The silence that followed the guard's announcement was thick enough to drown in. Leon didn't speak. He didn't move. He just stared.
"She's here," he whispered—not to anyone in the room, but to the gnawing ache inside him that had finally quieted.
Cassie's playful expression melted into something sharp and serious. Damon shifted beside her, his stance no longer relaxed.
"You're sure?" Damon asked quietly.
Leon didn't answer. He didn't need to.
The power in the room shifted again. It was like the palace itself was responding to her presence. Every shadow felt alive. Every breath felt heavier. Time seemed to slow, just for him.
"She's here," he repeated, voice like a vow. "And I can feel her… like gravity."
Damon raised a brow. "And you're not going to her because…?"
"Because if I do…" Leon stood slowly, every movement regal and terrifying. "I won't let her leave. I'll ruin everything before it even begins."
Cassie leaned against the edge of his desk. "So, what? You're just going to sit here and let her wander around the palace? You know Diana's going to find her first and turn on that fake royal charm."
At the mention of Diana, Leon's jaw clenched. The thought of that pathetic vampire even looking at Malia made his blood boil.
"Then maybe I should make it very clear that the palace is not a playground," he said, eyes flashing red.
Cassie smirked. "There's the King."
---
Meanwhile, down in the grand entry hall…
Malia's heart thudded loudly in her chest. Not from fear—well, okay, maybe a little fear—but mostly from awe.
The palace was breathtaking. Every corner whispered ancient secrets. The walls glowed with a strange warmth, lit by candles that flickered with blue fire. She could swear the air itself shimmered.
Muna was talking beside her, something sarcastic about the guard's weird vibes, but Malia was too distracted. She felt… seen. Like someone was watching her. Not in a creepy way—but like something important had just shifted in the universe, and somehow, she was at the center of it.
"Okay, you're doing the 'main character in a fantasy novel' stare again," Muna said, waving a hand in front of her face. "Snap out of it, girl. We're literally trespassing."
"We're not trespassing," Malia whispered, still gazing upward at the ceiling's moving murals. "We were invited… sort of."
Muna narrowed her eyes. "You know, I've seen this in a movie. This is the part where you start glowing and float into a magical portal or something."
"I wouldn't mind that."
Muna rolled her eyes. "Of course not. You love weird magical palace energy."
Malia didn't reply. Her gaze was locked on a massive, ancient painting of a man seated on a throne of shadow and fire. His eyes… they looked just like the ones from her dreams.
She stepped closer, heartbeat speeding up.
Could it be…?
---
Back upstairs…
Leon's senses were screaming. He could feel her moving. Breathing. Laughing faintly.
He felt everything.
And yet, he stayed in place. Barely. Until—
"Someone's in the East Wing," Damon said suddenly, cocking his head. "Two heartbeats. The girl and her friend."
Leon's voice dropped, low and sharp. "Make sure no one touches her. Not even Diana."
Cassie cracked her knuckles. "On it. Want me to casually terrify a few guards while I'm at it?"
He nodded once. "Yes."
Before they could leave, the candles in the room flickered wildly. The wind outside howled like it knew what was about to happen. Leon stood at the window, staring down at the ancient gardens, fingers curling at his sides.
He didn't know her name. He didn't know what fate had bound them together. But he knew this—she belonged to him. And he? He had always belonged to her.
---
The halls were quiet, but Leon's footsteps echoed like thunder. With each step, his control chipped away.
He didn't mean to follow the pull. But something inside him demanded it.
A turn. A corridor. Then—
He stopped.
A faint scent drifted through the air. Faint but unforgettable. Not perfume. No. Something deeper.
Like wildflowers on fire. Like moonlight caught in a bottle.
Like her.
His pupils dilated.
She had passed through here.
His hand curled against the stone wall, cracking it slightly.
He was losing it.
---
Down in the library hall, Malia paused. She touched her chest.
"You okay?" Muna asked.
"I… I don't know."
Malia's fingers trembled. The air felt heavy again. Not bad… just intense.
Like something—or someone—was waiting.
She turned slightly, eyes drifting to the long corridor behind them.
For just a second, she thought she saw a tall shadow at the end of it. Watching.
But when she blinked, it was gone.
---
Leon stood still. Breathing hard.
He'd seen her. Just for a second. But it was enough.
She was real. She was here. And now… he'd never let her go.