A Kiss between Worlds

Chapter 3: A Very Unwelcome Houseguest

Ivy’s first instinct was to throw the smirking, arrogant fae prince out of her apartment. Her second instinct was to sit down and figure out if she was dreaming, hallucinating, or on the verge of a nervous breakdown. She opted for the latter, collapsing onto her worn-out couch while Kael casually examined her bookshelf, plucking a romance novel off the shelf with an amused expression.

“You read stories about love?” he mused, flipping through the pages. “How quaint.”

“Don’t touch that!” Ivy snapped, snatching the book from his hands. “Who even are you? And what do you mean, ‘trapped between realms’? This sounds like something out of a bad fantasy movie.”

Kael smirked, clearly enjoying her frustration. “I already told you—I’m Kael, prince of the Autumn Court. Cursed by a treacherous rival, exiled from my home, and now… tethered to you until further notice. Lucky you.”

“Lucky?!” Ivy shot up from the couch. “This isn’t luck! This is insanity! What am I supposed to do with… with you?” She gestured wildly at his impossibly regal appearance, the shimmering embroidery on his coat catching the light. “Do you even have money? Or ID? Or pants that aren’t… whatever that is?”

Kael glanced down at his elaborate outfit and shrugged. “I’ll manage. And if it helps, I’m quite resourceful.”

“I don’t need you to be resourceful; I need you to disappear!”

He leaned against the bookshelf, crossing his arms. “Sadly, not an option. The ring binds us, remember? Wherever you go, I go.”

Ivy groaned, sinking her head into her hands. “This can’t be happening.”

Kael’s tone softened, though the playful edge never fully left his voice. “Look, I get it. You didn’t ask for this, and neither did I. But if we want to break the curse, we’ll have to work together. Agreed?”

She peeked at him through her fingers, reluctantly meeting his gaze. “Fine. But for the record, I hate this.”

Kael grinned. “Duly noted. Now, where’s that wine you mentioned earlier?”