Serenity's POV
When Darian declines—soft, careful, almost apologetic—the sting hits first, sharp and instinctive, a reflex I don’t have time to brace for. It flashes through me and then fades, leaving something steadier in its wake. I breathe, slow and deliberate, and reality presses in, firm and undeniable. He’s right. I know it as soon as the heat of disappointment cools. We can’t leave everyone behind. Not after what I did. Not after they pulled me back from what might have been the most epically royal mistake of my life.
I lean forward and let my forehead rest briefly against his chest, the warmth there grounding me, anchoring me as my thoughts begin to unravel faster than I can stop them. His heartbeat is steady beneath my skin, a quiet reminder that consequences don’t vanish just b
