I took a step back out of instinct, my thoughts spiraling. Did he just tell me that he wasn’t supposed to be with me like normal couples? That it was against royal protocol?
The weight of his words settled heavily on my chest. Anger bubbled to the surface, the pain he had caused me refusing to stay hidden. In that moment, the bravery I thought I had lost came rushing back in full force.
“What exactly does all of that mean, William Alaric Draycott, crowned King of the Crescent Kingdom?” I asked, my tone sharp, each word slicing through the silence.
His mismatched eyes flickered with nervous energy as he processed my words. He stepped to the far side of the large elevator, his body language betraying his unease at my directness.
“It means,” he began, his voice quieter than usual, “that I
