I’m sorry, Felix.”I finish placing the last piece of wood back on the barn before turning toward Arabella. She stands in front of me, her cloak covered in snow. Her cheeks are rosy, and the expression she carries portrays genuine remorse.“I made you a promise, and I failed to keep it. You were right—I was thinking of Nathaniel. I can’t simply stop doing that, Felix. I’m trying, I swear it, but I’m only human. He’s the man I thought I’d marry, someone I spent years falling for. I can’t just turn that off, but I swear to you that I’m trying.”I take in her sincerity and nod. When I asked her for that promise, I didn’t truly believe there was a chance we could make things work between us, but as she stands before me she lights a spark of hope deep inside my barren heart.“Apology accepted,” I tell her simply. I don’t dare admit it, but I dislike arguing with her. Besides, I know better than to expect her to ever truly want or choose me.Arabella breathes a sigh of relief and moves closer to me, her eyes roaming over the finished stable. It took so much of my energy that I fear we’ll have to cut our trip short. I must return to the palace soon. “It looks great,” she murmurs. “I can’t believe you rebuilt this in so very little time.”I shake my head. “It took far longer than I expected.”Arabella takes another step closer, surprising me. I don’t recall her ever taking the initiative to stand by my side in this way. “You must be cold,” she says, her eyes roaming over my no-doubt-frozen hair. “I was told that this area has hot springs. From what I understand, they’re large outdoor natural pools. That might help. Why don’t we head there? I don’t think it’s very far.”The thought of the warm water brings a smile to my face. “We can’t stay long,” I tell her. “I have to head back to the palace soon. My magic is depleted, and I feel on edge. Being at the palace will stabilize me.”Arabella nods and grabs the edge of my sleeve. She’s not quite grabbing my hand, but she’s certainly much closer than she’s ever voluntarily been before. “We can head back now, if you want?”I lean in and brush her hair out of her face. “No, let’s go to the springs. They’re one of the few wonders Eldiria has left.”I offer her my arm, and she takes it without an ounce of reluctance. I wonder if she realizes that she no longer looks at me with disgust and hatred.The snow is falling heavily as we walk toward the woods, and she’s quiet as I lead her through the trees, to a secluded area. Arabella gasps when she sees the steam from afar, the full moon illuminating it beautifully. This is one of the few remaining treasures in our empire, and I wish I could show her how it once looked. Eldiria has always been a beautiful country filled with lush greenery and natural wonders. Even if we do manage to break the curse, I don’t think it’ll be possible to restore what was lost.“You go first,” I tell her. “I’ll turn my back, if that makes you feel more comfortable.”Her eyes widen when she realizes what us bathing together entails, and I see her mentally debating whether or not she should run. “Go,” I tell her. “I’m getting cold, and I won’t go if you won’t join me.”She nods. “Turn around,” she whispers, and I oblige. I don’t remember my heart ever racing before I married her, but that’s all it does around her. I’ve waited for her all my life. Now that she’s here… it all feels so surreal. I guess in a way, it isn’t real. The only reason she’s agreed to help me is because she wants to go back home to another man. Home for her will never be with me.I hear her walk through the woods, and then she gasps. I smirk to myself, wishing I could witness her experiencing this hot spring for the very first time. I still remember the first time I ever dipped my toes in one.Once I’m sure she’s had enough time to submerge herself in the water, I turn and grab her clothes, bringing them closer to the water. I pause at the edge, my breath catching. She’s leaning back against the stone wall, her shoulders barely above the water and a rosy blush on her cheeks. She looks beautiful.Arabella watches me as I unbutton the black uniform I’m wearing, and I love the way her breathing accelerates. I expected her to turn away, but her eyes follow my every move. She bites down on her lip when my hands settle on my trousers, and then her eyes catch mine. She seems to realize what she’s doing and swiftly turns around, making me chuckle.Things are changing between us. I’m not sure what caused it, but I’m grateful for it. Every once in a while, she looks at me like she can really see me—the man behind the myth.I’m strangely nervous as I enter the water. She makes me feel so many emotions I thought were lost forever. Before her, I’d been clinging to the last shreds of