Chapter Seven – Fractured Walls
Aria's arm throbbed where the Nightborn's claws had grazed her. She hadn't noticed the pain in the heat of battle, but now that she was alone in her room, every heartbeat seemed to pulse against the wound.
She tried to clean it herself using the water basin and a scrap of cloth, but the cut burned, black veins spidering faintly around the edges.
Her breath caught. That can't be normal.
Before she could panic further, the door creaked open.
Kael stood there, still in his battered armor. His glowing eyes immediately dropped to her arm, narrowing in an instant.
"Why didn't you tell me you were injured?" he demanded, his voice sharp but laced with something deeper—fear.
"I didn't want to bother you," she muttered.
"Bother me?" His jaw tightened as he strode into the room. "Aria, a single scratch from a Nightborn can spread shadow into your blood. It kills humans in hours."
Aria froze. "Kills?"
Kael knelt in front of her, already pulling a small vial from the belt at his waist. "Hold still," he said, his tone softer now, but urgent.
---
The liquid from the vial stung like fire when he poured it over the wound. Aria winced, biting back a cry.
"Easy," Kael murmured, his voice low and steady. His fingers were surprisingly gentle as he cleaned away the blackened edges of the cut. The warmth of his touch sent a shiver up her spine, though she tried to focus on the pain instead.
"This will burn," he warned, uncorking another vial filled with glowing silver liquid.
"You mean it hasn't been burning already?" she muttered, trying to joke through the fear.
A faint smile ghosted across his lips—there and gone. "You're stubborn. I'll give you that."
When he poured the second liquid, it seared like lightning. Aria grabbed his forearm instinctively, her nails digging into his skin.
Kael didn't flinch. Instead, his free hand wrapped around hers, holding her steady.
"Almost done," he said quietly. His voice was close, so close she could feel his breath against her cheek.
---
When he finally finished, Aria let out a shaky sigh of relief.
"Is it… better?" she asked.
"Yes," Kael said, tying a strip of dark cloth around her arm. His fingers brushed her skin as he secured the bandage, lingering just a second too long.
Their eyes met.
The world seemed to slow, the firelight casting warm shadows across his face. He looked at her not like a king, not like a warrior, but like a man—tired, conflicted, and dangerously close to breaking.
"You shouldn't risk yourself for me," she whispered.
Kael's gaze darkened. "I don't risk myself for you. I risk myself because I have no choice. This curse will kill me either way, but if I fail to protect you…" He stopped, his jaw tightening. "I couldn't live with that."
Aria's chest tightened. "Kael…"
---
Before she could think, she reached up, her fingers brushing against his jaw. His skin was warm, rough with stubble, and he stilled under her touch like he didn't know how to react.
"Why do you always push me away?" she asked softly. "Do you think I'm afraid of you? Because I'm not. I see you, Kael. Not just the curse, not just the king… you."
Something in his expression cracked.
"Aria," he murmured, her name like a plea.
His hand rose to cup her cheek, his thumb brushing lightly against her skin. The intensity in his glowing eyes made her breath hitch, her heart pounding so hard she swore he could hear it.
---
The space between them vanished.
Kael's lips hovered a breath away from hers, and for a moment, she thought he'd finally give in. Her pulse roared in her ears, her body leaning instinctively toward his warmth.
But at the last second, he stopped, his forehead resting against hers instead.
"I can't," he whispered, his voice raw. "If I take this further… if I let myself want you… I won't be able to let go."
"Then don't," Aria whispered back.
Kael closed his eyes like her words were both a blessing and a curse. His hand tightened slightly against her face, as if fighting the war within himself.
---
The silence between them was thick, electric.
Finally, Kael stood, turning away as if distance was the only way to keep himself from losing control. "You need rest," he said, his voice rougher than before.
Aria wanted to argue, but her body betrayed her—she was exhausted, her arm aching despite the treatment.
Kael moved to the door, pausing just before leaving. "Aria," he said without looking back, "if anything happens to me… promise you'll run. Don't look back."
Her breath caught. "Kael, don't say that."
"Promise me."
After a moment, she nodded, though her chest tightened painfully.
---
When he left, the room felt colder.
Aria lay back against the pillows, staring at the ceiling. She hated that she couldn't make sense of what was happening between them. He kept pulling her close, only to push her away again.
But the way he'd looked at her tonight—like she was something fragile and precious—made her heart ache in ways she couldn't explain.
And deep down, she knew the truth. She didn't just want to survive this cursed realm. She wanted him.
---
Outside, the blood moon hung low and heavy, its light seeping through the windows. Aria's eyelids grew heavy, exhaustion finally winning over her restless thoughts.
Just before she drifted off, she thought she heard a whisper—a voice that wasn't hers.
"An heir must rise… or the curse will claim all."
She bolted upright, heart pounding. The room was empty, but the voice still echoed faintly in her mind.
An heir.
The words sent a chill through her. Was this the same prophecy Kael had tried to keep from her? And if so… what role was she supposed to play in it?
---
She didn't sleep again. Instead, she sat by the window, staring at the blood-red moon.
"Kael…" she whispered to the night. "What are you hiding from me?"