The moonlight filtered through the stained glass of the castle's war chamber, painting the floor with shards of sapphire and crimson. Aelion stood near the long wooden table, his fingers brushing over the parchment maps scattered before him. Every line, every mark, seemed to whisper of danger pressing in closer with each passing day.
Behind him, as always, stood Kealen—silent, steady, his presence a fortress Aelion leaned upon more than he dared admit.
"You should rest, Your Highness," Kealen said at last, his voice low, carrying the weight of concern.
Aelion turned, a tired smile curving his lips. "And leave you to brood alone in the shadows? That hardly seems fair."
Kealen's gaze flickered, golden in the dim light. "My duty is not to rest. It is to protect you."
"But who protects you?" The question slipped from Aelion before he could stop it. His heart thudded in his chest, the weight of their shared secret pressing against his ribs. Their kiss—still fresh in his memory—burned like a flame he could neither hide nor smother.
For a moment, silence stretched between them. Kealen's hand twitched, as if he longed to reach out, to close the distance. But duty, that iron chain around his neck, held him back.
Before either could speak again, the doors to the chamber creaked open. A figure entered—Lord Draeven, one of the high councilors. His robes swished across the floor, his expression unreadable.
"My prince," Draeven said smoothly, bowing. "Grave news reaches us. A spy has been discovered within the palace walls. A servant… one who has been feeding secrets to our enemies."
Aelion stiffened. "A spy?" His eyes darted to Kealen, who was already tensing, his hand brushing the hilt of his blade.
Draeven's sharp eyes did not miss the movement. His lips curved in something that wasn't quite a smile. "Yes. And troublingly… some whispers speak your bodyguard's name."
The air in the chamber froze. Aelion's pulse hammered. "What nonsense is this?" he snapped, his princely authority cutting through the tension. "Kealen has served me with loyalty beyond reproach."
Yet Kealen's jaw tightened. He stepped forward, bowing his head. "If my loyalty is in question, Your Highness, then let them investigate. I have nothing to hide."
Aelion wanted to shout, to tear the accusation apart with fury, but he forced himself still. To defend Kealen too fiercely would only draw suspicion. He swallowed hard, tasting bitterness.
When Draeven left, the silence returned, heavier than before. Aelion reached for Kealen, his hand brushing against his arm. "Don't you dare let them stain your name. You're mine, Kealen. Mine to trust. Mine to…" His voice faltered. "…to believe in."
Kealen's eyes burned with unspoken words. He caught Aelion's hand, pressing it briefly to his chest where his heartbeat thundered. "Then believe in this. Whatever storm comes, I will not break my vow to you."
And for a fleeting second, prince and bodyguard stood too close, their hearts echoing louder than any accusation. But outside the chamber, whispers of betrayal coiled like smoke, threatening to unravel everything they had just begun to claim.