Night had fully descended over the Verden estate, the garden bathed in silver moonlight that danced over the roses and hedges. The world seemed quiet, yet the silence was deceiving; every shadow felt alive, every rustle in the leaves a potential threat. Liana's heart beat rapidly as she moved carefully along the stone paths, her mind spinning with anticipation and fear.
Eren was waiting at the fountain, kneeling by the water as if tending the surface itself could somehow protect them from the storm closing in. The faint glimmer of moonlight on his dark hair made him appear almost otherworldly, but the tension in his shoulders reminded her that danger was close.
"You shouldn't have come," he whispered, though relief softened the sternness in his gaze. "It's too risky…"
"I couldn't stay away," Liana said, her voice trembling. "Even for a moment. Every heartbeat away from you feels… like a wound I cannot heal."
Eren's hand found hers, fingers brushing lightly but firmly. "Then we endure," he murmured. "Careful, hidden… together. No matter what happens, we endure."
Before she could respond, a distant sound made her pulse spike—a faint, deliberate crunch of gravel. Darius.
---
He emerged from the shadows, sleek and composed, his eyes glinting in the moonlight. "Miss Liana," he said smoothly, voice calm but layered with menace, "I had hoped I might find you… alone. Or perhaps… in the company of someone unexpected."
Liana's chest tightened. She pressed closer to Eren, hands trembling slightly. "I… I was walking," she said carefully, trying to maintain composure.
Darius turned to Eren with a sharp smile. "And you, sir? Tending the flowers… or tending something more personal?"
Eren's stance became subtly protective, but his tone remained controlled. "I am performing my duties," he said, carefully hiding the protective fire that burned in him.
Darius circled them slowly, his eyes glinting like knives in the silver light. "Attachments like yours… they cannot remain hidden forever. Fascinating… how boldly you defy the world's rules."
---
Liana felt her heart hammering against her ribs. Fear, longing, and adrenaline collided inside her, making it almost impossible to think. She leaned into Eren for courage, feeling the warmth of his presence, the grounding reality of his closeness.
"You remain calm," Eren whispered, covering her hand with his. "Every heartbeat matters. Trust me. We will not be discovered if we stay steady."
Darius moved closer, the faint moonlight catching his sharp features. "You cannot hide from me," he murmured, voice low but sharp. "Secrets are fragile. Yet yours… your attachment… it is impossible to miss."
Liana's breath caught. Danger and desire twisted together in a dizzying combination. She pressed subtly against Eren, finding courage in the rhythm of his heartbeat, in the quiet warmth of his presence.
"You are safe… for now," he whispered, arms subtly encircling her, grounding her amidst the storm of tension.
---
The shadows stretched and shifted as Darius lingered, circling the fountain with meticulous patience. But even as he seemed about to retreat, a sudden noise—another servant approaching, eyes alert and calculating—forced them into a split-second decision.
"They see us," Liana whispered, panic threading her voice.
Eren's grip tightened, dark eyes flashing determination. "Then we move. Follow me."
He guided her through a maze of hidden paths and tall hedges, weaving silently, until they reached a small, forgotten pavilion deep in the garden. Their hands brushed, fleeting contact that sent warmth and electricity through them, a private rebellion against the world's insistence they remain apart.
"You must stay hidden," Eren murmured. "Every heartbeat counts now. Breathe. Trust me."
---
The danger escalated further when Darius' shadow passed too close to the pavilion, his steps deliberate, testing their hiding place. Liana pressed herself against Eren, breath held, fear and longing warring in her chest.
"You are clever," Darius whispered, almost to himself. "But cleverness only delays the inevitable. One mistake… and everything is revealed."
Liana's chest ached, but the closeness of Eren's hand over hers steadied her trembling. "I… I don't know how much longer I can endure this," she admitted, voice barely audible.
Eren's arms tightened around her, his dark eyes holding hers. "As long as we are together, we endure. Fear walks with love, but love… our love… is stronger than any fear. No one can touch that—neither your parents, nor Darius, nor the world itself."
---
Minutes felt like hours as they remained hidden, the moonlight reflecting off the fountain, the soft fragrance of roses masking the danger that lurked. Liana finally whispered, voice trembling but fierce:
"We will endure this… together?"
"Always," Eren replied, his voice a vow, dark eyes fierce with intensity. "No matter the danger, no matter the world, no matter the darkness… we endure. Together. Forever."
And as the night deepened, the estate wrapped in shadow, Liana realized the truth: their love, though forbidden, had grown stronger than any fear, deeper than any danger, and more unshakable than the world's rules.
A love the world would never bless… yet indomitable, unyielding, eternal.