The air was thick with tension as they walked away from the restaurant, the weight of the rumors pressing down on them. An invasion of Lirielle? It wasn’t impossible. Lysara knew her absence left the kingdom vulnerable, but to hear confirmation of it sent a wave of unease through her chest.

  Val walked beside her, his crimson eyes narrowed, deep in thought. Aris, on the other hand, had her arms crossed, looking irritated.

  “They’re really pnning to attack Lirielle,” Aris muttered, her golden eyes darkening slightly. “Idiots. Even if Lysara is not there, it shouldn't be easy.”

  “It will be,” Val responded coldly. “Without her, Lirielle is just another kingdom waiting to fall.”

  Lysara flinched at his words, though she knew they were true.

  “Then we should go back,” she said, determination in her voice.

  Val stopped walking. His gaze met hers, unreadable. “And what will you do?”

  “I…” Lysara hesitated.

  What could she do? She wasn’t a warrior like Aris. She wasn’t as strong as Val. Yet, there was something deep inside her, a feeling—a knowledge—that she could protect Lirielle. But how?

  Her head throbbed suddenly, a sharp pain shooting through her skull. Lysara winced, pressing a hand against her temple.

  “Liri?” Aris was by her side in an instant. “What’s wrong?”

  “It’s nothing,” Lysara said quickly, forcing a smile. “I’m just tired.”

  Lies. It wasn’t just fatigue. She knew this feeling. It had come before—always in moments of stress, always when she felt the weight of something beyond her control. But why?

  The pain faded, leaving a strange sensation behind—like something deep inside her had been momentarily disrupted before settling back into pce.

  Val’s gaze lingered on her for a moment longer before he started walking again. “We need to be careful here. If word spreads about who we are, we’ll have more than just rumors to deal with.”

  Lysara nodded, though her thoughts were elsewhere.

  She wanted to do something for Lirielle. But why did she feel like she was missing something important?

  And why, in that brief moment of pain, did it feel like time itself had… shifted?

  Lysara followed behind Val and Aris as they moved through the crowded marketpce, her thoughts still lingering on the growing threat to Lirielle. Her forehead throbbed slightly from where she had hit it earlier, but it wasn’t just the pain that distracted her—it was Val.

  She gnced at him, his silver hair catching the faint morning light, his movements calcuted and precise as he observed their surroundings. His presence had always been steady, unwavering. Even in the face of enemies, even when he was wounded, even when she was at her weakest—he never faltered.

  And maybe… that was why she was so drawn to him.

  Fshback – Before they left Lirielle

  The night was quiet, yet the air was heavy with unspoken words. Lysara sat near the huge log of a fallen tree, staring at the vast kingdom far but within the horizon. It had been a long day— the ever-growing fear of war. Her body was exhausted, but her mind wouldn’t stop racing.

  She barely noticed Val’s presence until he spoke.

  “You’re overthinking again.”

  Lysara turned her head, meeting his crimson eyes. He stood near the railing, arms crossed, watching her with that ever-serious expression of his.

  “I can’t help it,” she admitted. “Lirielle is everything to me… and I don’t know if I can protect it.”

  Val studied her for a moment before stepping closer. “You’re not alone in this.”

  Lysara let out a soft, almost bitter chuckle. “That’s easy for you to say. You’re strong, Val. You don’t hesitate.”

  Val’s gaze lingered on her before he spoke, his voice lower than before. “I hesitate more than you think.”

  Lysara blinked. It was rare for him to admit something like that.

  “For what?” she asked.

  Val didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he reached forward, gently brushing a strand of her blue hair behind her ear. The gesture was unexpected, sending a strange warmth through her chest.

  “You.”

  It was one word. Simple. But it struck her harder than any grand decration could have.

  Present Day

  Lysara felt her face warm at the memory. It wasn’t just that moment—there had been many like it. Moments where Val had shown her care in his own silent, reserved way. Moments where he had pced himself between her and danger, without hesitation.

  She had fallen for him gradually, piece by piece, until the thought of a life without him became unbearable.

  “Liri? You’re spacing out,” Aris commented, nudging her.

  Lysara blinked, realizing she had stopped walking. Val had noticed too—his gaze flickered toward her with mild curiosity.

  “Just thinking,” she said quickly.

  Val arched an eyebrow but didn’t press further.

  Lysara smiled to herself. She might be emotional, and he might be logical, but that didn’t change what she felt.

  The city lights flickered softly in the distance as Lysara walked beside Val, her arm lightly brushing against his. Aris had gone off to check supplies, leaving them alone in the quiet streets. The night air was cool, and for once, there was no immediate danger—just the two of them in a moment of rare peace.

  Lysara suddenly tugged at Val’s sleeve, slowing him down. “Let’s stop here for a while.”

  Val gnced at her. “You’re still weak.”

  She pouted. “I know, but I just want to sit with you for a bit.”

  Val sighed but didn’t argue. He led her toward a stone bench beneath a ntern-lit tree.

  For a moment, they just stayed like that—her resting against him, and him letting her. It wasn’t something Val would have allowed before, but now… he didn’t push her away.

  Lysara let out a small sigh. “It feels strange, doesn’t it?”

  “What does?”

  She pyed with the fabric of his sleeve. “Having moments like this. Just sitting together. After everything we’ve been through… it feels unreal.”

  Val remained silent, but his presence alone was comforting.

