>>Amber (While she was still in Aurelia. 1 year into their marriage) I stood in the doorway of the bathroom connected to our room, my fingers lightly tracing the edge of the door frame as I watched Hael. He was absorbed in one of his books, his brow slightly furrowed. He always looked so serious when he was focused like that, and the sight made me smile. His silver hair, still tied in that loose ponytail, caught the glow of the nearby mana lamp, and I couldn’t help but admire how handsome he looked, even while sitting there, completely unaware of my mischievous intentions. "Ahem,"I cleared my throat softly, catching his attention. "Hael," I called out, my voice soft yet teasing as I shifted my weight against the doorframe. He glanced up from the book, his moon eyes immediately finding mine. For a brief moment, he looked confused, but then his gaze drifted down to the white bathrobe I was wearing. It was short, barely grazing my thighs, and I could see the way his eyes lingered on it, a flicker of amusement, maybe even appreciation, crossing his face. He placed the back of his fingers on his lips I had worn it on purpose, of course. "I might need help," I said, my voice laced with playful innocence as I slowly let the bathrobe slip from one shoulder, exposing more of my skin to the cool air. "Washing." That was all it took. Hael slammed the book shut and threw it on the table without a second thought, his expression suddenly serious, though I could see the fire burning behind his eyes. He stood up in one smooth motion, his gaze never leaving mine, the tension building in the air between us with every second that passed. My heart raced as he marched toward me, each one bringing him closer and closer until he was standing directly in front of me, barely a breath of space between us. The way he looked at me made my skin tingle with anticipation, a mix of desire and excitement swirling inside me. Without a word, he grabbed me by the waist, lifting me effortlessly off the ground and throwing me over his shoulder in one swift movement. I gasped in surprise, my body jolting with the sudden shift, but the feeling of his strong hands holding me securely only made my pulse race faster. "Hael!" I laughed, breathless, my voice full of excitement as he kicked the bathroom door shut behind us with a force that made the walls tremble slightly. Everything felt electric—the warmth of his body, the closeness, the way his muscles flexed beneath his clothes as he carried me. I could feel the thrum of his heartbeat through his chest as I draped over his shoulder, the teasing delight of the moment making me grin like a fool. "I thought you needed help," He murmured, his voice deep and teasing as he finally set me down inside the bathroom, on the edge of the bathtub, his hands sliding from my waist to my hips, holding me steady as my feet touched the ground. I leaned back slightly, my eyes meeting his with a mischievous glint. "I did," I replied, my voice softer now, more intimate. "But I didn’t expect you to be so... eager." He smirked, his hands still holding me close. "When you ask for help like that, how could I resist?" Follow current novels on Nov3lFɪre.ɴet My pulse quickened as I felt the warmth of his breath against my skin, his proximity sending shivers down my spine. There was something about the way he moved, the way his eyes never left mine, that made me feel completely consumed by him. Every touch, every glance, it all felt charged with a kind of energy that left me breathless. My smile wouldn’t fade, "so," I wrapped my hands around his neck, "Do it," I then threw myself back, startling him as I took him with me as both of us went splashing into the bathtub, the water splashing everywhere, drenching us in an instant. I was under Hael as he got up on all fours, his hair dripping wet as I laughed. "Orenya..." He called me in defeat. I smirked, "Yes, My Love?" He looked at me with a mischievous look in his eyes, then grabbed my waist, making me jump, "That was naughty behavior." He grabbed my robe, I could feel his magic ready to burn it off of me. "Me?" I denied it, "Naughty?" I shook my head, "No-Eeepp!" He pulled me toward himself, the water splashing everywhere as he grabbed my butt and slapped it, exciting me. He pulled me on top of himself, relaxing himself, "If not you, then it must be me," He smirked I slid my hands on his bare chest that stood in the middle of unbuttoned clothes, "Naughty people need to be punished," I slid down to kiss him It was a sunny day, would have been nice for an outing but Hael was cooped up in his lab I crept quietly into Hael’s personal lab, a place he had been retreating to more often lately. The room was dimly lit, the flicker of candles casting shadows on the old stone walls. Shelves lined with strange ingredients and ancient tomes filled the space, but my eyes were drawn to him immediately. He was standing at a wooden basin, his back turned to me, focused intently on something swirling inside it. A soft red glow flickered from the basin, and I could see Hael’s hands moving fluidly in the air, tracing intricate patterns that left faint trails of light behind them. His silver hair hung loose around his face, the strands catching the glow of the magic he was working with. The air felt charged, humming with the energy he was manipulating. Curiosity got the better of me, and I stepped forward. "What are you doing?" I asked, my voice cutting through the silence of the room. He didn’t startle, didn’t even turn right away. "It’s something I’m doing for myself," He said after a moment, his tone calm, almost distracted, as though he were too immersed in the magic to give a full explanation. I tilted my head, trying to get a glimpse of what he was working on. The red liquid in the basin shimmered, swirling in patterns I couldn’t quite understand, glowing brighter as Hael’s fingers danced above it. "What is it?" I pressed, stepping closer. "Something," He repeated, still not looking up. I frowned. He was being frustratingly vague, as usual. "What kind of ’something?’" "Magic," He answered simply, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly, as if he were amused by my persistence. "I can see that," I said, folding my arms across my chest. "But what is it, really?" He paused, finally turning to face me. His eyes were glowing faintly, the same red as the liquid in the basin, a sign that his magic was still active, still flowing. "It’s something that’s going to take years to complete," He said, his voice soft but filled with quiet determination. "Years?" I blinked, taken aback. "Then why are you doing it?" A faint smile tugged at his lips as he turned back to the basin, his hands moving in the air again, guiding the red liquid as it swirled faster now, responding to his magic. "You’ll find out," He said, his tone almost teasing. I stepped closer, my curiosity burning brighter. "When?" He glanced over his shoulder at me, his smile widening just a little, a glint of something playful in his eyes. "One day," He promised, his voice a gentle reassurance, but still as cryptic as ever. I watched him for a long moment, wondering what could be so important that he was willing to spend years of his life working on it. Whatever it was, it was clearly something personal, something he wasn’t ready to share just yet. But that only made me more intrigued. With a soft sigh, I leaned against the edge of the wooden basin, looking down into the swirling red liquid. "You’re impossible," I muttered, though there was no real frustration behind my words. Hael chuckled softly, his magic shifting, the red glow pulsing in rhythm with his quiet laughter. "You’ll understand one day," He said. I stared at the glowing liquid. I don’t know why but it seems like he’s saying that this ’one day’ is not coming anytime soon. It’s not like he gave me a date but I get the feeling that it’s going to be a long wait. "When are you going to finish?" I asked, "We still have to go shopping." "Yes!" I looked at him baffled, "The Crown Prince’s wedding is this weekend!" He raised his eyes, "Oh, yes," He nodded, "He’s getting married to Serena," "Yes," I nodded and grabbed his arm, "And so, we’re going shopping." I began to drag him with me. "I’m not done yet," He said, "You can finish when we come back." I kept pulling him and I could tell he wasn’t resisting me, "We’re eating out too." The glow around him faded, "Alright," He gave up without a fight. I smiled, because I knew he would never fight me. He puts me ahead of everything else.