Chapter 19 STARLIGHT.

Chapter 19 STARLIGHT.


Seren’s POV

The palace didn't smell like blood anymore. It smelled like fresh paint and expensive wax. But inside my room, the air smelt good with the scent of a thousand white roses.

I stood in front of the tall mirror, smoothing the wrinkles off of my dress. It was a deep, dark blue—the color of the ocean at night. It fit me like a second skin, tight in all the right places. I didn't remember choosing it, but Draven knew my body better than I did.

"You look beautiful."

I didn't have to turn around to know he was there. 

His voice was a low growl that made the hair on my arms stand up. 

Draven stepped out, dressed in a black suit that made him look even bigger and more dangerous than usual.

"Where are we going?" I asked. I tried to sound bored, but my heart was racing.

"It’s a surprise," he said. 

He walked toward me, his eyes locked on mine. He didn't look at my dress. He looked at me, like he wanted to eat me alive.

He pulled a black silk scarf from his pocket. "Blindfold."

I arched an eyebrow. "Is this the part where you kidnap me?"

A dark smile touched his lips. It was a wicked, handsome look. "I already kidnapped you, Seren. Now, I’m just taking what’s mine."

He stepped behind me. I felt the heat of his chest against my back. His fingers were surprisingly gentle as he tied the silk over my eyes. 

"Trust me," he whispered into my ear. His breath was hot, sending a shiver down to my belly.

He took my hand. His palm was large and calloused. He led me. I could hear the click of my heels on the floor. I could smell the bread they were making.

Finally, we stopped. The air felt different here—fresh and sweet.

"Can I see now?" I breathed.

"Now."

He untied the knot. The silk fell away.

I gasped. 

We were in a giant glass dome built into the side of the mountain. Below us, the Wards were glowing. Thousands of tiny gold lanterns were lit in the streets. They looked like fallen stars.

Inside the dome, there was a soft white rug and a low table. It was covered in everything I liked—dark chocolate, tart apples, and a bottle of red wine.

"The Wards," I whispered, walking to the glass. "They’re so bright."

"I told them to light every street," Draven said. He stood right behind me, but he didn't touch me. He was giving me space, even though I could feel him vibrating with the urge to grab me. "I wanted you to see that your home is still there. That I’m fixing it for you."

I turned to look at him. "Why do all this for a girl who doesn't even remember you?"

Draven’s eyes darkened. He stepped closer, stepping into my personal bubble until I had to tilt my head back to see him.

"Because I don't need your memory," he rasped. He reached out, his thumb grazing my lower lip. "I want your heart. I want you to look at me and realize that no matter what they took from you, you still belong to me."

He was so arrogant. So bossy. But as he looked at me, I felt a spark in my chest. It wasn't a memory. It was an attraction so strong it made my knees weak.

"Sit," he commanded.

We sat on the rug. He poured the wine and broke off a piece of chocolate, handing it to me. We didn't talk about the war or the needles. He told me stories about when he was a boy. He told me he used to be lonely until he saw a girl they had brought in from the outer wards.

"That was me?" I asked, a small smile tugging at my mouth.

"That was you," he said. His voice was soft now. "You were the only person who didn't look at me like I was a King. You looked at me like I was a problem."

I laughed, and for a second, the heavy weight in my chest felt lighter.

"You're still a problem, Draven."

"I know."

He moved closer. He took the wine glass from my hand and set it on the table. Then, he put his hand on the back of my neck. His skin was so warm. He pulled me toward him until our noses touched.

"Seren," he whispered. "Tell me to stop."

I looked at his lips. I looked at the gold in his eyes. 

My body was humming, a deep vibration that I couldn't ignore.

"Don't stop," I whispered back.

He kissed me.  It was slow and deep. It tasted like wine and chocolate and something that felt like home.

I let out a soft moan, my hands sliding up his chest to tangle in his hair. He pulled me onto his lap, his large hands gripping my waist like he was afraid I would disappear. 

He kissed me until I couldn't think, until the only thing that mattered was the heat of his mouth and the strength of his arms.

"You're mine," he growled against my skin. He buried his face in my neck, breathing me in. "Do you hear me? Mine."

I didn't say anything. I just held him.

For the first time since the ice, I didn't feel empty. I didn't feel like a shell.

I felt like a woman who was falling for a monster. 

And for now, that was enough.

We stayed there all night, watching the stars move across the sky. I fell asleep in his arms, wrapped in his jacket. I didn't remember our past, but as I drifted off, I knew I wanted a future with the man who lit up a whole capital just to see me smile.