Devon stepped closer.
Tania immediately tensed.
"Don't come near me," she warned.
He didn't stop.
Something about him felt… different again.
Not like earlier.
But not normal either.
His eyes were focused.
Too focused.
On her.
"What?" she snapped. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
Devon didn't answer.
He was close now.
Close enough for her to feel it—that strange pressure in the air again.
Her chest tightened slightly.
"Devon—"
Then he reached out.
Tania tried to step back—
But she couldn't.
Her body froze.
Not from fear.
From something else.
Like an invisible force holding her in place.
"What is this?" she said, panic creeping into her voice for the first time.
Devon's hand hovered near her neck.
Right where it had hurt before.
Then—
He paused.
His eyes narrowed.
Something caught his attention.
A faint mark.
Barely visible.
Right below her collarbone.
It flickered—
Then disappeared.
Devon stilled.
Completely.
He leaned in slightly.
And inhaled.
Slow.
Careful.
There was a scent.
Different.
Not human.
Not anything he had sensed before.
Then just like the mark—
It vanished.
Tania finally managed to move, shoving his hand away.
"Don't touch me!" she snapped, breathing harder now.
The invisible pressure broke instantly.
Devon stepped back.
But his gaze didn't leave her.
Something had changed.
Again.
"What?" she demanded. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
He didn't answer.
Thiago watched the whole thing quietly, his usual playful expression gone for once.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Before anyone could say anything else—
The door burst open.
Two guards rushed in.
"My lord!"
Devon turned sharply.
"What is it?"
"They're here," one of them said quickly. "The girl's father… and her brother."
Tania froze.
"What?"
"They're begging to see you," the guard added.
Her heart jumped.
"Dad…?" she whispered.
She moved forward without thinking.
"Where are they?!"
Devon didn't respond immediately.
Tania grabbed his arm.
"Please," she said, her voice dropping. "Let me see them."
It was the first time she sounded like that.
Not angry.
Not sarcastic.
Just…
Real.
Devon looked down at her hand on his arm.
Then at her face.
Something in his expression shifted slightly.
"They shouldn't be here," he said.
"I don't care!" she snapped. "They came for me!"
Her grip tightened.
"Please."
The word came out softer this time.
And it lingered.
Thiago watched them carefully, his eyes moving between their faces.
Something was happening here.
Something neither of them fully understood yet.
Devon finally spoke.
"Bring them in."
Tania let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding.
—
Outside, in the palace courtyard—
Kane stood beside their father, his expression tense.
"This is a bad idea," he muttered.
"It's our only idea," their father replied weakly.
Kane ran a hand through his hair.
"I should've gone alone."
"And leave me behind?" the older man said. "She's my daughter."
Kane didn't argue.
Because he knew that.
He just didn't like it.
Not here.
Not in this place.
His eyes scanned the palace surroundings.
Too big.
Too clean.
Too controlled.
Then someone stepped into view.
Scott.
He stopped a few steps away, looking them over.
His gaze lingered on Kane a second longer than necessary.
Then he scoffed lightly.
"Well," he said, tilting his head, "this is unexpected."
Kane frowned.
"And you are?"
Scott's lips curved slightly.
"Someone who doesn't belong here."
Kane didn't trust that answer.
Not one bit.
Scott's eyes moved over him again, more openly this time.
Pretty.
That was the first word that came to mind.
Not weak.
Just… different.
Scott looked away first.
"You're here for her," he said.
Kane nodded.
Scott sighed.
"This won't go the way you want."
Kane's jaw tightened.
"It doesn't have to," he said. "I just need to see her."
Scott studied him for a moment.
Then stepped aside.
"Good luck."
—
Back inside—
The doors opened.
Tania didn't wait.
She ran forward the second she saw them.
"Dad!"
Her father looked up.
"Tania…"
She threw her arms around him carefully, like she was afraid he might break.
Kane stepped closer, relief flashing across his face.
"You're okay."
"I'm fine," she said quickly, pulling back to look at them both. "Why are you here? You shouldn't have come."
"We had to," her father said. "We can't leave you here."
Tania shook her head.
"I'm okay, I swear."
Kane looked at her more closely.
"You don't look okay."
She forced a small smile.
"I've been worse."
Devon watched from a distance.
Silent.
Unmoving.
Thiago leaned slightly toward him.
"You're letting this happen?" he murmured.
Devon didn't answer.
His attention was still on Tania.
On the way she looked at them.
Different.
Softer.
It didn't sit right with him.
—
A few minutes later, the guards moved her father away to speak privately.
Kane stayed behind.
Tania turned to him.
"You need to go," she said quietly.
"Not without you."
"That's not happening."
"I'll find a way."
She shook her head.
"No. You won't."
Kane stepped closer.
"I'm not leaving you here."
Tania's chest tightened.
"Please," she said softly. "Just… trust me."
Kane hesitated.
Then nodded slowly.
"For now."
—
Later—
The room was quiet again.
Too quiet.
Tania stood by the window, arms crossed.
Her family was still in the palace.
Too close.
Too far.
She didn't like it.
Behind her—
Devon stepped in.
She didn't turn.
"You could've let them go," she said.
"They will leave."
"That's not what I meant."
Silence.
Then—
"Why did you do it?" she asked.
"What?"
"That thing earlier."
Devon walked closer.
Slow.
"I don't know."
She turned to face him.
For once, she didn't have a sharp reply ready.
"Neither do I," she admitted.
Their eyes met.
Something shifted again.
Not tension.
Not anger.
Something else.
Quieter.
Closer.
Tania swallowed.
"You're still crazy," she muttered.
Devon's lips moved slightly.
Almost a smile.
"You're still difficult."
She huffed softly.
"Good."
He stepped closer.
Too close again.
But this time—
She didn't move back.
Her heart started beating faster.
Not from fear.
Not this time.
Devon's gaze dropped briefly to her lips.
Then back to her eyes.
Tania noticed.
Of course she did.
"Don't," she said.
But her voice wasn't strong anymore.
It was softer.
Uncertain.
Devon didn't stop.
Tania's breath caught slightly.
Her fingers tightened at her sides.
"You're not—"
She didn't finish.
Because this time—
She didn't stop him.
And when his lips finally met hers—
Everything else disappeared.