my humanity. I’d been numb, never truly experiencing life. It kills me to know that these moments with her won’t last forever. I’ll only have her for as long as this curse is in place. Right until the end, this curse will see to it that I suffer.I walk up to her and place my hand on her shoulder. Arabella tenses, and for a moment I’m certain she’ll push me away, but then she turns around and looks up at me. I know I’ll always remember this moment. It’s just me and her in these heated waters, heavy snow falling all around us. When all is said and done, this is the moment that’ll accompany me at the end. She’s the only person that’s ever been truly mine. She’s the closest thing to a family that I’ll ever have.“You look tired,” she says, and I nod.“Using my powers outside of the palace is far more draining, and this particular case wasn’t as simple as I initially thought.”She surprises me by placing her hands on my shoulders, her eyes fixated on my collarbone as she massages my sore muscles. No woman has ever done that for me before. She’s so close that I could pull her flush against me. I wonder how she’d react if I did that. Fates, just a single step closer and she’d feel how she affects me.noveldramaArabella looks up at me, her breathing irregular. “I didn’t mean it,” she says eventually, her voice soft.“What is it you’re referring to?”“When I said that the only way you’d have me was if you bound and forced me… I didn’t mean it. I shouldn’t have said that.”The edges of my lips turn up into a smile, and I reach for her, wrapping my hands around her waist. A soft gasp escapes her lips, delighting me. “Is that so?”She nods, her cheeks crimson under the moon that illuminates her body. The water is too dark to see her body fully, but the mere hint of it has me painfully hard.“Prove it,” I whisper.Arabella’s eyes widen slightly, and then she pulls herself closer to me, pressing her body against mine. Her arms wrap around my neck, and I groan. Feeling her breasts pressed against me like that, my cock up against her stomach… I long to lift her into my arms and bury myself deep inside her wet heat, but I must resist. “This is a dangerous game you’re playing, wife. Do not underestimate how much I desire you.”“You told me to prove it,” she whispers, her voice trembling.I thread my hand through her hair and use my powers to lift her up higher, her breasts rising above the water, until she’s at face level with me.“Then do so.”Arabella’s hand trembles as she reaches for me. She cups my face gently, her thumb brushing over my bottom lip. She leans in and presses a soft kiss to my cheek, startling me. I’ve never been treated with such tenderness before.“How is that?”I smile at her and grab her chin, tipping her face toward mine. “It’s not enough.”Then I lean in and brush my lips over hers, gently, carefully, giving her a chance to pull away. Arabella tenses for a moment, but then she presses her lips harder against mine, trying to kiss me back awkwardly. I smile before taking her bottom lip between my teeth, teasing her before I force her lips open, kissing her the way I did the night before we came here.She moans, her body moving against mine as I take her mouth roughly, my cock slipping between her legs as I deepen our kiss. The water begins to feel hotter—or perhaps she is simply making my body overheat with desire. It would be so easy to push inside of her. It would take mere seconds to take what belongs to me, yet I won’t. I want her to voluntarily give herself to me, the way she did last time.Arabella’s hands slip into my hair as I rub my cock against her, teasing her. Could I bring her to the brink of an orgasm just like this? I call my shadow to me and let it run over her body, making her feel as though my fingers are brushing over her pussy.“Felix,” she moans. “Wait. Wait.” My heart twists painfully, and I pause, my breathing ragged as she drops her forehead against mine. I’ve never known this longing, this desire to have her want me.Her hand wraps into my hair, and I groan in delighted surprise when she kisses me, taking away the sense of rejection I’d felt. Arabella hugs me tightly, her legs wrapped around me, and I lean back as I envelop her in my embrace, taking as much as she’s willing to give me. I can’t recall the last time my heart raced the way it does now. I doubt I’ve ever felt quite this alive. She’s destined to save my people… but I suspect she’s already saved me. She saved me from my miserable existence and gave me something to live for, and she doesn’t even realize it.The two of us stare up at the moon, sharing a moment I never thought we’d have together. There was a time, not too long ago, when the silence between us felt painful. When did it become comforting instead?