The rain tapped against the grand windows of the east wing like impatient fingers. Nora stood by the balcony, arms crossed, her maid uniform soaked from earlier errands. The storm outside was nothing compared to the storm churning inside her.
Zayan hadn't spoken to her in days. Not since that night — the kiss that wasn't supposed to happen. The one she both hated and couldn't stop thinking about.
She heard his footsteps before she saw him.
"You're avoiding me," his voice came from the shadows.
She turned, meeting his eyes — cold, unreadable, but too intense for comfort.
"You kissed me," she replied flatly. "Then vanished like a coward."
Zayan stepped closer, his tall frame casting a shadow over her. "Would you rather I stayed? And done more than just kiss you?"
Nora swallowed hard. Her heart was racing, but her voice was steady. "You're the devil in this place. I'm just the help."
"No, you're not," he said, his tone darker now, almost angry. "You're the one thing I can't control. That terrifies me."
He reached out, fingers brushing her damp cheek. She flinched — not out of fear, but because of what his touch did to her.
"Why me?" she whispered.
Zayan leaned in, lips barely an inch from hers. "Because you see the monster and still dare to look closer. Everyone else runs."
"I'm not afraid of monsters," she whispered back.
His lips met hers again, this time slower, deeper — a kiss not born out of desire, but desperation. Like he was searching for something in her, something he'd lost.
When they pulled apart, breathless, he whispered, "If you stay, you'll burn with me."
Nora stared up at him, her voice low but firm. "Then light the match."