The next morning, everything was different.
The pain, the chaos, the blinding fire — all of it had faded into a soft, strange calm. The palace felt like a dream slowly catching its breath. And in that quiet, Seraphina took her first steps again.
Slowly. Carefully. With Kael's hand holding hers steady.
Her limbs still trembled from the power that had torn through her body the day before, and the exhaustion had not fully left her veins — but she was no longer broken. Just tired. And healing.
Kael said nothing as he helped her. He didn't ask how she felt or press her with questions. He only walked beside her in silence, adjusting his pace to match hers, keeping her steady when the world tilted a little too fast.
And somehow, that was enough.
Their relationship had changed.
Not in some dramatic, spoken way — no confessions, no declarations. Just little things.
The way her fingers brushed his and stayed. The way he looked at her now, not with uncertainty, but with a quiet kind of trust. The way he didn't demand anything, especially not her heart, even though he had already offered his.
Seraphina wasn't sure what she felt — not completely. Not yet.
But Kael didn't insist on hearing "I love you too."
He was patient. He was planning something else entirely.
And time would show what that was.
Beyond the balcony where morning light spilled in gold ribbons, the palace remained hushed.
The god — the one whose seal had broken — was sleeping still.
He was neither dead nor awake. Neither god nor man. His body lay in one of the rooms of the guest wing, guarded only by stillness and the faint shimmer of fading divine magic. No guards. No priests. Just silence and the weight of what he had once been.
Too weak to be called a god.Far too powerful to be called human.
Kael had requested that he stay there. Not in a temple. Not in chains. Just here — under the same roof as them. As if fate had tied them together, and all they could do now was wait for the threads to move.
That morning, Kael led her to the garden again.
Not the grand one with fountains and towering sculptures — but a quiet corner tucked behind the guest palace, where sunlight filtered through flowering trees and the air smelled faintly of jasmine.
It wasn't far. But for Seraphina, who still moved like her bones remembered fire, every step mattered.
Kael didn't rush her. He offered his arm, his presence, and a silence that felt like comfort — not absence.
They reached a stone bench beneath a blooming tree, its petals pale and delicate, like dreams drifting through air. Kael waited for her to sit first. When she hesitated, he only smiled, patient as ever, and lowered himself beside her.
They sat without speaking. They didn't need words.
Seraphina let her gaze wander — to the way sunlight lit Kael's face, to the warmth in his eyes whenever he glanced her way. For once, there were no shadows chasing them, no expectations to carry. Just him. Just her.
Just this moment.
Seraphina leaned into Kael's side as they sat quietly by the window, the soft morning light spilling over them like a gentle embrace. She looked up at him, a small, shy smile playing on her lips.
"I never thought... I'd feel this calm with anyone," she said softly, her voice almost a whisper.
Kael turned his gaze to her, his eyes steady and warm. "You don't have to worry here. Not with me."
She gave a little shrug, her fingers tightening around his hand. "I'm still not sure what I'm feeling exactly. It's confusing. But... being with you—it makes it easier to figure it out."
He smiled, a quiet, genuine smile that made her heart flutter. "That's enough for me. You don't have to say more."
They sat in comfortable silence for a while, the world outside slowly waking, but inside the room, time felt like it had paused.
Then Kael's voice came again, low and sincere. "When you're ready, I want you to know... I care for you, Seraphina. More than just duty, more than respect."
Her eyes met his, wide and searching. "I know," she said quietly, almost breathless.
He reached up, gently tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "Good," he said with a soft chuckle. "Because I'm not going anywhere."
Her cheeks warmed, and a small laugh escaped her lips. She leaned closer, resting her head against his shoulder. "I'm glad."
Their hands intertwined more firmly, fingers weaving together naturally, like they'd been made to fit.
And for the first time in a long while, Seraphina felt the weight inside her ease—like maybe, just maybe, she could let herself hope.
Their hands still gently entwined as they stood beneath the soft morning light filtering through the leaves. The quiet between them was peaceful — until the hurried footsteps of the young Prince of Solvenya approached through the garden path, breaking the calm.
"Kael," the prince called out, breathless and tense. "There's… something happening near the god's chamber."
Kael released Seraphina's hand slowly, turning toward him. "What is it?"
The prince's face was pale, eyes wide with concern. "An energy… a force unlike anything we've encountered. It's neither cold nor warm — something in between, unsettling. We tried to get close, but it pushed us back, as if the very air itself resists."
Seraphina's crimson eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "An unknown presence? Something guarding… or awakening?"
Kael's jaw tightened with resolve. "We can't ignore this. If the god is still weak, any disturbance could be dangerous."
He looked to Seraphina with quiet determination. "Rest here. I'll lead the others to investigate."
Seraphina's eyes flashed with determination. "I'm coming with you."
Kael hesitated for a moment, searching her face. "Are you sure? You need to rest."
She took a steadying breath, her hand reaching out to his. "I may be weak, but I'm still part of this. I won't stand aside while danger looms."
The prince looked between them, nodding respectfully.
Kael smiled softly, admiration clear in his gaze. "Very well. But stay close. We don't know what we're facing."
Together, the three of them moved swiftly down the garden path, the morning light fading behind them as they approached the god's chamber — where the strange energy waited.
The garden's soft twilight wrapped around them like a velvet cloak as Kael and Seraphina approached the guest wing. The evening air was cool, but an unseen weight pressed gently against their skin, something neither warm nor cold — just… different.
The prince led the way silently, his steps measured. At the door to the sealed god's chamber, he paused, exchanging a glance with Seraphina.
"It's happening again," he murmured, voice low. "But this time, the energy is stronger — a force neither of our mages can pierce. It holds, like a barrier, but not of darkness or cold."
Seraphina's fingers brushed against Kael's, a silent anchor. Though she was still fragile, her heart thudded with quiet courage.
Kael turned to her, eyes searching hers. "Stay close," he said softly.
Together, they stood before the heavy door. The air shimmered faintly, a ripple of power that teased their senses but left no mark. Neither warmth nor chill; it was a calm that unsettled, like the breath before a storm.
Seraphina inhaled deeply, feeling the vibrant energy coursing through her veins — a radiant warmth glowing beneath her skin. The ancient power within her was no longer a whisper or a shadow, but a blazing force awakened and alive.
Kael's hand found hers, their fingers entwining naturally, a silent promise that they faced whatever came — together.
Suddenly, the prince's gaze sharpened. "Look."
From the shadows near the entrance of the chamber, a subtle movement shifted — a shape emerging, colossal yet still. The silhouette blended with the dim light, an ancient presence awakening from slumber.
The garden around them remained serene; no tremors shook the earth, no force reached out to touch them.
But in their hearts, they knew.
The guardian was stirring.
And whatever waited beyond that threshold would soon demand their courage.