"Some mornings are far too dangerous for innocent thoughts."

*************

Rosaline’s entire body froze atop Xandros the moment his words settled between them.

Warm morning sunlight spilled softly through the curtains while the quiet rhythm of his heartbeat pulsed steadily beneath her cheek. His arm remained firmly around her waist, holding her effortlessly against him while silver-grey eyes watched her with dangerous amusement.

Her face burned instantly.

"I..." Rosaline opened her mouth before immediately closing it again.

Wonderful.

Her brain had stopped functioning.

Xandros’ lips curved faintly at her expression.

"You were attempting escape," he observed lazily.

"I was trying not to disturb you."

"By fleeing?"

Rosaline glared weakly at him despite the embarrassing position she still remained trapped in.

"I was not fleeing."

"You looked very guilty for someone innocent."

His voice still sounded rough from sleep.

Low and warm.

Entirely unfair to her and what it was doing to her body and senses.

Rosaline quickly tried distracting herself by looking elsewhere.

That was when she noticed it.

Her wings were gone.

Completely.

Her green eyes widened immediately before she looked back at him in shock.

"My wings..."

"Gone for now," Xandros answered calmly.

Rosaline blinked several times before glancing over her shoulders again as if expecting them to suddenly reappear.

"But how?"

"You resting probably made it relax also...and then it went." He studied her silently for a moment afterward before adding casually, "Though you are still beautiful without them."

Silence.

Rosaline stopped breathing.

For exactly three seconds.

Then color exploded violently across her cheeks.

Xandros watched the reaction carefully.

And smiled.

Not the cold smirks he wore around nobles.

Not the dangerous half-smiles that usually carried threats beneath them.

This one was different.

Genuine.

Soft enough to completely stun her.

Rosaline stared at him speechlessly.

Gods.

He looked unfairly handsome when he smiled like that.

Clearly the poison had damaged his mind.

That had to be the explanation.

Because otherwise...

No.

Absolutely not.

Rosaline immediately attempted escape again.

This time with more determination.

Unfortunately, moving while laying directly atop Xandros turned out to be a horrible decision.

The moment she shifted awkwardly against him, her thigh brushed against something hard beneath the blankets.

Rosaline froze.

Completely.

Her entire body locked in place.

Silence swallowed the room instantly.

Very slowly...

very dangerously slowly...

Xandros raised one brow.

Rosaline stopped functioning again.

"Oh my gods," she whispered internally in horror.

The Duke watched her panic with visible amusement now.

"You stopped moving," he observed.

Rosaline refused to look at him.

"If I pretend this moment never happened," she muttered weakly, "perhaps the universe will pity me."

A low chuckle escaped him then.

The sound vibrated directly beneath her where she still rested against his chest.

Which only made everything worse.

Rosaline nearly combusted from embarrassment.

Xandros leaned slightly closer afterward, his grey eyes darker now beneath the golden morning light.

"You are blushing very hard, wife."

That title should not have affected her that much.

It did.

Terribly.

Rosaline finally looked at him again with wide eyes.

"You are sick."

"From someone who seems to enjoy resting on me."

That nearly killed her.

Xandros released her immediately afterward before the poor woman died from embarrassment entirely.

Rosaline practically launched herself away from the bed the second his arm loosened around her waist.

She disappeared toward the bathing chamber so quickly that the blankets nearly fell off the mattress behind her.

The door slammed shut moments later.

Silence followed.

Then...

Xandros laughed quietly to himself.

Inside the bathing chamber, Rosaline stood motionless against the closed door while clutching her burning face with both hands.

What had just happened?

No seriously.

What had just happened?!

Her reflection stared back at her from the mirror nearby looking equally traumatized.

Rosaline groaned softly before lowering her head against the cool wood behind her.

"He was sick not long ago," she whispered accusingly to herself.

This was not how sick people behaved.

Meanwhile outside the chamber...

Xandros leaned back against the pillows calmly while staring toward the closed bathing room door.

His expression remained quieter now.

Thoughtful.

The memory of her blushing face replayed itself annoyingly inside his head.

She truly had no idea what she was doing to him.

The way she panicked.

The way she avoided his eyes afterward.

The way her body immediately melted against his chest in sleep last night without hesitation.

His gaze lowered briefly toward the rumpled blankets.

For centuries, he had never enjoyed mornings.

Too quiet and empty.

Yet now...

he found himself listening to another person’s footsteps.

Annoying.

Very annoying.

A knock suddenly interrupted the silence.

"Your Grace?" Lily’s cheerful voice echoed from outside. "Are you awake?"

Rosaline immediately panicked inside the bathing chamber.

Another knock followed quickly, this time accompanied by the butler’s calmer voice.

"My Lord, your clothes have been prepared."

The bathing room door flew open instantly.

Rosaline bolted out so quickly she nearly slipped on the polished floor.

Xandros watched silently as she rushed straight toward the chamber doors before suddenly stopping midway.

Apparently realizing she still wore her sleeping clothes.

Rosaline turned sharply back toward him afterward while avoiding his gaze completely.

"I-I am going to freshen up properly now."

Her words came out rushed.

Xandros looked entirely too calm.

"Mm."

Rosaline pointed awkwardly toward the door.

"The other chamber is where I am going to."

"I assumed."

Her face turned red again immediately.

Wonderful.

Now even breathing near him felt embarrassing.

