[Alvar’s POV—On the way to Frojnholm—Same Night]

Damn it. Damn it all.

This was my fault. Mine alone. I should never have left Leif unguarded; I should never have trusted anyone but myself with his safety.

"My lord... you must slow down, the horses—" Haldor’s voice thundered behind me, swallowed by the night wind.

"Faster!" I roared, my voice cutting through the dark like a blade. My grip tightened on the reins until the leather bit into my palms. "Do you hear me, Haldor? Faster! Or I’ll ride alone and leave you in the snow."

The hooves thundered over the frozen earth, the storm of their pounding echoing the chaos inside me. I had not breathed since that messenger owl swooped into my chamber—through the open balcony doors—striking my cheek with its wing as if to jolt me awake. A scrap of parchment tied to its leg, words scrawled in haste... and venom.

Lord leif, is missing.

It was from Baron.

No names. No ransom. Just a provocation.

And they dared. They dared touch what is mine.

Whoever they are, they have signed their own death warrant. I will find them. I will carve their names into the stones of Frojnholm with their blood.

But even as the cold vow burned on my tongue, my chest clenched with something I loathed to admit—fear.

"Hold on, Leif," I muttered under my breath, low and rough, a prayer disguised as a threat. "Just wait for me. Don’t you dare break. Don’t you dare fall."

The night seemed endless, but I would tear it apart if I must. Nothing—no man, no god, no abyss—will keep me from reaching him.

I hope you’re not in trouble leif.

***

[Leif’s POV—Same Time—Frojnholm Sky]

"...WOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOO!!!"

The sound ripped out of me before I could stop it. My voice echoed off the mountains like a drunk banshee at karaoke night.

"...OHHHHHHHHHH YEAH!!!"

Wind slapped my face so hard my eyes watered, but I didn’t care. My hair flew back, my coat flapped like a cape, and my heart was hammering with the kind of giddy terror you only get from doing something very stupid but also very fun.

I was flying. Actually flying. On a dragon.

Eat your heart out, Tokyo Airlines.

"This is sooooooo goooooooood!!!" I yelled, practically foaming with joy as I clung to Zephyy’s warm, scaled back. My crimson baby dangled from Zephyy’s talons below us like an oversized furry chandelier, paws curled and tail whipping in the wind. He looked like he hated every second of it.

It felt insane. It felt unreal. It felt like I was Superman, only without the cape, and possibly with a little more screaming.

"Are you having fun, Master?" Zephyy’s voice rolled up from under me, smug and purring like a cat who’d just stolen a whole kingdom.

"YESSSSSS! VERY MUCHHHHHH!" I screamed, squeezing him tighter like a koala strapped to a rocket.

I’ve always wanted to fly! Like—okay, I’ve been on planes in Tokyo, sure—but THIS! THIS IS THE REAL THING! OPEN SKY! NO SEATBELTS! NO STALE PEANUTS!

This was freedom. This was every childhood daydream come to life.

Zephyy tilted his massive head, his eyes glowing. "Master... I can see a village. Is that the one where you live?"

I squinted against the wind. The rooftops of Frojnholm twinkled faintly under the moon. My stomach tightened. "Yes, yes... that’s it. But Zephyy—land a little far from there, alright?"

His wings paused mid-beat. "Far? Why, Master?"

I groaned. "Because I know my people, Zephyy. They already called me the Saint of Frojnholm just because I helped with a few little things. If they find out I tamed a dragon too..." I made a face. "Forget saint. They’ll start building me temples and calling me a god. Next thing you know, there’ll be statues of me everywhere. I’ll have no peace!"

Zephyy blinked, his voice puzzled. "You’re strange, Master. People would die for that kind of attention. And you’re here running from it?"

"It’s because all I really want is to laze around, scratch my butt, and eat," I muttered under my breath. "I don’t want attention. Attention means responsibility. Responsibility means paperwork. Paperwork means hell. Land far away."

Zephyy sighed dramatically, like a diva forced to play a minor role. "Very well... hold tight then."

I wrapped my arms around his neck like a child about to go down the world’s deadliest slide. "Holding!"

"Good," he purred. His wings angled sharply. "We descend."

And then—

THUDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!!

We hit the ground with all the grace of a cat falling out of a window. Snow exploded around us in a blizzardy poof. My crimson pup rolled out of Zephyy’s talons and immediately started gritting at the dragon, tail bristling like a bottle brush.

I sat up, coughing snow out of my mouth, hair full of ice, and yelled, "ZE-PPYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!" YOU CALL THAT LANDING?!"

