Blood and Loyalty

Chapter 8 : Shadows and Moonlight

The night air was crisp as Devorah stepped onto the palace balcony, the cool breeze brushing against her skin. Below, Nocturnis stretched into the distance, its streets bathed in the silver glow of enchanted lanterns. The city was beautiful at night, almost peaceful—if one didn’t know the weight of the shadows that lurked beneath its surface.

She hadn’t expected to find herself here, alone, but she welcomed the quiet. It gave her a moment to think, to breathe.

The door behind her creaked open.

Devorah didn’t turn immediately, but she already knew who it was. The presence was unmistakable.

"You always disappear when things get too loud," Sean's voice came, smooth and amused. "I was wondering where you'd gone."

She glanced over her shoulder. He stood in the doorway, arms crossed, his dark robes slightly undone at the collar as if he had just left the court gathering. His usual smirk was there, but there was something softer in his expression tonight—something unreadable.

"I didn’t realize I was being followed," Devorah said lightly, turning her gaze back to the city.

Sean chuckled, stepping closer until he was beside her. "You're in my palace. You’re always being watched."

She gave a small smile. "Charming."

A comfortable silence settled between them. The distant hum of the city below, the occasional rustle of the wind—it all felt strangely calming.

Sean leaned against the railing, his gaze fixed on the horizon. "What do you see when you look at it?"

Devorah blinked at the unexpected question.

He wasn’t testing her. Not this time.

She considered her answer, then spoke honestly. "A place that never sleeps. A place that demands strength from those who live in it."

Sean hummed in agreement. "Nocturnis doesn’t forgive weakness. It never has."

His voice carried something else beneath the words—something almost wistful.

Devorah studied him for a moment. "And yet, you rule it with ease."

Sean exhaled a short laugh, shaking his head. "Rule it? No. I control what I can, but Nocturnis has its own will. Some nights, I wonder if it controls me instead."

It was rare for him to speak this way—unguarded, unmasked. It was a glimpse behind the iron walls he kept so carefully intact, and Devorah found herself caught in the moment, watching him as he stared out into the night.

For the first time since coming here, he wasn’t just the Crown Prince of the Dominion. He wasn’t just the calculating ruler who held her fate in his hands.

He was something else.

Something human.

Devorah turned away before the thought could settle too deeply. "A city like this keeps its rulers on edge. Maybe that’s why it’s never fallen."

Sean glanced at her, eyes flickering with something unreadable. Then, without warning, he reached for her wrist.

She tensed for half a second, but he wasn’t restraining her—just guiding her hand forward, placing it lightly on the railing beside his.

"Cold, isn’t it?" he murmured, his voice quieter now.

She realized then that he wasn’t talking about the metal beneath their fingers.

For a long moment, neither of them spoke. The silence was heavier now, but not uncomfortable. It was filled with things unsaid, things they weren’t ready to admit—even to themselves.

Then, Sean’s usual smirk returned, though there was a softness to it this time.

"You should rest," he said. "Tomorrow, the real work begins."

Devorah arched a brow. "And here I thought surviving your court was the real work."

Sean chuckled, stepping back toward the door. "Oh, that was just the introduction."

He left without another word, but the weight of his presence lingered long after he was gone.

Devorah let out a slow breath, her fingers tightening against the railing.

The game between them was shifting.

And she wasn’t sure if that was dangerous… or inevitable.