Orionn's interruption cut the air sharply.
Korvus turned toward his son, and something unspoken passed between them. The tension was immediate, heavy enough that Melody felt it settle in her chest.
"His Majesty has arrived," Korvus said calmly. "We can continue this conversation another day."
Melody understood at once.
This was not something she was meant to hear.
So she didn't push.
Dinner passed in silence, the kind that pressed against the ears. Melody kept her eyes on her plate, though her thoughts refused to stay still.
Later that night, she made her way through the quiet corridors toward her chambers. For the past two weeks, she had always fallen asleep first. Sometimes she even wondered whether Orionn truly slept beside her at all.
But tonight, his footsteps followed hers.
She stopped abruptly and turned.
"Where are you going?"
"To my room," he replied, sounding faintly amused. "Where else?"
"Yes, but why?"
"You ask too many questions."
"Because nothing in this palace is as straightforward as it pretends to be."
He sighed softly. "Why are you going?"
"To freshen up and rest," she said flatly.
"See?" he replied, brushing past her toward the bedroom. "That's what a normal person does."
She hurried after him.
"What happened during training today?" she demanded. "Can you answer me without throwing another question back?"
"Nothing happened," he said, pushing the door open.
She followed him inside, closing it behind her.
"I'll use the bathroom first," he added, already heading away.
Melody stood there, staring after him.
She knew something had happened. Something Orionn was hiding.
He was fond of secrets. She had her own, but this palace was built on them. Layers of silence, half-truths, and careful omissions.
And for a curious girl like Melody, living in a palace of secrets was a special kind of torture.
They lay on opposite sides of the bed later that night, both wide awake.
Melody, for obvious reasons. She had never truly slept beside Orionn before. He usually came in long after she had drifted off.
The closeness felt unfamiliar. Too intimate. Too real.
Orionn's thoughts circled relentlessly around what he had seen that day. Her power. The surge. The loss of control.
He had debated telling her the truth.
But he knew Melody.
Sooner or later, she would find out. Better it come from him.
"Princess," he said quietly.
She turned to face him.
"What happened to your mother?" he asked.
He needed to know.
From everything he understood, Melody was the daughter of a king's concubine. Nothing more. And yet no concubine's child should possess that kind of power. It didn't make sense.
"She died giving birth to me," Melody replied. "Why are you asking?"
Orionn turned fully toward her.
For a brief moment, Melody froze. The dim light softened his sharp features, and the calm in his expression caught her off guard. Then she recovered, lifting her chin and meeting his gaze head-on, almost daring him.
Orionn noticed.
He was amused, though he didn't show it. Her attraction was obvious. Her emotions betrayed her, as did her body language. Especially to him.
"You noticed something today," he said.
She nodded. She had known it. The way he reacted during training had given him away.
"You have a full innate core power," Orionn said.
Silence followed.
Then Melody sat up abruptly.
"Seriously?" she scoffed. "You expect me to believe that?"
She had grown up the weakest among her siblings. She had barely understood her abilities, let alone mastered them.
"You know what?" she continued sharply. "If this is your way of covering up the truth, fine. But I'll find out what you're hiding from me. Eventually."
"Why would I lie to you about yourself?" he asked calmly. "What would I gain from that?"
She hesitated.
"You have an innate core power," he repeated. "A complete one."
Melody stayed silent, waiting.
"When you reached for your power today, you connected to the surface," he continued. "Everything reacted immediately. The environment changed. The plants grew stronger. Thorns formed."
Her breath hitched.
"And you noticed the cut on my arm?" he added. "That came from one of those plants."
"That doesn't make sense," she whispered. "Full innate power doesn't exist. Nobody has ever had a complete innate core. Not that I've heard."
"That's exactly the point," Orionn said. "This kind of power is inherited. Someone in your bloodline had it. Someone powerful."
Her mind raced.
Her mother had been a commoner. A concubine. Her father had never displayed anything extraordinary.
"I don't know," she said finally. "I swear."
Orionn studied her closely.
"You really don't," he murmured.
"Why are you telling me all this?" she asked.
"Because you deserve to know," he replied. "And because you're in danger. Worse, you could be the danger if you don't understand what you're capable of."
"People would kill to possess this kind of power," he continued. "And you're terrible at keeping secrets."
She scoffed.
"If someone comes after you," he went on, his gaze sharpening, "who do you think they'll have to get through first?"
He didn't hesitate. "Me. Because you're married to me."
"I didn't ask to marry you."
"Good night, Melody," he said, clearly ending the conversation.
She frowned. "How am I dangerous?"
He turned back to her. "Someone with a full innate core is like a god on this continent. Even if your element is considered the weakest among the three kingdoms, the potential is limitless."
She listened, silent now.
"Today, without control or awareness, you injured me," he said. "Imagine what you could do if you understood your power."
The weight of his words settled heavily between them.
"So what now?" she asked quietly.
"Now," Orionn said, locking eyes with her, "you don't summon your power around anyone but me. I'll train you. I'll protect you. And you tell no one. No matter what."
Then, more quietly, "If you're hiding anything about your abilities, say it. Only I can truly protect you."
Her gaze dropped.
She was hiding something.
Orionn felt it immediately. Her emotions shifted. Fear. Guilt. Tension. Her heartbeat quickened. As an alpha, he heard it all.
She forced a laugh. "Why would I be?"
"For your own good," he said, unconvinced.
"Nathan and Damon will return next week," he added. "Until then, you train with me."
"At least I still get to train," she muttered. "Even if my teacher is insufferable."
That earned a faint smile. One Orionn didn't even realize he wore.
She never feared him. Never softened her words. That was something he admired, whether he wished to admit it or not.
"Good night, Your Majesty," she said, turning away.
But Orionn knew.
Her heart was heavy.
Because Melody was beginning to realize something terrifying.
She might be a savior.
Or she might be a threat.