The mountains whispered secrets to the wind as night fell upon their temporary camp. Shadows stretched long beneath the looming cliffs, and the air, though crisp, carried the subtle warmth of mineral springs hidden beneath the rock. It was here, on the edge of danger and fleeting safety, that Elara found herself once more restless.
The others slept soundly, trusting in the natural barrier of the mountain path and the vigilance of their night watch. But Elara couldn't sleep. Not with her body still buzzing from the battles fought, nor with the memory of Kael's arms around her lingering like heat on her skin.
She wandered toward the springs, steam curling like ghostly fingers into the air. The pool glowed faintly, reflecting the moonlight as though kissed by ancient magic. She removed her armor slowly—pauldrons, gauntlets, boots—and let them rest gently on the rocks. Finally, she undid the ties of her tunic, stepping into the water with a soft sigh as the heat enveloped her.
She leaned back against the edge, bare shoulders exposed, steam clinging to her skin. The warmth seeped into her bones, and for a moment, the warrior in her gave way to something softer, quieter.
Behind her, she sensed him before she heard him.
Kael.
His presence rolled over her like thunderclouds before a storm—silent, heavy, inevitable.
"Elara," he said, voice low and hoarse.
She didn't turn. "You followed me."
"I had to."
He was already at the edge of the pool. Moonlight played across the planes of his bare chest as he slipped out of his shirt, then stepped into the water. There was no awkwardness, no hesitation—only the tension of months of restraint breaking with each heartbeat.
He came to her slowly, the water lapping around them as if drawn to their heat. Elara tilted her head up to meet his eyes, her breath catching at the raw hunger she found there.
"You've haunted me," Kael whispered, brushing wet strands of hair from her cheek. "Every night, every time I closed my eyes—I saw you."
His fingers traced the line of her jaw, down her neck, lingering at her collarbone.
"And now?" she asked, her voice almost a dare.
"Now, I'm done pretending I don't want you."
He kissed her—not tenderly, not carefully, but like a man who had held back too long. It was heat and fire and fury, and Elara responded with equal intensity. Her arms wrapped around him, pulling him down to her, mouths crashing again and again until they were breathless.
Kael's hands explored her slowly, reverently—trailing over her shoulders, the curve of her back, the hollow of her hips. Every touch was both a question and an answer.
"You are not breakable," he growled against her ear. "You are a goddess in battle, and here—" he pressed his palm to her chest, where her heart thundered, "—you burn."
She moaned softly as he lowered his mouth to her throat, kissing, biting, worshipping as though he feared she'd vanish with the mist. She guided him with boldness—pulling him tighter, legs wrapping around his waist as her body ached with need.
When he entered her, it was with a gasp from both of them—raw, trembling, overwhelming. They moved together, the rhythm wild and unrestrained, water splashing around them like a ritual long forgotten.
"Elara," Kael murmured between groans, her name a litany on his lips.
She kissed him fiercely, biting his lower lip before whispering, "I want to feel you. All of you."
He responded with a deep thrust that stole the breath from her lungs.
They lost themselves in one another—moaning, clinging, shuddering—until everything outside the steam and heat ceased to matter. No shrine, no cult, no destiny. Just two souls in the darkness, claiming the only thing that had ever truly belonged to them: each other.
Their climax came like a storm—loud, breathless, shattering. Elara clung to him, nails raking down his back as her body convulsed in pleasure, Kael's name on her lips. He held her through his own release, groaning into her neck, whispering words in a language only lovers know.
After, they stayed entwined in the shallows, skin against skin, hearts still racing.
"I'm not just yours in battle," Kael said hoarsely. "I'm yours in every way."
Elara closed her eyes, resting her head against him. "Then don't let go. No matter what's coming."
"I won't."
In the silence that followed, the spring's steam rose higher into the night, curling around the stars like smoke from a sacred fire—marking the beginning of something irreversible, dangerous, and beautiful.
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