Chapter 52: The Choice to Stay

[The Imperial Palace — Later — Main Gate]

The great bronze gates of the Imperial Palace swung open with a deep, echoing groan. Beyond them, the palace courtyard had already been filled with imperial knights.

The moment Kael’s horse crossed the threshold—

THUD!

Every knight dropped to one knee. Armor struck stone in perfect unison.

"WELCOME BACK, YOUR MAJESTY!"

Their voices thundered through the courtyard.

Kael straightened in the saddle, his crimson cloak falling over one side of the horse.

"Rise."

The knights immediately stood near the palace steps. Butler Leo stepped forward and bowed deeply. "Welcome home, Your Majesty."

"Thank you, Leo."

He dismounted, his boots touching the marble courtyard and before he could take another step—

STRETCH.

A hand appeared before him.

Kael stopped, his amber eyes slowly lifted, and there he was...Lytharion. The Lord of Darkness stood at the foot of the palace steps as though he had been waiting there for him all along.

His long black hair fell loosely over his shoulders, the afternoon light catching faintly against its dark strands. His black robes moved gently in the wind, and his golden eyes were fixed solely upon Kael.

Veyrith sat comfortably upon his shoulder; the raven tilted his head.

"Caw."

Lytharion’s lips curved into the faintest smile. "Welcome back, my queen."

Kael stared at the hand extended toward him; for a moment, he didn’t move, then his eyes returned to Lytharion’s face.

"You don’t have to escort me like one of my knights." Kael’s heart gave a small, unexpected flutter.

Lytharion’s fingers remained extended, as his voice was calm and almost matter-of-fact.

"This is a husband’s duty, my queen. If my wife returns from a dangerous journey, am I supposed to remain seated in my chamber and wait for him to find his way inside?"

Kael’s cheeks warmed as he looked at his hand again. Then slowly he placed his hand in Lytharion’s. Lytharion’s fingers closed around his immediately, warm, steady, and protective.

Kael lowered his gaze, his cheeks becoming noticeably pink; behind them, Duke Lucein exchanged a brief glance with Captain Cedric.

Cedric’s mouth twitched. Lucein quietly cleared his throat. Grand Duke Lior, however, simply smiled as his son was no longer pulling away. Kael allowed Lytharion to guide him toward the palace steps; their hands remained joined. For once, he didn’t seem embarrassed enough to pull away.

Lytharion noticed as his golden eyes lowered briefly toward their intertwined fingers, and a subtle satisfaction crossed his face as Kael’s fingers were curled around the deity’s hand rather than merely resting inside it.

Kael’s cheeks deepened in color and gave him a quiet glare. Lytharion looked entirely pleased with himself.

Veyrith gave an approving "Cawww."

Kael looked toward the raven, and together, they entered the palace, and for several moments, neither spoke.

Then Kael glanced at him. "Lytharion."

"Hm?"

"Can we talk?"

Lytharion’s expression changed almost immediately; his teasing smile disappeared, replaced by quiet attentiveness. "If it concerns the empire, no."

Kael tightened his fingers around his hand; the deity looked down at their joined hands before lifting his golden eyes toward Kael.

Kael’s heart suddenly felt far louder than it should have as he said, "It is...about us."

For the first time, genuine surprise crossed Lytharion’s face as his golden eyes widened slightly.

"Us?"

Kael nodded.

"Yes."

His fingers tightened around Lytharion’s hand. Lytharion stared at him for several heartbeats, then something softened within his expression, and a slow smile appeared.

Not the dangerous smile he wore when threatening enemies, not the arrogant smile of a deity who knew himself invincible, something warmer and something almost human.

"So my queen has finally decided to speak to his husband about their marriage?"

***

[Imperial Palace — Emperor’s Chamber — Later]

The doors of the Emperor’s chamber closed with a quiet—

Click.

The sounds of the palace disappeared; now there’s only silence.

Veyrith sat upon the great chandelier above them, his black feathers tucked close to his body as he watched his two masters below with an unusually serious expression.

Kael stood in the middle of the chamber; his hands were clasped before him as his amber eyes remained lowered.

Across from him stood Lytharion, and the Lord of Darkness had said nothing since entering the room.

