Cassien didn't let go of Naomi's hand until they had long left the vicinity of the banquet's prying eyes. His pace was steady and grip firm, but he glanced back often to make sure he wasn't dragging her along to his whims. Each time, the sight of her downcast eyes and lowered shoulders made his heart ache with the kind of anger she always tried to avoid projecting onto others; the weight of her struggle was his burden as well.

He slowed their movement, turning to face Naomi with a gentle cradle of his hand on her cheek. She sighed sadly into it, her eyes peering downwards with her wet lashes. Without another word, Cassien lowered himself and gently scooped under her legs so that she fell into his arms, pausing just enough to meet her eyes in a silent request to carry her. He needed no verbal response when her slender arms wrapped around him, burying her face against the crook of his neck. The two continued down the dark corridor of Calypsa Castle, with nothing but framed paintings and stained glass windows as their witness. Her long, pearl white dress floated delicately just above the floor in the embrace of Cassien's dark tailored suit, as if she were a ribbon of white in the dark night sky.

"Do you want me to take you back to your room?" he murmured against her hair, body swaying gently as he carried her.

He felt the shake of her head. "No… Yes… I don't know. I'm sorry, I'm acting like a child."

"You're not," he said reassuringly. "You're acting like someone who was publicly sabotaged and is reacting normally to it. Way better than most people, I would add."

"You're probably the only one who thinks that."

Naomi pulled her head back to look at him incredulously, the bare light of the corridor revealing her damp lashes and flushed cheeks. He felt a pang of guilt at the thought that despite her saddened state, she looked as beautiful as ever - if only because it meant she felt comfortable enough to be vulnerable around him. Cassien couldn't help but lean in to plant a feather-soft kiss on the tip of her nose as he continued walking.

"If you don't want to go back to your room yet, I might know a spot that you'd like," he offered quietly.

A reluctant smile tugged at her lips despite the heaviness that still remained in her chest. "What makes you so sure I'd like it?"

"Well for one, it's quiet. So no one will find us unless we want them to," Cassien's voice was playful as he rounded a corner, not the least bit weary as he carried her. "And it has an excellent view of the island."

Naomi let out a small, genuine laugh at the implication of the view. "You're not just taking me to your room instead, are you?"

Cassien's lips lifted in a flirtatious smirk. "Would you be opposed to that?"

Naomi blushed, swatting him with a free hand as he chuckled. "You're such a guy."

"You know I'm just teasing," Cassien grinned before stopping short at a half-open window, glancing down at Naomi, his expression turning slightly serious. "Trust me?"

"I have a feeling I know what you're about to do… but…" She eyed him both with curiosity and excitement. "I do."

He stepped with one leg onto the stone window sill, an aura of cold beginning to crackle from behind him. Naomi clutched his shoulders in anticipation, squeezing her eyes shut and bracing her nerves. Cassien peeked at her with a small smile before he vaulted through the air effortlessly - as if she weighed nothing at all - frost bursting from beneath him and invigorating his strength. Even in the security of his arms, Naomi felt themselves momentarily freed from gravity as they soared through the air, her hair and dress whipping in the breeze. She opened her eyes then, and her heart nearly stopped at what she was seeing.

Below them were the polished marble and smooth stones that formed the grandeur of Calypsa Castle, the walls adorned with flags and golden scones. Watchtowers had guards that vigilantly overlooked the ocean shores and the city of Tudor, of which glowed with hues of lively gold and orange. Even in the darkness, the ocean tide sparkled with the glint of the moon, lapping against the shores of the lush tropics.

Cassien lept from surface to surface, using any ledge he could as they continued to gain elevation on the castle's stones while remaining out of view from the watchtowers. With each spring, his jump boosted with a burst of cold behind him, and each landing was softened by frost and snow blooming beneath his boots. With each descent slowing magically as if he were made of feathers, Naomi couldn't help but let out an exhilarated laugh at the sensation of their flight. He looked down then, his heart full at the sight of her worries temporarily forgotten.

"We'll have to do this more often," Cassien murmured as he continued moving fluidly, flashing a half-smile for just the briefest moment.

Her heart thudded at the sight of him and the way the moonlight illuminated the gold of his eyes, how the wind kissed his dark hair back in messy waves. But more than that, even in the midst of soaring to impossibly high heights, she had never felt as safe and beloved in her entire life than in that moment. With a final surge of magic, he arced over the last ledge before landing on a flat, railed rooftop with a muffled thud. His frost drifted to the ground in glittering snowflakes as the chilled air wafted away in the warmth of the spring night.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

Cassien gently set her down on her feet, his hand steadying hers before releasing. From where they stood, the silver light of the moon poured across the entire island, the city lights stretching endlessly from below them. Even the dot of light emitting from the banquet hall could be seen, but from here, they were untouchable by the tainted night. Naomi moved to rest against the stone railing of the roof, closing her eyes as she exhaled a deep breath that lifted some of the weight from her chest.

She glanced back at him with a shy smile. "You're right."

"About what?"

"About this spot. I like it," she said with a twinkle in her eye before turning back, leaning forward to admire the view.

