Arastella POV
The dragons were falling from the sky like dying stars. One by one, their massive, scaled bodies crashed into the burning earth, their roars tearing through the blackened air. I stood entirely alone in the wreckage, surrounded by ash, blood, and the scent of smoke. Everything began to spin around me—a sickening, dizzying vortex of devastation. I turned to run, to escape the nightmare, but thick, darkness surged inward from every direction, closing in like a wall.
Above the sound of the burning world, a sound echoed—low, smooth, and chillingly amused. Castel's laughter filled the void, wrapping around my throat like a vice.
Panic surged through my chest. I scrambled trying to run, but the floor gave way beneath me, plunging me deeper into the shadow—
My eyes snapped open.
The nightmare shattered, but the sensation of being trapped didn't fade. A firm, suffocatingly tight squeeze encompassed my body, holding me securely in place. Instead of the bitter reek of dragon ash, the warm, rich scent of apples and cinnamon filled my senses.
I was wrapped securely in Castel's arms, his quiet, rhythmic breaths fanning against my temple. Horror spiked in my veins. A sharp, instinctive gasp tore past my lips, and I threw both hands over my mouth to smother a scream.
"Stop moving around so much," Castel grumbled, his voice thick with sleep as his arm tightened around me.
"When did you get in here?" I demanded against my palms.
Before he could answer, I looked down at myself under the covers. The purple silk dress I had fallen asleep crying in was gone. In its place, I was dressed in a soft, loose-fitting cotton nightgown.
Pure outrage flared in my chest. I violently wiggled out of his grip, kicking off the heavy duvet, and scrambled into a sitting position against the headboard. I clutched the sheets tightly to my collarbone like a shield.
"You took advantage of me while I was unconscious!" I hissed, my eyes wide with anger.
Castel slowly opened his eyes, resting his head back against his hand as he looked up at me with an infuriatingly calm expression. "I am not a monster, despite what you may believe. I found you on the floor... you cried yourself to sleep."
A rush of hot, burning embarrassment flooded my cheeks. The memories of last night—the fight with Astelion, the broken trust, and my pathetic breakdown on the carpet—came rushing back to hit me like a physical blow.
Overwhelmed by the sheer humiliation of him seeing me like that, I slapped both hands over my face and let out a muffled, frustrated scream into my palms.
Castel's gaze softened slightly. "I asked Astelion to clean you up," he added quietly. "And then I came and fell asleep beside you."
Slowly, I lowered my hands from my face, my chest heaving as I stared at him. "I thought you wanted me to share your bed."
Castel shifted, sitting up against the headboard beside me, the sheets pooling around his waist. "This is sharing my bed."
"I thought you wanted to have sex," I snapped.
Castel broke into a sudden, genuine laugh, a low, musical sound that vibrated through the quiet room. "Are you disappointed? Were you looking forward to it?" he teased, leaning in dangerously close, his eyes gleaming with dark amusement.
My face burned hot, a betraying blush creeping up my neck. I shoved his broad shoulder hard, forcing him backward until he fell with a soft thud against his pillows.
"Use better words next time!" I snapped, pulling the sheets tighter around myself.
"You just have a dirty mind," he chuckled from the mattress, looking thoroughly entertained. "If I wanted to have sex with you, I would have said it. Plus, I am not a man who likes forcing it."
I let out a sharp, bitter laugh. "Says the man who kidnapped me and forced me to marry him!"
Castel laughed again, bowing his head in mild concession. "Point taken." He patted the empty space beside him on the plush mattress. "Now come on. Let's go back to sleep."
I stared at his hand on the sheet, every survival instinct in my body telling me to pull away. But I had no weapon, no allies left in this palace, and nowhere to run. Carefully, slowly, I slid back down into the bed, keeping as much distance between us as possible.
The moment my head hit the pillow, Castel reached out and pulled me into a tight, warm cuddle, burying his face into the side of my neck.
I lay stiffly in his embrace, staring at the carved canopy ceiling above us as his steady heartbeat thudded against my back.
If my father could see me right now... I thought, a cold, heavy lump forming in my throat. He would be so disappointed in me. He would look at me wrapped in the Mad King's arms and think I had surrendered.
I closed my eyes, forcing down the tears before they could form. I am doing this to survive, I reminded myself, holding onto the thought like a dagger hidden in the dark. I am enduring this so I can get us out.