The silence that followed Kael’s words hung heavy, not with dread, but with something raw, fragile, and frighteningly real. It wrapped around us like mist, quiet and inescapable, touching every thought and breath. I wiped at my face, not to hide the tears, but to steady myself—to hold onto something, anything, as the truth settled into my bones.
Kael still held my hand. Not tightly. Just enough that I could feel his warmth grounding me. His thumb grazed mine in a slow, absent motion, like he wasn’t ready to let go. Like he was anchoring us both to this moment, to the reality we’d both just admitted.
"You’re serious," I whispered, barely able to believe it. "You’re really the prince."
He raised an eyebrow, the corners of his mouth twitching in a way that was almost teasing. "Would I lie
