CHAPTER 138: EVERYTHING WILL BE ALRIGHT.

Nyx’s lips tingled even after the kiss ended, her heart fluttering in a way she had never experienced before. She sat there for a moment, breathless, eyes lingering on Lucas as if she was still trying to process what had just happened. Her cheeks burned with a warmth that no amount of ale could create, and before she realized it, she had lowered her gaze, her hands brushing against her mug as if to steady herself.

It was her first kiss. For all her life, surrounded by guards, tutors, and the heavy mantle of royalty, such things were distant dreams, things meant for girls who were free to love as they pleased, not for a princess bound by duty and politics. But Lucas was different. There was something about him that tore down those walls and made her forget who she was supposed to be. She didn’t regret it for even a heartbeat.

Lucas noticed the redness in her cheeks, the way she struggled to meet his gaze, and he couldn’t help but smile softly. He reached across the table, his fingers brushing gently against her cheek. "You’re blushing," he said quietly, almost teasing but with a warmth that made his words feel tender.

"I am not," Nyx muttered quickly, though her voice was unconvincing. Her blush deepened, and when Lucas chuckled under his breath, she pouted slightly, turning her head away.

"You are," he insisted, his thumb brushing lightly over her cheek before his hand rose to ruffle her hair. "And it suits you more than you know."

Her lips curved into a smile despite herself, and she smacked his hand lightly as if to protest. "You’re insufferable sometimes."

"Maybe," Lucas replied, leaning back with a grin, "but at least I’m honest."

Nyx shook her head, still smiling, though she quickly drew in a breath, realizing how late it was. The pub was thinning out as villagers began leaving for home, and the lantern light outside flickered faintly through the windows. "We should go back," she said at last, her voice softer, but there was a certain weight to it, as though she wanted to prolong the moment, yet knew they couldn’t.

Lucas gave a slight nod, his expression shifting back to something more thoughtful. "You’re right. It’s getting late. We’ve already tempted fate enough for one day."

They rose from their seats together, and as they stepped out of the tavern into the cool night air, the sounds of the bustling market streets still lingered. Despite the hour, stalls were open, lanterns lit in rows that stretched across the square, and the scent of grilled meat, spiced bread, and roasted chestnuts wafted through the air.

Nyx’s eyes lit up the moment she caught the aroma. She tugged lightly at Lucas’s sleeve and pointed. "Wait, before we go back, I want to try that."

Lucas followed her gaze toward a stall where a vendor was turning skewers of sizzling meat over an open flame. He arched a brow. "I didn’t take you for someone with such a big appetite, Princess. You’ve eaten almost everything the market has to offer already."

Nyx gave him a playful glance, her lips curving mischievously. "And what of it? I’m not going to waste the day. Who knows when I’ll be able to walk through the streets like this again?"

Lucas sighed in mock defeat, though the smile tugging at his lips betrayed his amusement. "Very well. But if you end up regretting this tomorrow, don’t blame me."

She laughed, a sound that was light and carefree, and for once, free of the weight of her title. Taking the skewer handed to her by the vendor, she bit into it eagerly, her eyes shining with satisfaction. "Mmm... this is delicious," she said between bites.

Lucas watched her, shaking his head as if he couldn’t quite believe it. "You’re full of surprises tonight. I didn’t think a princess could eat more than a soldier on campaign."

Nyx tugged at his arm lovingly, her tone playful but sincere. "Maybe you just don’t know me as well as you think you do."

Lucas glanced down at her, his expression softening as he watched her lean against him so naturally, so unrestrained. "Maybe I don’t," he said quietly, though his words carried more weight than she realized.

As they walked closer and closer to the looming silhouette of the palace, the air between them shifted. The streets were quieter here. Lucas slowed his steps just slightly, his sharp eyes catching the subtle change in Nyx’s expression. A moment ago, she had been smiling and tugging at his arm playfully, her lips still tasting faintly of ale and roasted meat from the street vendors. Now, however, her face had taken on a softer, heavier look.