Zephyy just shook himself like a wet dog, now in kitten form again, hopping onto my shoulder with zero shame. "Of course, Master. I call it... a dramatic entrance."

"You’re a menace," I muttered, but then a grin tugged at my lips. "Still... best. ride. ever."

I pushed myself up, brushed the snow off my sleeves in a theatrical flourish, and looked down at my crimson pup, who was growling at the smug kitten-on-my-shoulder like he’d just been told the world’s worst joke.

I dusted snow from my sleeves and pants, and the three of us trudged toward the glowing torches at the village gate. The flames swayed in the night wind, casting long shadows.

"Alright," I said, chest swelling with ridiculous relief. "Let’s go. My people must be worried sick."

And then—

"WHOEVER DARES TO TOUCH LEIF—I WILL KILL THEM MYSELF!"

The voice thundered across the night, sharp, furious, and oh-so-familiar. I froze, breath catching.

My eyes lit up. That voice... That’s my man.

I hurried forward, heart pounding. And there he was—Grand Duke Alvar—storming out of the gates like a wrathful god ready to burn the world down. His sword gleamed, snow crunching under his boots, rage blazing in his eyes.

And then—he saw me.

He stopped dead in his tracks. His eyes widened, as if he’d just seen a ghost. The sword slipped from his hand and dropped into the snow with a heavy THUP!

"Leif..." His voice cracked.

Before I could even wave, he charged at me, with full relief and worry.

"Wha—hey—!" Zephhy yelped as my poor dragon-turned-kitten was ripped off my shoulder and flung unceremoniously into the snow.

Then Alvar’s arms crushed around me, tight enough to break ribs, his face buried in my hair. "Leif..." His voice was hoarse, trembling, and raw with everything he usually hides.

Gods. He wasn’t hugging me like a duke. He was hugging me like a man who had just clawed me back from the abyss.

Meanwhile, Zephyy—dumped unceremoniously into the snow—sat up, fur sticking out in all directions, his tail puffed like a furious feather duster. His little kitten eyes narrowed in sheer outrage.

"EXCUSE ME?!" he screeched. "Who is this brute? Who dares separate me from my Master?!"

I snorted into Alvar’s chest. Zephyy was lucky only I could hear him—Alvar looked like he could kill a god right now.

Still... my ribs were another story.

"Alvar... you’re—" I wheezed, my arms flailing helplessly in the air. "You’re ripping my ribs out of my body."

He froze. Then, slowly, he loosened his hold, just enough to frame my face with both hands. His palms were warm, his eyes burning as if he wanted to memorize every inch of me.

"I thought I lost you, Leif," he whispered.

I smiled, breathless. "Well... surprise."

"Master," Zephyy hissed in my head, his ears flicking furiously. "Who is this man? Why is he acting like some—some human in love?!"

I coughed. Thank the gods only I can hear you, Zephyy.

Alvar wasn’t listening to anything but me. He seized my hands, scanning my body with hawk-like eyes until his gaze stopped. On the faint rope burns across my legs.

His jaw clenched. His voice cracked into a roar that made the entire village flinch. "I WILL SLAUGHTER THEM! I WILL RIP THEIR FILTHY SOULS TO PIECES—"

"Master!" Zephyy yelped in shock. His tail shot up straight. "He—he’s a dragon! He has to be a dragon!"

I placed both hands against Alvar’s chest, looking up quickly. "Alvar, I’m fine! Really. You can... murder them later. But right now, let’s just... go home. I’ve run enough tonight."

For a heartbeat, his furious breathing slowed. Then his gaze softened. Without warning, he bent down and crushed his lips to mine.

The world fell away. His mouth was cold from the winter air, but his kiss was fire, desperate and unyielding. He lingered there, then leaned his forehead to mine, his voice breaking low and tender.

"Leif... you are my everything. If anyone dares take you from me again—I won’t just kill them. I’ll burn their world until there’s nothing left but ash."

My heart flipped. I smiled up at him, teasing just to hide how much I wanted to melt. "You’re terrifying when you’re romantic, you know that?"

And then—

It hit me.

The silence.

I slowly turned my head.

Every single villager. My knights. The baron. Both captains. Nick. All of them. Their torches wavered in the snow as their mouths hung open, eyes bulging out like freshly caught fish.

The silence was so loud, I swear I heard someone choke on their own spit. Even Zephyy had stopped ranting, blinking in wide-eyed awe.

And then—

"MASTER!" Zephyy shrieked, scandalized. "WHY DID YOU KISS A MAN?!"

I froze. Alvar froze. The villagers collectively gasped.

And just like that... without planning, without warning... We had come out of the closet. To the entire territory.

"Fuck...we’re Doomed."