Page 40

After dinner, I insisted on cleaning up despite Anderic’s half-hearted protests. The familiar rhythm of washing dishes grounded me in a strange way. It was something I’d mastered during those harsh years in exile—a mundane task that now brought unexpected comfort.

I’m on the way to that same place.

The familiar piercing screech cut through the night air without warning. I nearly dropped the bowl I was drying, my hands freezing mid-motion as my eyes shot to the window. Outside, a massive eagle circled overhead, its wingspan impressive against the darkening sky.

Anderic rushed outside, arm extended upward. The majestic bird descended in a controlled dive, talons grasping Anderic’s leather-clad forearm with practiced precision. A small leather cylinder was attached to its leg.

I approached cautiously as Anderic extracted a thin roll of parchment. Lennox appeared at his side, face grim as he read over the prince’s shoulder.

“Bloody hell!” Lennox’s curse exploded in the quiet evening. “Treacherous snake. I knew he couldn’t be trusted.”

Anderic’s expression darkened to something dangerous—a look that once would have terrified me. The muscle in his jaw twitched as he clenched his teeth, his eyes cold and calculating. But now, I felt no fear. Instead, standing beside him, I felt… protected.

“What happened?” I asked, stepping closer.

Anderic looked up, his golden curls catching the last rays of sunlight. “Prince Callum’s missing.”

“Missing?” I frowned, but the tightness in my chest was already beginning to coil.

“Weren’t you having him followed until he crossed Aetheria’s border?

He should have been gone days ago. Why are you only getting this message now?

” My voice rose despite myself, the edges of panic sharpening each word.

It was happening again, just like it did in my previous life.

Anderic’s jaw tightened. “It seems Prince Callum was aware he was being watched. He created a diversion—sent a double in his carriage toward the eastern border while he slipped away.” His fist clenched around the parchment. “You were right to be suspicious of him all along.”

Lennox had stopped cursing long enough to join the conversation. “We need to decide what to do. Continue north as planned or return to find this treacherous bastard?”

“The mines can’t wait,” Anderic muttered, pacing now. “But if Callum’s still in the capital…”

“He could be meeting with the very people we’re investigating,” Lennox finished, running a hand through his hair. “Dammit, we can’t be in two places at once.”

“I could go back alone,” Lennox suggested. “You continue to the mines with Lady Ilyana.”

“Too dangerous to split up. If they realize we’re onto them—”

I stepped forward before I could doubt myself. “I might be able to help.”

Both men turned to me, surprise evident on their faces.

“I think I know where Callum might be hiding,” I said, choosing my words carefully.

Anderic gestured for me to continue, his expression unreadable.

I licked my dry lips. “There’s an old temple in the eastern quarter of the capital—the abandoned temple of an ancient empire.

Beneath it runs a network of underground chambers once used for secretive religious ceremonies.

The entrance is hidden behind the third altar, beneath a loose stone carved with a crescent moon.

” I paused. “Few people know it exists.”

In my previous life, Callum had shown me this place—where I met him in those moments of hopeless desperation—still clinging to the fantasy of being with Noah. The memory made my stomach turn with shame.

To my surprise, neither man questioned how I knew this information. Instead, Anderic turned to Lennox. “Go. Now. Take the fastest horse. If he’s there, send word immediately, but don’t engage. We need to know who he’s meeting with.”

Lennox nodded, already moving toward the door. “And if he’s not?”

“Then check the Black Maiden Inn near the western gate. He might be there too.” Another location I remembered from my past dealings with Callum.

Lennox departed within minutes, the sound of hoofbeats fading into the distance.

Anderic turned to me, his gaze intense. “How did you know about those places, Lya?”

Oh. So he was going to question it after all.

I sighed, suddenly aware of Anderic’s intense gaze boring into me. How could I possibly explain how I knew about Callum’s secret hideouts without sounding completely insane?

I have to tell him soon. I can’t delay this any more.

“I’ll tell you everything, Eric. I promise.” I rubbed my temples, fatigue washing over me. “But not tonight. It’s late, and time is crucial. Lennox needs to find Callum before he causes more trouble.”

Anderic studied me for a long moment, the candlelight casting shadows across his face. The silence stretched between us until he finally nodded.

“You were right about him all along. I should have listened sooner.” His voice carried a rare note of regret. “We should rest. Tomorrow will be a long day.”

