Chapter Six__Part:2

"Well, this is... unexpected," Kaden said, raising an eyebrow. His gaze swept over the three of us, lingering on the bottles of liquor scattered across the table and the half-empty glasses still in hand. I swallowed hard, caught red-handed, and couldn't help but feel like I'd just been caught sneaking out past curfew.

Wide-eyed, Sylphie and Erica bowed their heads quickly. "Your Majesty," they said in unison, their voices a little too formal now.

Kaden's eyes met mine, and I could see the faintest hint of a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "I didn't realize you were so keen on exploring the finer aspects of Rathguard, Astrid."

I set down my glass, trying to play it cool. "Well, after a day of confusing prophecies and ancient artifacts, I figured a drink was in order." I gave him a small, sheepish grin. "Care to join us?"

Kaden shook his head, clearly amused now. "It seems you've already started without me." He glanced at my new friends, who were still standing awkwardly by the table. "You two are dismissed for the evening. I'm sure Lady Astrid will find her way back just fine now." They nodded quickly, flashing me encouraging smiles before hurrying out of the room, leaving me alone with Kaden.

Once the door closed behind them, I met his gaze, suddenly hyper-aware of how quiet the kitchen had become. "Sorry about that," I said, shrugging. "I might have been a little... stressed."

Kaden crossed the room toward me, his footsteps slow and deliberate. "Stressed enough to raid the kitchens and have a late-night drinking party?" His tone was light and teasing, but his presence had an effect on me I couldn't ignore.

I chuckled, trying to ease the tension in the air. "Yes, if there were chocolate cake, I would be eating that. There are levels to my stress. Also, please don't be mad at Erica and Sylphie. I asked them to do this. They were doing their job, and they were nice."

Kaden's smirk deepened, and he reached out to gently take the glass from my hand, setting it aside on the table. His hand brushed mine in the process, sending a familiar spark up my arm. "Next time you feel stressed," he said quietly, his voice suddenly much closer, "maybe you should come to me instead."

My heart raced at his words, and I struggled to keep my expression neutral. "You offering to be my therapist now?" I joked, but my voice came out softer than I intended.

He didn't move back, his eyes holding mine. "I'm offering to help you, Astrid. Whatever you need."

The tension between us was thick, charged with unspoken words and feelings we hadn't yet admitted to ourselves. I found myself searching for something clever to say, something to break the intensity of the moment, but all I could do was stand there, caught between wanting to pull away and the undeniable urge to close the distance between us.

Kaden's hand lingered just above my arm as if waiting for a sign from me. "You don't have to go through this alone," he said, his voice low and serious now. "I'm here. For you."

For a moment, the world outside of this kitchen, the amulet, the prophecy, everything—faded away. There was just Kaden and the steady pull between us that seemed impossible to ignore.

But instead of acting on it, I took a small step back, trying to regain my balance. "Thanks, Kaden. I'll keep that in mind." I smiled, attempting to lighten the mood.

His eyes flickered with reservation before he gave a small nod. "Good. Now, let's get you back to your room before you decide to raid the entire wine cellar."

I laughed, grateful for the shift in tone. "Lead the way, your Majesty."

As we walked side by side through the palace halls, the quiet between us seemed to hum with unspoken energy. I could feel the warmth of Kaden's presence, even though we weren't touching. Every now and then, his arm brushed lightly against mine, sending sparks of awareness through my skin, and I had to focus on keeping my breathing steady.

The tension from the kitchen hadn't fully dissolved, and the air between us felt thick with something neither of us was addressing. Kaden, calm and composed as ever, led the way through the winding corridors, but I could sense that same tension in him, too subtle, restrained, but undeniably there.

"So," I said, trying to break the silence without sounding too flustered. "You're not mad about the kitchen raid, right?"

He chuckled softly, glancing at me with that playful smirk that always managed to make my stomach flip. "Mad? Not at all. In fact, I'm impressed. You've been here all of what, a few days, and already you've found the best drink in the palace."

I smiled, feeling the heat rise in my cheeks. "What can I say? I'm resourceful."

"That you are." His voice dipped slightly, and I felt his gaze linger on me for a beat longer than necessary. It wasn't just a casual comment. It carried an undercurrent, something heavier, something I wasn't ready to decipher just yet.

We turned another corner, and I became hyper-aware of how close we were walking. His hand swung just near mine, and with every step, I felt like I was holding my breath, waiting for something to happen.

I cleared my throat, trying to ease the building tension. "So, do you always patrol the kitchens at night, or was this a one-time coincidence?"

Kaden glanced over at me, his eyes dark and thoughtful. "I happened to hear some... activity," he said, his lips curling into a grin. "And I was curious."

"Curious, huh?" I raised an eyebrow, biting back a smile. "About the drinks themselves or the people drinking them?"

His gaze flicked down to my lips, just for a second, but long enough for me to notice. "Let's just say I wanted to make sure everything was under control."

"Well," I said, my voice coming out a little lower than intended, "everything was definitely under control... until you showed up."

He stopped walking for a second, turning slightly to face me. The playful look in his eyes had shifted into something more intense, more dangerous. "Is that so?"

I swallowed, my pulse quickening. "I mean... it's hard to focus with you standing there, looking all serious and..."

"And what?" His voice dropped, his tone rich with a subtle challenge.

I glanced away, suddenly feeling out of my depth. The air between us crackled with an undeniable charge, a pull that I didn't know how to resist, and I wasn't sure I wanted to.

"You've got this whole 'brooding king' vibe going on," I said, aiming for casual, though my voice came out a little breathless. "It's making it hard to think straight."

His eyes darkened for a moment, something unreadable passing through them before a faint smirk tugged at his lips. "Brooding, you say?"

"You know what I mean," I muttered, feeling the heat rise to my face.

He stepped closer, and the small space between us felt like it evaporated. "I don't think it's just the brooding."

I looked up at him, my heart pounding in my chest. The way he was looking at me like he was seeing right through the teasing, right through the light banter—left me breathless. I wasn't sure if I wanted to close the gap between us or take a step back, but standing there, with him so close, made it impossible to move at all.

His hand twitched at his side like he was debating whether or not to reach for me. I could feel the heat radiating off him, and for a moment, the world shrunk down to just the two of us in the quiet hallway.

But then he pulled back slightly, clearing his throat, though his eyes never left mine. "We should get you back to your room, Astrid," he said, his voice steady but low, as though it was taking effort to keep it that way.

I nodded, my heart still racing. "Right. My room."

We started walking again, though the tension between us hadn't lessened. It had only deepened. Every brush of our arms, every stolen glance, felt like an invitation to something we both weren't ready to admit to yet. The air around us hummed with anticipation, unspoken words, and the undeniable truth that whatever this was... it wasn't going away anytime soon.

As we neared my door, Kaden paused, his expression unreadable. "Get some rest, Astrid," he said, his voice softer now but still carrying that weight of unspoken promises.

I turned to face him, offering a small, teasing smile in an attempt to break the intensity. "If I can manage to sleep, that is."

His lips curved into a faint smile, but his eyes were serious. "Good night, Astrid."

I watched as he turned and walked away, the tension between us lingering in the air long after he disappeared down the hall.

I closed the door behind me and plopped on the bed. I took the amulet out of my pocket and placed it on the table next to me. Its pulsing glow is still going. "Can't you just tell me what I have to do to get back home?" I whispered as I felt the effects of the drinks before I closed my eyes.