Jesseth steps back, satisfied. “Should circumstances change, Lady Braith, my offer stands.”
“Show me your scars again,” he adds, gesturing to my arms.
I extend my arms without hesitation, letting him see the thin white lines that cross my inner arms. In the moonlight, they tell the story of years spent seeking what I've finally found.
“You did this because you couldn't find what you needed elsewhere.”
“Yes.”
“And now?”
I look up at Kiakoa, at the golden eyes that burn with possessive hunger. “Now I have someone who can give me everything I crave and more.”
Kiakoa's hand slides to the back of my neck, fingers tangling in my disheveled hair. The gesture is clearly possessive, marking me as his in front of potential rivals.
Jesseth studies our faces, his expression unreadable. “Wait by the horses.”
The guards withdraw, leaving us alone among the bone-white trees and pulsing fruit.
“What I witnessed tonight was not weakness,” Jesseth says once we are private. “It was the rediscovery of a lost power. One that will change the balance between all our territories.”
“Then you will stand with us?”
“I will stand with you. But not for friendship, Kiakoa. For survival. If word of this spreads, if other lords begin seeking their own Resonance Partners...” He gestures toward the pulsing fruit above our heads. “The old ways will become obsolete.”
“And that frightens you?”
“It exhilarates me.” Jesseth's smile shows teeth. “I have grown tired of the old games. This promises something far more interesting.”
He produces a small, glowing crystal from his coat, holding it up to catch moonlight. “A gift,” he says, offering it to Kiakoa. “To seal our alliance. This is anundeveloped Ward Seed. It will need time and energy to mature, but it is a start. Vasek will not expect you to have functional wards when he attacks.”
Kiakoa accepts the crystal with careful hands. “This will not go unnoticed. Vasek will know you have chosen sides.”
“Let him know. Let them all know.” Jesseth's eyes hold the same hunger I see in Kiakoa's gaze. “The old order is dying. We can either help birth what comes next, or be buried alongside what came before.”
When Jesseth and his guards ride away, I am left with the taste of blood in my mouth and a sense that tonight has changed far more than just political alignments.
Only after he's gone do I face Kiakoa's burning eyes.
“You'll consider it?” His words are barely controlled.
“I was being polite.”
“While another male offered to steal you from me.”
“He can't steal what chooses to stay.”
His hands frame my face, thumbs pressing against where Jesseth touched me. “You have no idea what you are. What others will do to possess you. What I will do to keep you.”
KIAKOA
The walk back from the Orchard is a torment of proximity. The scent of her arousal from the feeding still clings to the air between us, a maddening counterpoint to the cold night. Jesseth is an ally, for now. Vasek will retaliate. These are the things I should be focused on.
Instead, every instinct screams at me to drag her into the shadows and finish what we started.
The connection between us has changed. It's no longer just a hum of awareness; it's a physical pull, a demanding presence that makes the space between our bodies feel like a gaping wound.
When we reach the castle's main staircase, I don't lead her toward the guest wing. I can't. The thought of her being in a separate room, behind a door I cannot see, is physically intolerable. I lead her toward the upper floors.
