POV: Sera
"Five hundred thousand dollars."
I stared at Marcus's face on Theron's phone, and the number seemed to grow bigger every time I blinked. Half a million dollars. For me. Dead or alive.
"That's not even the worst part," Theron said quietly. He scrolled down. "Look at what he told the press."
I read the article, and my stomach twisted.
"'Sera Winters is dangerous and unstable,'" I read aloud. "'She's threatened violence against her family and may be armed. If you see her, do not approach—call authorities immediately.'" I looked up. "He's making me sound like a terrorist."
"He's making you sound like someone worth half a million dollars," Luna said. She was sitting on a bench nearby, a healer working on the cut on her forehead. "Sera, every bounty hunter in the country will be looking for you now."
"Not just the country," Theron corrected. "Marcus posted the reward internationally. And with Morvana spreading word through immortal channels..." He trailed off, but I understood.
I was being hunted in two worlds now.
"This is my fault," I whispered. "If I hadn't saved Kael, if I'd just let Marcus win, if I'd—"
"Stop." Kael's voice was sharp. He'd been silent since his grandmother left, but now he stepped in front of me. "Don't blame yourself for other people's cruelty."
"But they're doing this because of me!"
"They're doing this because they're greedy and evil." His amber eyes were fierce. "You saved my life. You broke a curse that enslaved me for three thousand years. You've done nothing wrong."
"Then why does it feel like everything's falling apart?"
He opened his mouth to answer, then closed it. Frowned. "I... I don't know how to answer that. Is this what helplessness feels like? I don't like it."
Despite everything, I almost smiled. Here was the Undying Emperor, the most powerful immortal in existence, complaining about feelings like a confused kid.
"Yeah," I said. "That's helplessness."
"It's terrible. How do mortals live with this constantly?" He touched his chest like it hurt. "And this heavy feeling here—what is this?"
"Guilt, probably. Or worry."
"I want to stop feeling it."
"Can't. Once you start feeling things, you can't just turn them off." I sat down on the bench next to Luna, suddenly exhausted. "Trust me, I've tried."
Kael sat beside me, close enough that our shoulders touched. He studied my face with that intense curiosity that made me feel like I was the most interesting thing in the universe.
"Why do tears come when you're sad?" he asked suddenly.
I blinked. "What?"
"Tears. I've seen you cry several times. It seems... painful. Why does your body do that?"
"I don't know. It just happens."
"But what does sadness feel like? How do I know if I'm feeling it correctly?"
Luna leaned over, whispering, "Is he serious right now?"
"He hasn't felt emotions in three thousand years," I whispered back. "He's relearning everything."
"That's actually kind of sweet." Luna looked at Kael differently. "In a weird, immortal-emperor kind of way."
Kael was still waiting for my answer, his expression so earnest it made my chest hurt.
"Sadness feels like... heaviness," I said slowly. "Like something's pressing on your chest. Like the world lost its color. Sometimes you want to cry. Sometimes you just feel empty."
"Empty." He nodded. "I know empty. I was empty for three thousand years. But this is different. This emptiness hurts. The other emptiness felt like nothing."
"That's because you care now." I touched his hand without thinking. "When you care about things, it hurts more when they go wrong."
He stared at our hands touching, his thumb moving to brush against my palm. "Your skin is warm."
"Um. Thanks?"
"Mine used to be cold. Temperature meant nothing to me." His fingers laced through mine, and his eyes widened slightly. "Now it matches yours. Warm. Alive. This is... what's the word? Pleasant?"
"That works."
"Kael," Theron interrupted gently. "We should probably discuss security measures. With the bounty—"
"Later." Kael didn't look away from our joined hands. "I want to understand this first. This feeling when I touch her. It's different from touching other things."
"That's called attraction," Luna said helpfully. "Or possibly hand-holding. Both are pretty standard human experiences."
Kael's head snapped up. "Attraction? What does that feel like?"
"Oh boy," I muttered.
"Is it the warmth in my chest when I look at her? The desire to stay close? The anger when others threaten her?" He asked the questions so innocently, like he was studying for a test. "The strange sensation when she smiles that makes me want to smile too?"
Luna grinned. "Yep. That's all attraction. You've got it bad, Emperor."
"Got what bad? Is it an illness?"
"It's not—" I started, but Finn appeared out of nowhere, holding a tray.
"Someone ordered food for the mortals!" he announced cheerfully. "I brought options because I don't know what humans eat. Do you like... whatever this is?" He held up something that looked like purple bread.
"What is that?" Luna asked warily.
"Starfruit bread. It's a delicacy here." Finn noticed Kael and me holding hands. "Ooh, are you two bonding? That's adorable. The court is going to lose their minds."
"The court can mind their own business," Kael said flatly. But he didn't let go of my hand.
Finn set the tray down, and I saw other foods—some recognizable, some definitely not. But one thing caught my eye.
Chocolate. A small piece of dark chocolate.
"Is that from the mortal realm?" I asked.
"Yeah! I sneak over sometimes to get treats." Finn grinned. "Want some?"
I grabbed the chocolate and broke it in half. Offered one piece to Kael. "Here. Try this."
He took it carefully, studying it like it might explode. "What is it?"
"Chocolate. It's... well, just try it."
He put it in his mouth. His eyes went wide. Then wider.
"What—" He touched his tongue like he couldn't believe what he was tasting. "This is incredible. What is this feeling?"
"That's called 'delicious,'" I said, smiling despite everything. "Or joy. Happiness from taste."
"Joy." He grabbed my shoulders, his face lit up like a child's. "Sera. This is joy. I'm feeling joy from food!" He looked at the remaining chocolate on the tray. "Can I have more?"