His golden eyes remained fixed upon Kael, patiently watching every small movement, the tightening of his fingers, the hesitation in his breathing, the way he seemed to be gathering courage for something he had clearly been carrying inside his heart.

Finally, Lytharion spoke as his voice came quiet.

"My queen...what troubles you? You summoned me here yourself, and yet now you refuse to look at me."

Kael’s fingers tightened. Lytharion stopped only a few feet away. "What is it that has made my queen stand before his husband looking so nervous?"

Kael drew a slow breath as his voice faltered. "I..."

Lytharion waited.

Kael finally whispered, "I wanted to apologize."

The deity’s brows furrowed slightly. "For what?"

Kael lowered his gaze further as his voice became quieter. "For not trusting you. I kept believing that everything you did was because of the bond...because of the deal we made, and I kept treating your protection as though it were something I had to repay."

Lytharion’s expression softened as Kael continued. "I put you in a position where you had to break the laws of the divine realm just to remain beside me."

He finally looked up. "I apologize."

For several heartbeats, Lytharion simply stared at him, then a faint smile touched his lips as he stepped closer and gently took Kael’s hands, and his thumb slowly brushed over Kael’s knuckles.

"You are my wife, the queen of shadows." He lifted one of Kael’s hands and pressed a soft kiss against the back of it. "And you are my mate. You do not owe your husband an apology for standing beside you."

Kael’s eyes softened. Lytharion lowered their joined hands but did not release them. His golden gaze became calm and absolute.

"If the heavens wish to punish me for protecting you...then the heavens may come and punish me themselves."

Kael’s breath caught. Lytharion’s lips curved faintly as his thumb raced gently along Kael’s palm. "I have never feared the laws of gods, but I would be very displeased with myself if I allowed my own wife to stand alone while danger reached for him."

Kael stared at him; the cold deity who could terrify armies...was holding his hands as though they were something precious.

Kael’s throat tightened. "Thank you."

Lytharion tilted his head.

"For what?"

"For doing your duty as my mate." Kael’s voice trembled slightly as his amber eyes lowered again. "And...for staying with me in this mortal world, even I know this isn’t your realm."

Lytharion’s expression became unusually gentle. "You are here; that reason alone is enough for me to be here."

Kael’s heart fluttered. "You make it sound so simple."

"To me, it is." Lytharion raised Kael’s hand once more and kissed it. "You are where I am meant to be."

Kael’s cheeks slowly turned pink. Lytharion noticed, and a quiet amusement entered his golden eyes. "Is this what my queen wished to speak to me about?"

Kael hesitated. "No, there is...another matter."

Lytharion’s brow lifted, the amusement disappeared, and his instincts immediately sharpened. Whatever Kael was about to say had required an apology first; that meant it mattered.

Lytharion stepped closer. "I am listening."

Kael swallowed, his fingers curled around Lytharion’s hand. "I...I want to break the deal."

Lytharion went completely still; the warmth in his expression vanished as his golden eyes searched his face.

"You wish to end our bond now?"

Kael’s heart hammered as he took a breath, saying, "I don’t want to break the bond. I want to break the one-year agreement."

Silence.

Lytharion didn’t move. Kael could almost hear his own heartbeat as his voice trembled.

"I don’t want to stay with you because of a promise I made for one year. I don’t want to count the months anymore." Lytharion’s eyes widened slightly. Kael stepped closer.

"I don’t want to wait for the day when you can finally leave."

Lytharion’s breathing became almost imperceptibly slower. Kael looked directly into his golden eyes.

"I want you to stay."

Lytharion stared at him; for once, the Lord of Darkness seemed to have no answer. Kael’s cheeks were burning, but he forced himself not to look away.

"I want to continue being your mate.I would love to continue being the Queen of Shadows."

Lytharion’s eyes widened.

"...Say that again."

Kael’s lips curved into the smallest smile as his cheeks went too pink. "I would love to continue being your wife, Lytharion."

Lytharion stepped closer; their hands were still joined as his voice dropped to almost a whisper. "You understand what you are saying?"

"Yes."

"You are choosing this?"

Kael nodded.

"Not because of the deal?"