  Lysara continued, her voice softer now. “I keep thinking… what if I had never met you?”

  Val tensed slightly, his crimson eyes darkening. “Don’t.”

  She blinked at him. “Huh?”

  “Don’t say things like that,” he said, his voice quieter but firm. “You’re here now. That’s what matters.”

  Lysara’s heart skipped a beat. He wasn’t the type to say sweet words, but when he did, they carried weight. She smiled, nuzzling closer.

  “You always act cold, but you’re actually really sweet,” she teased.

  Val sighed, as if regretting saying anything at all. “You’re getting annoying again.”

  Lysara giggled. “And you still let me.”

  He didn’t respond, but his hand lightly rested over hers, a quiet acceptance..

  The room was dimly lit by a single ntern, casting long shadows against the wooden walls.

  The inn they had chosen wasn’t extravagant, but it was comfortable enough—a temporary sanctuary in a foreign nd.

  Lysara sat cross-legged on the bed, brushing her long blue hair with her fingers, while Val leaned against the wall, arms crossed, his crimson eyes fixed on the flickering ntern. Aris, already exhausted from the day’s events, had retired to the next room.

  Lysara broke the silence first. “Val…”

  He gnced at her. “What?”

  She hesitated, then sighed. “I’m worried about Lirielle.”

  His gaze didn’t waver. “You’re not there, so it’s vulnerable.”

  “I wonder how they’re holding up,” Lysara continued, her voice softer now. “Varog… the Lycans… if they attack, Lirielle won’t st.”

  Val finally spoke, his voice calm but firm. “Your kingdom was built to withstand invasions. But without you, they’re just waiting for the inevitable.”

  Lysara lowered her gaze. “I should be there…”

  Val’s eyes darkened. “And do what? You’re still recovering.”

  She clenched her fists. “But I—”

  “Rushing back without a pn is foolish,” he interrupted, pushing off the wall. He walked over to her, pcing a hand on the bed beside her. “Lirielle’s defenses relied on you fixing their mistakes. But you’re not there. That means if they want to survive, they have to learn how to fight without you.”

  Lysara looked up at him, her expression conflicted.

  Val continued, his voice colder now. “If they colpse without you, then they were never strong to begin with.”

  Lysara flinched slightly at his words,

  “…It’s not that simple, Val.”

  He studied her for a moment, then sighed, sitting beside her on the bed. “I never said it was.”

  For a while, they sat in silence. Lysara leaned against him slightly, drawing comfort from his presence.

  Then, the door opened.

  Aris stepped in, her golden eyes scanning the room. She crossed her arms and smirked. “You two look cozy.”

  Lysara quickly straightened up, her face turning pink. “It’s not what it looks like!”

  Val, unbothered, merely shifted his gaze to Aris. “What do you want?”

  Aris sighed, walking over to a chair and sitting down. “I was out gathering information.” She leaned forward, her expression turning serious. “Things aren’t looking good. Rumors are spreading. Some people are talking about a possible invasion of Lirielle.”

  Lysara’s smile faded. “So it’s true…”

  Aris nodded. “It won’t be long before the strongest empire makes its move. Without you there, Lysara, Lirielle is just a target.”

  Silence fell between them again, thick with unspoken thoughts.

  Then, Lysara turned to Val, her voice softer now. “Val… if it comes down to it, and we have to fight… I need to know.”

  He looked at her, waiting for her to continue.

  She hesitated before asking, "Do you still need to hold back?”

  Aris raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the sudden question.

  Val’s crimson eyes flickered. He exhaled slowly and leaned back against the headboard. “Because if I don’t, I might destroy everything around me.”

  Lysara studied him carefully, sensing that there was more to his answer. “You mean the colteral damage?”

  He nodded. “If I go all out, it won’t just be my enemies who suffer. The surroundings, the people—I can’t control what gets caught in it. I could kill you both without meaning to.”

  Lysara’s heart clenched. She had known he was powerful, but hearing him say it so pinly made it feel… different.

  Aris, however, scoffed. “So what? You’d rather lose than risk it?”

  Val’s gaze darkened. “I’d rather not lose anything important.”

  That made both women pause.

  Lysara’s fingers curled into the fabric of her dress. “Val… have you ever lost control before?”

  His eyes flickered with something unreadable—regret, maybe. “Once.”

  Aris narrowed her eyes. “When?”

  “…When my friend, the st of my kind, died at the hands of the King of the Lycans.”

  The room grew colder at his words. Lysara felt her breath hitch.

  “You never told us,” she murmured.

  He shrugged, but it wasn’t his usual indifferent gesture. “There was nothing left to tell.”

  Lysara reached for his hand, holding it gently. “You’re afraid of that happening again, aren’t you?”

  He didn’t answer. But his silence was enough.

  Aris sighed, running a hand through her hair. “So basically, if you ever lose control, we’re all screwed.”

  Val smirked slightly. “Exactly.”

  Lysara, still holding his hand, squeezed it lightly. “Then… we’ll just make sure that never happens.”

  Val turned his gaze to her, meeting her golden eyes. He didn’t say anything, but for a moment, just a brief moment, the coldness in his expression softened.

  Aris stretched her arms, breaking the tension. “Well, whatever happens, we should get some sleep. Tomorrow, we figure out what to do next.”

  Lysara nodded, but as she y back on the bed, she couldn’t shake the feeling of unease.