The night air was cool, the kind that sent a shiver down your spine, but I barely noticed it as I wandered the royal gardens. My mind was too cluttered with thoughts—thoughts of the wedding, Claire, the kingdom, and most of all, the way everything felt so out of place now that I was back. The weight of it all had pushed me to seek a moment of solitude. The feast had been grand, as it always was, but it didn't touch the emptiness I felt deep inside.
I wasn't sure what I was looking for out here in the garden—maybe clarity, maybe just a quiet moment to breathe. But then I saw her.
Liora.
She was standing near the fountain, her figure illuminated by the soft moonlight. In that moment, she seemed like the most beautiful thing I had ever seen, like she belonged to the night itself. The way the silver light made her hair glow, the way her dress flowed around her—everything about her pulled at something inside me that I couldn't name.
I didn't want to admit it, but I had been feeling it for a while. A connection between us that was deeper than the familial bond we were supposed to share. She turned when she heard my footsteps, and for a split second, her face was unreadable. But I could see it in her eyes—something unspoken, something that mirrored the storm in my own heart.
"Elias," she said softly, her voice carrying across the stillness. "What are you doing out here?"
I didn't know how to answer. How could I explain that I had no idea what I was doing? That the only thing I could think about was the way her presence calmed and confused me all at once?
"I needed a moment alone," I replied, my voice sounding too raw, too honest. I hated how vulnerable I felt, but she was always able to see right through me.
She nodded, taking a few steps toward me. "I understand," she said. "It must be overwhelming, everything that's happening."
I looked at her then, really looked at her, and for a moment, everything else faded away. There was only her, standing before me, the woman I couldn't seem to get out of my head.
"I'm not sure I can do this," I admitted, the words spilling out before I could stop them. "I'm supposed to marry Claire, but all I can think about is you. It's you that I want."
Liora froze, her eyes wide in shock. She took a step back, her hand reaching out to steady herself on the edge of the fountain. Her expression was a mixture of confusion and disbelief, and I hated the way it made me feel. But I couldn't take it back now. The words were out there, hanging between us like a forbidden truth.
"You're supposed to marry her, Elias," she whispered, her voice trembling. "You can't want me. It's not right."
But there it was, the truth I had been denying. I wanted her. I had wanted her for longer than I was willing to admit. My hands reached for her instinctively, cupping her face, brushing my thumb over her soft skin. She didn't pull away, and for a brief moment, I thought maybe… maybe she felt it too.
I lowered my face to hers, and for a heartbeat, I hesitated. But then I kissed her. It was desperate, urgent, more than anything I had ever felt before. Her lips were warm, soft, and she kissed me back—tentatively at first, then with more heat as the seconds stretched into minutes.
When we finally pulled apart, we were both breathless, and I could see the same confusion and desire reflected in her eyes. "What have we done?" she whispered, her voice breaking.
"I don't know," I admitted, my hand still resting on her face. "But I can't stop. I don't want to stop."
I could see the struggle in her eyes, the battle between what was expected and what she felt deep inside. And then, before I could say another word, she turned and walked quickly away from me. I stood frozen for a moment, my heart pounding in my chest as I watched her retreat into the shadows of the garden.
What the hell was I doing?
---
Later that night, long after I had retreated to my chambers, the confusion still clung to me like a shadow. I lay on my bed, staring at the ceiling, replaying everything that had happened. I had kissed her. My sister, no less. The one person I had been told was my family. And yet, that kiss had felt like nothing I had ever known.
The knock on my door startled me, pulling me out of my thoughts. I sat up, trying to gather myself, but when the door opened, I was unprepared for what I saw.
Liora.
She stepped inside without a word, her face unreadable, and I felt my heart skip a beat. She closed the door gently behind her, walking toward me with a quiet determination in her step. I tried to speak, but the words caught in my throat. What was I supposed to say to her? How could I explain what had happened? What had just transpired between us?
She reached me without a word, and before I could fully react, she placed her hand over my mouth, silencing me. I froze, confused, unsure of what she was doing. But she didn't give me a chance to question her.
"I want you," she said simply, her voice barely above a whisper.
My breath hitched in my chest as her words settled in. Was she—did she really mean that? Or was this some sort of twisted misunderstanding?
But before I could respond, she kissed me again. This time, it was different—gentler, softer—but no less intense. And all I could do was pull her closer, my hands trembling as they found their way to the fabric of her dress. There was no more hesitation, no more second-guessing. The world outside didn't matter anymore. It was just the two of us, caught in something we didn't understand but couldn't stop.
We undressed slowly, carefully, as though each movement had a meaning all its own. When we finally lay together, everything felt like it was falling into place. She was everything I had been craving, everything I had been missing.
The next morning, I woke up alone. The bed was empty, and the sheets were tangled, but something was wrong. There was blood.
I froze, the realization hitting me like a ton of bricks.
Then, there was another knock at the door, and my heart sank further as I realized who it would be. My mother.
She entered the room, her gaze immediately locking on the bloodstained sheets. I could see the concern in her eyes, but there was no judgment—just understanding.
"Don't worry, Elias," she said softly, walking over to me and placing a hand on my shoulder. "Claire didn't mention she was staying the night, but it's fine. You'll be marrying her, anyway."
I stared at her, confusion clouding my mind. I tried to speak, but the words wouldn't come. Before I could say anything, she was up and walking toward the door, already moving on to the next task.
"Your maids will take care of the sheets. Get ready. You're needed in your father's chambers," she said, dismissing me without a second glance.
I was still in shock, my mind racing. What had I done? How had everything spiraled so far out of control?
And then, as my maids came in and took away the bloodstained sheets, it hit me. It wasn't Claire's blood. It was Liora's.