"No."

"Not because you fear me?"

Kael shook his head.

"Then why?"

Kael looked at him for a long moment as his fingers tightened around Lytharion’s. "Because somewhere along the way...I want to accept you as my husband, and...I want you to live with me until the last breath of mine."

The words settled between them; for several heartbeats, the Lord of Darkness was utterly silent. Something changed within his golden eyes.

The ancient, terrifying deity was still there—the ruler of shadows, the being who had once threatened kingdoms without hesitation, but beneath all that darkness...there was warmth.

Something almost unbearably tender. Lytharion’s hand slowly moved around Kael’s waist, and he pulled him closer.

Their chests met, and Kael’s breath caught softly. Lytharion lowered his head until their foreheads almost touched.

"Then...start with a kiss, beloved."

Kael froze.

Beloved.

The word struck somewhere deep inside him; his cheeks immediately turned crimson as he lowered his eyes, suddenly shy beneath the deity’s gaze. His heart raced and hesitated for only a moment.

Then he rose onto his toes, his fingers curled into the front of Lytharion’s robes, and slowly...carefully... Kael leaned forward and touched his lips with his lips.

. . .

. . .

Lytharion blinked as his hand rested securely at Kael’s waist. "That is not a kiss, beloved."

Kael’s lips curved into a shy smile. "It is for me."

For a heartbeat, Lytharion simply stared at him, then his arm tightened around Kael’s waist, drawing him closer until there was barely any distance left between them and a slow, dangerous smile appeared upon his lips.

"It seems my beloved has discovered the pleasure of teasing his husband."

Kael smiled softly, his cheeks still warm. "Perhaps."

Lytharion raised an eyebrow.

"Perhaps?"

Kael only smiled wider; the Lord of Darkness gave a quiet chuckle and leaned closer. "Then allow me to correct your understanding...Now open your mouth."

Kael’s breath trembled, and he obeyed, his lips parting just enough, his pulse audible in his ears as Lytharion’s gaze followed the movement with slow intention. His golden eyes traced the curve of Kael’s mouth, as if memorizing it.

His thumb brushed his lower lip gently. Kael felt a shiver run down his spine, heat blooming. Kael felt Lytharion’s breath ghostly across his face as he leaned closer, and Lytharion planted a kiss on him.

At first, it was gentle.

A soft press of lips, lingering just long enough to ask rather than take. Kael inhaled sharply, the sound catching in his throat, and that alone seemed to change something, but then the kiss deepened.

Lytharion claimed the space between them inch by inch, his hand sliding to the back of Kael’s neck, fingers spreading there, guiding without force.

Kael’s breath stuttered, "Mmhh..." a quiet moan slipping free as the Shadow King tilted his head, pressing closer.

The sound was soft, "Mmmh..."

Lytharion’s lips moved with patient dominance, drawing out that sound again, deeper, warmer, and resonating in Kael’s chest.

Kael’s hands clenched in the silk beneath him as another breathless moan broke from his lips, his body reacting before his mind could catch up.

"Hn...ngh..."

Above them, Veyrith watched from the chandelier, his little head tilting from one side to the other.

Then—

"Cawww..."

The raven puffed out his feathers and looked down at them with an almost offended expression, then quietly tucked his beak beneath his wing.

"Caw."

The chamber fell silent again, but this time, the silence felt different. There was no bargain between them anymore, only two people who had finally stopped wondering how long they were allowed to love each other...

and had begun choosing forever.

"Veyrith, give your masters some privacy today."

Lytharion’s voice was calm, but there was an unmistakable command beneath it. Veyrith tilted his head, glancing between the two of them.

"Caw..."

Then, with a reluctant flutter of his wings, the raven flew toward the open window and disappeared into the morning light.

Only then did Lytharion turn his attention back to Kael, his golden gaze softened as he stepped closer, his hand settling gently around Kael’s waist.

"Now..." he murmured, a faint smile touching his lips. "I believe I would like my beloved to fulfill his duty. Will you?"

Kael’s cheeks immediately warmed as he looked into those golden eyes for a moment before giving a small, shy nod.

"Yes."

Lytharion’s smile deepened, and just like that...the day had only just begun.