Warmth. It was the first thing Thorne felt.

Not the all-consuming cold, not the ache he'd felt in his bones. All he felt was warmth.

His lashes fluttered open slowly, adjusting to the light. He inhaled sharply, waiting for the pain, but there was none.

The memories came flashing into his head. The Outer Banks, Elara, the pain, the execution stand, Adina.

His eyes widened, Adina. She was going to be executed. She was going to be—

His mind went silent the moment he laid eyes on her. There she was kneeling beside the bed, head resting on the edge of the mattress like she'd collapsed from exhaustion. She was alive. He was able to save her. It wasn't a figment of his imagination.

Thorne's heart clenched at this… Adina was going to be killed… And that too by Elara.

When he had woken up back then, the first name he'd called had been hers. He had been weaker than ever, unable to open his eyes without strain. Yet when he heard what was happening… he'd mustered all the strength he didn't have and walked out with only one name in his mind.

The walk there was blurry; he couldn't remember how he arrived there. Only that he saw her standing right there, waiting to take her last breath. He had no idea where the strength came from, but in that moment, he felt stronger than ever.

He tried to sit up slowly, but there was no need for it. He felt good. Better than good. Strong and completely whole. He paused, feeling a new sensation in his chest. Like something inside him had been rewoven from the inside out. He could feel his heart beat, but this… it was as though he could hear another.

His brows furrowed for a minute as he tried to understand what was going on, but he couldn't.

He reached for Adina only to pause; his eyes fell to her hand, wrapped tightly in linen, the fabric tinged faintly with pink.

Thorne's chest tightened. What happened? Who dared touch her again?

He sat up fully now, ignoring every rule his body had given him over the last few days. He felt no pain. No weakness.

But still, seeing that bandage on her hand felt like a punch to the gut. He reached out and brushed her knuckles lightly. Her fingers twitched under his touch.

Adina stirred. Her lashes fluttered as she blinked awake. Then her eyes met his.

For a moment, she didn't move. Didn't breathe. She just stared at him, like he wasn't real, like he was a miracle.

"Thorne?" Her voice cracked, barely a whisper. "You're awake?"

"I should be asking you that," he murmured, his hand cupping her cheek. "You've been here this whole time?"

Asking her? Adina wanted to scoff, to cry, to scream, to jump on his bones and bury her face in his neck. She wanted so many things and yet… she could only chuckle wetly, tears already blurring her eyes.

Thorne smiled sadly seeing this reaction; he felt every of her emotion in his heart, it was strange yet he loved it. He reached out, brushing his fingers against her cheek, and she shut her eyes, savoring the moment.

He pulled her closer, and her eyes opened, "Come here." He said.

"Thorne, you shouldn't—" she started, but he was already tugging her gently onto the bed beside him.

She gasped a little as he pulled her into his chest. "Thorne!"

"I'm fine," he said, arms wrapping around her like he never intended to let go. "You've been worrying enough for the both of us."

Adina stared at him for a couple of seconds then shook her head. "I didn't do anything."

"You didn't?" He asked, and she nodded quietly.

"I didn't."

Thorne hummed, "So you didn't sustain all these injuries because of me? You didn't stand on that platform, waiting to be executed because of me? You didn't just bond your soul to mine?"

Adina clasped her hand over his mouth, stopping his words. She had no idea how he knew of what she did, but he did… She looked him deep in the eyes, not breaking eye contact. "I'd do it all again. Every single thing. I'd do it all again." She replied firmly as though wanting to drill the words into his head.

Thorne stared at her, feeling his heart racing hard, perhaps it was hers… he wasn't sure anymore and didn't care.

He pulled her against his chest and kissed the crown of her head. "Thank you. Thank you for bringing me back." He said, and if tears slipped out of her eyes, he didn't know.

If she hugged him tighter… he didn't mention.

____________

The stench in the dungeon was enough to make her gag.

Elara pressed the back of her hand to her nose, but it barely helped. The walls were damp with mold, and every breath tasted like rotten meat and rusted iron. She sat in the darkest corner of the cell.

It's been ten hours since she was thrown into the cell. Ten gruesome hours.

