The gardens were quiet again—too quiet.
Elara had just completed another round of training, weaving her lunar magic through the sigils on the ground, guiding them with precision she had never reached before. Her palms glowed faintly, the residual hum of energy buzzing through her veins.
Kael stood nearby, arms crossed, eyes scanning the shadows as he always did. He had grown quieter in these sessions, watching her, waiting, yet never touching—allowing her to grow, but ready to strike if danger approached.
Elara straightened, breathing heavily. "I think… I'm finally starting to control it," she said.
Kael's gaze softened. "You're more than controlling it. You're mastering it."
Her lips curved faintly, pride and relief mingling with exhaustion. For the first time, she felt the bond not as a cage or a tether, but as a shared power—two forces entwined, challenging and supporting each other.
Then the wind shifted.
Subtle at first—a chill brushing the back of her neck. Then sharper. A faint ripple through the wards.
Elara froze, every hair on her body standing on end.
"Kael," she whispered. "Something's coming."
He moved immediately, stepping in front of her. "Show me."
Before she could respond, a flash of movement darted from the shadows of the hedges. Two figures, clad in black and silver, launched themselves at them—blades glinting in the moonlight.
"Elara, stay behind me!" Kael shouted.
She did—not out of obedience, but instinct. Her hands rose, and the bond flared as the lunar energy responded instantly, arcs of silver light shooting from her fingertips to intercept the incoming blades. Sparks flew as steel met magic, and the air vibrated with raw force.
Kael struck at the closest assassin, his movements sharp and lethal. The first man barely had time to react before Kael's sword struck, sending him sprawling across the stone path.
The second attacker was faster, more skilled. He lunged toward Elara directly.
Pain flared—not in her body, but in her chest. The bond reacted, warning her, tugging her instincts toward Kael's presence.
Her hands moved on their own. Sigils formed in the air, spinning rapidly, before exploding outward in a controlled burst. The attacker was thrown backward violently, pinned to the hedges by silver energy.
Elara gasped, adrenaline roaring. "They're… fast!"
Kael's jaw tightened. "Not faster than you."
He pivoted, cutting down another figure emerging from the darkness. More assailants were revealed—shadows slipping through the hedges, moving like predators.
"Keep them off me!" Elara shouted, her voice fierce with determination. She wove the sigils around her in a protective spiral, forcing the attackers back with brilliant arcs of silver light.
The bond flared stronger than ever. Pain and heat shot through both of them as their magic intertwined—not just guiding each other, but fighting as one.
Kael glanced at her mid-battle. "Do you feel it?"
"Yes," she shouted. "It's… like we're connected!"
He grinned briefly, teeth flashing in the moonlight. "Good. Then don't stop."
The attackers were relentless, but they had underestimated two things: the bond, and the Queen-to-be who refused to die. Elara's control had sharpened; she anticipated their movements with unnatural precision, the lunar energy responding to her and Kael simultaneously.
One of the attackers lunged from behind, dagger aimed at her heart. Kael intercepted it in a blur, slicing the blade in half mid-air. Silver sparks sprayed across the stone tiles.
"Too close!" Kael barked.
Elara exhaled sharply. "I know!"
She extended both hands, sending a final pulse of energy outward. The remaining attackers were hurled backward, pinned to the ground by the brilliance of her magic. They writhed, screaming, but the energy held them firmly—immobilized without a single fatal strike.
Kael stepped forward, sheathing his sword. "Enough," he commanded. "The council sent them."
Elara froze. "The council?"
Kael nodded grimly. "They're terrified of your power. They want to control it—or eliminate it."
She clenched her fists. "They'll regret ever touching me."
Kael's eyes softened as he looked at her, awe and something deeper reflecting in his silver gaze. "You're extraordinary," he said quietly.
Elara's chest tightened at the tone of his voice. Not commanding. Not protective. But… reverent.
The bond pulsed suddenly, stronger than ever, tethering them together. Pain flared, but this time it was sharp and exhilarating—a reminder of what they could achieve together.
She realized, almost breathlessly, that it wasn't fear she felt. It was power. Shared power. And the thought of standing beside him like this, facing the council and the dangers ahead, made her chest ache in a way that had nothing to do with magic.
Kael's hand brushed against hers. Instinctively, she gripped it, feeling the warmth, the tether, the promise.
"We survived," she whispered.
"Yes," he said, voice low and rough. "But this is only the beginning. The council won't stop until they break you… or kill you."
Elara stared up at him, determination flashing in her silver eyes. "Then we fight. Together. No matter what."
Kael's lips curved, faint but dangerous. "No matter what," he echoed.
The moon above cast its silver glow over them, illuminating the two figures standing side by side—queen and king, allies, and now something far more.
The bond pulsed again, fierce and unyielding, as if answering a question neither of them had dared to voice:
Could they survive what was coming… and remain unbroken?