We made our way upstairs, our footsteps echoing in the quiet house. At the landing, we paused before two closed doors—two separate bedrooms. The air between us suddenly felt charged, heavy with unspoken questions.

I cleared my throat. “We should probably take separate rooms.”

Anderic didn’t respond, his expression unreadable in the dim hallway. The silence grew until it became unbearable.

“So… I’ll be going then.” I took a slow step toward the door on the left, my hand reaching for the handle. “Goodnight, Your—”

In three swift strides, Anderic closed the distance between us. His hand caught my wrist, spinning me toward him. Before I could process what was happening, his lips found mine.

The kiss was nothing like I expected from the golden prince.

It wasn’t gentle or hesitant—it was demanding, hungry, as if he’d been holding himself back for too long.

His hands cradled my face, thumbs brushing against my cheeks as his mouth moved against mine.

Heat bloomed wherever he touched, spreading through my body like wildfire.

I melted against him, my fingers clutching the fabric of his shirt as I rose on my tiptoes to meet his fervor.

When we finally broke apart, I was trembling, my breath coming in short gasps. Anderic’s eyes had darkened to midnight blue, his chest rising and falling rapidly.

A slow, devastating smile spread across his face. “Goodnight, Lya.”

And then he was gone, the door to his room closing with a soft click, leaving me standing alone in the hallway, fingertips pressed to my tingling lips.

Sleep proved impossible. I tossed and turned, replaying the kiss in my mind while anxiety gnawed at my insides. How would I explain everything to Anderic tomorrow? The time travel, my not-so-good past, the future I was desperately trying to prevent—it sounded crazy even to me.

Then there was Callum’s disappearance. If history repeated itself, he was probably working with the enemy this time. And Commander Maxwell was waiting at the mines… the man who’d slaughtered my family without remorse. The man whose loyalty I wasn’t too sure about.

After hours of restless turning, I surrendered to insomnia. Perhaps some fresh air would clear my head.

I slipped from my room only to find the main room illuminated by a single candle. Anderic sat at the makeshift dining table, methodically cleaning his sword, his golden curls falling forward as he worked.

I approached cautiously. “Can’t sleep?”

He looked up, those impossibly blue eyes finding mine in the darkness. The corner of his mouth quirked upward. “You too, hm?”

I lingered in the doorway, suddenly uncertain. The memory of his lips on mine made my skin flush despite the cool night air. Anderic looked different in the candlelight—less the intimidating crown prince and more just a man, his sleeves rolled up to reveal muscular forearms as he worked.

“Worried about tomorrow?” I asked, stepping into the room.

Anderic set his polishing cloth aside. “Among other things.” His eyes found mine, searching. “Join me?”

“So…you think something might go wrong too.” I slid into the chair across from him, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “I’ve always found it odd—how people prepare for violence so meticulously. Cleaning weapons, polishing armor…”

“It’s not about the violence.” He rotated the blade, checking its edge. “It’s about control. Preparedness.”

“And do you feel in control, Your Highness?” The question slipped out before I could stop it.

His eyes darkened. “Not lately.” He set the sword aside. “Especially not around you.”

My heart stuttered in my chest. “I tend to have that effect on people. Usually it’s because they want to strangle me.”

A smile tugged at his lips. “That’s not exactly what I want to do.”

“No?” I raised an eyebrow, emboldened by the intensity in his gaze. “What do you want to do, then?”

“I think I made that rather clear in the hallway.” His voice dropped lower, sending a shiver down my spine.

“Perhaps I need further clarification.” Where was this boldness coming from? Maybe I was too tired of worrying about every damned thing.

I wanted to feel. I want to let go. For tonight.

Anderic’s hand reached across the table, his fingertips brushing mine. “I want to know you, Lya. The real you—not the masks you wear so skillfully.”

“You might not like what you find,” I whispered, but didn’t pull away as his fingers intertwined with mine.

“Try me.”

He stood, pulling me gently to my feet and around the table until we stood face-to-face. His hand traced up my arm, leaving goosebumps in its wake, before coming to rest against my cheek.

“I’ve wanted to do this again since the moment I walked away,” he murmured, his thumb tracing my lower lip.

I leaned into his touch. “So why did you walk away?”

“Because I wasn’t sure if you wanted this.” His eyes searched mine. “Do you?”