Caius**
The dragon was dead.
But I couldn't breathe.
Eloise's body crumpled to the ground, her small form barely a shadow against the battlefield soaked in fire and blood.
"*Eloise!*"
My sword fell from my grip as I ran. My chest tightened, my vision tunneled, and for the first time since the war that ruined me, I felt true, gut-wrenching *fear.*
I dropped to my knees beside her, hands shaking as I reached out. She was so still. Too still.
"*No, no, no...*" I whispered, my fingers hovering just above her face, afraid—*terrified*—that if I touched her, she would disappear.
I pressed my palm against her cheek. Cold.
My heart stopped.
Then—I felt it.
A breath. Faint. Shallow. But there.
She was alive.
A choked sound broke from my throat, something raw and desperate. My hands curled into fists against the dirt, my body trembling from the overwhelming relief that crashed over me.
And then, to everyone's horror, I let out a sob.
A wretched, broken sound that had no place on the battlefield.
The warriors, the dwarves, even my old friend stood in stunned silence as I *cried.* Not from pain. Not from exhaustion.
But from *fear.*
Because for that single moment, I thought I had lost her.
Again.
And I couldn't—I *wouldn't* survive that.
I clutched her hand, pressing it against my forehead, my shoulders shaking. "You idiot," I whispered, my voice hoarse. "You *stupid, reckless woman*..."
No response.
Just the quiet rise and fall of her chest.
I didn't let go.
"Caius."
I barely registered the voice until a firm hand rested on my shoulder. I looked up, my vision blurred, to see my old friend kneeling beside me. There was no mockery in his gaze. No judgment. Only understanding.
"She needs rest," he said softly. "We need to return to the city."
I swallowed hard and nodded.
Carefully, I lifted Eloise into my arms, holding her close against me. She was lighter than I remembered, as if the battle had drained something from her.
I stood, carrying her away from the battlefield, and no one dared to stop me.
### **Three Days Later**
Eloise hadn't woken up.
I sat beside her bed in the dwarf city, elbows resting on my knees, eyes locked on her sleeping face.
She looked peaceful. It infuriated me.
Did she have any idea what she had done to me? How *stupidly* she had risked herself?
I ran a hand through my hair, sighing heavily.
I hadn't left this room since we returned. Not once. The dwarves brought me food, water, even tried to convince me to rest—but how could I?
I refused to leave her alone.
Not this time. Not ever again.
____
Eloise**
The first thing I felt was warmth.
It wrapped around me, familiar and safe, as if someone had been keeping watch over me the entire time I slept. My body was heavy, my mind clouded, but as I slowly blinked my eyes open, I realized I wasn't alone.
Caius was beside me.
He was asleep, his arms folded against the bed, his head resting near my arm. His silver hair fell messily across his forehead, his face softened in sleep, far from the hardened warrior he usually was. His brows were no longer furrowed in concern, and for once, he looked *peaceful.*
My chest tightened.
Had he been here the whole time?
I shifted slightly, my fingers twitching against the sheets. My body ached from exhaustion, but the moment I moved, I felt something—*his hand,* still holding mine, even in sleep.
Warm. Steady. Unwavering.
A small, fond smile tugged at my lips as I watched him.
*Caius...*
Without thinking, I reached out. My fingertips brushed against his cheek, tracing the faint scar along his jawline. He didn't stir, his breathing deep and even, and I allowed myself this one selfish moment.
He had done so much for me. Protected me. Stayed by my side. Worried over me.
And for what?
Because I was his creator? Or... was it something more?
My heart pounded at the thought, heat rushing to my cheeks.
My thumb gently brushed over his cheekbone, feeling the roughness of his skin, the warmth beneath it. He always carried himself with strength, but now, here, like this—he was just *Caius.*
A man who had endured too much.
A man I wanted to know beyond the story I had written for him.
A man I—
Before I could pull away, his eyes fluttered open.
I froze.
But instead of pulling back in surprise, Caius moved so fast I barely had time to react.
His hand caught mine, trapping it against his cheek.
And then, in one fluid motion, he pulled me closer and *kissed me.*
A shocked gasp escaped me, but he didn't hesitate. His lips were warm, firm, and for a moment, my entire world *stopped.*
I melted into him.
His fingers curled around my wrist, anchoring me as he deepened the kiss—gentle yet desperate, as if he had been waiting for this moment longer than I realized.
I didn't push him away.
I *couldn't.*
Instead, I leaned into him, letting the warmth of his touch, the steady beat of his heart, consume me whole.
When he finally pulled away, his forehead rested against mine, his breath slightly unsteady. His eyes, dark and intense, searched mine.
"Eloise..." he murmured, his voice rough, uncertain.
I swallowed, my pulse racing. "You— You were awake?"
A ghost of a smirk touched his lips. "For a while."
My face burned. "You were *pretending* to sleep?"
He hummed in amusement. "I wanted to see what you'd do."
My heart felt like it would burst out of my chest. "*Caius!*"
But he only tightened his hold on me, his expression turning serious. "I thought I lost you," he whispered. "I've never been more afraid in my life."
I hesitated, my fingers still against his cheek. His vulnerability, the raw emotion in his voice, sent a shiver down my spine.
"I'm here," I whispered back. "I'm not going anywhere."
His thumb brushed over my knuckles.
Something had changed between us.
And for the first time, I didn't fear it.
I welcomed it.
Because I knew, without a doubt—
I was falling for Caius Drayke.