River stirred first, nestled in Heiko’s arms. His warmth still wrapped around her like armor, their legs tangled beneath the linen sheets. For a few blissful seconds, she didn’t move. Didn’t think. Just listened to the steady rhythm of his heart — the sound she had come to trust more than anything else in the world.
But reality was never far behind.
They were no longer just two souls bound in the comfort of each other.
They were leaders now. Survivors of betrayal. Planners of justice.
And the Crown Prince of the Kingdom still sat in chains beneath their feet.
Heiko stirred as she gently shifted in his arms, his hand instinctively tightening around her waist before releasing her. His eyes opened slowly, locking onto hers with a softness that made her heart flutter all over again.
But
