Tania broke the kiss first.
Not gently.
Not slowly.
She pushed against Devon's chest, her breath uneven as she stumbled a step back.
"What are you doing?" she demanded, her voice lower than usual.
Her heart slammed hard against her chest.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Loud enough she could almost hear it.
She pressed her hand against it, frowning slightly.
Why was it beating like that?
This wasn't fear.
It didn't feel like fear.
Devon didn't answer immediately.
He just looked at her.
Still.
Focused.
Like he was trying to understand something he couldn't explain.
Tania swallowed.
"This—this doesn't change anything," she said quickly. "You're still—"
"Dangerous?" he cut in.
She hesitated.
"…Yes."
Something flickered in his eyes.
Then it was gone.
Without another word, Devon turned and walked out of the room.
Just like that.
No explanation.
No argument.
Nothing.
The door closed behind him.
Tania stood there, staring at it.
"…What just happened?" she whispered.
Her fingers brushed lightly against her lips.
Then she dropped her hand quickly.
"No."
She shook her head.
"No, no… we're not doing this."
A knock came a few seconds later.
Tania turned sharply.
"Who is it?"
"A maid, my lady."
"I'm not your lady," Tania muttered, but still walked over and opened the door.
"I'm a slave"
"But My Lord didn't address you that way"
The young maid stood there, holding folded clothes.
Her expression was polite, but curious.
"They asked me to bring these for you," she said, stepping in.
Tania eyed the clothes.
"They?"
"The Crown Prince."
Tania rolled her eyes slightly but took them anyway.
"Fine."
The maid hesitated, then added, "There's a bath prepared as well."
Tania paused.
A bath.
That actually sounded good.
Her body still felt off from earlier.
Weak.
And she hated that feeling.
"Where?" she asked.
The maid gestured toward a side door.
"This way."
—
The bath was… ridiculous.
That was the only word for it.
Tania stood at the entrance for a moment, staring.
The room was filled with steam, soft light reflecting off polished stone. The tub itself was large enough to fit three people comfortably.
"Of course," she muttered. "Why not?"
She stepped inside slowly, setting the clothes aside.
Once the maid left, Tania undressed and sank into the warm water.
The moment her body relaxed, everything she had been holding back came rushing in.
The fight.
The palace.
Her family.
And—
The kiss.
Her eyes closed briefly.
"Seriously?" she whispered.
Out of everything that had happened…
That was what her mind chose to focus on?
She leaned back, letting the water cover her shoulders.
It didn't make sense.
Devon didn't make sense.
One minute he was cold, distant, controlling.
The next—
That.
Her fingers tightened slightly in the water.
"And I didn't even stop him," she muttered.
That part bothered her the most.
Not that he kissed her.
But that she didn't push him away immediately.
She exhaled slowly.
"This place is messing with my head."
After a while, she got out, dried off, and put on the clothes the maid had brought.
They fit perfectly.
Of course they did.
Simple, but better than anything she owned before.
That annoyed her a little.
"I'm not getting used to this," she said to herself.
But instead of going back to the room…
She walked out.
—
The palace halls were quieter now.
Most people kept their distance when they saw her.
Some stared.
Others whispered.
Tania ignored all of it.
She just walked.
No direction.
No plan.
Just… moving.
She needed air.
Space.
Something that didn't feel like a cage.
And then—
She found it.
A garden.
Hidden behind tall stone walls, almost like it wasn't meant for everyone to see.
Tania slowed down as she stepped inside.
Flowers.
Everywhere.
Different colors. Different shapes.
Soft petals moving gently with the breeze.
She frowned slightly.
"This place…"
It felt different.
Calmer.
She walked further in, her fingers brushing lightly against one of the flowers.
And then—
She paused.
Something… responded.
It was faint.
But it was there.
Like a quiet pull.
Her hand hovered over another flower.
"…Okay, that's new," she murmured.
She touched it again.
And this time—
She felt it clearly.
