Kael stood in the balcony of his chambers, staring into the glistening moon in the night sky. The maids are moving Alara's things into his chambers now. Since they are officially bound now, they should be sharing a chamber just like they are sharing their life together.
The memories of their marriage ritual played in Kael's mind. He could still feel the electricity that coursed through his frozen veins when Alara's fingers brushed against his own. He never felt so alive, never craved something so bad, even after knowing that was something he could never have in his life.
Ever since the curse appeared, he never touched anyone without killing them. Even though he started to wear gloves soon after the discovery of the curse, his touch could still hurt people but it's not strong enough to kill since there is no skin to skin contact.
People called him a monster, an evil king. Some atrocity. It's only because of his uncle that he is still ruling the kingdom. His uncle had made everything easy for him, supported him all his life even when everyone was unkind to him. The only thing he was against was this alliance, he hated human kind all his life, and moreover anything he knew Kael could never have a family. So all this was pointless to him.
But Kael was sick of this war and bloodshed, and he also wanted to try his luck and break the curse. Alara is a gifted witch, maybe her magic could save him.
"Kael, aren't you thinking too loud?"
Kael's stream of thoughts were cut off by his uncle's sudden appearance. The older Fae stood in front of him with a warm smile. He looked just like Kael's father, but a few years younger. His long robes slid against the marble floor as he moved swiftly toward Kael.
"I see that human and you are going to share the same chamber." He said, his distaste clear in his tone and phrases. "Kael, be careful, okay? Always keep the gloves on since you will not be the only person in your chamber from now on. We don't want you killing her accidentally. It would be a huge scandal."
Kael sighed. This is too much. The constant pressure on his shoulders, always having to hide. This fucking curse had ruined the most of his life, he wanted to fight it before it's too late.
"And Kael, just because your wife is a gifted witch, don't try to break the curse." His uncle, Eryndor, warned him. "Don't try going against your fate, try to accept it."
Before Kael could respond to his warning, his uncle had slipped out of the door, vanishing into thin air like some magicians. He let out a growl, it might have scared the maids because the next moment they are running out of the door.
He sighed for the thousandth time that day, what a pitiful life is his?
***
"No way I'm sharing a chamber with you!" That's the first thing that left Alara's mouth when she entered their chamber.
Kael was sitting by his desk, going through some paperwork when Alara stormed inside, red and panting as if she was runnin all the way there.
"You are my wife now. And in this kingdom, husband and wife share a room." Kael stated in matter of fact, his eyes refusing to tear away from the papers.
"I don't even know you!" Alara all but screamed.
Kael let out a sigh, clearly getting annoyed by her tantrum. "That doesn't change the fact that you are my wife now." He finally looked up at her, his amber eyes sharp and unyielding as they bore into her crystally green ones.
His heart kept skipping beats the long he stared into her beautiful eyes. Alara is breathtakingly gorgeous. Crystal like green orbs, full cheeks and pink, plush mouth that Kael so badly wanted to taste. Yes, every time he looked at her, he started to lose his sanity. It must be the bond that tied them together that was making him crave her. The magic always sizzled in the air between them whenever they were near each other.
"You were brave enough to marry me but not enough to share a chamber?" Kael teased, "Or was it all an act of rebellion?"
Alara's small fists clenched at her sides, her cheeks flushed with frustration. "An act of survival, not rebellion. There's a difference, Your Majesty." She spat the title with a bitterness that made Kael's brow twitch.
He rose from his chair, the papers forgotten. His tall frame moved with a predatory grace as he closed the distance between them. Alara instinctively took a step back, her back brushing against the heavy wooden door she had just slammed shut.
"Survival?" he echoed, his voice dangerously soft. "You think sharing a chamber with me threatens that? I should remind you, Alara, that you're safest in my shadow. It's the rest of this kingdom that you should be scared of."
Alara glared up at him, refusing to let his looming presence intimidate her. "Safety? Is that what you call this? Being trapped in a cursed marriage with a man who can't even touch me without—" She stopped short, biting her tongue as the words lingered between them.
Kael's jaw tightened. "Without killing you?" He finished the sentence for her, his voice flat, devoid of emotion. He stepped back, giving her space, but the weight of his presence didn't lessen. "I am well aware of what I am, Alara. You don't need to remind me."
The silence that followed was heavy, charged with unspoken tension. Alara looked away, her anger faltering as a flicker of guilt crossed her face. She hadn't meant to wound him—not like that.
"Then why insist on this?" she asked, her voice quieter now. "Why force us to live as if this… this is normal?"
Kael's expression hardened, the walls around him rising once more. "Because appearances matter, especially in this court. The nobles, the advisors—they're watching us. They're waiting for a weakness to exploit. If they see division between us, they'll tear us both apart."
Alara's lips pressed into a thin line. "So this is about power, not marriage."
"Power is survival," he said coldly. "For both of us."
She shook her head, frustration bubbling to the surface again. "Fine. I'll play your queen in public, but don't expect me to play the doting wife behind closed doors. I'll find another room."
Kael's laugh was low, almost humorless. "You can try. But this castle isn't kind to those who wander alone. Especially not at night."
Alara's heart skipped a beat at the warning, but she refused to let him see her fear. "I'll take my chances."
"As you wish," Kael said, turning back to his desk. He didn't stop her as she stormed out, her fiery energy leaving the room colder in her absence.
But as the door slammed shut, Kael's shoulders sagged ever so slightly. His gloved fingers brushed against the edge of the papers on his desk, though his focus was far from the words scrawled across them.
She'll come back, he told himself. Not because she wanted to, but because the shadows of this castle had a way of driving even the bravest souls back into the arms of the devil they knew.