The delicate chime of the wind catching the curtain’s small ornament echoed through the room. Outside, a thick cloud drifted across the sky, momentarily obscuring the sun. The red veins in the knight’s eyes gradually faded, and clarity returned to his gaze.
As Caelum Valtaris regained his senses, he froze, his face paling as he realized the position he was in with the young princess. His broad frame had cornered the slender girl, his hands daringly cupping her face. The warmth of her skin beneath his palm was soft, almost fragile, as if he could envelop her entirely with a single motion.
Like a caged bird, delicate and vulnerable.
This scene had haunted his dreams countless times.
The mere thought of it made his breath hitch, his chest tightening with a primal urge to pull her into his
