The fortress had fallen quiet. Not the stillness of death, but the hush that followed victory. The kind of silence where even the wind was gentle—soft, like hands brushing across a lover's back. Iden sat alone at his command table, a plate of roasted beast meat and foraged herb broth in front of him. Rael had brought it herself.
She smiled too sweetly as she placed the dish down.
"You've barely eaten all day. You'll need energy... right, brother?"
He blinked, raising a brow. "You added something weird again, didn't you?"
Rael only hummed and left the room, humming a victorious little tune.
The room smelled of polished bonewood and incense. Blue lantern-light glowed against the ceiling, casting Nyra's silhouette across the walls. She stood near the far edge of her window, arms crossed, hair down.
When Iden entered, he felt the pulse in the air shift—like stepping into a hidden memory.
"You came."
He nodded, closing the door behind him. "You asked."
Nyra turned, her crimson eyes sharp but soft.
"Iden, I've always been strong. Always sharp. Always alone."
"But when I met you… you made it okay not to be."
She stepped closer, her fingers brushing his chestplate.
"I don't follow you because you're powerful. I follow you because you make me feel alive."
He swallowed—strangely warm. That meal…
Nyra's hands found his, guiding them to her waist. Her voice trembled, the guard cracking.
"I don't want a title. I just want... you. Before the next war starts. Before the world burns again."
His heartbeat climbed. Something swirled in his chest—chemical and emotional both. Then he smiled, small and real.
"Then I'm yours for tonight."
Their lips met. Gentle at first. Then deeper. Firelight danced across the room as armor pieces clicked against the floor. Time, for a moment, was allowed to stop.
Rael leaned over a cluttered workbench, watching Kael tinker with an evolving necrocore. His eyes were sharp, movements flawless. But when her fingers traced up his arm, he froze.
"You work too much."
He looked at her sidelong. "You're dangerous."
She smirked and slid closer.
"You built tyrants and death golems. But can't handle me?"
He grabbed her wrist, pulling her into his lap. Their foreheads touched, breaths mingling.
"I've never loved anything more than creation. Until you."
Their mouths met—hungry, passionate. Blue mana flared behind them, unheeded as they fell back into a tangle of warmth and whispered names.
The fortress had risen with a strange energy in the air.
Builders worked faster. Scouts jogged sharper. Even the drones flew straighter.
Iden walked into the command hall, Nyra beside him. Her armor shimmered freshly polished. Rael passed by, shooting a knowing smirk.
"So," she whispered in passing, "how was your meal, big brother?"
Iden gave her a half-glare. "You're unbelievable."
Rael winked. "No, just helpful."