A connection.
Soft.
Alive.
Her breath caught slightly.
"What is this?"
The flowers shifted lightly, as if reacting to her presence.
Not wind.
Not coincidence.
Her.
Tania stepped back slowly.
"This is not normal."
But before she could think too much about it—
A scent hit her.
Strong.
Overpowering.
Her body reacted instantly.
Her knees weakened.
Her head spun.
"What—"
Her vision blurred slightly.
Her breathing became uneven.
The scent was sharp.
Dominant.
Too much.
She staggered slightly.
Then—
A hand grabbed her arm.
"Careful."
Tania looked up, struggling to focus.
Jeremy.
Of course.
"You…" she muttered weakly.
Jeremy smirked slightly.
"Me."
His grip tightened just enough to keep her from falling.
"You look worse than before."
"Let go," she said, trying to pull away.
But her body wasn't cooperating.
That scent—
It was messing with her.
Jeremy noticed.
And his expression changed.
Interested.
"Well…" he said softly. "That's interesting."
Tania glared at him, though it came out weaker than she wanted.
"Don't touch me."
Jeremy leaned closer.
"You don't have the strength to fight me right now."
That annoyed her.
A lot.
She tried to push him again.
Failed.
"Where… are you taking me?" she asked as he started walking.
"You'll see."
"I don't want to—"
"I know."
He didn't stop.
Didn't slow down.
And in her current state…
She couldn't stop him.
—
Jeremy's room.
Tania barely registered the details as he pushed the door open and pulled her inside.
Then—
Click.
Locked.
Her heart skipped.
"What are you doing?" she demanded, forcing herself to stay upright.
Jeremy turned to face her.
His expression was calm.
Too calm.
"You're going to learn something today," he said.
Tania's eyes narrowed.
"About what?"
He stepped closer.
"About your place."
She laughed weakly.
"Yeah… no."
Jeremy's smile didn't reach his eyes.
"We'll see."
—
Back in his wing—
Devon stopped walking.
Something felt wrong.
He didn't know what it was.
But he felt it.
Sharp.
Unsettling.
His gaze shifted slightly.
"Where is she?" he asked one of the guards.
"The girl? She left her room earlier, my lord."
Devon's expression darkened.
"Left?"
"Yes, my lord."
A pause.
Then—
"Find her."
The command was immediate.
Cold.
The guards moved instantly.
But Devon didn't wait.
He was already walking.
Fast.
Something wasn't right.
He could feel it.
And the more he thought about it—
The worse it got.
—
Back in Jeremy's room—
Tania forced herself to stay standing.
Her head was still spinning, but she pushed through it.
"I'm warning you," she said. "Whatever you're planning—"
Jeremy grabbed her wrist.
Firm.
"You're in no position to warn anyone."
Tania's jaw tightened.
"Let go."
"Make me."
She tried.
Her body didn't respond the way it usually did.
That made her angrier.
Not weaker.
Angrier.
"Fine," she muttered.
Her other hand lifted—
And for a second—
That same strange feeling from before flickered again.
Jeremy noticed.
And his eyes lit up slightly.
"Yes," he said quietly. "Do it."
Tania frowned.
"I don't know how—"
"Try."
She hesitated.
Then pushed.
Nothing.
The feeling disappeared.
Jeremy's grip tightened.
"Again."
"I said I don't—"
The door slammed open.
Hard.
Both of them turned.
Devon stood there.
His presence filled the room instantly.
Heavy.
Dangerous.
His eyes landed on Jeremy's hand gripping Tania's wrist.
Then moved to her face.
Pale.
Unsteady.
Something snapped.
"Let her go."
His voice was low.
But it carried.
Jeremy didn't move.
Instead, he smiled slightly.
"Or what?"
The room went still.
Tania's heart pounded again.
Not just from earlier.
From this.
From them.
From whatever was about to happen next.
And this time—
She had a feeling it wasn't going to end quietly.