The sun dipped lower over Emberhold, casting golden light through the grand windows of the guild hall. Most of the guild members had logged out for the evening or retreated to private quarters, leaving the once-bustling hall quieter than usual. My heart pounded as I stood near one of the long tables, gripping the edge so hard my knuckles turned white.

  I was about to do something I’d dreaded for days. But I couldn’t hold it in anymore.

  Across the room, Devon and Selene stood near the guild’s map table, deep in conversation. Devon leaned against the edge, his arms crossed as he studied the markers with his usual intensity. Selene, her daggers sheathed at her sides, gestured to one of the locations with her characteristic calm, her silver hair glowing faintly in the evening light.

  I took a deep breath and approached them, each step heavier than the st.

  They noticed me before I could say anything. Devon straightened immediately, his protective instincts on full dispy as his sharp green eyes met mine. “Kiera,” he said, his voice softening. “What’s up?”

  Selene tilted her head, her piercing gaze scanning my face. “You look tense. Something on your mind?”

  I hesitated, my fingers clenching at my sides. “Can we talk? Privately?”

  Devon and Selene exchanged a gnce, their concern evident. Without a word, they both nodded and motioned toward a quieter corner of the hall, where a small alcove offered some privacy.

  Once we were seated, with Devon on one side of me and Selene on the other, I felt the weight of their attention settle over me.

  “I need to tell you something,” I began, my voice wavering slightly. “Something I should’ve told you a long time ago.”

  Devon frowned, his hand brushing mine briefly in reassurance. “Whatever it is, just say it. You know we’ve got your back.”

  Selene didn’t speak, but the way she leaned in and her steady and attentive expression told me she was listening just as intently.

  “It’s about Ethan,” I said, tightening my chest. “Back before the Wastes, when we were interrogating him... I used my Succubus abilities on him.”

  Both of them stiffened slightly, though they didn’t interrupt. I pushed on, my words tumbling out faster now.

  “I didn’t want to tell you because I feared your reaction. It wasn’t something I pnned—it just happened. He wasn’t talking, and I thought... I thought it was the only way to get the information we needed. But it wasn’t just about that. I... I lost control. The Succubus side of me—it’s dangerous, and I don’t always know how to handle it.”

  Selene’s expression didn’t change, though her silver eyes flickered with something I couldn’t pce. On the other hand, Devon let out a slow breath, rubbing the back of his neck.

  “You’ve been carrying this alone all this time?” Devon asked, his voice softer than I expected.

  “Yes,” I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. “I didn’t want you to see me differently.”

  Selene was the first to respond. “Kiera,” she said quietly, leaning closer. “We’ve always known this css of yours wasn’t just some fshy title. It’s tied to things most of us don’t understand—temptation, control, manipution. But that doesn’t change who you are.”

  Devon nodded, his hand settling over mine. “You’re still you. Yeah, it’s dangerous, but you’ve handled it better than most people would. The only thing that’s bothering me right now is that you didn’t tell us sooner.”

  “I didn’t want you to think less of me,” I admitted, gncing between them.

  “Less of you?” Selene said, her voice sharp but not unkind. “Kiera, do you know how much we trust you? How much we care about you? This isn’t something that would ever change that.”

  Devon squeezed my hand, his expression softening. “Exactly. You’re our Kiera. Always.”

  Their words lifted a weight I hadn’t realized I’d been carrying, and the relief made me bold. “Thank you,” I said softly, meeting each of their gazes. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

  “You won’t have to find out,” Selene said, her tone firm but her eyes warm.

  Something about the intensity of the moment shifted. The space between us felt smaller, the air heavier with unspoken emotions. Devon’s thumb brushed over my knuckles, his gaze lingering on mine with something deeper than reassurance. Selene’s hand settled lightly on my leg, her touch steady and grounding, but her closeness sent a shiver down my spine.

  “Kiera,” Devon murmured, his voice low. “You’ve been carrying so much. Let us take some of that weight.”

  I swallowed hard, my heart pounding as I felt their presence envelop me. Their eyes had no hesitation—only trust, care... something more.

  Selene leaned in first, her lips brushing mine softly, testing. When I didn’t pull away, she pressed closer, her hand cupping my cheek as the kiss deepened. Her touch was electric, and my mind spun as her steady confidence melted into something raw and honest.