Cassien watched from behind her, far too occupied with memorizing the way her skin gleamed in the light, the delicate curve of her neck that was exposed beneath her updo. Her silhouette looked like it was painted in starlight and the epitome of grace, and in that moment, he felt a terrifying shift inside him - breathless and undeniable. The very fact that she found solace with his presence, despite everything they had endured to get to this point, was nearly unbelievable. He had been the one she trusted with her silence, her grief, and her pain. He didn't dare to name the feeling, afraid that it would fracture his composure at any second.

He remained lost in his thoughts until Naomi turned, catching his attention with a radiant smile, beckoning him over with a tilt of her head. "Don't just stand there, silly. Come here and enjoy the view with me."

Cassien cleared his throat as he closed the short distance, leaning down beside her. "I was."

He caught the bloom of red across her freckled cheeks before she turned her head away momentarily, her fingers pressed against her lips in embarrassment.

"If this is your way of trying to make me feel better, then it's working," she laughed, playfully bumping her elbow against his. Her expression changed to an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry you had to get involved back there."

"It wasn't like I was defending you without merit," he replied simply. "I know you didn't do anything wrong."

"How?"

His eyes met hers. "I saw it through our connection - Ysonna had purposefully pushed herself from you."

Relief flickered across her face, though it was slowly replaced by a shadow of hesitation. "At least someone knows the truth, then."

Her voice lowered slightly, tentative and nervous. "But… I didn't even know you were actively looking through my vision."

Cassien felt a rush of guilt through him at the realization of his actions. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

Naomi brushed her hand against his in assurance. "It's okay, I'm not mad at you. I know you wouldn't use it against me. I just… maybe we should talk about setting some rules?"

"Whatever you need," he promised, squeezing her hand. "Even if you're not upset, I am sorry for overstepping."

She rested her head against him, grateful for his sincerity. "It's okay. Thank you for apologizing."

"So… ground rules. With permission, of course. And since we'll be sailing out soon, a safe word or a gesture would be necessary."

Naomi nodded against him. "A wink could work, but maybe only with our vision eye?"

Cassien hummed approvingly. "That would be a smart move - it doubles as a warning if we use our other unaffected eye instead." He paused, considering his next words. "And if it's a life or death situation, or if one of us is in danger like with the fire, I think that should override rules temporarily."

She bit her lip. "Or if we can't reach each other and something feels wrong, or maybe the pain returns because the other person has been gone too long…"

"That works," Cassien agreed.

Naomi furrowed her brows. "Well, what about you? Anything I should avoid doing?"

"That's not a problem for me," He responded as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "If you ever want to look even for a peace of mind, you have my permission to do so. Whenever you want."

"But that's not fair to you," Naomi protested, pulling away. "And that makes me feel bad, like I don't trust you enough to give you free reign. Which I do, and I have nothing to hide, but..."

"That's not what I'm saying," he replied gently, brushing her cheek. "It's not a competition on who trusts the other more. I just want you to know if you want to - for any reason at all - you have my permission, always."

His gloved hand moved to cup the side of her face, fingers threading through the silk of her hair. "You're entitled to your privacy. You will never owe me anything for wanting your own space. Whatever boundaries you need, I will never pressure you to meet my lack of rules."

Naomi blinked rapidly at his words, her vision blurring. His honesty and vulnerability without expecting anything in return made her heart thrum. For the first time in her life, she was offered something she'd never had back in Monroe: an unapologetic desire to be seen and her boundaries vehemently respected.

"You…" She trembled as she leaned into his touch, grounding herself in the gaze of his warmth. "You're more than I ever thought I'd have."

Naomi pressed one hand against the top of his shoulder, pushing herself up to meet his lips with a breathless, hungry need. It was the kind of kiss that scattered every thought besides the feeling of each other, deep and real and entirely raw. Cassien's hand slid down to the nape of her neck, sending shivers down her spine as he returned her kiss with electrifying passion.

The kiss deepened with neither willing to break contact first. Cassien's hand trailed from her neck and down her spine, her knees buckling slightly at his touch. He growled deeply at her reaction before one arm swept below her rear, lifting her with ease. Naomi barely had time to gasp at his possessive touch before he settled her against the wide ledge of the roof's railing, their kiss never faltering for a single breath.

She felt the cold stone beneath the fabric of her dress, and the roughness of his arm that moved from beneath her to secure around her hips. His other hand pressed flatly against the small of her back, pulling her in enough so that she leaned away from the openness of the roof's ledge. Naomi's hands slid into his hair and tugged down - as if they could be any closer - parting her knees just enough that his leg slid in between to anchor himself.

When they finally broke apart, the two continued to cling to another in a breathless daze; Naomi's hand remained tangled in his hair as he rested his forehead against hers, the two steadying each other. The heat of their breaths mingled, their bodies quaking with longing but both more than content with their present closeness.

In that moment, every lie that she had been told her entire life about the Northern Duke melted away like frost in the embrace of the morning sun. Naomi knew with absolute certainty that she truly and finally knew Cassien for who he was, and no one could convince her otherwise. With the sounds of the world drowned out by the thundering of her heart and intoxicated by his embrace, she knew then that she was hopelessly and irrevocably in love with him.

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