Chapter 18

She had gotten so good.

I felt a swell of pride in my chest, but it was quickly followed by the familiar ache of longing. I couldn’t stay away from her, not when she was right there, so close. I stayed hidden in the shadows, watching as Zaden ended the session, and Meara made her way back to her chambers. She had no idea I was there, following her at distance.

I hadn’t been inside our chambers since the day the darkness consumed m. The memories of that night still haunted me—the pain in Meara’s eyes, the way her body trembled in my arms as I fought to regain control of myself. I couldn’t bear the thought of hurting her again.

But here I was, trailing behind her like a phantom. When she entered the room, I hesitated just outside the door, waiting for her to summon her maids. She called for Beth to help her out of her dress, but instead of sending for the girls, I stepped inside and quietly dismissed the maids.

Meara stood near the room divider, her back to me, struggling to loosen the laces of her corset. She didn’t hear me approach.

“ Beth, could you help me out of this dress?” she asked, frustration lacing her voice as she fumbled with the ties.

I moved closer, my heart pounding in my chest. My fingers brushed against the laces, and she stilled, unaware it was me. Slowly, I began loosening them, the corset giving way under my touch. The fabric slipped from her shoulders, revealing her bare back. Her skin was soft beneath my fingers, and just that slightest touch ignited a spark within me, a hunger that I had been fighting for too long.

Her dress fell to the floor in a soft rustle, revealing the delicate curves of her body. I had to fight the overwhelming urge to pick her up and carry her to the bed, to claim her as mine in every way possible. My hands trembled as I pulled back, trying to regain control.

“ Thank you,” Meara said absently, leaning over to remove her undergarments.

I swiftly slipped into the bathroom, my hands gripping the edge of the sink as I forced myself to breathe. The sound of water splashing filled the air as I began pouring her a bath, my mind racing. I needed to calm down, to push away the desires threatening to overwhelm me.

When I finished, I turned to see her standing in the doorway, wrapped in a sheer white robe. My breath caught in my throat. The fabric was see-through, clinging .to her skin in all the right places. Her bare breasts were clearly visible, the peaks hardened from the cool air. I could see the delicate lines of her body beneath the fabric, the way her curves flowed from her shoulders to her hips.

She squealed, startled by my presence. Her eyes widened, and for a moment, we were both frozen in place. She quickly wrapped her arms around herself, trying to cover up.
“ Kaden! What are you doing here?” she asked, her voice a mix of surprise and embarrassment.

I stalked closer, the scent of her enveloping me. I was intoxicating, overpowering my senses, making it impossible to think of anything but her. She quivered under my gaze; her eyes wide with uncertainty.

“ What are you doing?” she asked again, her voice softer this time, her breath hitching.

But I didn’t reply. I couldn’t. My body moved on its own, closing the distance between us until she was backed against the wall. I caged her in with my arms, trapping her there, unable to escape. Her chest rose and fell rapidly, her breath coming in shallow gasps as I leaned in closer.

“ Kaden, please don’t,” she pleaded, her voice barely above a whisper.

But I couldn’t stop myself. The sight of her was enough to drive me insane. My hand reached out, fingers brushing against her cheek before trailing down her neck, over her collarbone, and lower. She gasped, arching into my touch as if her body craved it as much as mine did.

My fingers lingered over her breast, circling her hardened nipple, and she let out a soft moan of pleasure. The sound sent a jolt of heat through me, making it harder to resist the urge to claim her.

“ Kaden,” she whispered my name, her voice trembling with both desire and fear. “ Please stop. I can’t…”

I could smell her arousal, a sweet, intoxicating scent that clouded my mind. It was as if the mate bond between us amplified everything—her scent, her touch, her presence. I wanted nothing more than to mark her, to make her mine so that everyone would know she belonged to me.

But I couldn’t. Not like this.

I clenched my fists, forcing myself to step back, to create some distance between us. Her eyes were wide with shock and confusion as she looked at me, her body still trembling from the intensity of our brief encounter.

“ I… I can’t do this,” I muttered, my voice strained. “ You need to leave.”

Her eyes filled with hurt as she pulled the robe tighter around her body, shielding herself from me. “ What?”

“ I can’t control myself around you,” I admitted, my voice rough with frustration. “ The darkness… it’s too strong. If it takes over again, I don’t know what I’ll do to you.” Tears welled up in her eyes, but she quickly blinked them away.

I turned away from her, my back facing her as I folded my hands behind me, struggling to regain control of the emotions swirling inside me. She was stubborn, so determined to stay despite the danger.


*****


( Meara )


I was sitting in the library with Deon, trying to focus on the last few pages of the remaining books on elementals who gave birth. But my thoughts kept drifting, pulled back to the other night. Kaden had slipped into my bathing chambers without me noticing. The way he pressed me up against the wall, his hands trailing over my skin… My mind screamed for me to push him away, to tell him to stop, but my body. My body betrayed me. It leaned into his touch, craving more. I was still haunted by the feeling, unable to forget the heat of his fingers grazing my skin.

" Hey, you with me?" Deon's voice snapped me back to reality.

I blinked, realizing I hadn’t read a single word in minutes. “Yeah, sorry. Just… distracted.

” Deon raised an eyebrow but didn’t press me. Instead, he smiled and said, “ It's time to get ready. The Elemental Games are about to start.”

I closed the book, grateful for the distraction. " The Elemental Games?"

" Yeah, they happen only once a year. I figured you’d want to see it," Deon replied. “ We’ll be heading to the Air Kingdom tonight. It’s a bit of a spectacle.”
I nodded, curiosity flickering inside me. But as I stood to follow him, a question burned on my tongue. “Will Kaden be there?”

Deon paused, a slight tension in his shoulders. “ Yeah, his Highness will be there.”

I bit my lip. How was I supposed to face him after what had happened? The image of him standing so close, the feel of his hands on my skin… I didn’t know how I could look him in the eyes again without remembering it.

Deon headed off to get ready, leaving me alone in the library. I began putting the books back on the shelves, trying to shake the tension in my chest. As I reached up to place a thick, dusty tome on the top shelf, another book tumbled to the floor with a heavy thud. I bent down to pick it up, and something about it caught my eye.

The cover was leather-bound, ancient looking, with an intricate dragon carved into the worn surface. It felt different from the others—older, more important somehow. Without thinking, I slipped it into my satchel. Maybe I’d read it later tonight after we got back from the games. It seemed like it could hold some kind of secret, though I wasn’t sure what yet.

The Air Kingdom… The thought of going there excited me. I hadn’t seen much of the other kingdoms yet, and the idea of seeing the Air Kingdom, of witnessing the Elemental Games, was thrilling. But then there was the matter of Kaden.

Beth and Vicky had just finished helping me into a white, flowing dress with no corset—thankfully. After so many days of squeezing into tightly laced gowns, I could finally breathe properly. As they smoothed the last few wrinkles, I felt a lightness that had been missing for days. Maybe it was the lack of constriction, or maybe it was the fact that I was finally going to see the Air Kingdom. Either way, the excitement was bubbling inside me.

Grabbing my satchel, I headed out to meet Deon, Zaden, Mike, and Seth. They were all waiting by the carriage, standing casually but with a certain alertness that came with being part of the King’s inner circle. Seth’s eyes sparkled with excitement when he saw me approach.