The sharp sting of the bite and the weight of my weakening body were at odds with the surprisingly gentle touch of his hands cradling me. His fingers pressed softly against my back and shoulders, steady and warm, as if trying to anchor me against the pull of oblivion. Despite the intense pain coursing through me, the steadiness of his grip offered an unexpected comfort—one I had thought was lost forever with the wreckage of our past. It was a bittersweet contradiction, the pain of his bite interwoven with the tenderness of his touch as if he were trying to tell me without words that this, too, was to ensure my survival.

As Zaydon took his last pull of blood from my body, I felt the world tilt and blur around me. A disorienting wave of darkness began to envelop me, heavy and all-consuming. My breath hitched, shallow and uneven, as each heartbeat felt like it would be my last. The moments stretched, the present unravelling into an endless expanse of time, until the fading edge of my consciousness slipped further and further from reach.

"You are strong, Az. You will survive this," he murmured softly into my ear, his voice low, a whisper of warmth amidst the cold chaos closing in around me.

His words echoed in my mind, a lifeline tethering me to reality even as my body faltered. The soothing cadence of his voice reverberated through the haze, wrapping around me like a fragile shield against the encroaching void. It carried an almost nostalgic resonance, a familiarity that pierced through the disorienting present and struck deep into my heart.

The tenderness in his voice transcended the moment, shattering the barriers of time and memory. It pulled me back, away from the cold grip of near unconsciousness and into the warmth of a distant past. Years ago, that same voice, laced with determination and compassion, had been my anchor. It had steadied me in a moment of profound vulnerability, a moment that had irrevocably changed Zaydon and me forever. The memory rose unbidden, vivid and sharp, cutting through the darkness like a beacon. My heart ached as the memory unfolded, raw and unbidden, carrying with it all the hope, pain, and promises we had once shared.

Even as my consciousness began to slip, that memory stayed with me, anchoring me in a place where I was both lost and found. It was a reminder of everything we had been and everything we had become—a bittersweet tether to the man who held me, even if his actions had broken me.

Seven Years Prior

Zaydon poked at my side playfully as we sat on our favourite grassy hill, overlooking a sprawling lake nestled within the forests of the Kingdom of Irisia. The sun casts a warm, golden glow over the landscape, painting the rippling surface of the water in glistening hues of amber and gold. The gentle murmur of the lake’s waves blending with the rustling of leaves in the breeze, creating a symphony of nature that was as soothing as it was familiar.

Birds flitted between the trees, their cheerful calls punctuating the calm atmosphere. The soft grass beneath us swayed slightly in the breeze, cushioning us and carrying the earthy scent of wildflowers. It was one of those rare moments when everything felt simple, as though the world’s troubles had paused just for us.

Zaydon's grin was mischievous as his finger jabbed my side again, earning an exaggerated yelp from me. His laughter, deep and unrestrained, filled the air, making it impossible not to smile. I slapped his shoulder in retaliation, aiming to land a playful hit, but the sharp sting that radiated through my hand on impact caught me off guard.

"Ow!" I hissed, rubbing my throbbing palm as my lips curved into a rueful smile. "When the hell did you become so solid?" I muttered under my breath, glaring at him.

Zaydon's laugh only grew louder, his forest-green eyes sparkling with amusement. He leaned back on his hands, his long hair catching the sunlight as he cocked his head. "When did you become so delicate, sweetheart?" he teased, a smug grin stretching across his face.

“Delicate?” I shot back, narrowing my eyes. “You’re just unnaturally built like a damn rock.”

He chuckled, leaning forward again, his elbow resting casually on his knee as he looked at me with that infuriating smirk. "Admit it, Az, you’re just weak," he taunted, his tone dripping with mockery.

“Oh, shut up!” I huffed, unable to hide the smile tugging at my lips despite my irritation. I shifted my position, crossing my legs beneath me and plucking a blade of grass from the ground to twirl between my fingers.

The sun continued to dip lower, casting long shadows across the hill and turning the sky into a canvas of bright orange and pink. This was our spot, our haven, where if only for a moment the weight of our titles and responsibilities seemed to vanish. It had been our secret retreat since we were kids, a place where time slowed, and we could just be. Here I was, just Azalia, and he was just Zaydon.

Zaydon's teasing faded into a comfortable silence as he stretched out beside me, his gaze fixed on the horizon. His presence was steady and reassuring, a constant I had come to depend on more than I cared to admit.

Moments like this made it easy to forget the chaos that often surrounded us. But beneath the laughter and easy camaraderie, my heart raced with unspoken words, emotions I had long buried. I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye, the golden light accentuating the sharp lines of his jaw and the relaxed curve of his lips.

Even as I rubbed the lingering sting from my hand, I couldn’t help but smile softly to myself. Moments like this made me appreciate him and the bond we shared so much more. Moments where it felt like nothing in the world could come between us.

With comfortable ease, he reached over and took my hand in his, the motion so natural that it caught me completely off guard. His fingers, calloused and warm, wrapped around mine, sending a ripple of heat through my entire body.

A blush crept up my neck, reddening my ears and spreading across my cheeks like wildfire. I ducked my head slightly, thankful that I’d chosen to wear my hair down today; the loose strands falling loosly like a curtain, hiding my reaction. If he noticed the flush in my cheeks, he gave no sign. To him, this was probably just two lifelong friends holding hands—a simple, casual gesture, nothing more. Or was it?

My heart raced, its rhythm uneven as thoughts swirled in my mind. Did he know what this meant to me? Did he feel the same charge in the air, the way the world seemed to narrow down to just the two of us when we were together? Or was I imagining it, reading too much into something he likely saw as nothing but simple friendly affection?

Despite my mounting anxiety, I couldn’t bring myself to pull away. Instead, I found solace and strength in his touch, allowing myself a fleeting moment to relish the connection. His hand felt steady, grounding me in a way that no one else ever could.

But the weight of unspoken words pressed heavily on my chest, their presence impossible to ignore. The secret I had harboured for years now teetered on the edge of my lips, demanding to be set free.

This was it. It was now or never.

I swallowed hard, my throat suddenly dry– my grip on his hand tightening as if drawing courage from him. My heart thundered, anticipation and fear clashing in a chaotic storm inside me.

“Zay, I love you,” I blurted out, my voice soft but steady, though it trembled ever so slightly at the edges.

Silence.

The word hung in the air, heavy and fragile, as though the universe itself had paused to bear witness to the moment. I couldn’t bring myself to look at him. My gaze remained fixed on our intertwined fingers, studying how his thumb rested against the back of my hand and how his knuckles curved just so—anything to avoid meeting his eyes.

The silence stretched unbearably between us, each second feeling like an eternity.

Was he not going to say anything?

Doubt began to creep in, clawing at the edges of my resolve. My thoughts raced, a whirlwind of panic and regret. Had I misread everything? Had I ruined the easy friendship we shared with my foolish confession?

Every beat of my heart felt like it was hammering out the same question over and over again: What was he thinking? Why wasn’t he saying anything?

And then, just as I thought the silence would crush me, he finally spoke.

“I love you too, Az.”