re you ready, my love?” I ask, my heart racing with anticipation. Arabella nods, and I take a step closer to her to tighten her cloak. After weeks of practicing and preparing, we are as ready as we can be.“Felix,” she murmurs, her voice soft. “Even if we fail to place and heat the steel today, we can try again. We’ll keep trying, until we get it right.”I smile at her, but the feeling is bittersweet. Once upon a time, I felt as hopeful as she did. I was certain that beating the curse was only a matter of time, but it is not quite that simple. We’ve been extremely fortunate so far. Every other attempt to stand up against the curse has ended in ruins. Arabella has yet to experience the crushing defeat that follows a near-perfect plan. I pray she won’t lose her spirit the way I did—the way we all did. She might be a beacon of hope to my people, but my darling wife is more than that to me. I’m uncertain what I’d do if I were to find her in tears because of this curse. I don’t want her to feel the helplessness we all feel.“Of course,” I tell her. I cup her cheek and take in her honeycomb eyes, my heart full with an emotion I can’t quite name. My lips brush against hers once, twice, before I kiss her fully. I wish I could preserve this moment. I fear what is to come; I fear seeing disappointment and pain in her eyes, but I see no way to prevent it.Arabella rises to her tiptoes and deepens our kiss, her hands clutching my cloak, balling it up in her fists. It isn’t until we hear gasps around us that we step away from each other. Arabella’s cheeks turn rosy, and she pulls her hood over her head. For a single moment, she and I had both forgotten about the people around us, the myriad soldiers and household staff who have volunteered to help us.The atrium is filled with hope and excitement, and for once, there’s no snow falling down on us. I wish I could take it as a good sign, but I dare not be so optimistic. I glance around at the familiar faces surrounding us, feeling uneasy. They’re used to defeat, and they’ve come to accept that even my best attempts only make the slightest difference, but it’s different with Arabella. They see her as their savior, and I fear the way they might look at her if we’re unsuccessful today. More so, I fear how it would affect Arabella. It has taken some time, but at last, she’s come to consider Eldiria home. I hope it remains that way.“Theon, we’re ready,” Elaine says, her voice trembling. I look into her eyes and find my own worries reflected back at me. She smiles, but she fails to hide the unease she feels. I nod in reassurance and glance at my wife. Though I know the odds are stacked against us, I’m certain my wife will be victorious. If anyone can go up against the curse and come out on top, it’s Arabella.Arabella nods at me, and I nod back at her before walking away toward my designated position at the opposite end of the atrium. I inhale deeply and turn toward her, countless steel rods in front of me that have already been put in the right position by our men. All I need to do now is transport them deep underneath the surface. I drop to my knees and place my hands on the cold earth, my eyes on the steel in front of me. It’s been years since I attempted to use my alchemy powers to this extent, and I worry it will leave me drained, at the curse’s mercy. If that were to happen, the entire palace would be at risk. Arabella would be at risk.I take a deep breath and clear my mind, focusing on the task at hand and letting every other thought fade. I glance up at my wife and find her already looking at me, her eyes filled with quiet confidence. She smiles at me and nods, and I begin to transmute the metal.The steel rods start to shimmer, and sweat drips down my brow as they become translucent. I fear I can’t hold on long enough to get them into the ground. Every second I hold on, I grow weaker.“Almost there, Felix.”I hear her voice clearly through the buzzing of energy around me, and I hang on to the hope in her voice as I push through. I inhale once more, my eyes falling closed as I visualize the depth the rods must be placed at. Once I exhale, they disappear from sight, even though I can still feel them clearly. I feel sick to my stomach as I push them down, my vision swimming as I lower them just a little farther, until at last, the rods are in place.I look up at Arabella and nod, giving her the go-ahead. I see the worry in her eyes and force a smile onto my face. She stares at me, as though she’s trying to ascertain whether or not to trust my smile, but then Elaine places a hand on her shoulder. I breathe a sigh of relief when Arabella nods at Elaine, and I force myself to my feet, wanting to offer her the support she offered me.I watch as Arabella closes her eyes and spreads her arms. Fire engulfs her, sparks shimmering all around her as she inhales deeply, focusing her attention. I find myself wondering which memory she chose to fuel her powers today, and I’m intent on finding out tonight. The wind blows through her hair, and for a moment I worry that the weather will turn, the curse bringing us torment we cannot escape, but no such thing happens.Instead, gasps come from all around me as the snow on the ground starts to melt, revealing the patterns on the stone floor underneath. I stare at the stones in shock, remembering what it looked like in my childhood, before the curse’s effects were quite as bad as they are now. For as long as I can remember, these grounds have been filled with ice and snow, bar the walkways we always keep clear. In the last few decades, I have not once seen this entire atrium without a single snowflake on it, yet that is exactly what I am looking at right now.I look back up at Arabella to find her still standing opposite me with her eyes closed, her cheeks rosy and a hint of a smile on her face. Her long dark hair moves with the wind, and I doubt she’s ever looked more ethereal.Arabella opens her eyes, her gaze instantly falling to me, and she smiles before turning to look around her. I grin when she spins around in a circle, pure joy lighting up her face.“Felix!” she yells, and my heart skips a beat. She opens her arms wide, as though to say, Look around, and I just stand and stare at her in disbelief. Arabella of Althea. I don’t deserve to call her my wife, but I’m beyond blessed to do so regardless.She takes a step toward me before she increases her pace and runs. I rush toward her, meeting her halfway, and Arabella jumps into my arms. I wrap my arms around her waist and lift her up high, spinning her around and eliciting a laugh from her.“We did it!” she shouts, and I shake my head.“You did it,” I correct her, slowly lowering her as her body slides against mine. Arabella wraps her arms around my neck, her lips pressed together, betraying her dissatisfaction.noveldrama“I could not have done this without you, Felix. Without you, there would be no steel rods for me to heat. We did this together.”I nod. Together. I like the way that sounds coming from her. “Yes. Yes, we did.”She smiles then, seemingly satisfied with my words. Her eyes drop to my lips, and my heart starts to race when she tilts her head, edging closer. For her to take the initiative to kiss me… it makes a special moment even more special.Her lips brush against mine, and I exhale shakily, impatient for more. I tighten my grip on her, and Arabella finally kisses me, a soft moan escaping her lips. Her kiss is deep and leisurely, and much to my surprise, she doesn’t pull away—not even when cheering erupts all around us.By the time she leans back, my heart is once again full, and I’m starting to wonder whether this emotion I’m feeling might be the one thing I never thought I’d experience. I wonder if it might be love.