"Sure, but don't eat too much or you'll—"
He'd already grabbed three more pieces and stuffed them in his mouth. His expression was pure bliss.
The court members nearby stopped and stared. Whispers rippled through the hall.
"The Emperor is... smiling."
"He's eating. When does he ever eat?"
"Is he laughing?"
Kael was indeed laughing—a sound of pure delight as he discovered chocolate. He grabbed my hand again. "Why didn't anyone tell me about this? Three thousand years and no one mentioned chocolate?"
"Maybe they tried and you didn't care," Theron suggested, looking amused.
"Well, I care now. This is amazing. What else have I been missing?" He looked at me with that intense focus. "What else can you teach me?"
"Um. Lots of things, I guess?"
"Show me. Teach me everything." He said it with such enthusiasm, such pure wonder, that something in my chest squeezed tight.
This was the Undying Emperor. The most feared being in all realms. And he was excited about chocolate like a kid on their birthday.
"Your Majesty," a new voice interrupted. Cold. Disapproving.
I looked up to see Lady Elara approaching with several other court members. All of them looked at me like I was something dirty.
"You have scheduled meetings," Lady Elara said to Kael. "The council has been waiting for over an hour."
"Cancel them," Kael said without looking away from me.
"Cancel them? Your Majesty, these are important matters of state—"
"I said cancel them." Now he did look at her, and his voice held absolute authority. "I want to learn about laughter. And happiness. And all the other emotions I've missed for three thousand years. The council can wait."
The hall went silent. You could hear a pin drop.
"But Your Majesty—" Lady Elara tried again.
"Is there a problem, Lady Elara?" Kael's tone was dangerous now. "Are you questioning my decisions?"
"Of course not. I simply think—"
"That's your first mistake. I don't pay you to think. I pay you to follow orders." He stood up, still holding my hand, pulling me with him. "Sera and I will be in my private chambers. No interruptions. Is that clear?"
More gasps. More whispers.
"Your Majesty," the dark-haired man from earlier stepped forward. "With all respect, spending private time with the Soulweaver sends a certain... message to the court."
"Good." Kael's smile was sharp. "Let them talk. Come, Sera."
He started walking, and I had no choice but to follow. Luna called after me, "Sera? Should I be worried?"
"Probably!" I called back.
Kael led me through hallways that twisted and turned, past more staring immortals, until we reached a massive door. It opened with a wave of his hand.
His private chambers were huge—comfortable furniture, shelves full of ancient books, windows showing that eternal twilight sky.
The door closed behind us, and we were alone.
"So," Kael said, turning to face me. His amber eyes were bright with curiosity. "Teach me. About emotions. About feelings. About being alive."
"I don't know if I'm the best teacher for this," I said nervously. "My life is kind of a mess right now."
"Which means you feel things intensely. That's perfect." He sat on a sofa and patted the spot beside him. "Start with something simple. Explain happiness."
I sat down, trying to ignore how close we were. "Happiness is when something good happens and it makes you feel light. Like you could float. Like everything's okay, even if it's just for a moment."
"I felt that with the chocolate."
"Exactly."
"What else?" He leaned forward, fascinated. "What about anger? I felt that when those warriors tried to hurt you. Hot. Violent. Consuming."
"Yeah, that's anger." I thought about Marcus. About Vivienne. "Anger is when someone hurts you or someone you care about, and you want to hurt them back. Want to scream. Want to break things."
"Have you felt that recently?"
"Every day since my engagement party."
His hand found mine again, squeezing gently. "Tell me about love."
My heart skipped. "What?"
"Love. I've heard the word. Never understood it." His eyes were so intense, so honest. "What does love feel like?"
"I... I don't know if I can explain that one."
"Why not?"
"Because I thought I knew what love was. I thought Marcus loved me. Thought my father loved me. But they both—" My voice cracked. "Maybe I don't know what real love feels like either."
Kael tilted his head, studying me. "That's sadness again. I can see it in your eyes. They get darker. Wetter."
"Yeah, well. Talking about love when everyone who was supposed to love you betrays you will do that."
"I won't betray you."
The words were simple. Honest. Absolute.
"You don't know that," I whispered.
"Yes, I do." He moved closer, his hand reaching up to touch my face. "I know because the thought of hurting you makes me feel that anger we discussed. Except directed at myself. I don't want to hurt you. I want to—" He paused, searching for words. "I want to keep you safe. Make you smile. Take away the darkness in your eyes. Is that love?"
"I don't know. Maybe it's the beginning of it."
"Then I want to learn more. About love. About all of it." His thumb brushed my cheek. "Will you teach me?"
I should have said no. Should have pulled away. This was too much, too fast, too confusing.
But looking into his amber eyes, seeing the wonder and hope there, I couldn't refuse him.
"Okay," I whispered. "I'll teach you."
He smiled—that pure, childlike smile that transformed his entire face.
"Thank you, Sera. I—"
The window exploded inward.
Glass shattered everywhere. Kael threw himself over me, protecting me with his body as three figures crashed into the room.
Not immortal warriors.
Human. Wearing tactical gear. Carrying weapons.
Bounty hunters.
"Target acquired," one of them said into a radio. "Sera Winters is secured. Initiating extraction."
Kael's power exploded outward, throwing them back. But more were coming through the window. At least a dozen.
"How did they get past the barriers?" Kael demanded.
One of the hunters smiled. "Someone on the inside helped us. Someone who wants the Soulweaver gone just as much as we want that reward money."
A traitor. In Kael's own court.
And as the hunters closed in, I realized something terrifying.
This was only the beginning.