Elara wasn't having it at all. She was nearly losing her mind. Not even her aunt Jocelyn had been brought into the cell. If she were, perhaps she wouldn't be so insane anymore.

"Let me out of here, you idiots!" She screamed for the hundredth time, banging her hands against the gates.

None of the guards moved; they didn't even flinch.

"How dare you ignore me? Have you forgotten who I am? I'm Regent Elara. I own you all. I'm King Thorne's mate. How dare you treat me this way!" she screamed, veins almost popping in the process.

"Shut it or I'll personally gouge your throat out." The head warrior snarled, slamming his fist against the gates.

Elara flinched, eyes wide with betrayal. The same head warrior who had imprisoned Adina on her orders was now treating her this way?

"You? Have you forgotten all that I did for you? I made your life—"

"Hell!" The warrior snarled. "You made my life fucking hell, and let me tell you, there is no one as happy as me that you're locked in here. Now, taste the poison you dish out. Let's see how feisty you really are… deposed traitor of the realm, Elara." The warrior said then turned away.

"No food and water for the prisoner." He ordered then walked out.

Elara could only stare at his retreating figure… mind buzzing loudly.

Then suddenly she burst out laughing, making the other guards share a look of confusion.

She laughed so hard she fell to the ground, tears leaking down her eyes from the intensity of her laughter. It felt like her ribs were about to explode, and yet she didn't stop.

Her shoulders trembled, and her throat dried up yet she didn't stop.

Everything was slipping fast. She was losing control of everything—everyone. How could this be happening to her? All she needed was some few days. Some days, and it would have been all hers.

And yet… she suddenly stopped laughing, eyes dull yet sharp. This was all Adina's fault.

She was everything wrong. If she didn't come to Obsidian, then Elara wouldn't have lost her mind. She'd been content slowly worming her way into Thorne's heart. Into making him see her as a woman.

If only she didn't come…

Elara's jaw clenched as her nails scraped against the filthy dungeon wall, drawing blood from her own fingers. The pain was dull, irrelevant.

All of it… every fall, every humiliation — the banishment, the betrayal, the spell, the dungeon— it all traced back to her.

Adina.

That name was poison on her tongue. She could still see her—that girl—standing beside Thorne, looking soft and fragile and stupid, pretending to be kind while worming her way into everything that belonged to Elara.

Oh, how Elara despised her. A blood-curling hatred, she had for her.

"She ruined me," Elara whispered like it was some revelation. "She took everything from me. She—"

"My lady." She heard a soft quiet voice from behind and stopped her spiraling, brows furrowing.

She turned around only to find her former maid, Megan, standing by the gates. Her eyes darting between Elara and a guard that stood by the dungeon's gate, clearly looking out.

"Megan." she whispered

"Armstrong is my mate, my lady. H-he won't tell anyone that I came to see you." She rushed out, reaching into a black bag she had with her.

"I-I heard you are not being fed, so I brought you some bread and some butter with some—"

Elara reached out, grabbing the girl's hand before she could retreat, eyes wild like that of a madwoman.

"It's good you're here. Forget the food, will you? I need your help."

Megan blinked in surprise, the small loaf of bread slipping from her hands as Elara's grip tightened.

"M-my lady?"

"You hate Adina, don't you? I remember you saying it. You hate her just like I do."

Megan looked uncertain. "I-I do, my lady, b-but I can't do anything to—"

"I'm not asking you to do anything dangerous. I only need you to bring something for me. That's all. I treated you well, didn't I? " she rushed out.

Megan nodded, and Elara smiled.

"Good. You've always been loyal. I'll reward you, Megan. All I need you to do is go into my room, there's a drawer locked behind my vanity. Touch the wall, and you'd feel it. Open the drawer and bring me what you find in it."

"M-my lady" Megan stammered, body shaking and anxious.

Elara's grip tightened on her hands. "Do this for me and take all of the golds I own. Whatever you want, take it in my room. Just bring me what I ask for.."

Megan's eyes widened with greed; she nodded firmly after realizing what she'd get in return. "I-I'll bring it, my lady." She said, needing to pick the head and passed it to Elara again.

Megan bowed and turned to leave, but Elara stopped her.

"Tonight! You have to bring it tonight."