in her chest loosened just a little.
Her shoulders dropped. Her breathing evened. The exhaustion in her eyes softened into something quieter, more vulnerable.
Kaydence watched the shift happen, subtle as a change in the wind.
He didn't speak. He didn't try to fill the silence. He simply stayed there with her, letting the moment be what it was.
Meisha lifted her gaze slowly, meeting his eyes again. This time, she didn't look away.
There was no hope in her expression — not yet — but there was trust. A small, fragile thread of it. The kind that forms only when someone has seen your broken edges and doesn't flinch.
Kaydence's expression softened in response, the fierceness in him easing into something warmer, something almost protective.
For the first time since she'd returned half‑dead and terrified, Meisha didn't feel like she was bracing for the next blow.
She felt… held. Not physically — but emotionally, in a way she hadn't allowed herself to feel in years.
The walls between them didn't fall. But they shifted. Just enough for light to slip through.
The quiet stretched between them until Meisha finally broke it, her voice soft but steady.
"Earlier… when I came back here and I had the markings the first time," she said, lifting her gaze to him, "you stated that you would explain what you did."
Kaydence released her hand gently, as if giving her space to receive the truth. "I did mention that, didn't I?"
Meisha nodded, waiting.
Kaydence inhaled, then parted his lips. A soft click echoed in the small room — the unmistakable sound of something shifting beneath the surface.
Meisha's eyes widened as his demon fangs descended, sharp and gleaming even in the dim light. Not monstrous. Not grotesque. Just… otherworldly.
She leaned back slightly, not out of fear, but to take them in fully. Awe flickered across her face, mingled with curiosity she didn't bother to hide.
Kaydence watched her reaction closely before retracting them with another soft click.
"Do they frighten you?" he asked, genuinely wanting to know.
Meisha blinked, then let out a small, incredulous breath. "Kaydence… you forget that you put a dagger to my throat, right? Why would your fangs scare me?"
Kaydence gave a half‑shrug, half‑nod — a gesture that said fair enough without needing the words.
"You have a point there," he admitted, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.
"So… you siphoned the toxins from my arm?" Meisha asked, her voice quiet but steady.
Kaydence nodded. "Yes. That is the only way. I could easily break the bracelet, but it would trigger the failsafe — it would pump a lethal dose that even I wouldn't be able to stop."
Meisha's brows knit. "Isn't the toxin harmful to you as well?"
"It's harmful," he admitted, "but not deadly. The most it gives me — or any demon — is an upset stomach and an awful taste left in your mouth."
Meisha blinked. "But the second time—"
Kaydence exhaled through his nose. "The second time was a bit more than what I'm used to siphoning. And yes… it did cause me to vomit."
Guilt flickered across her face. "I apologize for causing you so much trouble, especially when you're still recovering."
Kaydence stood from the bed, brushing off her apology with a small shake of his head. Then he extended his hand to her.
Meisha didn't hesitate. Her fingers slipped into his, and he guided her gently to her feet, steadying her when her legs wobbled.
"How are you feeling after resting for a bit?" he asked, his other hand hovering near her waist in case she faltered.
Meisha braced herself lightly against him, her balance still fragile. "I feel okay. I feel like I can go back to my servant duties."
She turned toward the window. Nightfall was beginning to settle in — the sky deepening into indigo, shadows stretching long across the estate grounds.
Her stomach tightened.
"I need to check and make sure Lord Varrick doesn't need anything else from me before I retire for the evening."
The words tasted bitter, but they were the truth of her life — the routine she'd been forced into for years.
Kaydence's expression shifted, something dark and protective flickering behind his eyes as he watched her look toward the window… toward the man who held her chains.
Kaydence watched her turn toward the window, watched the shadow of duty settle over her shoulders again, and something in him moved before he could think better of it.
He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her.
The embrace caught Meisha completely off guard.
She froze at first, her breath hitching as her mind tried to register the sudden warmth, the strength, the safety of it. His hold wasn't forceful — it was steady, encompassing, the kind of embrace someone gives when they're trying to keep another person from falling apart.
Slowly, her palms lifted and pressed against his back. Then her arms slid around him, returning the embrace with a quiet desperation she hadn't meant to reveal.
"You can be as much trouble as you want, Meisha," he murmured into her hair.
Her voice was muffled against his chest. "You're risking your life over me."
Meisha nuzzled deeper into him, instinctive and unguarded, like a child seeking warmth in a cold world. She felt the sculpted strength beneath his clothes — the body of a warrior, solid and unyielding — and something deep inside her whispered that he could protect her. That he would.
Kaydence's voice softened. "I know you don't want to hold on to hope. So I'm going to hold on to it for you."
He felt her nod against him, small and tired.
"Continue to be strong just a little longer," he said, his hand smoothing over her back. "I know you're tired, but the situation has shifted in your favor."
Meisha didn't speak. She just stayed there, savoring the warmth, the steadiness, the rare feeling of being held without expectation.
Kaydence exhaled slowly, reluctant. "As much as I hate to let you go and send you back to him… I have to. Otherwise, everything you've set in place — everything we're working toward — could fail."
He loosened the embrace, but Meisha didn't let go.
Her arms clung around him like a child refusing to leave their parent, her face still buried in his chest. The gesture hit him harder than he expected — protective instinct flaring, fierce and immediate.
Gently, he lifted his right hand and placed two fingers beneath her chin, guiding her face upward.
"Eat the stew before you go," he said softly. "You'll need your strength."