Serenya's face blazed crimson, her chest heaving in a confused mixture of anger, mortification, and a peculiar warmth that curled in her belly. Her lips still tingled from the stolen kiss, and her thoughts were a tangled mess.
"You...!" she started, her voice rising before faltering as Zareth leaned in again with that infuriating smirk playing on his lips and she leaned away .He chuckled, low and deep, the sound vibrating through the space between them.
"That was my first kiss!" she burst out, flustered and trembling. "And you didn't ask before doing that! You can't just do whatever you like. I haven't accepted to be your wife yet!"
He sighed—chuckling , dismissive—as if her outrage was adorable.
"Why do I feel like we've had this conversation before?" he drawled, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "But fine. Let me clarify once more for your delicate little heart. I accept you to be my wife and Empress. So consider the matter settled."
Serenya's eyes widened in disbelief. She shut them tightly, willing the heat in her cheeks to vanish, only to open them and find him closer—dangerously close. Her breath hitched. Her heart betrayed her, thudding hard in her chest, loud enough that she was certain he heard it.
And Zareth did. That arrogant, merciless smile twisted his lips as he leaned back slightly. He had started to affect her and that excited him like no other.
He turned with imperial grace, calling for a carriage as if he hadn't just shattered her sense of personal boundaries.
"There's a place we must be," he added, voice calm, commanding.
Serenya glared daggers at his side profile. His sharp jawline, that infuriating calm, the ease with which he stole her first kiss—One she had dreamed of sharing beautifully with someone she loved.
"Stare any longer and I might kiss you again," Zareth muttered without looking at her. She looked away so fast she nearly hurt her neck.
The royal carriage arrived—a grand black velvet-lined coach etched with the imperial crest. Zareth opened the door for her with a gentleman's flair that clashed violently with his tyrannical behavior. She climbed in cautiously, only to find that the interior had only one wide, plush seat.
Which meant they had to sit close. Very close.
The door shut. Silence settled, interrupted only by the sound of hooves against cobblestone. Serenya kept her eyes trained on the glass window as the city blurred by.
Zareth, however, was not so easily ignored. He stared at her , his scotching gaze not breaking away.
"Still mad at me?" he mused tapping her hand , voice low and maddening.
She ignored him.
"I said I might kiss you again, not that I wouldn't," he added.
She still ignored but Zareth continued staring so much that it became unbearable.
She turned to him abruptly. "Can you please look at something else?" she snapped.
"I don't find anything else worth staring at," he said smoothly. She huffed and looked out the window. "You can look at the people bowing at your carriage instead."
"They're not as beautiful as you," he said without missing a beat. "Has anyone ever told you that you're beautiful?"
She hesitated, cheeks heating again ."No one. Except my father."
"Then they're all blind," he muttered under his breath, loud enough for her to hear. "Or fools."
Serenya's fingers dug into her lap, trying to keep herself grounded, trying not to let his voice creep into her chest the way it was starting to do .
"Tell me about yourself, Serenya," he said suddenly. She blinked, surprised. "There's nothing I want to share with you."
He groaned dramatically. "Look at you. I try to be a gentleman and this is how you reward me."
"A gentleman wouldn't keep a woman against her will when she's already betrothed," she fired back.
Zareth leaned in, breath brushing her cheek. "That's because I'm no gentleman."
Her heart skipped by the closed little distance between them . He wasn't bluffing. His gaze fell to her lips again, and she panicked, quickly covering her mouth with her hands.
"You shouldn't do that again," she muttered through her fingers. "We're not even married."
He chuckled. The sound was dark silk. Leaning forward, he kissed the back of her hand where it rested over her lips.
"Look at you bringing up marriage," he murmured. "You must really want us to wed. Fine, let's get married today."
Her eyes widened like saucers. "That's not what I meant!"
"Don't be shy," he teased, tapping the carriage wall. "Take us to the church."
"Zareth, I don't want to get married today!" she cried.
He smiled like a man toying with a mouse. "So you prefer tomorrow?" he asked, brushing a strand of her hair aside with infuriating gentleness. Her back pressed into the velvet cushion behind her, her heart thundering in her ears. She said nothing, afraid of how he'd twist her words.
He leaned back, arms spread on the backrest like a lion in his den. "Don't worry. I'll make it memorable."
When the carriage stopped and the rider called out that they had arrived at the church, Serenya nearly fainted.
Zareth descended first and turned, offering his hand. "You can't be serious," she said, clutching the seat. His hand remained outstretched, patient, unyielding.
"I'm not ready, Zareth. Please."
"Your hand, Serenya," he said, voice cold now. "Or I'll carry you out, which I'm sure everyone watching would enjoy immensely."
A small crowd had indeed gathered—some curious, some whispering in awe at the Emperor's presence.
Blushing furiously, she took his hand and stepped out.
"I promise it'll be quick," he whispered beside her ear, his hot breath making her shiver.
She stumbled beside him, her fingers tightening around his sleeve. His red eyes crinkled with amusement as he led her up the stone steps of the old imperial church.
The head priest and several clergymen approached, their faces shifting from reverence to confusion as they took in the scene.
"Greetings, Your Imperial Majesty. You honor us," the head priest said, bowing deeply.
Zareth nodded curtly. "I'm here to get married to Princess Serenya."
The priest choked on air, eyes wide. The others stared at Zareth, unsure if this was one of his elaborate tests or a real order.
"Zareth, please," Serenya whispered beside him, eyes pleading.
He turned to her, eyes burning with an emotion she couldn't name. "Don't worry. All you have to say is I do."