Her gaze lingered on the gates ahead, and the towering walls that shielded the palace from the city beyond. It was as if each step closer pulled a little more freedom away from her.

Lucas leaned toward her, his voice dropping low, so low it was almost a whisper carried on the night breeze. "You don’t want to go back, do you?"

Nyx hesitated, her fingers tightening around his arm before loosening again. She didn’t look at him right away, instead letting her eyes follow the glowing lanterns that lined the palace road. "It feels like... the moment I walk through those gates, everything I enjoyed tonight will vanish. I’ll be the princess again, the daughter of the kingdom, the one expected to be flawless, perfect, untouchable. It’s suffocating."

Lucas watched her quietly for a moment before answering, his tone steady, warm, and utterly sincere. "Nyx, you’ll always be yourself, whether in a tavern, a crowded street, or the throne room of this palace. You can’t lose that, not unless you let them take it from you. And I..." He paused, his eyes locking with hers. "I’ll always be there for you. Whatever happens inside those walls, you’re not alone."

Her breath caught at his words. She finally turned to him, her eyes shimmering faintly under the soft glow of the lantern light. "You don’t know what that means to me, Xavier. All my life, people see the crown, the bloodline, the title. Not me. You’ve seen me tonight, the way I laugh, the way I eat too much when I’m free, even when I say foolish things after too much ale. And you didn’t look at me as a princess, you looked at me as... me."

Lucas smiled faintly, brushing his thumb over the back of her hand as they walked. "Because that’s who I wanted to see. And if you’ll let me, I’ll keep seeing that side of you. Every time you feel trapped, every time the weight of the palace presses down on you, remember, I’ll be right here."

Her eyes softened, and before she could think twice, she stopped walking. Lucas slowed too, facing her, and in that moment she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him. It wasn’t a fleeting or timid hug, it was firm, almost desperate, as though she didn’t want to let go of the comfort she felt.

Lucas exhaled slowly, surprised but not resisting. He brought his hand up, resting it lightly against the back of her head. "It’s alright," he murmured into her hair. "Everything will be alright."

Nyx nodded against his chest, her voice low and a little shaky. "I believe you... Xavier."

They stayed like that for a heartbeat longer before she reluctantly drew back, though her hands lingered against his arms as if not wanting to sever the connection entirely. She inhaled, steadied herself, then looked back at the tall walls of the palace.

"Let’s go," she whispered.

Lucas gave a small nod, and together they slipped into the shadows, avoiding the main gates. They moved quietly, Nyx kept close to him.

But instead of parting ways as they normally would, Nyx tugged lightly at his sleeve, a silent gesture of her reluctance to return to her gilded cage so quickly. Lucas understood without needing words, and he guided her instead toward his own chambers.

As soon as they stepped into Lucas’s chamber and he closed the door behind them, Nyx’s composure shattered. Without hesitation, she reached for him, her hands finding the back of his neck as she pulled his head down to her level. Her lips pressed hungrily against his, the suddenness of it making Lucas freeze for half a heartbeat before he felt the warmth of her mouth and the muffled sound of her moan against him.

Lucas’s arms instinctively wrapped around her slender frame, steadying her as she leaned into the kiss with a kind of raw yearning she had never allowed herself to show before. Though her boldness caught him off guard, Lucas quickly took control, his lips moving over hers with a surer rhythm, guiding the kiss as if he had been waiting for this moment.

Her fingers curled into his hair, tugging him closer, and when his hands slid beneath her arms and around her waist, she gasped softly into his mouth. Without breaking the kiss, Lucas bent and lifted her with practiced ease, her feet leaving the ground. The sudden motion drew a startled yelp from her throat, but it was quickly swallowed by their lips meeting again, harder this time, fiercer.

Nyx clung to him instinctively, her arms tightening around his shoulders as he carried her effortlessly. Surprise lingered in her widened eyes for just a second before it melted away, her lashes fluttering shut as she surrendered fully to the moment, returning his kiss with a passion that burned through all thought of rank, duty, or consequence.