  Devon’s hand on my chin guided me toward him when we parted. His lips were firm, his kiss searing in its intensity. Unlike Selene’s calcuted softness, Devon’s affection was protective and consuming, as if he was pouring everything he couldn’t say into that moment.

  When I pulled back, breathless and dazed, they watched me with a mix of affection and something deeper.

  “Is this... okay?” I managed to whisper.

  “More than okay,” Selene said, her voice carrying a rare tenderness.

  Devon nodded, his thumb brushing my cheek. “We’ve been waiting for you to see it.”

  “See what?” I asked, my voice barely audible.

  “That you’re ours,” Selene said simply, her lips curving into the faintest of smiles. “And we’re yours.”

  The golden light of Emberhold faded into deeper shades of orange as the sun dipped lower in the horizon. The once-bustling guild hall had grown quieter, the usual ughter and banter repced by the occasional ctter of distant footsteps or the soft hum of a spell being practiced nearby. My heart raced as I sat between Devon and Selene, their presence grounding and overwhelming.

  I’d finally told them my secret. Finally id bare the weight I’d been carrying. But the moment I had, the air around us shifted—not with judgment or disappointment, but with something heavier, more meaningful.

  Their reassurance echoed in my mind, but how they looked at me truly struck me. There was no fear in their eyes, no anger—just a profound understanding that made my chest ache.

  “You’ve always had us, Kiera,” Selene said softly, her silver eyes locking onto mine with unwavering intensity. “We wouldn’t let you shoulder this alone. Not ever.”

  Devon nodded, his hand still resting over mine. “Exactly. You think we’d let something like this push us away? Come on, Kiera. You know us better than that.”

  “I do,” I whispered, my voice barely audible. “It’s just... I’ve never let anyone in like this before. It’s terrifying.”

  “You’re not alone,” Selene murmured, her fingers brushing against my cheek with a gentleness that sent a shiver down my spine. “Not anymore.”

  Their presence felt so solid and steady that the tension in my chest started to ease. But with that relief came a different kind of intensity. The weight of their attention was almost too much to bear, and yet I couldn’t look away.

  Selene leaned in first, her lips capturing mine in a kiss that was as much a promise as a confession. Her touch was firm but gentle, her hand sliding to the back of my neck as she deepened the kiss, making my breath hitch. Her control, her confidence—it was intoxicating.

  When Selene finally pulled back, her eyes darkened with an intensity I’d never seen before; Devon was already guiding me toward him. His lips found mine in a kiss that was entirely different—hotter, fiercer, as if he was trying to convey every unspoken word he’d ever wanted to say. His hands framed my face, steady and warm, holding me in pce as his kiss overwhelmed every thought in my mind.

  I exhaled shakily, my heart hammering against my ribs. “I don’t want to lose you. Either of you.”

  “You won’t,” Selene said firmly, her hand sliding to cup my cheek. “Because we’re not letting you go.”

  The air between us grew thicker, heavier, as the tension that had been simmering for so long finally broke. Selene was the first to move, her lips brushing against mine again, but this time, there was no hesitation, no careful testing of boundaries. Her hands found my waist, pulling me closer as she cimed me with a confidence that sent sparks shooting through my body.

  Devon didn’t wait long to join. His lips found the side of my neck, trailing fire along my skin as his hands slid to my hips, grounding me even as my heart raced faster. The contrast between them was dizzying—Selene’s calcuted control and Devon’s raw intensity—but the way they worked together, seamless and unspoken, truly undid me.

  Selene’s hands guided mine to her waist, her breath warm against my lips as she whispered, “You’re stronger than you think, Kiera. Let us show you.”

  I barely had time to process her words before Devon tilted my head toward him again, his lips crashing into mine in a kiss so consuming it left me gasping. His hands roamed my back, finding the edges of my armor and tugging at the csps with a smirk that sent heat flooding through me.

  “Devon,” I murmured, though I wasn't sure whether it was a protest or encouragement.

  “Shh,” he said, his voice low and teasing. “Let us take care of you for once.”

  Selene chuckled softly, her fingers finding the straps of her own gear. “You deserve this, Kiera. Don’t fight it.”

  The night deepened as we let the game world fade away around us, our surroundings dissolving into nothing but the warmth and intensity of the moment. Their hands, lips, and words were all too much and not enough, an overwhelming collision of emotions and desire that left no room for doubt or fear.

  For the first time in what felt like forever, I let go.

  I let them pull me into their world, arms, and hearts. And for the first time, I didn’t feel alone.