"You can put me down now," Lumina said, the moment they got into their chambers.
Ashen blinked, startled at her sudden change in character. "What?"
Her lips curved into a smirk, faint but mischievous. "I said, put me down, Ashen."
He obeyed, gently lowering her to the padded chaise near the window. She sat with her hands smoothing her gown as though she could feel every wrinkle. Then her smirk deepened.
"How come your family is this daft?" Ashen stiffened, eyes narrowing at her choice of words.
She tilted her head, sightless eyes still somehow managing to hold weight.
"One word from me and you believe it. Just like that. Is it always this easy to fool you?"
He exhaled sharply, dragging a hand through his raven-black hair as he stepped back. "Why would you say that?"
Lumina chuckled, low and sharp. "Because it’s true... One sentence from me and you are flaring around.."
Ashen moved to the edge of the bed and dropped onto it with a sigh, his shoulders slouched as if the weight of his name sat heavily on him.
"Well," he said slowly, "you are my woman, and I have learned... that I need to protect my woman from anyone. Even if she’s wrong, I will correct her later when we are alone. But not in front of people who want to see her fail."
Lumina blinked, her fingers pausing mid-motion on the embroidery of her sleeve.
"You are learning to protect your woman?" she asked, arching a brow. "Now that’s new."
Ashen met her gaze, a crooked smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Hey... don’t make a jest of me." She grinned, waiting.
"I am only twenty," he said, almost defensively. "I only found out a few moons ago that I would be marrying you. I barely know how to defend myself from the vipers in this palace and talk more of a wife. "
His words came out low, nearly broken, and for a moment, Lumina didn’t know what to say. She had prepared a teasing remark but the sincerity in his voice brought her other emotions.
She reached out to him instinctively, and without needing to be told, Ashen moved toward her, taking her hand carefully.
He guided her to a seat near the fire, one he had personally chosen because the cushion was soft, the back sturdy, the warmth always near. It was perfect for her.
He helped her sit, adjusting her gown with a tenderness that silenced every voice in her mind.
She didn’t even need to ask if he had already made sure her surroundings were safe.
He had warned Ero and Stella not to tell her he was in the process of redesigning their chambers to suit her needs.
She exhaled, eyes lowering. "It’s the first time someone’s cared for me that much."
Ashen turned to her, his brows lifting in surprise. "Really?" he asked, the word barely a whisper.
"I thought someone like you... strong-willed, clever, always ready with a sharp word and not to forget a spoiled brat had gone through all the care from her father." Lumina’s smile faded hearing his last word.
"I shouldn’t have said anything," she murmured. "I should have known you would find a way to turn it into a compliment and now I regret saying it."
Ashen chuckled softly and moved closer, but she gestured for him to stop.
"Don’t," she said. But he didn’t move away and stayed beside her.
"Nope... I need to show enough care for you... Who knows you might not get it from someone else again."
Lumina stood abruptly, annoyance flaring in her movements. "You are impossible."
As she turned to leave, his fingers wrapped gently around her wrist, pulling her back into the warm glow of the firelight.
"Lumina," he whispered, his voice a low, husky murmur that sent shivers down her spine her anger long forgotten.
She froze, her heart thumping in her chest, as if time itself had paused to let the moment unfold. He didn’t need to say more words, the single word was enough to convey the depth of his emotions.
Her lips parted slightly, her brows drawing together feeling the spark in the air, he was just mere inches away, his presence suffocating and exhilarating all at once.
His hand lingered on hers, a gentle caress that seemed to sear her skin, and she didn’t pull away, didn’t want to break the spell that bound them together.
Their bodies swayed closer, the space between them shrinking until it was barely noticeable.
The steady rhythm of his breath, the faint scent of ash and wild pine on his robes he was here, and he wasn’t leaving.
But before the moment could ripen into something more, a sharp knock shattered the silence, and the door burst open.
Ero rushed in, his eyes wide with apology, his boots scraping against the stone floor. The moment he saw them, he paused, his expression awkward, as if he had stumbled into a private world that wasn’t meant for his eyes.
"Forgive me, my lord," he murmured, his voice a jarring intrusion into the intimate space they’d created.
Ashen stood straighter, his eyes never leaving Lumina’s face as he helped her regain her posture with gentle care.
"What is it?" He asked his eyes still on Lumina, whose face looked flushed.
Ero bowed deeply. "The Crown Prince... he requests your presence, both yours and my lady."
Ashen frowned confused, "Why?"
Ero looked down sadly before speaking.
"He said Princess Aurelia has raised a complaint," Ero said quietly. "She claims you hurt her... and that my Lady disrespected her also."