Page 110 of Night Fae
Had he been in one of the territories that vanished?
"We should sleep," Caelen said from behind him.
Daniel turned to find his mate watching him from their bed, white hair loose around his shoulders, green eyes reflecting the firelight.
"I couldn't," Daniel said. "My brain won't shut up."
Caelen extended a hand. "Come here."
Daniel crossed the room and sat on the edge of the bed. Caelen reached up to brush a strand of faded blue hair from Daniel's face.
"Your roots are showing," Caelen observed.
"I haven't had the time to even try to find hair dye here."
"I like it."
"You like everything about me."
"True." Caelen took Daniel's hand, running his thumb across the knuckles. "What's on your mind? Besides the obvious."
Daniel glanced toward the window again. Which of his worries were not obvious? "I keep thinking about what happens after," he said finally. "If we survive this… if we manage to stop Yuri and fix the barriers—then what?"
"I don't understand."
"Do I stay here? Go back to Earth? Will we even get a choice? Will Jamie? Or any of the others?"
Understanding softened Caelen's expression. He pulled Daniel closer until they were both lying on the bed next to each other. "These are questions I've been asking myself as well," he admitted. "I have no easy answers. No one can tell what's going to happen. What was impossible before may become possible, or what was easy may become difficult."
"That's a very diplomatic non-answer, Your Majesty."
Caelen's mouth quirked into a half-smile. "Would you prefer I lie? You know I can't."
"No." Daniel sighed, settling his head against Caelen's chest. "I just wish things were simpler."
"Nothing about us has ever been simple." Caelen's fingers combed through Daniel's hair, a soothing rhythm. "But I know one thing with absolute certainty."
"What's that?"
"Wherever you are, that's where I belong." The simple declaration carried more weight than flowery promises. "If you need to return to Earth, I will find a way to follow. If you choose to stay in Veridia, I will make this place your home in truth. We will not be separated."
Daniel lifted his head to look at Caelen. "You'd leave your kingdom? For me?"
"I would." Caelen's hand cupped Daniel's cheek. "Elucia has survived worse kings than whoever would follow me."
The offer stunned Daniel into silence. Caelen, who had fought so hard to reclaim his throne, who had suffered possession by a dark god rather than surrender his kingdom—would give it all up for him?
"I wouldn't ask that of you," Daniel said finally.
"You didn't ask. I offered."
"Still." Daniel leaned in, pressing his forehead against Caelen's. "I don't think I'd mind living here with you. As long as I can find some good bright hair dye."
Caelen laughed, the sound rumbling through his chest. "Is that a promise to stay, then?"
"It's a promise to figure it out together." Daniel closed the distance between them, sealing the words with a kiss. "After we save both our worlds."
Caelen's arms tightened around him, the kiss deepening into something more urgent, more desperate. Tomorrow they would face unknown dangers. Tonight, they had this—each other, the warmth of their bed, the certainty of their bond. As Caelen rolled him onto his back, Daniel surrendered to the moment, letting everything else fall away.
