They raced through Lyria's winding alleys, lanterns flickering overhead as though warning them of the storm behind. The Nightveil shadows spread through the streets, searching, hunting.When Kael finally pulled her through the hidden entrance of a moonlit tower on the river's edge, they were both breathless.
But alone.
Safe for now.
The door slammed shut behind them, and silence filled the ancient stone chamber. The only light came from the soft glow of the river outside, shimmering through high, arched windows.Althea pressed a hand to her chest, catching her breath. "Kael, what was that? Why do they want me so badly?"
"Because you're powerful," he said. "More than you realize. The Nightveil sees you as a threat—and as a weapon."
He stepped closer. Close enough that she felt his breath warm her skin.
"I won't let them touch you," he murmured.
Something inside her pulled toward him—magnetized, reckless, unstoppable. The fear of the chase, the closeness of danger, the heat of his body—it all merged into a fire that consumed her restraint.
She reached up, her fingers brushing the line of his jaw. "Kael…" she whispered. "I don't want to run from this—not from you."
He froze.
Her heart pounded."I feel you," she said softly. "Every emotion, every heartbeat. I know you try to hide it. But I feel everything."His golden eyes flashed—desire, conflict, longing."Althea," he breathed, "if I give in, I might never be able to stop.""Then don't."That broke him.He closed the distance, his mouth crashing onto hers with a hunger that had been burning since the moment they met. His hands cupped her face, sliding into her hair, pulling her closer as if she were the only anchor in a collapsing world.She matched him with equal intensity, gripping the back of his coat, feeling the heat of his body press against hers. Their kiss deepenedslow at first, then urgent, desperate, fueled by fear and longing and the knowledge that tomorrow wasn't promised.He lifted her against him, carrying her toward the shadowed alcove of the tower chamber. His lips traced fire along her neck, her whispers echoing softly between the stone walls.
"Kael…" she breathed.
He stopped only long enough to look into her eyes."You're everything I never thought I deserved," he whispered."And you're everything I chose," she answered.Their embrace, fierce and tender, was a promise one sealed in the dim light of the forgotten tower as the world outside descended into chaos.