Warmth.
It was the first thing Jayden felt when her eyes fluttered open. The second was the sound of a heartbeat—strong and steady—beneath her cheek. She blinked slowly, trying to adjust to the dim light inside the cave. Azrael's arms were wrapped around her waist like a protective wall, his head tucked beside hers. She wasn't cold. She wasn't in pain.
She was… alive.
Jayden smiled weakly and whispered to herself, "I'm not dreaming, right?"
Azrael stirred, his deep voice still hoarse with sleep. "Unfortunately for you, you're not."
She tilted her head up to look at him, and immediately flushed red when her mind pulled up flashes from the night before—the kisses, his voice in her ear, the heat of his body pressed against hers.
Gods, stop thinking!
Her face turned bright red.
Azrael caught the blush, and his lips curved into a slow, teasing grin. Without warning, he leaned down and kissed her deeply, gently nipping her lower lip between his teeth. A soft gasp escaped her before she could stop it.
Her eyes went wide. "A-Azrael!"
"Hm?" he feigned innocence, licking his lips. "Is that not how humans greet each other in the morning?"
Jayden pushed at his chest, burying her face into the pillow of his shoulder. "You're the worst!"
He chuckled. "I thought you liked it. And judging from the sound you made... I was absolutely right."
"I hate you."
"No, you don't."
He sat up and stretched, muscles rippling under the loose black shirt that barely covered him. "Come on. I'm taking you hunting today."
Her eyes lit up. "Really?"
"I said I'd feed you, didn't I? But you're learning how to do it yourself now."
Jayden followed him into the forest, energy renewed. The sun peeked through the tall trees, and the air was fresh with dew. They moved silently through the woods, Azrael teaching her how to track, trap, and kill. He moved like a shadow, graceful and deadly, and she mirrored him the best she could.
They returned with rabbits and fruits. Jayden was beaming.
"I didn't do so bad, right?" she asked.
"You were slow, noisy, and nearly stabbed yourself with the dagger," he said, smirking. "But... not bad for a first try."
She rolled her eyes, then paused—her eyes catching the outline of a spirit lingering near a tree.
But unlike before, her heart didn't leap in terror. Instead, she blinked at it with mild surprise.
"They're everywhere," she said softly. "But I'm not afraid anymore."
"You shouldn't be. You were born to command them."
When they returned to the cave, it was time for a bath.
Jayden tilted her head curiously. "You know… I've never seen you without your clothes before."
Azrael raised an eyebrow. "Curious, are we?"
"I mean—do you even bathe?" she blurted, flustered.
"I do. Especially when I'm in human form like this," he said. Then he leaned in, his voice low and dangerous. "Want to see?"
Her eyes widened. "W-What? N-No, I didn't mean—"
But he was already pulling off his shirt.
Then his pants.
Then… everything.
Jayden screamed and covered her face, cheeks flaming. "Azrael!!!"
"What? You asked."
"Not like that!!"
He blinked, genuinely confused. "But you wanted to know. Isn't this fair? I saw you bare too."
She was too stunned to argue. He walked toward the river with the confidence of a Greek god, every muscle carved to perfection—and Jayden, helplessly, had seen everything. Her thoughts ran wild.
Was that thing even real? That can't be normal. Gods... how is that going to even—
She shook her head. "Stop it, Jayden. Stop."
Later, after they'd both bathed and eaten, Azrael grew serious.
"I need to know," he said, voice low, "what happened yesterday. Before I found you."
Jayden lowered her eyes. "Mammoth came to me. He offered to show me the truth… about everything. About my past. The curse. He said you were keeping it from me... because you didn't want me to leave you."
Azrael's jaw tensed, but he didn't interrupt.
"I didn't believe him," she said. "But... some of what he said made sense."
He sighed and looked away. "Some of it was true."
Jayden blinked. "What?"
"I've known who you are for a long time, Jayden. I watched you from the Underworld. At first, it was curiosity. Then it became... something else."
She stared at him in disbelief.
"You knew I was royalty?"
He nodded. "The temple gods cursed your family for their betrayal. You were the price they paid. But you—"
He reached out and touched her cheek gently.
"You weren't supposed to survive. And yet... you did. Even when you wanted to die, something in you fought back. That strength… it's what drew me to you. And now I—"
He stopped, voice faltering.
"You what?" she whispered.
"I'm obsessed with you," he muttered.
Jayden's heart pounded. "Tell me the rest."
"I will," he said. "But I want you to uncover it too. You'll need to be strong for what's coming."
"But I only see ghosts," she frowned.
Azrael shook his head. "That gift—that came from me. But the power to command them… that's yours. You were born with it. And I'll train you to use it."
Her breath hitched. "You will?"
"I will."
She smiled, warmth blooming in her chest.
Meanwhile...
Inside the royal castle, in a chamber swallowed by shadows, a pedestal stood with a magical veil swirling around it.
Within the veil, a crown shimmered—golden, adorned with blood-red rubies and dazzling diamonds. A seal held it in place, ancient and powerful.
It could not be touched.
Not until the rightful heir laid hands on it.
And that heir... had just awakened her power.