Chapter 127 Interlude Five

Chapter 127 Interlude Five
Interlude Five

Night had settled thickly over the palace by the time the queen finally abandoned the hope of sleep.

The chamber was quiet, lit only by the soft gold of a single lantern near the bedside. Beyond the tall windows, the light street lamps appeared to be moving around gently in the otherwise dark streets of town, their distant twinkle the only other illumination.

Isolde paced slowly across the chamber floor.
Back and forth, and again.

Her hands folded loosely over her stomach, more from instinct than thought.

It had been hours since the report of the burned signal tower, yet the words still lingered in her mind like smoke that refused to clear.
A tower burned and a messenger missing.
Small things, perhaps. Yet something about them felt wrong. Very wrong.

And worse than the unease itself was the quiet, creeping guilt that had followed her since she left the balcony earlier that day.

She had not told Haden.

The realization pressed against her chest every time she tried to settle into bed. She had meant to tell him, of course.

She had meant to seek him out immediately.
But the moment had passed. The council had begun its meeting. Then the evening had stretched on, filled with small interruptions and other things. At least that's what her story would be.

Now the silence of the night made the omission feel heavier than it had any right to be.

She stopped pacing and rested a hand against the window frame.

The glass was cool beneath her fingers. Her breath made a fog around the window, and she shut her eyes for a moment.

She could still tell him in the morning.
It was not too late.

Yet even as the thought formed, another quieter one followed it.

And what would he do?

Haden would summon the council, then the council would argue. His advisors would weigh possibilities and thoughtless hunches, and hours would pass.

Perhaps days.

Just like they had always done in the past.

Her thoughts drifted briefly to another voice. Calm and intelligent. As if harboring answers to every question in the world.

Councils protect stability, but crises like this one require decisiveness.

A new, fresh mind.

She opened her eyes, catching herself, then shut them again for another moment, annoyed with herself.

Why was she thinking about that now? About… him now?

The soft click of the chamber door pulled her from the thought.

She turned just as Haden stepped inside.
The king paused when he saw her standing near the window instead of in bed.

His dark brows lifted slightly.

“You are awake.”

His voice carried the quiet warmth she had always associated with him, the sort that seemed to soften the edges of whatever room he entered that she was in.

She straightened a little, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

“Hmm,” she said lightly. “I could not sleep.”
He studied her for a second longer before closing the door behind him.

“You look troubled.”

He observed it gently in a way that should not feel accusatory. Still, she felt a flicker of discomfort rise inside her. She shook her head quickly.

“No. There is no issue. I am only a little tired.”
He raised a brow at that, clearly confused by that logic.

“Is that so?”

Haden crossed the room toward her with unhurried steps. When he reached her, he lifted a hand and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.
Then another to the tip of her nose.

The small, familiar gesture made her heart twist unexpectedly.

“You are a terrible liar,” he murmured.
She looked up at him then.

His eyes searched her face with quiet concern, the same way they always had whenever he suspected something weighed on her mind.
For a fleeting second, the words almost slipped free.
A tower burned today.

Perhaps something is wrong along the coast.
She imagined the conversation unfolding.
His thoughtful frown. The calm certainty with which he would take the matter into his own hands.

The guilt in her chest tightened.

But the moment passed, or perhaps it didn't, but desperately needing to distract him, she did the only thing she could.

Instead of speaking, she reached for his hand.
He looked momentarily surprised as she guided it gently downward and pressed his palm against her stomach.

The change in his expression was immediate. Warmth spread across his features like sunlight breaking through cloud.

“Isolde…”

She smiled then, a small, almost teasing smile meant to silence the questions she had not answered.

His arms slipped around her easily, drawing her close.

The kiss he pressed to her lips carried a quiet reverence, the kind that spoke less of passion and more of devotion.

When he pulled away, there was a softness in his gaze that made her chest ache.

“You should rest,” he said gently, his voice betraying the excitement in his tone.

She allowed him to lead her back toward the bed.

They lay down together beneath the heavy blankets, his arm settling comfortably around her waist.

For a long time, he held her there, as though the simple act of being close was enough.

Eventually his breathing slowed, deep and steady as sleep finally claimed him.
But Isolde remained awake.

Her eyes traced the faint shadows moving across the ceiling while guilt whispered steadily at the back of her mind.

She had not told him.

Not tonight.
Perhaps tomorrow.

Tomorrow would be soon enough.
—

Morning arrived with pale sunlight spilling across the chamber floor.

The queen stirred slowly, blinking away the last remnants of restless sleep.

The bed beside her was empty. For a moment she assumed Haden had already gone to the council chambers or maybe had resumed his royal duties.

But then the door opened softly, and he stepped inside carrying a small tray.

The scent of tea drifted into the room before he spoke.

“Good morning,” he says gently.

She pushed herself upright against the pillows, watching him with mild surprise.

“You brought tea?”

“I thought you might appreciate it.”

He set the tray carefully beside her before handing her one of the cups. The porcelain was warm between her fingers.

She lifted it to her lips, taking a small sip.

The tea was sweet. She smiled faintly, feeling grateful.

“How are you feeling?” he asked, settling onto the edge of the bed. “Any morning sickness?”
She shook her head, failing to stifle a small laugh.

“Surprisingly, I feel fine,” she managed.

“Good.”
He nodded thoughtfully.

“I have already sent for the physician. He should arrive shortly to examine you.”
She frowned slightly at that.

“There is no need for that.”

Haden waved the objection away immediately.
“Nonsense. Of course there is.”

His eyes lingered on her face then, softer than she had seen them in a long while, but to be fair, when his gaze was on her, it was always soft.

“You know,” he said quietly, “you have always been my number one.”
She blinked at the sudden seriousness in his tone.

“And now…”

His gaze dropped briefly to her stomach before returning to her.

“With this news… I feel as though I can finally breathe even more freely, if that is possible,” he tells her.

The words were simple, yet something about the way he said them made her throat tighten.

“I did not realize how much of my life had been spent hoping for this moment until it arrived.”

She studied him quietly, knowing he had never pressured her or even brought up the topic before. He was the only man that she knew who treated her like a fragile object.

“You know the people would never believe it,” she said after a moment, her lips curling upwards.

“What?” he asked, eyes steadily holding hers.

“That their powerful king—who also happens to be the most feared sorcerer throughout the human realm—is completely and utterly in love with his wife.”

Haden laughed softly, then carefully leaned closer, brushing a stray lock of her hair gently behind her ear.

“They had better believe it.”
His voice dropped slightly.

“Because I am more than just head over heels in love with you.”

A small pause followed before he added with a faint smile,

“And I am not a sorcerer anymore. You know that.”
She rolled her eyes playfully.

“Yes. I know.”

Her fingers curled loosely around the tea cup.
Then she exhaled softly through her grin.

“I know because you gave it all up for me.”
“I would do it again,” he said quietly.
“Every single time.”

He reached for her hand then, his thumb brushing lightly over her knuckles as he bent and pressed his lips against them.

“If the path ended here again…”

His gaze moved slowly around the chamber before returning to her.

“In this same room with you, I would choose you without hesitation.”

The words settled between them.
For a moment she could not speak.
Guilt pressed sharply against her chest.

Because even now, even with his hand in hers, even with the warmth of his voice still lingering in the room—
She had still not told him, and this had nothing to do with the burnt coast.

Haden squeezed her fingers gently.

“Whatever troubles you,” he said softly, “you know you can always tell me.”
She looks up at him and nods.

I can't break your heart.