Without another word, Rosaline hurried toward the doors and pulled them open quickly.

Lily immediately brightened at the sight of her.

"Your Grace!"

The butler bowed respectfully beside her.

Rosaline nodded quickly while still refusing to look behind her toward the bed.

"Good morning."

Then she escaped.

Again.

Lily blinked in confusion before hurrying after her.

The butler, meanwhile, entered the chamber calmly carrying folded dark clothing over one arm.

His old eyes immediately settled on Xandros.

Carefully assessing him.

The Duke looked significantly better already.

Though traces of exhaustion still lingered faintly beneath his eyes.

"Your condition improved," the older man observed quietly.

Xandros stood from the bed afterward.

"It was never serious."

The butler looked deeply unconvinced.

Elsewhere in the mansion, Rosaline walked far too quickly through the corridors while Lily struggled to keep pace beside her.

"Your Grace!"

Rosaline continued forward.

Lily narrowed her eyes suspiciously afterward.

"Why are you acting strange this morning?"

Rosaline nearly tripped.

"I am not acting strange."

"You ran out of your room like someone committed murder."

Rosaline coughed awkwardly.

"The Duke is unwell."

Lily blinked once.

"...What?"

"He had a fever."

That only confused the maid further.

Because from what Lily understood, the Duke looked more likely to cause illness in others than actually suffer from one himself.

Before she could question further, Rosaline already hurried farther ahead.

Lily immediately chased after her.

"My Lady wait!"

Back inside the chamber, Xandros finished dressing quietly while the butler adjusted the cuffs near his sleeves with practiced movements.

Dark formal clothing replaced the loose sleeping attire from earlier, restoring the familiar image of the cold Duke feared throughout the empire.

Though today...

something subtle had changed.

The butler noticed it immediately.... perhaps it was the sickness he claimed not to be serious.

"You should rest longer," the older man said carefully.

"I’m fine."

"My Lord..."

Xandros glanced toward him calmly.

The butler stopped instantly.

There it was.

That look.

The one that reminded everyone exactly why arguing with this man remained a terrible survival choice.

Still...

the older servant sighed softly like an exhausted grandfather anyway.

"You frightened me last night."

Xandros adjusted the black gloves over his hands afterward.

"I survived."

"Barely coughing your lungs out."

"I still have both lungs."

The butler muttered something beneath his breath about stubborn masters before stepping aside completely.

Xandros almost smiled again.

Before leaving, he paused briefly near the doorway.

"Make sure my wife eats properly."

The butler blinked once.

Wife.

The word had been spoken so naturally.

So casually.

As though Xandros himself no longer noticed using it.

Interesting.

"And tell her," the Duke added calmly, "that I will return after the palace meeting."

The older man bowed.

"Of course, Your Grace."

By the time Rosaline finally reached the breakfast hall alongside Lily, her embarrassment had only worsened.

Mostly because every time she remembered that morning...

she also remembered his smile.

Gods help her.

The butler entered moments later and bowed respectfully.

"His Grace has departed for the palace."

Rosaline looked up instantly.

"So early?"

"Urgent matters."

Concern flickered across her expression immediately.

"Did he eat anything before leaving?"

The butler paused slightly.

"No, Your Grace."

Rosaline frowned.

"But he was still sick."

"He insisted he was well."

"Did he still look pale? Was he coughing again? Did he at least drink tea before leaving?"

The questions came rapidly now.

One after another.

The butler looked mildly startled by the sudden interrogation.

Before he could answer further, Lily gently touched Rosaline’s arm.

"My Lady," she whispered carefully, "the poor man looks exhausted."

Rosaline blinked.

Then immediately realized the butler genuinely did look tired.

Heat rose to her cheeks again.

"Oh."

She scratched her neck awkwardly before offering the older man an apologetic smile.

"Sorry."

The butler’s expression softened almost fatherly afterward.

"No apology needed, Your Grace."

Lily watched the entire interaction silently.

Then slowly...

her eyes widened.

Oh.

Ohhhhh.

**********

Meanwhile...

far away within Everbloom Kingdom...

morning sunlight illuminated the royal dining hall in pale gold.

Unlike the warm atmosphere inside Xandros’ mansion, Everbloom’s palace overflowed cold. Tall crystal windows overlooked endless gardens while servants moved quietly between long tables carrying silver trays filled with tea, fruit, and fresh bread.

King Lucien sat at the head of the table dressed in formal royal attire while Queen Vivienne remained seated beside him elegantly.

Across from them sat Crown Prince Aeron.

Rosaline’s stepbrother.

The prince looked half-interested in breakfast at best until the king suddenly spoke.

"I’ve decided to invite the Duke of Dagon to the Winter Ball."

Aeron’s attention snapped upward instantly.

Queen Vivienne looked thoughtful.

"The Duke?" she repeated softly.

Lucien nodded.

"Freebleak Kingdom has grown too bold lately. Rumors of war continue spreading near the borders." His expression darkened slightly. "A show of alliance with Dagon would discourage foolish decisions."

Queen Vivienne lifted her tea calmly.

"And Rosaline?"

Aeron’s ears immediately perked up at his sister’s name.

The king exhaled quietly afterward.

"She will attend alongside her husband of course."

Something unreadable crossed Aeron’s face briefly.

Interest.

Curiosity.

And beneath it all...

relief.

Because despite everything...

Rosaline was finally coming home.